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Articles 271 - 300 of 417
Full-Text Articles in Public Health
Apparent Change In Obesity-Mortality Associations: Methodological Issues In Survival Analyses With Censored Outcomes, Tapan Shirish Mehta
Apparent Change In Obesity-Mortality Associations: Methodological Issues In Survival Analyses With Censored Outcomes, Tapan Shirish Mehta
All ETDs from UAB
Analyses of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) have suggested that the mortality rate (MR) associated with obesity has decreased over calendar time. However, there has been conflicting evidence about the apparent change in the obesity-MR over calendar time. This dissertation investigates some of the empirical and methodological issues involved in assessing the longitudinal change in the obesity-mortality associations. In the first manuscript, Obesity and Mortality: Are the Risks Declining? Evidence from Multiple Prospective Studies in the U.S., a multiple longitudinal design is proposed and implemented to evaluate whether the obesity-mortality associations have declined over calendar time after …
High Density Genotyping For Immunogenetic Polymorphisms Associated With Transmission And Control Of Hiv-1 Infection In Zambian Heterosexual Serodiscordant Couples, Heather Prentice
High Density Genotyping For Immunogenetic Polymorphisms Associated With Transmission And Control Of Hiv-1 Infection In Zambian Heterosexual Serodiscordant Couples, Heather Prentice
All ETDs from UAB
Understanding host genetic correlates of HIV-1 outcomes in sub-Saharan African populations is of continued importance due to the disproportionate disease burden in this population. We sought to identify genetic variants associated with HIV-1 acquisition in a sample of 439 initially seronegative individuals enrolled in the Zambia-Emory HIV Research Project, as well as novel variants associated with viral load (VL) in a sample of 172 seroconverters (SCs) with an estimated date of infection and 449 seroprevalent individuals (SPs). We were unable to detect any statistically significant associations in our analysis of HIV-1 acquisition, though one signal in the HLA-DOA gene associated …
A Study Of Multi-Group And Multivariate Tests Of Equivalence With Application To Microarray And, Celeste Yang
A Study Of Multi-Group And Multivariate Tests Of Equivalence With Application To Microarray And, Celeste Yang
All ETDs from UAB
In this dissertation we have adapted two multi-group equivalence tests to be performed on high-dimensional data. The F and Range test for multi-group equivalence were applied to the public microarray dataset GSE11291 to detect equivalently expressed genes. They were also evaluated in terms of type I error and power using single gene simulation and a high-dimension simulation. The F test has higher power than the Range for the same simulated data and parameter settings, in the single gene simulations. The power of the two tests is similar in the high-dimension simulation. The multi-group equivalence tests that were applied to the …
Predictors Of Colorectal Cancer Surveillance Among Survivors Of Childhood Cancer At High Risk For Subsequent Colorectal Malignancies, Casey Leigh Daniel
Predictors Of Colorectal Cancer Surveillance Among Survivors Of Childhood Cancer At High Risk For Subsequent Colorectal Malignancies, Casey Leigh Daniel
All ETDs from UAB
Childhood cancer survivors who were treated with ionizing radiation are at a significantly higher risk of developing a subsequent colorectal cancer (CRC) compared to the general population. The Children's Oncology Group (COG) recommends that children and adolescents who were treated with radiation therapy of 30 Gy or more to the abdomen, pelvis, or spine undergo a colonoscopy every five years, beginning at age 35 or 10 years after completion of radiation. Despite these recommendations, research indicates low adherence rates to CRC screening among high-risk childhood cancer survivors. Determining the predictors of attending subsequent colorectal cancer surveillance among individuals in this …
Tuberculosis Screening And Treatment Outcomes In Zambia, Jennifer Harris
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.
Spatial Analysis Of Cardiovascular Mri Data, Samantha Seals
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 …
Uptake Of Antenatal Care Services And Pregnancy Outcome In Kumasi, Ghana, Asundep Ntui
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 …
The Impact Of Community Health Centers On Prostate Cancer Screening Behaviors Of African American Males: A Mixed Methods Study, Michael C. Taylor
The Impact Of Community Health Centers On Prostate Cancer Screening Behaviors Of African American Males: A Mixed Methods Study, Michael C. Taylor
All ETDs from UAB
THE IMPACT OF COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS ON PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING BEHAVIORS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MALES: A MIXED METHODS STUDY MICHAEL C. TAYLOR UAB SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH BEHAVIOR ABSTRACT Federally qualified community health centers have a significant impact upon uninsured and low income populations in the United States by providing low cost primary care and preventive services. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine the impact of community health centers (CHCs) on African American males' prostate cancer screening behavior in a major Southern city. A sequential explanatory mixed method model was used to assess …
Hepatic Effect Of Inhaled Ozone In Sprague-Dawley Rat, Whitney Slone Theis
Hepatic Effect Of Inhaled Ozone In Sprague-Dawley Rat, Whitney Slone Theis
All ETDs from UAB
Ozone (O3) is a primary component of photochemical smog and represents a serious public health concern as more than 50% of the U.S. population lives in areas exceeding national ambient air quality standards for this toxic pollutant. Recent findings indicate that the effects of inhaled O3 extend to extra-pulmonary tissues like the heart and liver. We hypothesize that inhaled O3 exposure-related events in the lung will cause downstream alterations in the liver proteome. To test this, we exposed male Sprague-Dawley rats to 0.5 ppm ozone for 8 hr a day for 5 days. After exposures, livers were removed and proteomic …
Hepatic Effect Of Inhaled Ozone In Sprague-Dawley Rat, Whitney Slone Theis
Hepatic Effect Of Inhaled Ozone In Sprague-Dawley Rat, Whitney Slone Theis
All ETDs from UAB
Ozone (O3) is a primary component of photochemical smog and represents a serious public health concern as more than 50% of the U.S. population lives in areas exceeding national ambient air quality standards for this toxic pollutant. Recent findings indicate that the effects of inhaled O3 extend to extra-pulmonary tissues like the heart and liver. We hypothesize that inhaled O3 exposure-related events in the lung will cause downstream alterations in the liver proteome. To test this, we exposed male Sprague-Dawley rats to 0.5 ppm ozone for 8 hr a day for 5 days. After exposures, livers were removed and proteomic …
Distribution/Localization And Relative Quantitation Of C-Terminal Αa-Crystallin Truncation Products Within Lenses Of Icr/F Rats Treated With Dietary Supplemented Genistein, Kyle Anthony Floyd
Distribution/Localization And Relative Quantitation Of C-Terminal Αa-Crystallin Truncation Products Within Lenses Of Icr/F Rats Treated With Dietary Supplemented Genistein, Kyle Anthony Floyd
All ETDs from UAB
The ocular lens functions to focus light coming into the eye onto the retina. Lens development begins in utero, and continues over an individual's lifetime. Lens fiber cells and their proteins are only synthesized once and have no repair mechanisms, so they remain for an individual's lifetime. The α-crystallins, the most abundant lens proteins, act as chaperones to keep damaged/unfolded proteins in-solution. Cataract disease is associated with protein damage, leading to a light scattering opacity. It has been suggested that truncation of αA-crystallin leads to a loss of chaperone function. Cataract disease is the leading cause of blindness in the …
Predictors Of Vaginal Douching Behavior And Sexual Risk Taking Among A Population Of Women In The South: The Influence Of Sexual Concurrency And Partner Incarceration, Keri J. Griffin
All ETDs from UAB
In the United States, adolescent women between the ages of 14 and 19 are estimated to bear the largest burden of sexually transmitted infections. Left untreated, these infections have the potential to result in several adverse reproductive health outcomes. Sexually risky behaviors, including early sexual initiation, sexual partner concurrency, and the use of vaginal douche products increase the risk for the contraction of sexually transmitted infections. Further, having a sexual relationship with a male partner who is known to have other partners or a history of contact with the justice system might put a woman at additional risk. Utilizing a …
The Role Of Cd11c+ Cells In Response To Ozone, Jeffrey David Brand
The Role Of Cd11c+ Cells In Response To Ozone, Jeffrey David Brand
All ETDs from UAB
Environmental ozone exposure remains a major public health concern with over one-third of the United States population experiencing unhealthful levels. Epidemiological studies indicate exposure increases morbidity in those with pre-existing disease such as asthma, though the biological mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain elusive. CD11c+ cells within the respiratory tract include dendritic cells (DCs), which are the most efficient antigen presenters and play major roles controlling immune responses. In addition, DCs are thought necessary for asthma pathogenesis and exacerbation. Therefore the link between ozone associated asthma morbidity may be DCs. We hypothesize ozone exposure may site specifically alter DC phenotypes, numbers, …
Centering Pregnancy And Adverse Pregnancy Outcome: An Evaluation Of Group Prenatal Care In A Rural Western Kentucky Clinic, Lorie Wayne Chesnut
Centering Pregnancy And Adverse Pregnancy Outcome: An Evaluation Of Group Prenatal Care In A Rural Western Kentucky Clinic, Lorie Wayne Chesnut
All ETDs from UAB
CenteringPregnancySmiles [TM] (CPS), a group prenatal care program with an oral health component, has demonstrated promising results in urban communities with primarily low-income minority women. This study examined three questions: 1) Do women who participate in CPS have better birth outcomes than those who participate in traditional prenatal care, even after adjusting for maternal characteristics and risk factors? 2) Is level of exposure to the intervention associated with improved birth outcomes? 3) Do women with dental infection have an increased risk of poor birth outcomes? Data were abstracted from medical records and birth certificates. Birth outcomes for women enrolled in …
Full Scale Calcium Bromide Injection With Subsequent Mercury Oxidation And Removal Within Wet Flue Gas Desulphurization System: Experience At A 700 Mw Coal-Fired Power Facility, Mark Simpson Berry
Full Scale Calcium Bromide Injection With Subsequent Mercury Oxidation And Removal Within Wet Flue Gas Desulphurization System: Experience At A 700 Mw Coal-Fired Power Facility, Mark Simpson Berry
All ETDs from UAB
The Environmental Protection Agency promulgated the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards rule, which requires that existing power plants reduce mercury emissions to meet an emission rate of 1.2 lb/TBtu on a 30-day rolling average and that new plants meet a 0.0002 lb/GWHr emission rate. This translates to mercury removals greater than 90% for existing units and greater than 99% for new units. Current state-of-the-art technology for the control of mercury emissions uses activated carbon injected upstream of a fabric filter, a costly proposition. For example, a fabric filter, if not already available, would require a $200M capital investment for a …
Evaluation Of The Association Of Low-Level Prenatal Blood Lead Exposure And Auditory Brainstem Response Among Infants, Timothy A. Dignam
Evaluation Of The Association Of Low-Level Prenatal Blood Lead Exposure And Auditory Brainstem Response Among Infants, Timothy A. Dignam
All ETDs from UAB
Hearing loss is one of the most common major abnormalities present among infants. Two to four infants per 1,000 are born in the United States with severe-to-profound newborn hearing loss (Chu 2003). Undetected, hearing loss delays speech, language, and cognitive development. Numerous studies have shown that prenatal lead exposure is associated with a variety of neurobehavioral and electrophysiological abnormalities (Abbate 1995, Bellinger 2004, Koller 2004). Studies focusing on hearing have primarily described pediatric cases or occupationally exposed adults where blood lead levels (BLLs) are much higher than currently seen in the United States (Otto 1985; Bleecker 2003; Schwartz 1987). Hearing …
The Impact Of The State Children's Health Insurance Program's Unborn Child Ruling On Foreign-Born Latina Prenatal Care Utilization And Birth Outcomes, 2000-2007, Jonathan Hawthorne Drewry
The Impact Of The State Children's Health Insurance Program's Unborn Child Ruling On Foreign-Born Latina Prenatal Care Utilization And Birth Outcomes, 2000-2007, Jonathan Hawthorne Drewry
All ETDs from UAB
In 2002 the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) "unborn child ruling" was established to provide prenatal care (PNC) to low income women otherwise without health insurance. The majority of foreign-born (FB) Latinas otherwise ineligible for PNC should have benefited most from the ruling. In late 2003 six states incorporated the UCR into their state plan amendments, providing a natural experiment for policy analysis. This study used cross-sectional pooled natality data from 2000-2007 to estimate the effect of the UCR on prenatal care utilization (PNCU) and birth outcomes. A differences-in-differences econometrics model was employed using policy enacting and non-enacting states, …
The Hypometabolic Actions Of Hydrogen Sulfide In Mammalian Systems, Asaf Stein
The Hypometabolic Actions Of Hydrogen Sulfide In Mammalian Systems, Asaf Stein
All ETDs from UAB
In recent years, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been identified as a ubiquitous cell signaling molecule. In addition to its diverse physiological roles, H2S has emerged as a possible drug therapy, with a wide range of applications. Along with cytoprotective effects in pathological states such as ischemia-reperfusion injury, H2S has been shown to decrease aerobic metabolism in a reversible manner. This dissertation is focused on exploring H2S-induced hypometabolism and the implications therein for human health and disease. We have shown that rats exposed to 80 ppm H2S gas in combination with low oxygen (10.5% O2) for 6 hr exhibit decreases in …
Measuring Disease Activity And Use Of Complementary And Alternative Medicine In African-Americans With Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ashutosh Tamhane
Measuring Disease Activity And Use Of Complementary And Alternative Medicine In African-Americans With Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ashutosh Tamhane
All ETDs from UAB
The aims of this project were to: 1) compare disease activity scores 28 joints (DAS28) based on erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) versus that based on C-reactive protein (CRP), and 2) describe prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and examine differences of CAM use stratified by disease duration and sex. This analysis included participants from the Consortium for the Longitudinal Evaluation of African Americans with Early Rheumatoid Arthritis (CLEAR) Registry. Using tender and swollen joint counts separate ESR-based and CRP-based DAS28 scores (DAS28-ESR3 and DAS28-CRP3) were calculated, as were DAS28-ESR4 and DAS28-CRP4, which included the patient¡¯s assessment of disease …
Sleep Duration And Obesity: Longitudinal Study Of Adolescents, Herpreet Kaur Thind
Sleep Duration And Obesity: Longitudinal Study Of Adolescents, Herpreet Kaur Thind
All ETDs from UAB
Prevalence of obesity continues to be high in the United States with about one-third adults being overweight or obese. Among adolescents the rates of overweight/obesity have increased by three times in the past two decades. Moreover, the rates of obesity are disproportionately high among the minority population. Recently, sleep duration has emerged as an independent risk factor for obesity. Several cross-sectional and longitudinal studies worldwide have shown an inverse relationship between sleep duration and obesity. However, some studies do not support this association. Majority of the studies in the United States have been conducted on predominantly White populations. African Americans …
The Effect Of Environmental Ozone Exposure On The Postnatal Lung, Katherine Leah Tuggle Stringer
The Effect Of Environmental Ozone Exposure On The Postnatal Lung, Katherine Leah Tuggle Stringer
All ETDs from UAB
In the U.S., approximately 37 million children reside in geographic locales that experience unhealthy ozone levels. This population is of great concern as they are undergoing active lung growth and cellular differentiation which may alter their susceptibility to inhaled toxicants. Epidemiological and animal studies indicate that early life ozone exposure results in altered lung development, potentially facilitating predisposition to chronic pulmonary conditions in adulthood. The goal of this dissertation was to evaluate short and long-term effects of ozone exposure in the developing lung. The first study evaluated acute effects of ozone exposure in the postnatal and adult lung. The results …
The Use Of Red Rules In Patient Safety Culture, Lisa Kaye Jones
The Use Of Red Rules In Patient Safety Culture, Lisa Kaye Jones
All ETDs from UAB
This study examines the use of Red Rules in patient safety culture. The presence of a strong culture of patient safety has become a critical component in reducing medical errors. Some hospitals are implementing Red Rules as a patient safety strategy with disciplinary consequences if not followed. The use of Red Rules and patient safety culture seem to be inconsistent. The theoretical framework for control-based and commitment-based management was utilized to develop and address four hypotheses. The hypotheses address the impact of Red Rules on 1) staff perceptions of safety, 2) frequency of events reported, 3) number of events reported, …
Application Of The Social Cognitive Theory To A Web-Based Physical Activity Intervention For Overweight African American Female College Students, Rodney Joseph
All ETDs from UAB
Background.African American women report low levels of physical activity and share a disproportionate burden of many health conditions associated with being insufficiently active, indicating the need for innovative approaches to promote physical activity in this population. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate changes in physical activity and associated Social Cognitive Theory constructs of outcome expectations, enjoyment, self-regulation, and social support following the completion of a six month, culturally-adapted, Social Cognitive Theory-based website-delivered weight loss and physical activity intervention for young African-American women. Methods.A secondary data analysis was performed on African-American female college students (N=34) enrolled in a …
Trajectories Of Depressive Symptoms And Illicit Drug Use: Longitudinal Temporal Associations And Comorbidity In A Community Sample Of Adults, Yulia Khodneva
Trajectories Of Depressive Symptoms And Illicit Drug Use: Longitudinal Temporal Associations And Comorbidity In A Community Sample Of Adults, Yulia Khodneva
All ETDs from UAB
Cross-sectional studies of the community and treatment samples suggest substantial comorbidity between depression and illicit drug use disorders. Controversy exists whether such pattern of comorbidity is seen among drug using behaviors and depressive symptoms that fall short of the DSM-IV criteria for a clinical disorder. This dissertation research applied principles of the life course perspective and trajectory modeling to describe heterogeneity and comorbidity of subthreshold depressive symptoms with opioid, cocaine and amphetamine use in middle age. Secondary analysis of community-dwelling adults from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study was performed. The CARDIA cohort, N=5115 at inception …
An Investigation Of The Effect Of Misspecifying The Random Effect Distribution And The Incorrect Assumption Of Equal Intraclass Correlation Coefficients Among Treatment Groups In The Analyses Of Data From Cluster Randomized Trials, Omar B. Mbowe
All ETDs from UAB
Generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) are among the commonly used statistical methods for the analyses of binary data from cluster randomized trials (CRT). GLMMs extend the linear mixed models to accommodate, among others, binary outcomes. The linear predictor of GLMMs contains fixed effects and random effects to model the correlation among responses in a cluster. These random effects are usually assumed to be normally distributed but this assumption may not hold in practice. Also, the cluster sizes may vary within a trial for several reasons including loss to follow-up. This variation in cluster sizes can result in unequal cluster sizes. …
Relationship Between Religiosity, Violent Behavior And Gang Activity In Economically Disadvantaged Adolescents, David Mckenzie
Relationship Between Religiosity, Violent Behavior And Gang Activity In Economically Disadvantaged Adolescents, David Mckenzie
All ETDs from UAB
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RELIGIOSITY, VIOLENT BEHAVIOR AND GANG ACTIVITY AMONG ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED ADOLESCENTS DAVID McKENZIE HEALTH EDUCATION & HEALTH PROMOTION ABSTRACT Few studies have examined the relationship between religiosity, violent behavior and gang activity in disadvantaged youth. This research study analyzed data from a population of low-income adolescents in Mobile, Alabama. The research objectives were to assess the relationship between adolescent religiosity and involvement in violent behavior and gang activity, and to determine if there were gender differences between boys and girls regarding religiosity, violent behavior and gang activity. It was hypothesized that there would be an inverse relationship between religiosity …
Studies In Public Health Systems And Services Research: Three Papers Examining The Market Environment, Quality Improvement, And Community Partnerships, Valerie A. Yeager
Studies In Public Health Systems And Services Research: Three Papers Examining The Market Environment, Quality Improvement, And Community Partnerships, Valerie A. Yeager
All ETDs from UAB
This dissertation, comprised of three publishable manuscripts, addresses various identified gaps in the literature focused on public health systems and services research. Public health systems and services research includes studies that examine the organization, financing and delivery of public health services in communities, and the impact of these services on public health. Specifically, this dissertation focuses on three topics: (1) the measurement of the health care market environment of local public health departments, (2) community characteristics related to quality improvement strategies in local public health environments, and (3) the longitudinal changes in public health partnerships and how these partnerships relate …
Utilization And Effectiveness Of Osteoporosis Medications Among Medicare Beneficiaries, Huifeng Yun
Utilization And Effectiveness Of Osteoporosis Medications Among Medicare Beneficiaries, Huifeng Yun
All ETDs from UAB
This dissertation contains three papers evaluating the utilization and effectiveness of osteoporosis medications using data on a 5% sample of Medicare beneficiaries in 2006-2009. The first paper assessed the completeness of Medicare Part D data on generic alendronate. The second paper sought to identify anti-osteoporosis medication utilization patterns and factors associated with medication discontinuation. The third paper examined the comparative effectiveness of osteoporosis medications for risk of fractures and mortality, with a focus on the recently introduced infusion and injection medications. In the first study, we identified beneficiaries highly adherent with branded alendronate during 1/1/06-2/6/07 ("2007 cohort") and highly adherent …
High-Risk Human Papillomavirus And Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia Among Foreign-Born Latinas At Colposcopy, Bertha Hidalgo
High-Risk Human Papillomavirus And Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia Among Foreign-Born Latinas At Colposcopy, Bertha Hidalgo
All ETDs from UAB
Although the literature is quite extensive with regard to the human papillomavirus (HPV) among many racial/ethnic populations, there continues to be a paucity of information regarding the prevalence of HPV types as well as of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN among Latinas, specifically foreign-born Latinas. Some studies have reported prevalence of HPV among Latinas, but very few have differentiated between US- and foreign-born Latinas. This nuance is essential to understanding the true effect contributed by each group to HPV and CIN incidence and prevalence rates. Therefore, this dissertation aimed to assess differences in the prevalence of high- and low-risk types and …
Association Between Cc Chemokine Ligand 3-Like-1 (Ccl3l1) Gene Copy Number And Rheumatoid Arthritis In African Americans, Mawuli Kwame Nyaku
Association Between Cc Chemokine Ligand 3-Like-1 (Ccl3l1) Gene Copy Number And Rheumatoid Arthritis In African Americans, Mawuli Kwame Nyaku
All ETDs from UAB
Gene copy number of the CC Chemokine ligand 3-Like-1 (CCL3L1) located on chromosome 17 position q12 varies between ethnicities. Previously, gene copy number of CCL3L1 greater than the ethnic median copy has been associated with an increased risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Three later studies found no association between CCL3L1 and RA. All studies were conducted in non-African Americans and an objective of this study was to determine this association in an African American cohort. CCL3L1 shares significant homology with three other genes within the same cluster; CC Chemokine ligand 3 (CCL3), CC Chemokine ligand 3-Like-2 (CCL3L2) and CC Chemokine ligand …