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Deficiencies In The Agricultural Labor Market, Rafael Rodriguez

Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture, & Natural Resources Law

No abstract provided.

Reciprocity As A Species Of Fairness: Completing Malinowski’S Theory Of Law, James M. Donovan

Law Faculty Books and Chapters

The present essay seeks to recast Malinowski’s arguments grounding law in the social phenomena of reciprocity in light of current information. Reciprocity is argued to be a higher order construct built out of more basic influences, the most relevant of which are the inherent fairness evaluations humans perform in contexts of distributive justice. Deconstructing Malinowski’s claims into these elemental components preserves the original insight that explains the civil law in terms of social reciprocity. More importantly, this analysis generates a description for the criminal law in these same terms, something Malinowski himself was unable to achieve. The outcome realizes his …

It Is All About (U)Biquitin: Role Of Altered Ubiquitin-Proteasome System And Uchl1 In Alzheimer Disease, Antonella Tramutola, Fabio Di Domenico, Eugenio Barone, Marzia Perluigi, D. Allan Butterfield

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Free radical-mediated damage to macromolecules and the resulting oxidative modification of different cellular components are a common feature of aging, and this process becomes much more pronounced in age-associated pathologies, including Alzheimer disease (AD). In particular, proteins are particularly sensitive to oxidative stress-induced damage and these irreversible modifications lead to the alteration of protein structure and function. In order to maintain cell homeostasis, these oxidized/damaged proteins have to be removed in order to prevent their toxic accumulation. It is generally accepted that the age-related accumulation of “aberrant” proteins results from both the increased occurrence of damage and the decreased efficiency …

Modulatory Action By The Serotonergic System: Behavior And Neurophysiology In Drosophila Melanogaster, Zana R Majeed, Esraa Abdeljaber, Robin Soveland, Kristin Cornwell, Aubrey Bankemper, Felicitas Koch, Robin L. Cooper

Biology Faculty Publications

Serotonin modulates various physiological processes and behaviors. This study investigates the role of 5-HT in locomotion and feeding behaviors as well as in modulation of sensory-motor circuits. The 5-HT biosynthesis was dysregulated by feeding Drosophila larvae 5-HT, a 5-HT precursor, or an inhibitor of tryptophan hydroxylase during early stages of development. The effects of feeding fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, during early second instars were also examined. 5-HT receptor subtypes were manipulated using RNA interference mediated knockdown and 5-HT receptor insertional mutations. Moreover, synaptic transmission at 5-HT neurons was blocked or enhanced in both larvae and adult flies. The …

Evolution Of The Vertebrate Claudin Gene Family: Insights From A Basal Vertebrate, The Sea Lamprey, Christian Mukendi, Nicholas Dean, Rushil Lala, Jeramiah J. Smith, Marianne E Bronner, Natalya V. Nikitina

Biology Faculty Publications

Claudins are major constituents of tight junctions, contributing both to their intercellular sealing and selective permeability properties. While claudins and claudin-like molecules are present in some invertebrates, the association of claudins with tight junctions has been conclusively documented only in vertebrates. Here we report the sequencing, phylogenetic analysis and comprehensive spatiotemporal expression analysis of the entire claudin gene family in the basal extant vertebrate, the sea lamprey. Our results demonstrate that clear orthologues to about half of all mammalian claudins are present in the lamprey, suggesting that at least one round of whole genome duplication contributed to the diversification of …

Social Media And Credibility Indicator: The Effects Of Bandwagon And Identity Cues Within Online Health And Risk Contexts, Xialing Lin

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Three studies were conducted to investigate how social media affordances influence individuals’ source credibility perceptions in risk situations. The MAIN model (Sundar, 2008), warranting theory (Walther & Parks, 2002), and signaling theory (Donath, 1999) served as the theoretical framework to examine the effects of bandwagon cues and identity cues embedded in retweets and users’ profile pages for health and risk online information processing. Study One examines whether bandwagon heuristics triggered by retweets would influence individuals’ source credibility judgments. Study Two investigates how bandwagon heuristics interact with different identity heuristics in credibility heuristics on an individual level. Study Three explores bandwagon …

Investigations In Cryptic Species: Considerations And Applications For Estimating Detection, Occupancy, And Abundance Of Semi-Aquatic Snakes, Christian Robert Oldham

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

Snake species are notoriously difficult to study in the field due to their cryptic natural-histories and secretive behaviors. Difficulties associated with detection present challenges estimating parameters including occupancy and abundance, as well as responses to habitat degradation. Our objectives were to use Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) telemetry to enhance detection of Queensnakes (Regina septemvittata) as compared to traditional capture-mark-recapture (CMR) survey techniques and to examine occupancy and abundance of Queensnakes and Northern Watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon) in streams of differing levels of anthropogenic impact within Central Kentucky. During 2013, we captured Queensnakes and implanted them with PIT …

A Branch Point Of Streptomyces Sulfur Amino Acid Metabolism Controls The Production Of Albomycin, Aditya Kulkarni, Yu Zeng, Wei Zhou, Steven Van Lanen, Weiwen Zhang, Shawn Chen

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Albomycin (ABM), also known as grisein, is a sulfur-containing metabolite produced by Streptomyces griseus ATCC 700974. Genes predicted to be involved in the biosynthesis of ABM and ABM-like molecules are found in the genomes of other actinomycetes. ABM has potent antibacterial activity, and as a result, many attempts have been made to develop ABM into a drug since the last century. Although the productivity of S. griseus can be increased with random mutagenesis methods, understanding of Streptomyces sulfur amino acid (SAA) metabolism, which supplies a precursor for ABM biosynthesis, could lead to improved and stable production. We previously characterized the …

Purin-6-One Derivatives As Phosphodiesterase-2 Inhibitors, Wei Yuan, Xin-Yun Zhao, Xi Chen, Chang-Guo Zhan

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

A series of purin-6-one derivatives were synthesized, and their in vitro inhibitory activity against phosphodiesterase-2 (PDE2) was evaluated by using a fluorescence polarization assay. Three compounds, that are, 2j, 2p, and 2q, showed significant inhibitory activity against PDE2 with IC₅₀ values of 1.73, 0.18, and 3.43 μM, respectively. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis was performed to explore the relationship between the chemical structures of these compounds and their inhibitory activity. Compounds 2j, 2p, and 2q were further selected for molecular docking study. The docking results suggested that these ligands bind with hydrophobic pockets of …

Kentucky Traffic Collision Facts 2015, Kentucky Transportation Center, Kentucky State Police

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

KENTUCKY’S TRAFFIC COLLISION FACTS report for 2015 is based on collision reports submitted to the Kentucky State Police Records Branch. As required by Kentucky Revised Statutes 189.635, “every law enforcement agency whose officers investigate a vehicle accident of which a report must be made...shall file a report of the accident...within ten days after investigation of the accident upon forms supplied by the bureau.” The stated purpose of this requirement is to utilize data on traffic collisions for such purposes as will improve the traffic safety program in the Commonwealth. Data contained in this report are based solely on the observations …

Fatty Acid Profile In Ruminal Content And Blood Plasma Of Finishing Beef Cattle, Supplemented With Different Sources Of Fat, Amanda Pesqueira

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Eight steers were used in a replicated 4 x 4 Latin square design experiment to study the rumen metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The animals were fed a concentrate diet based on cracked corn grain, corn silage and hay fescue (K31). The dietary fat treatments were a negative control, tallow added at 60g/day, fish oil at 60g/day and heterotrophically grown microalgae high in DHA at 100g/day. Treatments were incorporated immediately prior to feeding each day and dosed through a ruminal fistula mixed with 0.45kg of the diet. Animals were fed at 1.75 x NEm once daily during adaptation then switched …

Towards Determination Of The Threonine Requirement Of Yearling Horses Fed Varying Dietary Compositions Using The Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Method, Kelsey M. Smith

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The amino acid requirements of growing horses are currently unknown, and studies suggest that threonine is a limiting amino acid in common horse diets. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the threonine requirement of growing horses fed two different forage to concentrate ratios using the indicator amino acid oxidation method. The study consisted of a high concentrate phase (HC; 60% concentrate and 40% forage) and a high forage phase (HF; 25% concentrate and 75% forage). Within each phase, 6 female yearling Thoroughbred horses were randomly assigned each of 6 dietary treatments in a 6 x 6 Latin …

Effects Of Dietary Amino Acid Supplementation On Measures Of Whole-Body And Muscle Protein Metabolism In Aged Horses, Christine M. Latham

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Sarcopenia is a condition that is most common in aged animals, and is characterized by the loss of skeletal muscle mass and integrity, and can lead to physical disability and poor quality of life. Since skeletal muscle protein synthesis can be limited by the availability of amino acids, supplementation of limiting amino acids to ameliorate the progression of sarcopenia has become a topic of interest in companion animal research. Although there is some data to support the idea that amino acid supplementation improves maintenance of muscle mass in aged horses, the cellular mechanisms behind that improvement have yet to be …

Relationships Between Behavioral Measures And Productivity In Finishing Beef Cattle, Jasmyn Mimiko

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The relationship between measures of temperament, growth performance, and social hierarchy in finishing beef cattle were explored in two experiments. In experiment 1, high OCS (objective chute score) steers had periods of significantly higher ADG (P < 0.01), but OCS had no relationship with dominance ranking (P > 0.47). Conversely, slow exit velocity (EV) correlated with higher ranking (P ≤ 0.06), but EV had no relationship with performance (P > 0.37) in a competitive environment. Rank showed no relationship with performance (P > .58). In experiment 2, steers with fast EV had periods of decreased growth (P ≤ .06), intake (P ≤ .06), and gain:feed (G:F; P = 0.02). There were no interactions between …

Specialty Poultry Production: Impact Of Genotype, Feed Strategies, Alternative Feedstuffs, And Dietary Enzymes On The Growth Performance And Carcass Characteristics Of Heritage Breed Chickens, Tatijana Fisher

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

There is a growing market for specialty poultry production using alternative genotypes and management systems. However, producers interested in specialty poultry production face several challenges. One challenge is that little published data exists regarding the growth and production parameters for alternative genotypes like slow-growing meat strains and heritage breeds. To address this challenge, research at the University of Kentucky examined the effect of feed strategies, alternative feedstuffs, and dietary enzymes on the growth and performance of heritage breeds of chicken used for either egg- or meat-production. The first trial documented the growth and nutrient intake of pullets from three heritage …

The Role Of Capillaries In The Lesser Ailments Of Old Age And In Alzheimer's Disease And Vascular Dementia: The Potential Of Pro-Therapeutic Angiogenesis, Charles T. Ambrose

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Apart from chronic diseases (arthritis, diabetes, etc.), old age is generally characterized by three lesser ailments: muscle weakness, minor memory lapses, and cold intolerance. This trio of complaints may have a common, underlying cause, namely, the age-associated reduced microcirculation in muscles, brain, skin, and elsewhere in the body. The Angiogenesis Hypothesis proposes that old age is in part a deficiency disease due to the decline in angiogenic (AG) factors, resulting in a reduced capillary density (CD) throughout the body. Over fifty published papers document waning levels of AG factors and/or decreased CD in various organ systems of aged animals and …

Legitimacy Of Local Food In The U.S. Market: Comparative Consumer Perspectives, Ali Asgari

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

Measures of legitimacy have been described in terms of four legitimacy types, regulatory, normative, cognitive, and industry. This study provides one of the first and only empirical examinations of legitimacy, particularly with an application to local foods and sheds light on how consumers view various types of legitimacy related to local food. To apply the concept of legitimacy to local foods marketing, we take an empirical survey asking about consumer perspectives of local food, along with different shopping behavior questions.

Using cumulative logit models, results of the legitimacy models suggest that core consumers are more likely to place a high …

Demand For Pork And Meat In China, Hao Dong

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

As the per capita disposable income increases, the demand for meat is boosting in China. Pork, accounting for the largest part of Chinese meat consumption, plays an important role in meat demand in China. This study use data collected from a 2014 survey on Chinese meat consumption; four widely different Chinese cities, Beijing, Changsha, Tianjin and Wuhan are selected to provide a more complete view of Chinese pork and meat demand. We use both OLS model and Tobit model to analyze the effects of consumers' socio-demographic characteristics such as age, gender, income, and education on pork and meat demand. Results …

Straight Time And Scandal: Travesti Urban Politics In São Paulo, Brazil, Christine L. Woodward

Theses and Dissertations--Geography

São Paulo, Brazil is currently pursuing a project of creative urbanism. Though city rhetoric insists this project is rooted in tolerance of sexual diversity, I suggest that city policy effectively perpetuates normative conceptions of family and respectability. Using data gathered through a series of qualitative interviews with transgender and travesti individuals living in São Paulo, I argue that the straight time of São Paulo’s creative urbanism generates exclusionary temporalities and spatialities in the city that render travestis out of time and out of place. Furthermore, I argue that travestis use their capacity to enact shame through scandals to generate temporalities …

Effects Of Feeding A Yeast-Based Supplement Containing Docosahexaenoic Acid (Dha) From A Heterotrophically Grown Microalgae, Vitamin E, And Selenium On Stallion Sperm Motion Characteristics, Lauren D. Goedde

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

The use of cooled and frozen stallion semen has become quite popular. However, there are some stallions that have sperm that are quite susceptible to cold shock. Thus, there is a need for techniques that will alter sperm so that they can withstand the stresses of cooling and freezing and thus improve pregnancy rates achieved with cooled or frozen spermatozoa. Studies have shown that a diet high in omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids can improve the motility of cooled and frozen/thawed sperm. Many of the omega-3 fatty acid products for stallions have low levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and are based …

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 …

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 …

Object Detection For Agricultural And Construction Environments Using An Ultrasonic Sensor, Joseph S. Dvorak, Marvin L. Stone, Kelvin P. Self

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

This study tested an ultrasonic sensor‘s ability to detect several objects commonly encountered in outdoor agricultural or construction environments: a water jug, a sheet of oriented strand board (OSB), a metal fence post, a human model, a wooden fence post, a Dracaena plant, a juniper plant, and a dog model. Tests were performed with each target object at distances from 0.01 to 3 m. Five tests were performed with each object at each location, and the sensor‘s ability to detect the object during each test was categorized as "undetected," "intermittent," "incorrect distance," "good." Rigid objects that presented a larger surface …

Probing The Functional Relevance Of Reactive Hippocampal Neurogenesis In A Model Of An Alcohol Use Disorder, Chelsea Rhea Geil Nickell

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Alcoholism, or alcohol use disorders (AUDs), represent a major public health concern both locally and globally. Critically, excessive alcohol consumption results in neurodegeneration in brain regions such as the hippocampus which is known for its role in learning and memory. Recovery of hippocampal volume loss has been observed after prolonged abstinence, but the mechanisms underlying this process are not well understood. Adult neurogenesis is thought to contribute to this recovery since after alcohol exposure a reactive increase in adult neurogenesis is observed. This reactive neurogenesis (the process by which brain insult results in a compensatory increase in neurogenesis) may represent …

Risk Factors Associated With Severe Injuries In Inland Aquaculture Farms, Amah Martin

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

Objective: The main objective of this study was to analyze risk factors associated with severe occupational injuries among inland aquaculture farms.

Methods: Survey results were compiled in a data set that consisted of qualitative data from 51 farmers who were interviewed between 2008 and 2011 in 10 states and the Canadian province of British Columbia. Chi-square and Fisher’s exact test were used to assess the differences in the dichotomous level of severity among several farm and injury variables. Logistic regression was used to predict the outcome of a severe injury event.

Results: Injury observations that indicated the use of raceway …

Injuries Among Security And Law Enforcement Personnel In The Private Versus Public Sectors, William S. Witt

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

Background and Objectives: Data collected through workers’ compensation may be useful for occupational injury surveillance. This study examined whether differences existed between the public and private sectors of the security and law enforcement industry in Kentucky.

Methods: Using a cross-­‐sectional design, workers’ compensation data from the Kentucky Department of Workers’ Claims was analyzed to evaluate differences in demographic and injury characteristics, as well as award outcomes, stratified by industry sector. The dataset included all workers’ compensation first reports of injury and claims filed by security and law enforcement personnel in Kentucky from 2005 to 2015. Statistical analyzes included chi-­‐square and …

Comparison Of The Difference In Nephrotoxicity Between Nafcillin And Piperacillin-Tazobactam, Sonali Kishor Patel

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

Objective

To evaluate whether nephrotoxicity differs between nafcillin and piperacillin-tazobactam in adult hospitalized patients.

Introduction

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the inpatient setting, with antibiotics being a significant contributor. There is evidence of an increased risk of nephrotoxicity with the combination of vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam compared to vancomycin and cefepime or vancomycin alone. It is unknown whether this effect is exclusive for piperacillin-tazobactam. Therefore, in order to promote optimal medication therapy for inpatient bacterial infections, there is a need to assess the persistence of this difference in other beta-lactam antibiotics.

Methods

A …

Comparing The Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis Patients With Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria (Ntm) And Non-Ntm Infections, Maninder Bir Singh

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

Objective

The objective of the study is to compare the Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis patients with Non Tubercular Mycobacteria (NTM) and Non-NTM infection and determine if the NTM and Non-NTM groups are different.

Methods

Data from the COPD Foundation’s Bronchiectasis Research Registry (BRR) was used in the study (n=1660).Logistic regression, Cox proportional hazards regression, and Kaplan Meier survival analysis were used to analyze the data.

Results

The study found odds ratio for having NTM infection for age to be 1.02 and for gender to be 2.34, after adjusting for all other variables in the multivariate logistic regression, with the p-value of …

Neurotoxic Effects Of Occupational Exposures In Agricultural Workers, Miriam Siegel

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

Background: Pesticides and organic solvents are two classes of neurotoxic substances regularly used in agriculture. Pesticides have been studied in relation to a range of nervous system effects, and have been repeatedly shown to relate to depression in agricultural workers. Likewise, occupational solvent exposure is recognized as a risk factor for central nervous system effects, including mood disturbances and cognitive impairment, across various industries. Many gaps in knowledge regarding the effects of chronic exposure to these substances on mental/neurological health in agricultural workers still exist. The specific aims of the current analysis were to 1.) Estimate associations between metrics of …

The Impact Of Food Recall On Third-Party Certification Adoption, Hongyi Zhang

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

Food safety problems have gained national attention, and food recall is one of the most important indications of this concern. Third-party certifications have become a popular way to improve the safety and quality of products for consumers. Publications related to third-party certification usually focus on the motives and benefits of a particular certification. However, to date, no existing research investigates the effects of food recalls on certification adoption.

This study uses Probit models with a binary endogenous explanatory variable to examine the relationship between food recalls and third-party certification, based on recalls occurring between January 1, 2015 and February 18, …