Digital Commons Network^™

Farm Work Injuries Among A Cohort Of Children In Kentucky, Usa, Steven R. Browning, Susan C. Westneat, Deborah B. Reed

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Children residing on farms with livestock may be at an increased risk for work-related injuries, compared to children who work on other commodity farms. This study characterizes children's work tasks on Kentucky farms and assesses whether children who work on beef cattle farms are at an increased risk for farm work injuries. The results of a cohort study of children aged 5-18 years (N=999 at baseline) working on family farms in Kentucky, followed for two consecutive years after an initial enumeration five years previously, found that 70% of the children were involved in animal-related chores. Across all age groups, children …

Chores At Times Of Fatal Or Serious Injuries Associated With Tractor Overturns With And Without Rollover Protection, Henry P. Cole, Melvin L. Myers, Susan C. Westneat

Southeast Center for Agricultural Health and Injury Prevention Faculty Publications

This study describes chores when farmers were either fatally or seriously injured and required emergency medical treatment as a result of overturns of tractors with or without rollover protective structures (ROPS). Data from the 2002 Kentucky Farm Tractor Overturn Survey were used for this study. The data were collected by a telephone survey of a population-based random sample of 6063 (7.98%) of Kentucky’s 76,017 farm operators as listed in the Kentucky Agricultural Statistics Service database. Of farm operators interviewed, 551 (9.1%) reported 603 overturns and 5512 (90.9%) reported no overturns in the history of their farm, covering a period from …

Influence Of Source Credibility On Consumer Acceptance Of Genetically Modified Foods In China, Mingyang Zhang, Chao Chen, Wuyang Hu, Lijun Chen, Jintao Zhan

Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

This paper examines the reasoning mechanism behind the consumer acceptance of genetically modified foods (GMFs) in China, and investigates influence of source credibility on consumer acceptance of GMFs. Based on the original Persuasion Model—which was developed by Carl Hovland, an American psychologist and pioneer in the study of communication and its effect on attitudes and beliefs—we conducted a survey using multistage sampling from 1167 urban residents, which were proportionally selected from six cities in three economic regions (south, central, and north) in the Jiangsu province through face to face interviews. Mixed-process regression that could correct endogeneity and ordered probit model …

Market Integration And Price Transmission In The World Rice Export Markets, Bo Chen, Sayed H. Saghaian

Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

This paper investigates market integration and asymmetric price transmission in the world rice export markets. Using monthly rice prices from Thailand, Vietnam, and United States, we employ the Johansen test and estimate the threshold vector error correction model (TVECM). Our main findings are that export prices in the three countries are cointegrated, with Thailand and the United States the price leaders, and that the Vietnamese price adjusts faster to long-run equilibrium when it is above its equilibrium level with Thai and U.S. prices. These results suggest market integration and competition rather than collusion are prevalent in world rice markets. Policy …

Quantification Of Carbohydrates In Grape Tissues Using Capillary Zone Electrophoresis, Lu Zhao, Ann M. Chanon, Nabanita Chattopadhyay, Imed E. Dami, Joshua J. Blakeslee

Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center Faculty Publications

Soluble sugars play an important role in freezing tolerance in both herbaceous and woody plants, functioning in both the reduction of freezing-induced dehydration and the cryoprotection of cellular constituents. The quantification of soluble sugars in plant tissues is, therefore, essential in understanding freezing tolerance. While a number of analytical techniques and methods have been used to quantify sugars, most of these are expensive and time-consuming due to complex sample preparation procedures which require the derivatization of the carbohydrates being analyzed. Analysis of soluble sugars using capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) under alkaline conditions with direct UV detection has previously been used …

Expression Of A Constitutively Active Nitrate Reductase Variant In Tobacco Reduces Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamine Accumulation In Cured Leaves And Cigarette Smoke, Jianli Lu, Leichen Zhang, Ramsey S. Lewis, Lucien Bovet, Simon Goepfert, Anne M. Jack, James D. Crutchfield, Huihua Ji, Ralph E. Dewey

Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center Faculty Publications

Burley tobaccos (Nicotiana tabacum) display a nitrogen-use-deficiency phenotype that is associated with the accumulation of high levels of nitrate within the leaf, a trait correlated with production of a class of compounds referred to as tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs). Two TSNA species, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) and N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), have been shown to be strong carcinogens in numerous animal studies. We investigated the potential of molecular genetic strategies to lower nitrate levels in burley tobaccos by overexpressing genes encoding key enzymes of the nitrogen-assimilation pathway. Of the various constructs tested, only the expression of a constitutively active nitrate reductase (NR) …

Are Consumers Willing To Pay More For Sustainable Products? A Study Of Eco-Labeled Tuna Steak, Guzhen Zhou, Wuyang Hu, Wenchao Huang

Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

A high demand for seafood leads to overfishing, harms the long-term health of seafood stocks, and threatens environmental sustainability in oceans. Sustainability certification is one of the major sustainability movements and is known as eco-labeling. For instance, in the tuna industry, leading tuna brands have committed to protecting sea turtles by allowing the tracing of the source of their tuna “from catch to can.” This paper relies on an Internet survey on consumers from Kentucky conducted in July 2010. The survey investigates household-level tuna steak (sashimi grade) consumption and examines consumer preferences for eco-labeling (“Certified Turtle Safe” (CTS) in this …

Wet Grain Delivery Advice: A Previously Impossible Extension Challenge Solved Through App Technology, Joseph S. Dvorak, Sam Mcneill, Clint Hardy

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The delivery of wet grain during harvest is a complex and constantly changing problem about which Extension professionals have been unable to offer more than general advice. By capitalizing on important characteristics of mobile devices, a new app enables producers to fully benefit from detailed information universities have generated on grain drying and costs associated with delivery of grain to different locales. Development of such an app demonstrates the power of apps and mobile devices in allowing Extension to deliver previously unattainable services to its clientele.

Mitigation Of Ergot Vasoconstriction By Clover Isoflavones In Goats (Capra Hircus), Glen E. Aiken, Michael D. Flythe, Isabelle A. Kagan, Huihua Ji, Lowell P. Bush

Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center Faculty Publications

Ergot alkaloids produced by a fungal endophyte (Epichloë coenophiala; formerly Neotyphodium coenophialum) that infects tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum) can induce persistent constriction of the vasculature in ruminants, hindering their capability to thermo-regulate core body temperature. There is evidence that isoflavones produced by legumes can relax the vasculature, which suggests that they could relieve ergot alkaloid-induced vasoconstriction and mitigate the vulnerability to severe heat stress in ruminants that graze tall fescue. To test if isoflavones can relieve alkaloid-induced vasoconstriction, two pen experiments were conducted with rumen-fistulated goats (Capra hircus) to determine with ultrasonograpy if …

Effects Of Chemical Amendments To Swine Manure On Runoff Quality, Elizabeth L. Bullock, Dwayne R. Edwards, Phillip A. Moore Jr., Richard S. Gates

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Land-applied swine manure can be an environmental concern when runoff losses of manure constituents occur. The use of chemical amendments to mitigate these losses has been investigated for poultry litter, but materials such as swine manure have received less attention in this context, particularly at the plot scale or larger. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the impacts of aluminum sulfate (alum; Al₂(SO₄)₃), aluminum chloride (AlCl₃), and ferric chloride (FeCl₃) addition on runoff of selected constituents of land-applied swine manure. Manure was collected from feeder pigs fed a …

Error Analysis Of Stored Grain Inventory Determination, Aaron P. Turner, Michael D. Montross, Joshua J. Jackson, Samuel G. Mcneill, Mark E. Casada, Josephine M. Boac, Rumela Bhadra, Ronaldo G. Maghirang, Sidney A. Thompson

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Estimation of the quantity of stored grain is important for crop insurance, financial statements, and inventory control. Traditionally, the height of grain has been measured using weighted tape measures, and the volume is subsequently computed using standard geometric shapes (cylinders and cones) along with visual correction of the grain surface. Field measurements by four trained USDA Farm Service Agency and crop insurance agents on older farm-sized bins (8.2 to 11.0 m, or 27 to 36 ft, in diameter) resulted in standard deviations between 0.02 and 0.30 m for the equivalent height when the grain surface was not level. The largest …

Correlating Bulk Density (With Dockage) And Test Weight (Without Dockage) For Wheat Samples, Rumela Bhadra, Mark E. Casada, Josephine M. Boac, Aaron P. Turner, Sidney A. Thompson, Michael D. Montross, Ronaldo G. Maghirang, Samuel G. Mcneill

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

In grain bins, the compaction of stored grain is caused by the overbearing pressure of the bulk material in the bin. To predict the amount of grain in the bin, compaction values must be determined based on the average bulk density (BD) of the stored material. However, BD is determined following the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) guidelines for measuring test weight (TW), which require that dockage be removed prior to measuring wheat TW. Thus, this creates a problem for predicting grain compaction and conducting inventory studies, because the average BD of the grain in a bin for these calculations …

As-Applied Estimation Of Volumetric Flow Rate From A Single Sprayer Nozzle Series Using Water-Sensitive Spray Cards, Michael P. Sama, John T. Evans, Aaron P. Turner, Surya Saket Dasika

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to test the feasibility of using coverage measurements from water-sensitive spray cards to estimate the volumetric flow rate at an individual sprayer nozzle. TeeJet VisiFlow Even Flat Spray Tips were selected due to their uniform distribution of coverage. Spray distribution for each nozzle was validated using a spray patternator table with 2.5 cm sampling widths. A rotary test fixture translated water-sensitive spray cards through the spray dispersion (water at ambient conditions) at a constant angular velocity and a radius of 1.2 m. The test fixture measured volumetric flow and pressure at the nozzle and …

Recalibration Methodology To Compensate For Changing Fluid Properties In An Individual Nozzle Direct Injection System, Joe D. Luck, Scott A. Shearer, Brian D. Luck, Michael P. Sama

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Limited advancement of direct injection pesticide application systems has been made in recent years, which has hindered further commercialization of this technology. One approach to solving the lag and mixing issues typically associated with injection-based systems is high-pressure individual nozzle injection. However, accurate monitoring of the chemical concentrate flow rate can pose a challenge due to the high pressure, low flow, and changing viscosities of the fluid. A methodology was developed for recalibrating high-pressure chemical concentrate injectors to compensate for fluid property variations and evaluate the performance of this technique for operating injectors in an open-loop configuration. Specific objectives were …

Values For Recreational Beach Quality In Oahu, Hawaii, Jerrod M. Penn, Wuyang Hu, Linda Cox, Lara Kozloff

Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Pristine coastal environments are the key to Hawaii’s worldwide fame and attraction to tourists, yet their economic value remains understudied. This article examines preferences for characteristics associated with beach recreation in Oahu, Hawaii, among residents and tourists. Consideration is given to sand quality, water quality, congestion levels, and swimming safety conditions in the context of a choice experiment. The choice experiment conveys attribute levels almost entirely through pictures, and results suggest that this novel portrayal is well understood by respondents. Excessive congestion and water quality are regarded as the most important beach attributes, specifically the avoidance of poor water quality …

2016 – 2017 Kentucky Agricultural Economic Situation And Outlook, Kenneth H. Burdine, Todd D. Davis, Timothy A. Woods, William M. Snell, Lee Meyer, Jeffrey W. Stringer, Bobby Ammerman

Agricultural Situation and Outlook

Topics:

• U.S. Agricultural Economy;
• Kentucky’s Agricultural Economy.

A Review Of Non-Destructive Methods For Detection Of Insect Infestation In Fruits And Vegetables, Nader Ekramirad, Akinbode A. Adedeji, Reza Alimardani

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Insect damage in fruits and vegetables cause major production and economic losses in the agriculture and food industry worldwide. Monitoring of internal quality and detection of insect infestation in fruits and vegetables is critical for sustainable agriculture. Early detection of an infestation in fruits can facilitate the control of insects and the quarantine operations through proper post-harvest management strategies and can improve productivity. The present review recognizes the need for developing a rapid, cost-effective, and reliable insect infestation monitoring system that would lead to advancements in agriculture and food industry. In this paper, an overview of non-destructive detection insect damages …

Modeling The Compressibility Behavior Of Hard Red Wheat Varieties, Aaron P. Turner, Michael D. Montross, Samuel G. Mcneill, Michael P. Sama, Mark E. Casada, Josephine M. Boac, Rumela Bhadra, Ronaldo G. Maghirang, Sidney A. Thompson

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The bulk density of grain in a storage structure varies vertically and horizontally due to the overburden pressure created by the cumulative weight of the overlying material. As the overburden pressure increases, the stored material compacts. This compaction is believed to be caused by rearrangement of kernels along with higher intergranular stress between particles, leading to kernel deformation. This compaction is of primary concern when estimating the amount of grain in a storage structure. In this comprehensive study, confined uniaxial compression tests were conducted on 27 different samples of hard red winter wheat, at three moisture levels, over the range …

Perception, Opportunity, Empowerment, And Policy: Women's Influence In Kentucky Agriculture, Courtney Lacy Jenkins

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

The number of women farmers in the United States is increasing at a substantial rate. Women are fulfilling various roles on the farm and stepping into formal leadership positions in the agricultural community. This study surveys the perception of women reputational leaders in Kentucky agriculture among traditional agricultural leaders, the opportunities available to women in agriculture, the sources empowering women to serve in leadership capacities in agriculture, and how women reputational leaders influence agriculture and agricultural policy in Kentucky. The research revealed that the dynamic of Kentucky agriculture is shifting. Women have made significant strides in agriculture as farmers and …

Automated Solid-Substrate Cultivation Of The Anaerobic Bacterium Clostridium Thermocellum, Mathew J. Ruwaya

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

The organism Clostridium thermocellum grows on cellulosic substrates and produces ethanol, acetate, lactate, formic acid, and CO₂. The organic acids produced alter the growth environment in which the bacteria grows and ultimately inhibit bacterial growth. One method which has been used successfully to maintain the system at acceptable growth conditions is to intermittently flush out the spent media and metabolic products and replace with new fermentation media. Our goal was to design and build an automated system that will automatically flush the spent media from the growing culture and resupply new media without manual intervention. An automated control …

Understanding The Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Rsv1 Mediated Resistance To Smv In Soybean, Mohammed Ali Ahmed Eid

Theses and Dissertations--Plant Pathology

Like humans, viral diseases also affect plants. Of these, viruses belonging to the potyvirus genus are the most prolific. The potyvirus soybean mosaic virus (SMV) is an important pathogen of the crop plant soybean. SMV causes mosaic symptoms (yellow areas alternate with dark green areas on the leaves of the plant) and can affect yield by reducing seed quality. Few cultivars from soybean can resist different SMV strains. To understand soybean defense mechanisms to SMV, I identified soybean proteins that interact with the helper component protease (HC-Pro) of SMV, which also functions as the suppressor of host RNA silencing and …

Irrigated Zea Mays Response To Nitrogen And High Plant Population Density In Narrow Rows, Julie Baniszewski

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Modern genetics have improved maize hybrids to better tolerate stress, use nutrients more efficiently and potentially yield higher. Management practices, such as narrow row technology and high plant population density (PPD) may further improve yields in modern maize under irrigated, non-limiting conditions. High PPD (74, 99, 124, 148 K seeds ha^-1) were tested in narrow rows with up to four nitrogen (N) rates in three locations over two years in Kentucky with a modern maize hybrid in irrigated, non-limiting conditions. Results indicate that optimal seeding rates were 99,000 to 124,000 seeds ha^-1, providing maximum yield and …

Toxicity Of Engineered Nanomaterials To Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria, Ricky W. Lewis

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) have become ubiquitous in consumer products and industrial applications, and consequently the environment. Much of the environmentally released ENMs are expected to enter terrestrial ecosystems via land application of nano-enriched biosolids to agricultural fields. Among the organisms most likely to encounter nano-enriched biosolids are the key soil bacteria known as plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). I reviewed what is known concerning the toxicological effects of ENMs to PGPR and observed the need for high-throughput methods to evaluate lethal and sublethal toxic responses of aerobic microbes. I addressed this issue by developing high-throughput microplate assays which allowed me …

An Evaluation Of The Techniques And Strategies For Recruiting African-Americans By 1862 Land-Grant Universities, Rashawn P. Franklin

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

As post-secondary education becomes more important for the American citizen to generate wealth, universities are struggling to retain and graduate African-Americans, the third-most represented demographic in the country, especially at predominately white colleges and universities. The Colleges of Agriculture at these particular institutions are struggling to even get Black students to apply, let alone graduate. One of the major issues is the disconnect between the African-American community and the idea of post-secondary education in the agricultural field. One way that disconnect can be combatted is new techniques and strategies in recruiting African-Americans. This study identifies three themes based on interviews …

Work Life Balance For Agricultural Educators In Kentucky, Kendra Horn Rowland

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

Research indicates that Kentucky agricultural educators are overworked and experience job related stress. Balancing work and home can be a struggle and stress induces burnout and teacher attrition. Shortages in the agriculture classroom could result in loss of agricultural education programs and negatively affect the profession. The purpose of this study was to 1) describe the demographics of Kentucky high school agricultural educators; 2) describe the work and home life balance for Kentucky agricultural educators; 3) determine the level of job satisfaction among Kentucky agricultural educators; 4) determine the perceived busiest time of the school year for Kentucky agricultural educators. …

The Effects Of Manufactured Nanomaterial Transformations On Bioavailability, Toxicity And Transcriptomic Responses Of Caenorhabditis Elegans, Daniel L. Starnes

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

In recent decades, there has been a rapid expansion in the use of manufactured nanoparticles (MNPs). Experimental evidence and material flow models predict that MNPs enter wastewater treatment plants and partition to sewage sludge and majority of that sludge is land applied as biosolids. During wastewater treatment and after land application, MNPs undergo biogeochemical transformations (aging). The primary transformation process for silver MNPs (Ag-MNPs) is sulfidation, while zinc oxide MNPs (ZnO-MNPs) most likely undergo phosphatation and sulfidation. Our overall goal was to assess bioavailability and toxicogenomic impacts of both pristine, defined as-synthesized, and aged Ag- and ZnO-MNPs, as well as …

Subacute Effects Of Prallethrin On Behavior Of Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) And Other Human Disease Vectors, Kyndall C. Dye

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

The synthetic pyrethroid, prallethrin, is an active ingredient in a widely marketed ultralow volume (ULV) mosquito adulticide. Volatilized prallethrin is intended to stimulate mosquito flight, increasing overall effectiveness of the adulticide. However, field tests using volatilized prallethrin did not produce significant differences in various vector trap catches, suggesting prallethrin’s behavioral effects are not viable. Laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate prallethrin’s effect on flight behavior of adult female Asian tiger mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus). Mosquitoes were divided into three groups; a control, those exposed to volatilized prallethrin, and those exposed to a simulated ULV application at label rates. After …

Variable Consequences Of Toxic Prey On Generalist Insect Predators, Kelly Jackson

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Introduced species, like the lady beetle Harmonia axyridis, have been linked to declines of native species through mechanisms including intraguild predation and competitive superiority. However, competitive differentials between species may be mitigated if subdominant species can utilize resources that dominant species cannot. Previous research has shown that some strains of the aphid Aphis craccivora are toxic to H. axyridis. My goal was to investigate use of this resource by both H. axyridis and other lady beetles, to determine whether these aphids might be an exploitable resource for subdominant lady beetle species. I first examined the behavioral responses of …

Effects Of Landscape, Intraguild Interactions, And A Neonicotinoid On Natural Enemy And Pest Interactions In Soybeans, Hannah J. Penn

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Demand for food, fuel, and fiber has been increasing, escalating the intensification of agriculture during the past fifty years. A more comprehensive understanding of the impact of landscapes on sustainable agriculture production is required to meet the continual increase in human demand. This not only includes how chemical inputs are used but also how cultivated and surrounding landscapes are managed for ecosystem services. This research explains how land cover on landscape and farm scales impact ant and spider-mediated pest suppression. I successfully developed and optimized molecular methods to test ant gut contents from both laboratory and field-caught specimens. A multi-year …

Hormonal And Nutritional Regulation Of Molting, Metamorphosis, And Reproduction In Bed Bugs, Cimex Lectularius, Hemant Gujar

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

The bed bug, Cimex lectularius is an obligate hematophagous ectoparasite that feeds on humans. The increase in travel and development of insecticide resistance to commercially available insecticides have enabled the bed bug population to resurge, causing economical and psychological trauma to the human population. Lack of knowledge about the basic molecular biology of bed bugs has motivated us to study the key aspects of molting, metamorphosis, and reproduction. A blood meal triggers expression of various genes that enable bed bugs to molt or undergo metamorphosis. Molting and metamorphosis in bed bugs are regulated by two key hormones: 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and …