Digital Commons Network^™

Milk Thistle Supplementation And Exercise To Influence Bilirubin And Body Weight Outcomes, Don Arthur Matutina

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

Background: Traditional obesity treatment is ineffective as rates are still on the rise, thus necessitating novel treatments. Plasma bilirubin, once thought as only a clinical marker of liver disease, is now considered an important hormone, correlated with better outcomes within certain metabolic disease states such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. This is largely due to bilirubin’s role in promoting fatty acid oxidation via its interaction with PPARα and its antioxidant capacities to reduce lipid peroxidation. Possible methods of mildly increasing plasma bilirubin may provide a novel obesity treatment. Objective: To evaluate if Silmarin supplementation via milk thistle, exercise, or a …

The Primacy Of Openness In Ecological Complexity Theory, Colby Clark

Theses and Dissertations--Philosophy

Five principles are at the foundation of complex systems theory: emergence, openness, contingency, historicity, and indeterminacy. Of those five, the principle of emergence is easily the most prevalent. Simply put, emergence refers to the idea that some wholes cannot be properly accounted for by appealing to individual explanations of the parts that compose it. In ecological complexity theory, the principle of emergence is strongly associated with the self-organizing feedbacks that often identify the structural framework of ecosystems.

Within the last half century, the intense focus on the principle of emergence has engendered the development of many conceptual distinctions that have …

Effects Of Elevated Extracellular Dopamine On Astrocytes In The Nucleus Accumbens, Mengfan Xia

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Nucleus accumbens is involved in processing of motivational and affective behaviors and plays a significant role in development and maintenance of substance use. Released from the ventral tegmental area into the nucleus accumbens, the mesolimbic dopamine controls incentive salience and facilitates learning of reinforcement and reward-related motor functions. Recent studies reveal that, in the context of cocaine exposure, dopamine transmission in the ventromedial striatum is pivotal to the regulation of initial drug use. Astrocytes, a major subpopulation of the brain glial cells, are an active component of the so-called tripartite synapse and communicate with neurons through the release of transmitters …

"No, Not There": The Literary Precarity And Profundity Of Queer Spatiality, Samuel James Aftel

Theses and Dissertations--English

Love, broadly defined, needs space to grow. For love to materialize and sustain itself (in both literature and society), it must find hospitable geosocial, institutional, and psychic terrain. This is especially true for queer intimacies beyond heteronormative relationality, for the prospect of love’s radical––or reactionary––possibilities is contingent upon the more general sociality in which it develops. Yet love is often a worldmaking and, sometimes, historic mechanism unto itself. Love and its concomitant sexualities must therefore be understood within and without normative structures of hegemony; the workings of (neo)colonialism and capitalism––as well as patriarchy, white supremacy, and heterosexism––dictate to love, and …

Maternal Occupation And Pediatric Brain Cancer In Kentucky, Mary Begley

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Pediatric brain cancer is a rare and potentially deadly diagnosis that affects children in Kentucky at a higher incidence than those nationally. Limited exposures in children early in life to warrant the development and progression of brain cancer point to the role parental exposures experienced in the period prior to conception and throughout pregnancy may play in its development. Many of these exposures may be experienced through occupation. Data on a subset of pediatric brain cancer cases in Kentucky was compared to all cases diagnosed in the state from 1995 to 2019. Survey data of the study sample was collected …

Elucidating The Functional Importance Of Peroxiredoxin Iv In Prostate Cancer And Its Secretion Mechanism, Na Ding

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

Prostate cancer is the most common and second leading cause of cancer death in men. Prevailing theories state that inflammation may drive prostate carcinogenesis via oxidative stress and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that induce somatic mutagenesis. Since high proliferating cells or cancer cells exhibit aberrant metabolism to satisfy the needs of energy for rapid cell proliferation, they also generate high levels of ROS which stimulates the expression of cellular antioxidants to overcome the dysregulation of redox homeostasis through the regulation of redox-sensitive transcription factors. Among different antioxidants, peroxiredoxin (Prx) family proteins are the highly conserved and mostly …

Forage News [2023-01], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

No abstract provided.

Writing New Normals: A Study Of American Pandemic Fiction In The Wake Of Covid-19, Riley E. Droppleman

Gaines Fellow Senior Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the aspects of pandemic fiction that extend beyond the illness itself. In this thesis, I show that while the disease that spreads is a large focus of pandemic fiction, the truths that spring from these novels reveal larger societal issues, such as class hierarchies, racial inequalities, and failings of the government to fight the pandemic. In fact, pandemics act as catalysts for the uncovering of these societal ills, and the authors of pandemic fictions bring these greater faults of society to the forefront of their novels. I analyze three novels from the …

The People We Carry, Abigail E. Eplin

Gaines Fellow Senior Theses

No abstract provided.

Restorative Landscapes And Their Potential Application To The University Of Kentucky Campus, Felix Lowery

Gaines Fellow Senior Theses

Exposure to natural environments has been shown to have significant positive impacts on both mood and attention, as well as the potential to decrease stress and other negative emotions. Hospitals and other healthcare settings have been on the forefront of implementing spaces designed with the intent of improving mental health. However, this is not the only setting in which restorative landscapes are needed. Implementing restorative landscapes on college campuses would be an innovative way for colleges to address their students’ mental health needs. The objective of this thesis is to understand what aspects of a natural landscape promote cognitive restoration, …

Il-1r1 Within The Meningeal Lymphatic System, Nolan Abdelsayed

Lewis Honors College Thesis Collection

The meninges are made up of three membranes; the pia mater, arachnoid mater, and dura mater, that surround the brain and spinal cord. These specialized layers work in concert with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), to protect the central nervous system by adding a layer of cushion and removing waste products from the CNS. Additionally, the meninges act as a physical barrier between the central nervous system and the periphery. The meningeal lymphatic system is a specialized group of vessels that lie within the meninges that assist in the flow of fluid and waste products from the brain. If the meningeal lymphatic …

Effect Of Reflex And Mechanical Decreases In Skin Perfusion On Thermal- And Agonist-Induced Eccrine Sweating In Humans, Kristen Metzler-Wilson, Milie M. Fang, Kenan Alibegovic, James W. Daggett, Seetharam C. Narra, Robert P. Dazé, Olivia G. Miller, Thad E. Wilson

UK CARES Faculty Publications

In humans, skin blood flux (SkBF) and eccrine sweating are tightly coupled, suggesting common neural control and regulation. This study was designed to separate these two sympathetic nervous system end-organ responses via nonadrenergic SkBF- decreasing mechanical perturbations during heightened sudomotor drive. We induced sweating physiologically via whole body heat stress using a high-density tube-lined suit (protocol 1; 2 women, 4 men), and pharmacologically via forearm intradermal microdialysis of two steady-state doses of a cholinergic agonist, pilocarpine (protocol 2; 4 women, 3 men). During sweating induction, we decreased SkBF via three mechanical perturbations: arm and leg dependency to engage the cutaneous …

A Comparative Analysis Of Applied Behavior Analysis And The Montessori Method, Emily Webb

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The Montessori method is a multi-sensory curriculum design based on Dr. Maria Montessori’s observations of the positive outcomes a multi-sensory educational approach had when working with children with disabilities; however, there is little empirical data to support the outcomes of using the Montessori method to teach children with disabilities. Despite the limited amount of quantitative research on the Montessori method and early childhood special education, studies suggest Montessori educators are open to professional development on working with children with disabilities and are willing to implement other methods to provide support for those children while still maintaining the integrity of the …

Evaluating A Rapid Coaching Intervention That Includes Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Teaching A Parent Naturalistic Strategies, Lauren Reiss

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Parents of young children with or at risk for disabilities face added stress and challenges every day. This study implemented a rapid coaching intervention to teach a parent naturalistic language interventions such as mapping language onto their child's play, narrating their own play, and arranging the environment. In addition, parents were trained to use a milieu teaching procedure. In addition, a pre-service behavior interventionist and speech-language pathologist collaborated on selecting instructional targets for the child.

Association Of Notch3 With Elastic Fiber Dispersion In The Infrarenal Abdominal Aorta Of Cynomolgus Monkeys, Sohei Ito, Naofumi Amioka, Michael K. Franklin, Pengjun Wang, Ching-Ling Liang, Yuriko Katsumata, Lei Cai, Ryan E. Temel, Alan Daugherty, Hong S. Lu, Hisashi Sawada

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The regional heterogeneity of vascular components and transcriptomes is an important determinant of aortic biology. This notion has been explored in multiple mouse studies. In the present study, we examined the regional heterogeneity of aortas in nonhuman primates.

METHODS: Aortic samples were harvested from the ascending, descending thoracic, suprarenal, and infrarenal regions of young control monkeys and adult monkeys with high fructose consumption for 3 years. The regional heterogeneity of aortic structure and transcriptomes was examined by histological and bulk RNA sequencing analyses, respectively.

RESULTS: Immunostaining of CD31 and αSMA (alpha-smooth muscle actin) revealed that endothelial and smooth muscle …

Relative Adrenal Insufficiency Is A Risk Factor And Endotype Of Sepsis - A Proof-Of- Concept Study To Support A Precision Medicine Approach To Guide Glucocorticoid Therapy For Sepsis, Chia-Hua Wu, Ling Guo, Dan Hao, Qian Wang, Xiang Ye, Misa Ito, Bin Huang, Chieko Mineo, Philip W. Shaul, Xiang-An Li

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

Introduction: 25-60% of septic patients experience relative adrenal insufficiency (RAI) and glucocorticoid (GC) is frequently used in septic patients. However, the efficacy of GC therapy and whether GC therapy should be based on the status of RAI are highly controversial. Our poor understanding about the pathogenesis of RAI and a lack of RAI animal model present significant barriers to address these critical issues.

Methods: Scavenger receptor BI (SR-BI) regulates stress-induced GC (iGC) production in response to stress. We generated SF1CreSR-BIfl/fl mice and utilized the mice as a RAI model to elucidate the pathogenesis of RAI and GC therapy in sepsis. …

Utilizing Precision Technologies To Validate A Real-Time Location System For Dairy Cattle And Monitor Calf Behaviors During Heat Stress, Emily Rice

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

With the increase in on-farm precision dairy technologies (PDT) utilization, large quantities of information are readily available to producers. A more recently available technology for use in livestock species is the real-time location system. These technologies offer dairy producers the opportunity to monitor and track real-time locations of cows, track locomotion patterns, and summarize specific area usage. However, the usefulness of these insights is heavily dependent on the performance of the technology. Therefore, the first objective of this dissertation was to assess the positioning recording performance and the usefulness of the data recorded of a real-time location system (Smartbow GmbH; …

Effects Of Biosynthesized Bromoform On Enteric Methane Production, Animal Performance And Tissue Residues In Cattle, Sydney Davis

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have been implicated in global warming and extreme climate change conditions. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified agriculture, more specifically cattle production, as a major contributor to global GHG production. When expressed as liters of gas, CO2 is considered the primary GHG produced, however, in terms of global warming potential (GWP), CH4 has 25-times greater potential than that of CO2. Due to the elevated GWP of CH4, we have constructed a series of experiments to investigate the use of a halogenated CH4 analogue derived from kelp (i.e., bromoform) as an inhibitor of enteric CH4 production …

Interface: Technology & Portraiture, Mullins Sydney

Graduate Thesis Exhibition Catalogue Gallery, 2023

In Interface, five Kentucky-area artists explore a new language of representation with the aid of digital tools like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automatic Facial Recognition Software (AFR). Some artists use algorithms to alter celebrity faces beyond recognition, others feed data sets of existing art to AI models in an attempt to generate portraits of no one in particular. Others still create tools for understanding the very act of facial recognition or obfuscation. All have one thing in common: they wish to stretch the limits of and critique the genre of portraiture, as well as to cause viewers to question …

A Process Intensification Approach To Improve Volatile Fatty Acids Production, Extraction, And Valorization, Can Liu

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a widely used biowaste conversion method. Recent studies have explored arrested methanogenesis as an alternative approach to leverage existing AD facilities and produce volatile fatty acids (VFAs) instead of biogas. VFAs have been recognized as precursors for a range of value-added chemicals and bioproducts. Arrested methanogenesis involves inducing acidic fermentation by halting the AD process before methanogenesis. It has been found that higher organic loading and thermophilic conditions enhance VFA accumulation and stabilize the acidic fermentation (AF) system.

Brewer's spent grain (BSG), a significant by-product of the brewing industry, was employed as the feedstock for VFA …

Microglia Proliferation Underlies Synaptic Dysfunction In The Prefrontal Cortex: Implications For The Pathogenesis Of Hiv-1- Associated Neurocognitive And Affective Alterations, Hailong Li, Kristen A. Mclaurin, Charles F. Mactutus, Rosemarie M. Booze

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

Microglia, which are productively infected by HIV-1, are critical for brain development and maturation, as well as synaptic plasticity. The pathophysiology of HIV-infected microglia and their role in the pathogenesis of HIV-1-associated neurocognitive and affective alterations, however, remains understudied. Three complementary aims were undertaken to critically address this knowledge gap. First, the expression of HIV-1 mRNA in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of postmortem HIV-1 seropositive individuals with HAND was investigated. Utilization of a combined RNAscope multiplex fluorescent and immunostaining assay revealed prominent HIV-1 mRNA in microglia of postmortem HIV-1 seropositive individuals with HAND. Second, measures of microglia proliferation and neuronal …

Effects Of Translocation On Eastern Black-Tailed Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Ornatus) In The Northern Chihuahuan Desert, Jacob A. Coffman

Lewis Honors College Thesis Collection

AS HUMANITY continues to grow and expand, we inevitably encroach on wildlife habitat. This can create conflict between humans and wildlife. Human wildlife conflict usually occurs when humans are near areas where wildlife typically reside. A prime example is a farmer coming into conflict with animals that predate their seeds or livestock. The most common response to this problem in many areas is lethal control to prevent economic loss (Dickman 2010). This seems like an immediate resolution of the conflict in the human’s perspective, but this action can have many adverse effects. This killing may result in negative social outcry, …

An Agricultural Plastic Crisis: How Federally Endorsed Biodegradable Plastics Could Liberate The Industry In The Eleventh Hour, Samantha Davenport

Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture, & Natural Resources Law

No abstract provided.

A Legislative Call-To-Action: Applying Capture Theory To Combat The Risk Of Private Industry’S Excess Influence Over The Fda’S Regulation Of Livestock Antibiotics, Nathaniel Richey

Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture, & Natural Resources Law

No abstract provided.

Rnai-Mediated Gene Silencing In The Exotic Redbay Ambrosia Beetle, Xyleborus Glabratus, And Insect-Fungal Interactions Within The Laurel Wilt Complex, Morgan Christine Knutsen

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Laurel wilt disease (LWD) is a lethal vascular disease impacting lauraceous hosts caused by Harringtonia lauricola, the fungal symbiont of the redbay ambrosia beetle (Xyleborus glabratus Eichoff) (RAB) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). LWD has caused tree mortality throughout the southeastern United States and is continuing to spread into new regions. Current management methods have not been successful in preventing spread, warranting investigation into innovative techniques including RNA interference (RNAi).

Elongation factor-1 alpha (ef1a) and actin (act) were established as stably expressed reference genes after exposing beetles to different photoperiod, temperature, and dsRNA exposure. After RAB oral …

Linking Previous Experiences To Behavior And Health In The Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera), Rebecca R. Westwick

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

An organism’s ability to respond to changing conditions can be vital to its success. Indeed, plasticity is a common feature of living organisms. Much of the research in this area, though, has focused on effects caused by environmental conditions. What has received relatively less attention is how social experiences and broader features of an organism’s social environment can lead to long-lasting changes in health and behavior. This knowledge gap exists despite the well-documented existence of health and behavioral effects after social interactions in certain taxa such as humans.

Social insects such as honey bees provide an excellent opportunity to better …

Evaluating Microlearning Strategies In The Corporate Environment: A Comparative Mixed Methods Study Using The Kirkpatrick Model, Megan Laird Reynolds

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Corporate training and development, despite their significance as primary learning strategies for adults, have received limited research attention. This study addresses this gap by evaluating and comparing the effectiveness of video-based and digital job aid procedural-based microlearning in a corporate setting, utilizing most of the Kirkpatrick Model: learner satisfaction, knowledge retention, and behavior change. Employing a mixed methods approach to gain a comprehensive understanding of microlearning’s application and potential for improving business outcomes, the study incorporates pre- and post-tests, participant interviews, and self-reported questionnaires. Thirty participants completed the study, with equal representation (15 participants each) for both modalities, and interviews …

Manipulation Of Components Of The Renin Angiotensin System In Renal Proximal Tubules Fails To Alter Atherosclerosis In Hypercholesterolemic Mice, Masayoshi Kukida, Naofumi Amioka, Dien Ye, Hui Chen, Jessica J. Moorleghen, Ching-Ling Liang, Deborah A. Howatt, Yuriko Katsumata, Motoko Yanagita, Hisashi Sawada, Alan Daugherty, Hong S. Lu

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

Background and objective: Whole body manipulation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) consistently exerts profound effects on experimental atherosclerosis development. A deficit in the literature has been a lack of attention to the effects of sex. Also, based on data with gene-deleted mice, the site of RAS activity that influences lesion formation is at an unknown distant location. Since angiotensin (AngII) concentrations are high in kidney and the major components of the RAS are present in renal proximal tubule cells (PTCs), this study evaluated the role of the RAS in PTCs in atherosclerosis development.

Methods and results: Mice with an LDL …

Nutritional & Colorectal Health, Tariq A. Alam, Brittany R. Rice, Sara B. Police

Journal of Pharmacology & Nutritional Sciences

Kentucky has the highest incidence and mortality rate of all site cancers, and Kentuckians residing in the Appalachian region often have worse outcomes, where cancer is a leading cause of death. Focusing on colorectal cancer (CRC) specifically, Kentucky ranks first nationwide for incidence (50 cases per 100,000 people) and fifth for mortality (about 17 deaths per 100,000 people). The Kentucky Colon Cancer Screening Program increased screening rates and reduced mortality since its launch. Yet, CRC remains a leading cause of death for Kentuckians. Risk factors for CRC include increasing age as well as a history of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) …

1-Back Matching And Mismatching By Pigeons, Thomas Zentall

Psychology Research Data

No abstract provided.