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Maternal Allostatic Load During Pregnancy: Predicting Length Of Gestation, Molly E. M. Sayre

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

Allostatic load, or the “wear and tear” on the body due to stress, is thought to have a negative impact on length of pregnancy and contribute to health disparities in preterm birth. However, the magnitude of the effect on birth outcomes is unknown, in part due to questions of timing of measurement of allostatic load during pregnancy. This study used linear regression analysis of data from 156 pregnant women to test whether allostatic load is a predictor of length of gestation in the study sample, finding that third trimester allostatic load predicted length of gestation among women with full-term births. …

Utilization Of A Small Unmanned Aircraft System For Direct Sampling Of Nitrogen Oxides Produced By Full-Scale Surface Mine Blasting, Robert B. Mccray

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

Emerging health concern for gaseous nitrogen oxides (NO_x) emitted during surface mine blasting has prompted mining authorities in the United States to pursue new regulations. NO_x is comprised of various binary compounds of nitrogen and oxygen. Nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) are the most prominent. Modern explosive formulations are not designed to produce NO_x during properly-sustained detonations, and researchers have identified several causes through laboratory experiments; however, direct sampling of NO_x following full-scale surface mine blasting has not been accomplished.

The purpose of this thesis was to demonstrate a safe, innovative …

Optimal Roof Coverage And Identification Of Potential Roof Problems In Underground Coal Mines Using Led Lighting, James A. Samples

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

The popularity and implementation of light emitting diode (LED) lighting have increased drastically over recent years into both residential and industrial applications. However, due to MSHA permissibility requirements, LED lighting is not currently being fully utilized in underground coal mining. While previous research has focused on examining the benefits that LED lighting possesses over other common light sources, very few have been done to find the optimum configuration to illuminate underground excavations better for the safety of the miners. In this research, multiple experiments were conducted to evaluate the potential impacts LED lighting can have on underground mine safety. The …

Biventricular Finite Element Modeling And Quantification Of 3d Langragian Strains And Torsion Using Dense Mri, Zhanqiu Liu

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Statistical data suggests that increased use of evidence-based medical therapies has largely contributed to the decrease in American death rate caused by heart disease. And my studies are about two applications of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a non-invasive approach in evidence-based health care research. In my first study, the achievement of a pulmonary valve replacement surgery was assessed on a patient with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). In order to evaluate the remodeling of right ventricle, two biventricular finite element models were built up for pre-surgical images and post-surgical images. In my second study, 3D Lagrangian strains and torsion in …

The Role Of Fat Grafting And Adipose-Derived Stem Cells In Breast Reconstruction, Krishna S. Vyas

Theses and Dissertations--Clinical and Translational Science

Fat grafting is a common surgical procedure that involves the transfer of fat from one area of the body to another in order to improve contour deformities, such as in breast reconstruction. Advantages of the technique include using autologous tissue rather than a foreign body and the added benefit of having liposuction to remove fat from an undesirable location. Although adipose tissue could be the ideal soft tissue filler, fat grafting is plagued by tremendous variability in long-term retention, with volume survival rates of 20-80%, resulting in suboptimal outcomes and repetitive procedures.

The mechanisms contributing to long-term fat graft survival …

Deep Sleep, Cognition, Body Weight, Body Temperature, And Behavioral Distress Responses To New Onset Psychosocial Stressors Are Blunted With Age In Male F344 Rats, Kendra E. Hargis

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Complaints associated with aging, including cognitive deficits and sleep loss, are highly prevalent and negatively impact quality of life. Further, with increased age, humans are also more likely to experience new-onset psychosocial stressors, such as divorce, loss of a spouse, and social isolation. Stress has detrimental consequences that in many ways parallel the effects of aging on sleep and cognition. The long-standing stress/ glucocorticoid hypotheses of brain aging posit that stress exposure exacerbates aging symptoms, and extensive prior studies have shown that early life stress exposure does worsen phenotypic aging symptoms. However, despite its prevalence in aged humans, little basic …

The Role Of Pxr And Ikkβ Signaling In Cardiometabolic Disease, Robert N. Helsley

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide and is partially attributed to perturbations in lipid metabolism. Xenobiotics, such as pharmaceutical drugs and environmental chemicals, have been associated with increased risk of CVD in multiple large-scale human population studies, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly defined. We and others have identified several xenobiotics as potent agonists for the pregnane X receptor (PXR), a nuclear receptor that can be activated by numerous drugs as well as environmental and dietary chemicals. However, the role of PXR in mediating the pathophysiological effects of xenobiotic exposure in humans and animals remains elusive. …

The Role Of The Ace2/Ang-(1-7)/Masr Axis In The Development Of Obesity-Hypertension In Male And Female Mice, Yu Wang

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Obesity is strongly associated with hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. An activated renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has long been suggested as a critical contributor to elevated blood pressure with obesity. Angiotensin II (AngII), the main effector of an activated RAS, can be catabolized by angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) to form angiotensin-(1-7) (Ang-(1-7)), which, acting through the mas receptor (MasR), has been shown to oppose the effects of an activated RAS. Therefore, further understanding of the mechanisms of this counter-regulatory arm, called the ACE2/Ang-(1-7)/MasR axis, may lead to new therapies for obesity-induced hypertension. Previously, we demonstrated that differences in the regulation of ACE2 …

The Role Of Astrocytic Calcineurin Activation And Downstream Signaling In Neurodegenerative Diseases, Melanie M. Pleiss

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Calcineurin (CN) is a calcium (Ca²⁺)-sensitive serine/threonine protein phosphatase that plays a significant role in several cell signaling pathways, and has been implicated in many neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID). Although normally found in neurons, CN also appears at high levels in activated astrocytes under conditions of injury and disease. To elucidate the role of astrocytic calcineurin signaling in neurodegenerative diseases, our lab has used primary rat astrocytes, transgenic and diet-induced mouse models of dementia, and human tissue biospecimens from confirmed AD and VCID cases.

To better understand mechanisms for …

Effects Of Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin Inhibition On Circuitry Changes In The Dentate Gyrus Of Mice After Focal Brain Injury, Corwin R. Butler

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

Post-traumatic epilepsy is a common outcome of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). The development of spontaneous seizures after traumatic brain injury generally follows a latent period of little to no symptoms. The series of events occurring in this latent period are not well understood. Additionally, there is no current treatment to prevent the development of epilepsy after TBI (i.e. antiepileptogenics). One cell signaling pathway activated in models of TBI and in models of epilepsy is the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). mTOR activity is sustained for weeks after the initial insult in models of TBI, and the inhibition of mTOR …

Protein Kinase A And Epac Mediate Chronic Pain After Injury: Prolonged Inhibition By Endogenous Y1 Receptors In Dorsal Horn, Weisi Fu

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

Inflammation or nerve injury sensitizes several populations of nociceptive neurons in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, including those that express the neuropeptide Y (NPY) Y1 receptor (Y1R). Our overall hypothesis is that after tissue or nerve injury, these Y1R-expressing neurons enter a state of latent sensitization (LS) that contributes to vulnerability to the development of chronic pain; furthermore, LS is under the tonic inhibitory control of endogenous Y1R signaling. First, we evaluated the intracellular signaling pathways that become activated in Y1R-expressing neurons and participate in LS. To do this, we established behavioral models of inflammatory or neuropathic pain, …

Regulation Of Uv-Protective Pathways Downstream Of The Melanocortin 1 Receptor In Melanocytes, Erin M. Wolf Horrell

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

Malignant cutaneous melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, and a majority of melanoma diagnoses are a result of exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. UV radiation causes DNA damage, which if not repaired correctly via nucleotide excision repair (NER) can result in mutations and melanomagenesis. The melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) is a G_s protein coupled receptor located on melanocyte plasma membranes and is involved in protecting the skin from UV induced damage. MC1R signaling results in the activation of two protective pathways: 1) induction of eumelanin synthesis downstream of micropthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and 2) acceleration of NER …

Co-Morbid Symptoms Of Depression And Anxiety And Bio-Behavioral Response To Stress In Patients With Heart Failure, Abdullah S. Alhurani

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

Heart failure (HF) is a major public health problem throughout the world. It accounts for one death certificate among nine in the United States. Heart failure and sudden death combined are responsible for the largest number of deaths in America. The total costs of HF in the United States are estimated to be $37 billion each year. Despite substantial medical and surgical advances related to treatment of HF, it remains a very costly condition with high mortality and morbidity rates. Although biological factors contribute to high morbidity and mortality in HF, there are many unexplored psychosocial factors that also likely …

Molecular And Biochemical Signaling Underlying Arabidopsis-Bacterial/Virus/Fungal Interactions, Mohamed H. El-Shetehy

Theses and Dissertations--Plant Pathology

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is a form of inducible defense response triggered upon localized infection that confers broad-spectrum disease resistance against secondary infections. Several factors are known to regulate SAR and these include phenolic phytohormone salicylic acid (SA), phosphorylated sugar glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P), and dicarboxylic acid azelaic acid (AzA). This study evaluated a role for free radicals nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in SAR. Normal accumulation of both NO and ROS was required for normal SAR and mutations preventing NO/ROS accumulation and/or biosynthesis compromised SAR. A role for NO and ROS was further established using pharmacological approaches. Notably, …

Differential Gene Expression In Equine Cartilaginous Tissues And Induced Chondrocytes, Emma N. Adam

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Degenerative joint disease, or osteoarthritis, is a major cause of lameness and morbidity in horses, humans, and dogs. There are no truly satisfactory cures for this widespread problem and current treatments all have limitations or unwanted side effects.

New cell-based strategies to repair joint surface lesions have generated a high level of interest, but have yet to achieve the full restoration of articular cartilage structure and function. Currently used therapy cells include autologous chondrocytes and adult mesenchymal cells such as bone marrow derived cells and adipose derived cells. Unfortunately, the resultant repair tissue is biomechanically inferior fibrocartilage. A critical gap …

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 …

The Manipulation And Examination Of Wolbachia In Medically Important Mosquitoes, Timothy D. Mcnamara

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Mosquitoes are a major vector of human disease and result in massive costs to public health in affected regions. It has been suggested that Wolbachia pipientis could be used for mosquito population reduction. Wolbachia is a maternally-transmitted endosymbiont of arthropods and nematodes that infects the cytoplasm of host cells. In mosquitoes, Wolbachia manipulates reproduction through Cytoplasmic Incompatibility (CI), which is characterized by a cessation of embryonic development in certain crossing-types. However, the relationship between Wolbachia and its host is complex and not fully understood. The crossing relationships between naturally-infected and aposymbiotic populations of Culex pipiens pipiens and Culex pipiens molestus …

The Chemical Ecology Of Bed Bugs (Cimex Lectularius, L.) And The Impact Of A Neurotoxic Insecticide On Physiology And Behavior, Sydney E. Crawley

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Following a decades-long hiatus in many nations, populations of bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) have rebounded and are thriving on a global scale posing substantial challenges for pest management professionals. Insecticide resistance to both pyrethroid and neonicotinoid compounds has been identified in many populations, leading to renewed interest in alternative control methods for management of this pest. The objectives of my dissertation research were to study various, typically cryptic, bed bug behaviors in order to improve both conventional and alternative management strategies. Novel behavioral interactions among mother and offspring were characterized. Additionally, changes in behavior and physiology after treatment …

Endosymbiotic Bacteria In The Bed Bug, Cimex Lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), Mark H. Goodman

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

The return of bed bugs to prominence as an urban pest has precipitated an emphatic research response from the scientific community in an effort to better understand their biology and management. However, not all aspects of bed bug biology have received equal attention. The role of symbiotic bacteria in the normal function and biology of insects is often underappreciated, and this is true of bed bugs. Bed bugs have two main endosymbiotic bacteria, a Wolbachia species and a poorly-characterized gamma-proteobacterium referred to as BLS. However, their interactions with the host are poorly understood. I explored various aspects of these symbionts …

Evaluation Of Diet Composition Of Pediatric Cancer Survivors As A Need For Nutrition Counseling, Sean O'Nan

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

Prior research has shown that pediatric cancer survivors face a multitude of longterm effects from treatment of their disease. Many of these conditions can be treated or managed through proper nutrition, however patients of the DanceBlue Kentucky Children's Hospital Hematology/Oncology Clinic do not see a registered dietitian. This study looked at food and drink consumption of the past 30 days by the patient using the NHANES Dietary Screener Questionnaire to see if they met nutrition recommendations as outlined by the 2015‐2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Results from the study found that off‐treatment pediatric cancer survivors (n=21) failed to meet …

Characterization Of Foreign-Born Vs. U.S. Native-Born Worker Fatalities In Kentucky, 2001-2014, Yailet Cruz Galardy

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

Background: Foreign-born workers may be more vulnerable to fatal and nonfatal work injuries. Available information on the differences that exist between foreign-born and U.S. native-born worker fatal injuries is scarce. This study aims to describe and characterize occupational fatal injuries in foreign-born and U.S. native-born workers in Kentucky.

Methods: A retrospective descriptive analysis of foreign-born vs. U.S. native-born worker fatalities was performed over a 14-year period from 2001-2014 using Kentucky Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) program worker fatality surveillance data.

Results: From 2001-2014, there were a total of 87 foreign-born and 1,361 native-born worker fatalities. The average age of …

A Controversial Bill (H.R. 897) To Mosquito Control Programs: A Policy Analysis, Charles Guissou

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

The primary purpose of this paper was to analyze the legal, financial, and administrative burdens of the Pesticides General Permit on mosquito control programs from a policy perspective. Mosquito control is often highly controversial, particularly when it involves the use of pesticides that have their own potentially serious health and environmental impacts. In 2009, the Environment Protection Agency issued the permit to be obtained by pesticide applicators before pesticides could be discharged into waterways in addition to existing Federal Insecticides, Fungicides, and Rodenticides Act (FIFRA) regulations. Some provisions of the permit could impact mosquito control activities. Therefore, in response to …

Social Network Analysis Of Cellphone Surveillance Data For Ebola In Sierra Leone, Jia B. Kangbai

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

Aim: To explore and visualize the connectivity of suspected Ebola cases and surveillance callers who used cellphone technology in Moyamba District in Sierra Leone for Ebola surveillance, and to examine the demographic differences and characteristics of callers who make more calls as well as more likely to make at least one positive Ebola call.

Methods: Surveillance data for 393 suspected Ebola cases (192 males, 201 females) were collected from October 23, 2014 to June 28, 2015 using cellphone technology. UCINET and NetDraw were used to explore and visualize the social connectivity between callers and suspected Ebola cases. Poisson and logistic …

Effect Of Enteral Feeding Timing In Septic Shock Patients, Shane D. Slone

DNP Projects

The goal of this research project was to identify the effect of the timing of enteral nutrition (EN) initiation timing on in-hospital mortality, ICU LOS and hospital LOS among patients with septic shock requiring norepinephrine. The study design was a cross-sectional analysis of retrospective electronic health record data. Patients who had received norepinephrine for septic shock were divided into early EN initiation (within 48 hours of ICU admission) and late EN initiation (Greater than or equal to 48 hours after ICU admission) groups. 680 subjects were included; 469 in the early group and 211 in the late group. Demographics, comorbidities, …

Perspectives On The United States Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee: A Survey Of State Air Agencies, Cassandra Yannelli

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) was created in 1977 under section 109 of the Clean Air Act (CAA). The role of CASAC is to provide technical and scientific advice to the EPA Administrator on National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), required under the CAA. The standards themselves and the science upon which the standards are established for the six “criteria” pollutants included in the NAAQS are reviewed periodically by CASAC. The committee also exists to bridge new research developments to current environmental requirements.

Section 109(d) of the CAA requires the chartered CASAC to …

Effects Of Epichloë Coenophiala−Tall Fescue Symbiosis On Plant-Microbe-Soil Interactions In A Temperate Pasture, Lindsey C. Slaughter

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Plants interact in myriad ways with microorganisms to influence ecosystem processes such as nutrient cycling, which can regulate ecosystem response to global change. One important plant-microbe symbiosis occurs between cool-season grasses and asexual fungal Epichloë endophytes, such as tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus) and Epichloë coenophiala. Because the common toxic strain of the endophyte (CTE) harms grazing livestock, non-livestock toxic endophyte (NTE) strains have been developed and are increasingly deployed in pastures. Little is known about how these symbioses impact other plant-microbe interactions and microbe-mediated soil processes in grassland ecosystems. I conducted three studies to determine how E. …

Insights Into Triterpene Metabolism In Model Monocotyledonous And Oilseed Plants Genetically Engineered With Genes From Botryococcus Braunii, Chase F. Kempinski

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Isoprenoids are one of the most diverse classes of natural products and are all derived from universal five carbon, prenyl precursors. Squalene and botryococcene are linear, hydrocarbon triterpenes (thirty carbon compounds with six prenyl units) that have industrial and medicinal values. Squalene is produced by all eukaryotes as it is the first committed precursor to sterols, while botryococcene is uniquely produced by the green algae, Botryococcus braunii (race B). Natural sources for these compounds exist, but there is a desire for more renewable production platforms. The model plant Arabidopsis thaliana was engineered to accumulate botryococcene and squalene in its oil …

Field Evaluation Of Burley Lines Containing Alleles Minimizing Nicotine To Nornicotine Conversion, Cameron G. Shelton

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

CYP82e4, CYP82e5, and CYP82e10 mutant alleles that minimize the conversion of nicotine to nornicotine have been introgressed into numerous existing low converting (LC) burley varieties and parental lines developed by the Kentucky-Tennessee tobacco breeding program. A backcross breeding protocol was utilized, with the objective being the creation of "e3" varieties that differed from their LC counterparts only for nornicotine and nitroso-nornicotine content. Field studies were conducted in Kentucky and Tennessee during the 2013 growing season, with 17 prospective parental lines and 20 prospective commercial varieties grown and compared to their original counterparts. Most of the e3 lines were not morphologically …

Selective Induced Altered Coccidians To Immunize And Prevent Enteritis, Helieh S. Oz

Physiology Faculty Publications

Microbiomic flora in digestive tract is pivotal to the state of our health and disease. Antibiotics affect GI, control composition of microbiome, and shift equilibrium from health into disease status. Coccidiosis causes gastrointestinal inflammation. Antibiotic additives contaminate animal products and enter food chain, consumed by humans with possible allergic, antibiotic resistance and enigmatic side effects. Purposed study induced nonpathogenic, immunogenic organisms to protect against disease and abolish antibiotics’ use in food animals and side effects in man. Diverse species of Coccidia were used as model. Immature organisms were treated with serial purification procedure prior to developmental stages to obtain altered …

Differences In Rhodococcus Equi Infections Based On Immune Status And Antibiotic Susceptibility Of Clinical Isolates In A Case Series Of 12 Patients And Cases In The Literature, Praveen Gundelly, Yasuhiro Suzuki, Julie A. Ribes, Alice C. Thornton

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Rhodococcus equi is an unusual zoonotic pathogen that can cause life-threatening diseases in susceptible hosts. Twelve patients with R. equi infection in Kentucky were compared to 137 cases reported in the literature. Although lungs were the primary sites of infection in immunocompromised patients, extrapulmonary involvement only was more common in immunocompetent patients (P > 0.0001). Mortality in R. equi-infected HIV patients was lower in the HAART era (8%) than in pre-HAART era (56%) (P > 0.0001), suggesting that HAART improves prognosis in these patients. Most (85–100%) of clinical isolates were susceptible to vancomycin, clarithromycin, rifampin, aminoglycosides, ciprofloxacin, and imipenem. …