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Evaluation Of Dietary Alterations That Have Potential To Affect Feed Intake And Feed Preference In Swine, James Seth Monegue

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Feed intake is a key factor affecting pig performance; thus, the objective of these studies was to assess a variety of factors that could potentially affect intake in pigs in different production stages. Studies were conducted to determine the effects of flavor and diet complexity, Appetein™ (an alternative protein source), and graded levels of salt on swine feed intake and feed preference. Two newly developed flavors were used in nursery pig diets. The use of the two flavors did not increase feed intake (P > 0.05). Nursery pigs actually showed a preference for the control diet. Complex diet formulation does increase …

Insights Into Expression, Cellular Localization, And Regulation Of Supernatant Protein Factor, A Putative Regulator Of Cholesterol Biosynthesis, Elzbieta Ilona Stolarczyk

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

SPF (Supernatant Protein Factor) is a cytosolic protein that stimulates at least two enzymes in the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway: squalene monooxygenase and HMGCoA reductase. The mechanism of action has not been established but may be related to lipid transfer between intracellular membranes.

There are three human genes for SPF: SEC14L2 (SPF1), SEC14L3 (SPF2) and SEC14L4 (SPF3). The present study differentiates these closely related genes by evaluating their tissue-specific and relative expression levels. SPF1 mRNA was found to be most abundant in liver, mammary gland and stomach. SPF2 showed negligible expression in all tissues tested; SPF3 expression pattern was similar to …

Evaluating The Effects Of Organic And Conventional Inputs On Soil Chemical And Biological Properties In A Four-Year Vegetable Rotation And The Investigation Of Soil Microbial Properties On Plant Gene Expression, Audrey Law

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The objective of this research was to determine the effects of conventional inputs on soil chemical and biological properties compared to organic systems in a four year vegetable rotation. Tillage and cover crops were the same in all treatments to avoid confounding factors often present in similar research. Additional experiments investigated plant gene expression in organic and conventional management systems and in soils with decreased microbial diversity. Experimental plots were prepared in the spring of 2004; four replications of three management treatments, organic, low-input and conventional, were arranged in a randomized complete block design. The rotation consisted of edamame soybean, …

The Pharmacogenomics Of Egfr-Dependent Nsclc: Predicting And Enhancing Response To Targeted Egfr Therapy, Justin M. Balko

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors to the clinic has resulted in an improvement in the treatment of non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, many patients treated with EGFR TKIs do not respond to therapy. The burden of failed treatment is largely placed on the healthcare field, limiting the effectiveness of EGFR TKIs. Furthermore, responses are hindered by the emergence of resistance. Thus, two questions must be addressed to achieve maximum benefit of EGFR inhibitors: How can patients who will benefit from EGFR TKIs be selected a priori? How …

Biology And Management Of The Bed Bug, Cimex Lectularius L. (Heteroptera: Cimicidae), Alvaro Romero

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The near absence of bed bugs from human dwellings for fifty or more years has left us with limited knowledge of its biology and few answers to eliminate populations. I explored a diverse set of objectives to answer key questions concerning bed bug biology and control. Major objectives were studies of circadian rhythmicity, pyrethroid resistance, sublethal effects of insecticides, synergism of pyrethroids, and evaluation of a pyrrole insecticides, chlorfenapyr. Additional studies included persistence of Borrelia in bed bugs after ingestion, and aggregation factors from feces.

In the absence of host stimuli, insects were much more active in the dark than …

Role Of Oxidative Stress And T Cell Homing In The Development Of Murine Syngeneic Graft-Versus-Host Disease, Jacqueline Perez-Rodriguez

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Syngeneic graft-versus-host disease (SGVHD) is induced by reconstituting lethally irradiated mice with syngeneic BM cells followed by a 21 day treatment with the immunosuppressive agent cyclosporine A (CsA). Clinical symptoms of the disease appear 2-3 weeks following cessation of CsA therapy and disease-associated inflammation occurs primarily in the colon and liver.

The development of SGVHD is a complex process resulting from the cooperative interaction of multiple effector cell populations including NK cells, T cells and macrophages. T_H1 cytokines (IL-12, TNF-α, IFN- γ), produced by these effector cells, serve as inflammatory mediators contributing to the pathogenesis of SGVHD. The …

Influences Of Supplementing A Mannan Oligosaccharide Containing Product To Pig Diets On Sow And Weanling Pig Performance, I-Fen Hung

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The objective of these studies was to evaluate the effect of supplying mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) to pig diets on both weanling pig and sow performances.

Nursery pigs challenged with LPS to stimulate an immune challenge had increased body temperature and respiratory rate as well as elevated serum cortisol and TNF-α concentration, MOS-supplemented pigs had a lower rectal temperature and respiratory rate which implied that MOS improves some aspect of the immune function of piglets.

MOS supplementation in sow diets during late gestation and lactation had no effect on litter size, but the piglets from MOS-fed sows were heavier at birth …

CoWho? Kentucky's Need To Statutorily Define Property Interests In Geologically Sequestered Carbon Dioxide, E. Chase Dressman

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Pathways For Synthesis, And Possibilities For Genetic Modification Of Sugar Ester Acyl Groups Produced By Trichomes Of Solanaceous Species, Antoaneta B. Kroumova, George J. Wagner

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Glandular trichomes of many plant species synthesize and secrete a variety of phytochemicals that play an important protective role against pathogens and pests. Acyl sugars, in particular, are powerful natural insecticides. We demonstrated the existence of the α-ketoacid elongation (αKAE) pathway, an alternative to the fatty acid synthase (FAS) pathway, for the extension of carbon chains of acyl groups in sugar esters (SE). The α-KAE pathway utilizes one carbon elongation per cycle in contrast to two carbons per cycle in FAS, and it was found to function in a variety of tobaccos and petunia. FAS-mediated elongation was confirmed to participate …

Role Of Cyclophilin D In Secondary Spinal Cord And Brain Injury, Jordan Mills Clark

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

In the hours and days following acute CNS injury, a secondary wave of events is initiated that exacerbate spinal tissue damage and neuronal cell death. A potential mechanism driving these secondary events is opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) and subsequent release of several cell death proteins. Previous studies have shown that inhibition of cyclophilin D(CypD), the key regulating component in mPTP opening, was protective against insults that induce necrotic cell death. We therefore hypothesized that CypD-null mice would show improved functional and pathological outcomes following spinal cord injury (SCI) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Moderate and severe …

Glutamate Regulation In The Hippocampal Trisynaptic Pathway In Aging And Status Epilepticus, Michelle Lee Stephens

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

A positive correlation exists between increasing age and the incidence of hippocampal-associated dysfunction and disease. Normal L-glutamate neurotransmission is absolutely critical for hippocampal function, while abnormal glutamate neurotransmission has been implicated in many neurodegenerative diseases. Previous studies, overwhelmingly utilizing ex vivo methods, have filled the literature with contradicting reports about hippocampal glutamate regulation during aging. For our studies, enzyme-based ceramic microelectrode arrays (MEA) were used for rapid (2 Hz) measurements of extracellular glutamate in the hippocampal trisynaptic pathway of young (3-6 months), late-middle aged (18 mo.) and aged (24 mo.) urethane-anesthetized Fischer 344 rats. Compared to young animals, glutamate terminals …

Effects Of Calcium Changes On Hysteresis In Restitution Of Action Potential Duration, Kathleen Marie Guzman

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a leading cause of fatalities. Several methods have been developed to predict instability in myocytes which could lead to SCD. The focus of this study was on altering memory in myocytes, i.e. hysteresis in restitution of action potential duration (APD), by differing levels of calcium. Determination of alteration was implemented by using a diastolic interval (DI) control program that implements a sinusoidal change in DI. Plotting APD versus previous DI, i.e. restitution, produces a hysteresis loop. From these hysteresis loops, five parameters were used to determine measures of memory: area, thickness, overall tilt, max delay …

The Impact Of Perceived Barriers To Export: An Analysis Of Kentucky Agricultural And Food Processing Firms, Kelly A. Davidson

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

As intra-industry trade increases in U.S. agricultural and food processing industries, the historical agricultural trade surplus is tightening. In efforts to maintain the trade surplus a focus has shifted towards the promotion of agricultural and processed food exports among small and medium sized firms. This study intends to identify and evaluate the potential for exports among small to medium sized agricultural and food processing firms in Kentucky through a collection of survey data. The objectives of this thesis are to identify the state’s product marketing opportunities and product specifications for international exports while identifying transaction requirements for potential exports. An …

Regeneration Of Damaged Growth Plate Using Igf-I Plasmid-Releasing Porous Plga Scaffolds, Nirmal Ravi

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Growth plate injuries account for 15-30% of long bone fractures in children. About 10% of these result in significant growth disturbances due to formation of a boney bar. If not treated correctly, this can lead to life-lasting consequences of limb length inequalities and angular deformities. Current treatments for growth plate injuries include removal of boney bar and insertion of fat, silicone, bone cement, etc.. This treatment y is inadequate, leaving almost half of these patients with continued deformities. This dissertation reports characterization of a DNA–containing porous poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) scaffold system, chondrogenesis using insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) plasmid-releasing scaffolds …

Phenotypic And Genotypic Selection For Head Scab Resistance In Wheat, Andres Mateo Agostinelli

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) is a destructive disease caused by Fusarium graminearum that affects wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) worldwide. Breeding for resistance to FHB is arguably the best way to combat this disease. However, FHB resistance is highly complex and phenotypic screening is difficult. Molecular markers are a promising tool but breeding programs face the challenge of allocating resources in such a way that the optimum balance between phenotypic and genotypic selection is reached.

An F_2:3 population derived from a resistant x susceptible cross was subjected to phenotypic and genotypic selection. For phenotyping, a novel air separation method …

A Comparative Study Of Larval Gene Expression Between A Paedomorphic And Metamorphic Species Of Ambystomatid Salamander, Meredith A. Boley

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Ambystoma tigrinum undergoes an obligatory metamorphosis while A. mexicanum fails to metamorphose and exhibits paedomorphosis. While it is clear that salamander paedomorphosis is associated with genetic changes that delay developmental timing, it is not clear when and how these changes manifest during development. It is possible that paedomorphic and metamorphic larvae show equivalent patterns of developmental until late in the larval period, when brain regions become competent to stimulate the release of metamorphic hormones. To test this hypothesis, I compared gene expression patterns between the brains of A. mexicanum and A. t. tigrinum larvae. In support of the developmental equivalence …

Role Of P33 In Tombusvirus Replication, Jozsef Stork

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Replication of the nonsegmented, plus-stranded RNA genome of Cucumber necrosis tombusvirus (CNV) requires two essential overlapping viral-coded replication proteins, the p33 replication co-factor and the p92 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. In my thesis I describe (i) the effect of phosphorylation of p33, (ii) the RNA chaperone-like activity of p33, and (iii) the role of HSP70s a host proteins in the viral replication. To test the effect of phosphorylation on p33 function, I used in vitro phosphorylated p33. I found that phosphorylation inhibited the ability of p33 to bind to the viral RNA. Phosphorylation-mimicking mutations rendered p33 nonfunctional in plant protoplasts and …

Role Of Mel-18 In Regulating Protein Sumoylation And Identification Of A New Polymorphism In Bmi-1, Jie Zhang

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) regulates numerous biological functions. In a previous study we found that sumoylation of HSF2 is involved in regulating HSF2 bookmarking function, but the mechanism that mediates this regulation was unknown. The results in my work support the intriguing hypothesis that polycomb protein, Mel-18, actually functions as an anti-SUMO E3 protein, interacting both with HSF2 and the SUMO E2 Ubc9, but acting to inhibit Ubc9 activity and thereby decrease sumoylation of the HSF2.

This study also suggested that Mel-18 negatively regulates the sumoylation of other cellular proteins, and we extend its targets to RanGAP1 protein. The results …

Angiotensin Ii Induction Of Regional Effects In Murine Vasculature, Albert Phillip Owens Iii

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The renin angiotensin system (RAS) exerts many diverse physiological functions throughout the body, mediated by its effector peptide, angiotensin II (AngII). AngII has been linked with a variety of different functions ranging from the initiation of severe vascular pathologies, such as atherosclerosis and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), to mundane physiological processes of fluid homeostasis, vascular contraction, and regulation of blood pressure. To provide a potential link between these functions, an in-depth analysis of regional effects of AngII on aortic vasculature was performed.

The studies presented in this dissertation tested the overall hypothesis of whether regional changes exist in the vasculature …

The Effects Of Roads On Space Use And Movements Of Black Bears In Eastern Kentucky, Rebekah A. Jensen

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Kentucky, USA, is the site of recent natural recolonization by the American black bear (Ursus americanus); however, bears are rarely observed outside the Cumberland Mountains along the state‘s southeastern border. I examined the influence of roads in constraining the distribution of this population by altering animal space use and movement. I identified patterns of road avoidance and road crossing using data from Global Positioning System collars worn by 28 adult bears (16M, 12F), and described road mortality trends using 27 roadkill events. Bears avoided roads at the home range and landscape scale, primarily crossed low-traffic roads, and crossed …

Florida Panther And Black Bear: A Road And Urban Avoidance/Utilization Analysis And Impacts Of Land Use And Climate Change On Large Carnivore Habitat In Florida, Andrew James Whittle

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Florida is expanding its urban borders into areas of the native habitat. Increased expansion is predicted through the next several decades. Several sections of the state are home to large carnivores, such as Florida panther and black bear, which are important to ecosystem function. Expansion of roads and urban centers will greatly reduce the quality and quantity of carnivore habitat. In this study, I used Euclidean distance analyses and very high frequency (VHF) telemetry points to produce distance categories in which carnivores either have a negative/neutral/positive association with roads and urban centers. The seven black bear populations followed four different …

An Interaction Between Risk Perceptipton And Trust In Response To Food Safety Events Across Products And Regions, And Their Implicaitons For Agribusiness Firms, Jonathan D. Shepherd

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Food safety events receive substantial media coverage and can create devastating economics losses for agribusiness firms. It is unclear what factors influence consumers’ purchasing decisions before or after a food safety event occurs. The objectives of this study is to identify these factors that influence purchasing decisions, determine how consumers respond to hypothetical food safety events, and compare these findings across different products and geographical regions. The data for this research was obtained from two surveys. One survey concerned fresh produce while the second focused on meat products. The SPARTA model, based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, is used …

Nutrient And Medication Intake Of Children With Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Cristina Elizabeth Hiten

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The incidence of autism continues to rise with no cure or understanding of the cause of the disorder. Approximately one in 150 children will be diagnosed with an (ASD) Autism Spectrum Disorder although recent prevalence data suggest one in 91. The objective of the study is to assess medicinal intake regarding prescription and nonprescription medications of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and its affect on their nutritional status compared to age, and sex matched healthy children. The study included families of children with autism in which they completed questionnaires and 24‐hour recalls. There were 26 children used within the questionnaire …

Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor And Alzheimers Disease, Rangaraj K. Gopalraj

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Since apoE allele status is the predominant Alzheimers disease (AD) genetic risk factor, functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in brain apoE receptors represent excellent candidates for association with AD. Therefore, three low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) SNPs were evaluated by TaqMan allelic discrimination assays for association with AD and I found that certain haplotypes alter the odds of AD. A SNP within LDLR exon 12, rs688, was identified in silico as neutralizing a putative exon splicing enhancer (ESE). Since LDLR is a major apoE receptor in the brain, I hypothesized that rs688 modulates LDLR splicing in neural tissues and associates …

Political Piety: Evangelicals And The American Revolution In South Carolina And Georgia, David E. Hollingsworth

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The study of southern evangelicals during the late colonial and revolutionary eras of American history has focused primarily on the social antagonisms that separated evangelicals from southern elites and has concluded that the rapid growth of post-war evangelicalism came as a result of evangelical acquiescence to southern gentry mores. Most study of southern evangelicals has concentrated on the upper South missing important developments in the Deep South which contradict historical assumptions of Separate triumph and the subsequent subversion of radical evangelicalism by evangelical leaders eager for societal acceptance. Evangelicals were not a monolithic movement. Key doctrines, primarily the need for …

Identification And Characterization Of The Glucagon-Like Peptide-2 Hormonal System In Ruminants, Christina C. Taylor Edwards

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The hormone glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) is important in the regulation of intestinal growth and blood flow in nonruminant animals. However, no research reports the existence of GLP-2 in ruminants. Therefore, this dissertation examined the existence of GLP-2 and its receptor, their response to physiological stimuli, and its ability to induce gastrointestinal growth and intestinal blood flow in ruminants.

Experiments 1 and 2 established the gastrointestinal distribution of mRNA for proglucagon (the GLP-2 precursor) and the GLP-2 receptor. Furthermore, these experiments determined the effects of changing dietary energy intake on plasma GLP-2 concentrations and proglucagon and GLP-2 receptor mRNA expression. Experiment …

Using Thr Ffm To Understand And Integrate The Deficits Of Psychopathy, Karen J. Derefinko

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Psychopathy is associated with several behavioral and psychophysiological deficits. Lynam (2002) has argued that the use of an overarching conceptualization of psychopathy can provide a parsimonious explanation of psychopathic pathology. The current study examined relations between tasks used to explore psychopathic pathology and dimensions from the Five Factor Model of personality. Undergraduate participants completed the NEO PI-R, the BART, a go/no-go task, an emotional morph task, and provided physiological responses to stimuli. While hypothesized relations to FFM psychopathy composites were generally unsupported, other interesting relations to traits were identified. Results indicated that hypoarousal to negative stimuli was negatively related to …

Studies On The Role Of Acid Sphingomyelinase And Ceramide In The Regulation Of Tace Activity And Tnfα Secretion By Macrophages, Krasimira Rozenova

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Acid Sphingomyelinase (ASMase) activity has been proposed to mediate LPS signaling in various cell types. This study shows that in macrophages, ASMase is a negative regulator of LPS-induced TNFα secretion. ASMasedeficient (asm^-/-) mice and isolated peritoneal macrophages produce several fold more TNFα than their wild-type (asm^+/+) counterparts when stimulated with LPS. The mechanism for these differences however is not transcriptional but post-translational.

The TNFα converting enzyme (TACE) catalyzes the maturation of the 26kD precursor (proTNFα) to the active 17kD form (sTNFα). In mouse peritoneal macrophages, the activity of TACE rather than the rate of TNFα mRNA …

Identification And Characterization Of Host Factors Involved In Tombusvirus Replication, Yi Jiang

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Positive strand RNA viruses are intracellular parasites, and their genome replication and infection involves complex virus-host interactions. Therefore, identification of host factors and dissection of their functions during virus replication could facilitate our understanding of the mechanism of virus infection. Those host factors may also provide new targets for viral disease control. Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) has recently become one of the model viruses to study positive strand RNA virus replication and hostvirus interactions. To identify host factors involved in TBSV replication we used yeast as a model host. Co-expression of the replication proteins and a replicon RNA (DI …

The Interplay Between The Expression And Functions Of Wnt13 Isoforms During Apoptosis In Bovine Aortic Endothelial Cells, Tao Tang

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Wnt proteins are crucial for development/homeostasis by controlling cell fate including apoptosis (Moon RT et al. 1997). Three humanWnt13 isoforms were identified: the secreted Wnt13A, mitochondrial Wnt13B, and nuclear Wnt13C forms; and nuclear Wnt13 had an increased sensitivity to LPS/TNF-induced apoptosis in primary endothelial cells (EC); both Wnt13B and C mRNA contain two start codons (AUG+1 and +74), but the same protein encoded from AUG+74 by Wnt13C was expressed lower than Wnt13B (Struewing IT et al.2006). We hypothesize that during EC apoptosis, the nuclear Wnt13C expression is regulated translationally; nuclear Wnt13 favors apoptosis through regulating the activity/expression of apoptosis-related factors; …