Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Clinical Consequences Of Micrornas In Colorectal Cancer, Liselle C. Bovell

All ETDs from UAB

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease, and factors such as tumor location, the environment, genetics, and ethnic differences, can influence its development and progression. Over the last few decades, overall CRC mortality rates have declined; however, racial disparities in mortality rates have increased. The discovery of biomarkers that focus on identifying individual differences based on confounders such as tumor stage and patient race/ethnicity is needed, for such biomarkers can lead to development of personalized therapeutic approaches to target these molecules. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small molecules that regulate genes at the post-transcriptional level. Altered miRNA expression levels …

Tuberculosis Screening And Treatment Outcomes In Zambia, Jennifer Harris

All ETDs from UAB

Zambia is a country in Southern Africa with dual HIV and tuberculosis (TB) epidemics. The annual TB incidence is 444/100,000 and 64% of TB patients are co-infected with HIV. Accurate screening and diagnosis for TB is challenging since it often presents with non-specific signs and symptoms and the available diagnostics are neither sensitive nor specific. Papers one and two of this dissertation focus on the derivation of TB screening rules to more accurately identify high-risk persons in two Zambian populations: inmates and HIV clinic patients. Among inmates, being HIV positive and having a body mass index < 18.5 most strongly predicted HIV disease. Chest pain was also strongly associated, but this may have been a chance finding. For HIV clinic patients, we developed four rules with increasing complexity of clinical tools used for screening. Sensitivity was very high with all rules; the addition of vital signs and pulmonary exam findings to symptom-based screening rules greatly increased the rules' specificity. Furthermore, a rule incorporating pulmonary exam findings performed similarly to a rule with chest radiography suggesting pulmonary exam may be an inexpensive alternative to x-ray. The final paper looks at TB incidence, mortality and intermediate clinical outcomes in a cohort of HIV clinic patients with and without TB during their first 12 months of HIV care. TB incidence was very high during this time period, despite thorough screening at baseline. Mortality was elevated in both culture-confirmed and clinically-diagnosed TB patients, with much of the elevated risk concentrated in TB patients who had culture-confirmed but clinically-unapparent disease. Looking at intermediate outcomes among patients who started anti-retroviral therapy, the change in CD4 cell count was similar for patients with and without TB. TB patients started off with lower mean body weights and hemoglobin concentrations but also showed greater increases over 12 months, thus `catching up' with the TB-negative patients. If these findings are replicable in other cohorts they could have substantial impact on TB screening and diagnostic procedures in resource limited, high burden countries like Zambia.

Microrna Regulation Of Dlx3 During Odontoblast Differentiation, Hannah Maria Heair

All ETDs from UAB

MicroRNAs are endogenous non-coding RNA (~22nt) that bind to the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of target messenger RNA (mRNA) and facilitate translational repression and degradation. Previous studies have demonstrated the essential role of miRNA in many biological processes, including skeletal development and tooth formation. Dlx3, a homeobox gene, is critical for craniofacial patterning and postnatal skeletal development. Mutations in the Dlx3 gene in humans result in two autosomal dominant phenotypes known as tricho-dento-osseous syndrome (TDO) and amelogenesis imperfecta with taurodontism (AIHHT). Dlx3 expression has been observed in cranial neural crest cells, endochondral osteoblasts, odontoblasts, ameloblasts, hypertrophic chondrocytes, and the developing …

Therapeutic Potential Of Genetically-Engineered Mesenchymal Stem Cells In Multiple Myeloma, Jerome T. Higgs

All ETDs from UAB

ABSTRACT Multiple Myeloma (MM) remains the second most common hematologic malig-nancy occurring in adults, which primarily affects the skeletal system causing severe bone destruction, spinal cord compression and hypercalcemia. Current therapies, which include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, autologouos stem cell transplantation and in some cases surgery, have extended the median survival between 3 and 10 years. However, MM is still incurable and therefore improving current therapies or developing newer ones to reduce the burden of osteolytic damage and extend survival rate will be highly beneficial for patient management. The long-term goal of this study is to develop a novel therapeutic approach to …

The Role Of Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa Rhodopsin Mutant Ter349glu In Rod Cell Biogenesis And Retinal Inflammation, Tj Hollingsworth

All ETDs from UAB

Retinitis pigmentosa is one of the most common inherited blinding disorders, affecting 1 in 4000 individuals world-wide. Approximately 30% of retinitis pigmentosa cases are dominantly inherited and approximately 30% of these dominant mutations are found in rhodopsin. Most rhodopsin mutations result in misfolded protein aggregates and subsequent apoptosis while others have been shown to result in apoptosis associated with mislocalization, diminished/enhanced activity, or faulty protein-protein interactions. This work serves to test for mechanisms by which the naturally-occurring Ter349Glu rhodopsin mutation causes rod cell death. Ter349Glu rhodopsin was tested for the ability to bind the ligand 11-cis retinal, photoactivate, and activate …

Regulation Of Glioma Cell Migration And Proliferation By A Non-Selective Cation Channel., Arun Kumar Rooj

All ETDs from UAB

Two of the most striking features of brain tumors are their unusual ability to robustly proliferate and migrate in the brain. Previous results from our laboratory suggest that glioma cells express a non-selective cation channel that is composed of Epithelial Sodium Channel (ENaC) and Acid Sensing Ion Channel (ASIC) subunits. We hypothesize that this glioma specific current regulates glioma cell migration and proliferation by modulating an intracellular signaling pathway. To test our hypothesis, we have attenuated this cationic conductance by either pharmacological blockers (psalmotoxin-1 and benzamil), or by knocking down expression of a particular subunit of this cross-clade ion channel …

Studies Of Dna Gyrase Activity In Escherichia Coli And Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhimurium., Nikolay Sergeyevich Rovinskiy

All ETDs from UAB

Gyrase introduces negative supercoils into bacterial DNA. In balance with topoisomerase I, it contributes to the maintenance of constant negative DNA supercoiling. It was shown that in Escherichia coli negative supercoil density of pBR322 plasmid is higher than in Salmonella typhimurium. One of the possible explanations of this phenomenon is a difference of DNA gyrase activity between E. coli and S. typhimurium. We developed in vitro assay of gyrase activity which has shown that DNA gyrases of E. coli and S. typhimurium have the same supercoiling end point, but E. coli gyrase works slightly faster than the S. typhimurium enzyme. …

Role Of Endothelial Mannose Residues In Monocyte Adhesion Under Flow, David Wayne Scott

All ETDs from UAB

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the vessel wall and underlying cause of most cardiovascular disease. Much is understood about the nature of atherosclerosis development, including contributions from leukocytes that drive the disease process forward. The general process by which leukocytes are trafficked to sites of atherosclerosis development, and sites of inflammation in general, is understood and relies upon endothelial expressed protein adhesion molecules which serve as ligands for cognate leukocyte receptors. While these adhesion molecules share the post-translation modification of N-glycosylation, relatively little is known as to what functional role these modification plays in: i) interactions of leukocytes …

Spatial Analysis Of Cardiovascular Mri Data, Samantha Seals

All ETDs from UAB

The goal of this dissertation is to investigate applying currently available Frequentist spatial analysis methods to cardiovascular MRI (cMRI) data. This data is typically analyzed using methods dependent summary statistics; our goal is to analyze using the full dataset. In our first paper, we explore application of spatial covariance structures to cMRI data via a generalized linear model. In our second paper, we examine the effects of misspecification of the covariance structure when analyzing spatially correlated data utilizing generalized linear models via Monte Carlo simulation. Finally, in our third paper, we propose an alternative family of covariance structures that lends …

Determinant Of G-Chain Mediated Fc Receptor Signaling, Spandan Shah

All ETDs from UAB

Fc receptors provide an interface between humoral immunity and cellular immunity by binding to the Fc portion of immunoglobulin and mediating effector functions. Cells expressing Fc receptors play a major role in immune complex clearance via phagocytosis, leading to a context dependent pro- or anti-inflammatory environment. Signaling by multi-chain Fc receptor complexes, including FcgRI, FcgRIII, FceRI and FcaRI is mediated by the ITAM-containing common FceRIg (g-chain) subunit. However, despite the use of a common g-chain, different Fc receptor complexes elicit specific cellular programs, suggesting additional layers of regulation of tyrosine based signaling by g-chain. We hypothesized that the unique g-chain …

Phenotypic Analysis Of B Cells In Hla*B44 Positive Patients That Exhibit Common Variable Immunodeficiency And Recurrent Sino-Pulmonary Infections, Eva Szymanska Mroczek

All ETDs from UAB

Depressed serum immunoglobulin levels and recurrent sinopulmonary infections mark Common Variable Immune Deficiency (CVID). Many family members of CVID patients also suffer Recurrent Sino-Pulmonary Infection (RESPI) but have normal serum immunoglobulins. We identified HLAB44 positive identical female twins who suffer sinopulmonary infections and are discordant for CVID and RESPI. Flow cytometry subsets showed equivalent numbers of immature B cells (BC) in both twins, but lower numbers of transitional and mature BC in the CVID twin. Presented is an in-depth comparison of V (D) J gene usage, hydrophobicity, length, DH reading frame, and amino acid usage between µ H chain repertoires …

Automatic Segmentation Of Teeth In Digital Dental Models, David Anton Mouritsen

All ETDs from UAB

Introduction: Within the last decade, there has been an increase in the use of digital records in orthodontics. An orthodontic diagnostic setup is a simulated treatment outcome prepared from dental models. To create a diagnostic setup from digital dental models, the first step is to segment the models, or identify the boundaries of each tooth. In the past, a human operator would manually segment the models using a computer program to draw the boundary that separates the teeth from each other and the gingiva. The ideal, fully automatic, segmentation algorithm would not require a user to interact with the digital …

Effects Of Nicotine On The Human Visual System: 1) Color Perception; 2) Processing At The Cortical Level, Naser T. Naser

All ETDs from UAB

The visual system is sensitive to various types of chemical substances, including nicotine. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are found in the nervous system, including the retina. These receptors play a role in modulating signals within the visual system. It has been shown that smoking affects color vision, and visual evoked potentials (VEPs). But few studies have been devoted to understanding the effects of nicotine alone. The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of oral administration of nicotine in human adults, who are non-smokers, on color vision, and visual cortical processing. Previous studies on adult smokers revealed that …

Neuropathological Alterations In Alzheimer's Disease: An Up Close Look At Sympathetic Sprouting, Amy Renee Nelson

All ETDs from UAB

Pathological hallmarks of AD include neurofibrillary tau tangles, amyloid beta (Abeta) accumulation and cholinergic degeneration. Cholinergic degeneration can be mimicked in rats by lesioning cholinergic neurons in medial septum. Hippocampal cholinergic denervation disrupts retrograde transport of nerve growth factor (NGF), leading to its accumulation, which subsequently triggers sprouting of noradrenergic sympathetic fibers from the superior cervical ganglia into hippocampus. Dr. McMahon's lab previously reported that coincident with this sprouting, there is an increase in cholinergic innervation that correlates with a recovery of M1 muscarinic receptor dependent plasticity at CA3-CA1 synapses and visual cortex. These findings suggest that noradrenergic sympathetic sprouting …

The Relation Of Hospital Choices In It Infrastructure Spending And Deployment With Hit/Ehr Strategies And Operational Efficiency, Harold Neumeier

All ETDs from UAB

This study examined certain aspects of the association between information technology (IT) strategy and structure changes within hospitals, as well as the effects of IT infrastructure changes on measures of financial performance for these hospitals during the period of 2009-2011. Following the Process School of the Resource Based View, both internal and external information technology resources were examined to see how hospitals had responded to Federal policies related to the "meaningful use" of Health IT and Electronic Health records. Specifically, this study examined changes in information technology spending by hospitals based on size, hospital type, and percentage of revenue derived …

The Effects Of Markers For Hiv Disease Progression, Social Network, Barriers To Care, Depression, And Substance Abuse On Medical Appointment Adherence Of Hiv-Infected Adults, Yeow Chye Ng

All ETDs from UAB

The study was designed to test a causal model of theoretical relationships among markers for HIV disease progression, social network, barriers to care, depression, substance abuse, and medical appointment adherence among HIV-infected adults. The proposed causal model was derived and developed from Lazarus and Folkman's theory of stress, appraisal, and coping. The knowledge gained from this study may yield critical information with respect to determining how a health care provider or researcher can develop specific behavioral interventions for the improvement of medical appointment adherence among HIV-infected adults living in the Southeastern United States. The correlational study was a secondary analysis …

A Prospective Study Of Bone Augmentation With Growth Factors In Extraction Sockets, Athanasios Ntounis

All ETDs from UAB

Ridge preservation protocols reduce crestal remodeling after tooth extraction. Limited evidence supports the potential of different grafting materials to preserve the alveolar ridge. There is limited evidence to indicate advantage of bone replacement grafting in combination with platelet rich plasma (PRP), compared to grafting alone. A combination of recombinant human platelet derived growth factor (rhPDGF-BB) with beta tricalcium phosphate (ß-TCP) has recently been approved to aid wound healing. Aim: To evaluate early healing of grafted and non-grafted extraction sockets in the es-thetic zone, with or without PRP and rhPDGF-BB. Materials and Methods: Population consisted of 41 healthy adult patients whose …

Uptake Of Antenatal Care Services And Pregnancy Outcome In Kumasi, Ghana, Asundep Ntui

All ETDs from UAB

A prior study reported a 44.6% prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes in Kumasi, Ghana. This study investigated factors that may influence antenatal care (ANC) utilization and their association with adverse pregnancy outcomes; defined as low birth weight, stillbirth, preterm delivery or small for gestational age among pregnant women in Kumasi. A quantitative cross sectional study of 643 women, age 19-48 years who presented for delivery at select public hospitals and private traditional birth attendants from July through November 2011 was conducted. Information on socio-demographic characteristics and other factors associated with ANC attendance was collected using a structured questionnaire. Medical and …

New Mouse Models To Aid Studies Of The Role Of Primary Cilia In Limb Patterning And Bone Development, Amber Kathleen O'Connor

All ETDs from UAB

Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is required for many developmental processes, and causes several diseases and cancers. Described in chapter one below, vertebrate Hh sig-naling is dependent on the primary cilium (PC), a small organelle that extends from the surface of most mammalian cell types. A better understanding of how the PC modulates Hh signaling is important, as defects in the structure or function of PC result in severe human disorders termed the ciliopathies. For example, patients with Meckel-Gruber Syndrome have extra digits and neural tube defects, which are Hh both related pheno-types. In chapter two we sought to further understand the …

The Post-Combat Couple Adjustment Questionnaire: A Preliminary Validation, Valerie Maine

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation presents the results of a psychometric study regarding the preliminary validation of The Post-Combat Couple Adjustment Questionnaire (PCCAQ). This measure was designed to assess post-combat and post-deployment adjustment for male veterans and their female partners. The measure was created using existing literature on veterans, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and couples. The PCCAQ consists of four domains of couple functioning, including: (a) redefining roles, expectations, and division of household responsibilities; (b) managing strong emotions; (c) abandoning emotional constriction and creating intimacy in relationships; and (d) creating a sense of shared meaning surrounding the deployment experience. The PCCAQ was compared …

Wavelet Based Automated Postural Event Detection And Activity Classification With Single Imu (Tempo), Thurmon E. Lockhart, Rahul Soangra, Jian Zhang, Xuefang Wu

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Mobility characteristics associated with activity of daily living such as sitting down, lying down, rising up, and walking are considered to be important in maintaining functional independence and healthy life style especially for the growing elderly population. Characteristics of postural transitions such as sit-to-stand are widely used by clinicians as a physical indicator of health, and walking is used as an important mobility assessment tool. Many tools have been developed to assist in the assessment of functional levels and to detect a person’s activities during daily life. These include questionnaires, observation, diaries, kinetic and kinematic systems, and validated functional tests. …

Abstract: Functional Testing And Prediction Of Lower Extremity Or Low Back Injury Among Division Iii Collegiate Athletes, Jason Brumitt

Faculty Publications - College of Physical Therapy

No abstract provided.

Core Stabilization Exercise Prescription, Part 2: A Systematic Review Of Motor Control And General (Global) Exercise Rehabilitation Approaches For Patients With Low Back Pain, Jason Brumitt, J. W. Matheson, Erik P. Meira

Faculty Publications - College of Physical Therapy

Context: Therapeutic exercises are frequently prescribed to patients with low back pain. Numerous exercise programs for patients with low back pain have been described. Many of these treatment programs are based on 1 of 2 popular rehabilitation strategies: a motor control exercise approach or a general exercise approach.

Data Sources: PubMed clinical queries from 1966 to March 2013 for keyword combinations including motor control exercise, core stability exercise, therapeutic exercise, general exercise, global exercise, local exercise, transversus abdominis, segmental stabilization, and low back pain.

Study Selection: Randomized controlled trials that assessed the effects of a motor control exercise approach, a …

Concussion Knowledge In Amateur Motocross, Kristina Miller

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that there are 1.6-3.8 million sports related traumatic brain injuries in the United States annually which occur in both mainstream and extreme sports. Many of these concussions have been associated with collisional sports, like football, but high risk extreme sports, like motocross, also have many opportunities for collisions to occur. Unlike traditional varsity sports motocross races, especially at the amateur level, do not require more than advanced life support at a race in case of emergency situation leaving the amateur rider to recognize and decide on concussion management. Purpose of this study …

Review Of Ear Health And Hearing Among Indigenous Peoples, Jane Burns, Neil Thomson

Research outputs pre 2011

This review of ear health and hearing among Indigenous Australians has been prepared by the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet as a part of our contributions to ‘closing the gap’ in health between Indigenous people1 and other Australians. The aim is to make relevant, high quality knowledge and information easily accessible to policy makers, health service providers, program managers, clinicians, researchers and the general community. The review is an example of the HealthInfoNet’s translational research, defined as ‘comprehensive applied research that strives to translate the available knowledge and render it operational’

The main purpose of the review, which follows the model of …

Cervical Assessment By Ultrasound For Preventing Preterm Delivery., Vincenzo Berghella, Jason K. Baxter Md, Mscp, Nancy W Hendrix

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Measurement of cervical length (CL) by transvaginal ultrasound (TVU) is predictive of preterm birth (PTB). It is unclear if this screening test is effective for prevention of PTB.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of antenatal management based on transvaginal ultrasound of cervical length (TVU CL) screening for preventing PTB.

SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (31 August 2012), reviewed the reference lists of all articles and contacted experts in the field for additional and ongoing trials.

SELECTION CRITERIA: Published and unpublished randomized controlled trials including pregnant women between the gestational ages of 14 …

Predictive Effects Of Good Self-Control And Poor Regulation On Alcohol-Related Outcomes: Do Protective Behavioral Strategies Mediate?, Matthew R. Pearson, Benjamin A. Kite, James M. Henson

Psychology Faculty Publications

In the present study, we examined whether use of protective behavioral strategies mediated the relationship between self-control constructs and alcohol-related outcomes. According to the two-mode model of self-control, good self-control (planfulness; measured with Future Time Perspective, Problem Solving, and Self-Reinforcement) and poor regulation (impulsivity; measured with Present Time Perspective, Poor Delay of Gratification, Distractibility) are theorized to be relatively independent constructs rather than opposite ends of a single continuum. The analytic sample consisted of 278 college student drinkers (68% women) who responded to a battery of surveys at a single time point. Using a structural equation model based on the …

Unplanned Drinking And Alcohol-Related Problems: A Preliminary Test Of The Model Of Unplanned Drinking Behavior, Matthew R. Pearson, James M. Henson

Psychology Faculty Publications

Much research links impulsivity with alcohol use and problems. In 2 studies, unplanned (or impulsive) drinking is assessed directly to determine whether it has direct effects on alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. In Study 1, we examined whether unplanned drinking serves as a proximal mediator of the effects of impulsivity-like traits on alcohol-related outcomes. With a sample of 211 college student drinkers, we found that the Unplanned Drinking Scale was significantly related to alcohol use, and perhaps more important, had a direct effect on alcohol-related problems even after controlling for frequency and quantity of alcohol use. Furthermore, unplanned drinking partially …

Alcohol Use And Trauma Exposure Among Male And Female Veterans Before, During, And After Military Service, Michelle L. Kelley, Jennifer Runnals, Matthew R. Pearson, Marinell Miller, John A. Fairbank, Va Mid-Atlantic Mirecc Women Veterans Workgroup

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: The present study examined lifespan and combat-related trauma exposure as predictors of alcohol use among male and female veterans. Posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms were examined as mediators of the effects of trauma exposure on alcohol use.

Methods: Data were examined from 1825 (1450 male, 375 female) veterans and active duty service members who took part in a multi-site research study conducted through the Department of Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (VISN 6 MIRECC).

Results: For both men and women, depressive symptoms significantly mediated the effects of non-combat trauma exposure experienced before, during and …

A Brief Motivational Intervention For Heavy Alcohol Use In Dental Practice Settings: Rationale And Development, James A. Neff, Scott T. Walters, Abby L. Braitman, Michelle L. Kelley, Michele L. Darby, Margaret F. Lemaster

Psychology Faculty Publications

Although brief alcohol interventions have proven effective in a variety of health care settings, the present article describes the development of the first brief intervention for heavy drinkers in dental practice. Elements of motivational interviewing and personalized normative feedback were incorporated in a 3- to 5-minute intervention delivered by dental hygienists. The intervention is guided by a one-page feedback report providing personalized normative feedback regarding the patient's current oral health practices, their drinking in comparison to others, and oral cancer risk associated with current smoking and drinking. Future publications will present data regarding intervention effectiveness from an ongoing randomized trial.