Digital Commons Network^™

Modeling Movement Behavior And Road Crossing In The Black Bear Of South Central Florida, Joseph Maddox Guthrie

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

We evaluated the influence of a landscape dominated by agriculture and an extensive road network on fine-scale movements of black bears (Ursus americanus) in south-central Florida. The objectives of this study were to (1) define landscape functionality including corridor use by the directionality and speed of bear movements, (2) to develop a model reflecting selected habitat characteristics during movements, (3) to identify habitat characteristics selected by bears at road-crossing locations, and (3) to develop and evaluate a predictive model for road-crossing locations based on habitat characteristics. We assessed models using GPS data from 20 adult black bears (9 …

Ingestion Of Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue Seed Induces Peripheral Vasoconstriction But Does Not Affect Cyclicity In Non-Pregnant Mares, And A Population Of Biogenic Amine Receptors Relative To Vasoconstriction Is Identified, Daniel Andrew Hestad

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Three experiments were conducted to explore the effect of fescue toxicosis on vasoconstriction and various parameters of the estrous cycle. In the experiment of Chapter 3, a 2x2 crossover experimental design with repeated measures was implemented to test whether the ingestion of endophyte-infected tall fescue seed would alter blood hormone concentrations of prolactin, progesterone, and estradiol, interovulatory intervals, and corpus luteum blood flow. Also, Doppler ultrasonography was used to assess whether palmar artery and palmar vein lumen diameter, area, circumference, and resistivity index could be altered by the ingestion of endophyte-infected tall fescue seed. Ingestion of endophyte-infected tall fescue seed …

A Hydrologic Characterization Of Three Headwater Mountain Wetlands In Eastern Kentucky, Usa, Catherine Hoy

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

Three small (< 1 ha) mountain wetlands located in eastern Kentucky, host populations of two rare orchids, the white fringeless orchid, Platanthera integrilabia, and the crested yellow orchid, Platanthera cristata. Recently, concern has arisen about the persistence of the orchids. To better understand these wetlands and determine if hydrology is affecting the orchid populations, a hydrologic characterization study was initiated in 2009. Each wetland was equipped with a well nest consisting of piezometers, tensiometers, and a shallow well with a data logging pressure transducer. Chemistry and stable isotopes analysis (deuterium and ¹⁸O) of groundwater and precipitation were analyzed, and soil, topographic and channel cross-section surveys were conducted. Hydrology data suggest the primary source of water …

The Transmission Dynamics Of Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 (Ehv-1) Infection In Outbreaks Characterized Predominately By Neurologic Or Respiratory Illness, Barry Jay Meade

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Formalized epidemiological field investigations were conducted to compare and contrast the transmission dynamics of EHV-1 neurological disease among horses stabled at Churchill Downs Racetrack, Louisville, Kentucky and of EHV-1 respiratory illness among horses stabled in the student barn at Murray State University. Differences were assessed by means of statistical and mathematical modeling techniques applied to survey and biological data collected over the course of the respective disease events.

Regression methods applied to survey data enabled the construction of a statistical model to predict a date of onset of illness for horses within each equine cohort. Comparisons of the epidemic curves …

Breeding Induced Endometritis In The Mare: The Local Innate Immune Response, Elizabeth Moran Woodward

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Uterine inflammation after breeding is considered necessary for the clearance of excess semen and debris from the uterus. A subpopulation of mares fails to clear the inflammation in a timely fashion, and develops a persistent breeding induced endometritis (PBIE). Experiments were preformed to evaluate correlations of PBIE to endometrial quality and age. Mares of advanced age and poor endometrial quality had a higher incidence of PBIE. In addition, mares fluctuated in susceptibility to PBIE from one season to the next. The uterine inflammatory gene expression in susceptible and resistant mares within the first 24 hours after breeding was investigated. The …

Development Of Molecular Diagnostic Assays For Equine Respiratory Viruses And Analysis Of The Role Of Equine Arteritis Virus Envelope Proteins In The Early Events Of Virus Entry, Zhengchun Lu

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

There is an urgent need for detection of viral respiratory pathogens to identify the causal agent(s) involved and to prevent the spread of related diseases. The first part of this dissertation focuses on development, optimization and validation of Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) assays for the detection of several common equine viral pathogens: equine arteritis virus (EAV), equine influenza virus and equine rhinitis viruses A and B. Emphasis of the second part of this dissertation is on studying the role of EAV envelope proteins in virus attachment and entry. Using an infectious cDNA clone of EAV and reverse …

Effectiveness Of Elevated Skid Trail Headwater Stream Crossings In The Cumberland Plateau, Christopher D. Reeves

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

One of the primary concerns associated with timber harvesting is the production of sediments from stream crossings. While research has shown that using improved haul road crossings can mitigate sediment production in perennial streams compared to the use of unimproved crossings little research has been undertaken on temporary skidder crossings of headwater streams, a situation common to a significant percentage of ground skidding operations. This experiment consisted of a controlled replicated testing of the effectiveness of four types of temporary skidder stream crossings (unimproved ford, corrugated culvert, wood panel skidder bridge, and PVC pipe bundle) relative to bedload and suspended …

Effects Of Midstory Removal And Shoot Clipping On The Growth And Development Of Three Oak Species, Jared Matthew Craig

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

Problems developing tall oak seedlings of high abundance have become a concern throughout many eastern hardwood forests. The decline in oak seedling recruitment into canopy positions is often attributed to the increasing abundance of shade tolerant midstory species, especially red maple (Acer rubrum L.). Studies have shown that increasing light to the understory by way of a midstory removal has the ability to favor oak seedlings over competitors. The majority of studies to date have examined northern red (Quercus rubra L.) and cherrybark oak (Quercus pagoda Raf.) on productive sites, but relatively little is …

Rhodococcus Equi Infection And Interferon-Gamma Regulation In Foals, Lingshuang Sun

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Rhodococcus equi (R. equi) is one of the most serious causes of pneumonia in young foals. The clinical disease is of great concern to breeding farms worldwide due to the impact of mortality on economic losses. While adult horses are resistant to R. equi, foals exhibit a distinct age-associated susceptibility. The mechanism underlying this susceptibility in foals is not well understood. Interferon-gamma (IFNg) plays an important role in the clearance of R. equi, but its expression is impaired in neonatal foals. Moreover, the regulation of this age-related IFNg expression in foals remains unknown. In humans, IFNg …

A Comparison Of Noninvasive Survey Methods For Monitoring Mesocarnivore Populations In Kentucky, Bryan Matthew Tom

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

Harvest data are typically used to evaluate mesocarnivore population dynamics in many states, including Kentucky. While relatively easy to collect, these data are subject to reporting biases, and inferences about population trends can often only be made at coarse spatial scales. Gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), bobcat (Lynx rufus), and coyote (Canis latrans) populations in Kentucky are managed primarily through harvest data used to establish future harvest quotas. Increasingly, noninvasive survey methods have been used to characterize a number of population parameters for a variety of species; however, successful use of these methods is often …

Effects On Semen Quality And On Establishment Of Persistent Equine Arteritis Virus (Eav) Infection In Stallions Following Experimental Challenge With The Kentucky 84 (Ky84) Strain, Juliana Roberta Campos

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is the causal agent of equine viral arteritis (EVA), a disease of equids. Following EAV infection, up to 70% of stallions may become carriers and continuously shed the virus in their semen for varying time periods. The long-term carrier stallion has an important role in the transmission and maintenance of EAV in horse populations. Recently, it has been demonstrated a correlation between in vitro susceptibility of CD3⁺ T lymphocytes to EAV infection and establishment of long-term persistent infection among stallions following natural infections. In this study, we investigated whether stallions with in vitro EAV susceptible …

Control And Passive Treatment Of Runoff From Horse Muck Storage Structures Using Rain Gardens, Hillary K. Otte

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

Runoff from livestock operations may contain a variety of pathogens and high levels of nutrients and other harmful contaminants, and is of particular concern in central Kentucky as watersheds are threatened by waste generated from a high concentration of equine activity. Rain gardens are a type of stormwater management tool used to capture and passively treat runoff. This project aimed to incorporate rain gardens into the horse muck storage structures at a thoroughbred facility in the Canr Run watershed in Lexington, Kentucky. Water quality data from soil water within two rain garden muck pads and two control pads, and grab …

Glycerol-3-Phosphate Is A Novel Regulator Of Basal And Induced Defense Signaling In Plants, Bidisha Chanda

Theses and Dissertations--Plant Pathology

Plants use several strategies to defend themselves against microbial pathogens. These include basal resistance, which is induced in response to pathogen encoded effector proteins, and resistance (R) protein-mediated resistance that is activated upon direct or indirect recognition of pathogen encoded avirulence protein(s). The activation of Rmediated signaling is often associated with generation of a signal, which, upon its translocation to the distal uninfected parts, confers broad-spectrum immunity against related or unrelated pathogens. This phenomenon known as systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is one of the well-established forms of induced defense response. However, the molecular mechanism underlying SAR remains largely unknown. Induction …

Effects Of Methoprene On The Survivorship Of Adult Aedes Mosquitoes: A Strategy Or Inactivating Released Mosquitoes, Peter J. Brabant Iii

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Methoprene is a Juvenile Hormone (JH) analogue commonly used for the control of mosquito larvae. When applied to a mosquito breeding site, methoprene enters the haemolymph, where it mimics the function of JH and interferes with normal metamorphosis, resulting in larval mortality. Methoprene is commonly used for the control of larvae and has not been used as an adulticide, due to an absence of acute effects. This study evaluated possible chronic effects caused by the exposure of adult Aedes mosquitoes to methoprene. Methoprene was applied, in both technical grade and the commercially available Altosid®, topically to adults through droplet application …

Development And Deployment Of A Bioreactor For The Removal Of Sulfate And Manganese From Circumneutral Coal Mine Drainage, C. B. Mastin, J. D. Edwards, Christopher D. Barton, Anastasios D. Karathanasis, Carmen T. Agouridis, Richard C. Warner

Forestry and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Surface mining, in the form of contour mining and mountain-top removal, is a common means for retrieving coal in the Appalachian Coal Belt region of Kentucky. Overburden or excess spoil generated by these two methods is placed in valley fills. Traditionally Constructed fills have been shown to adversely impact headwater ecosystems via stream burial and through alterations to the hydrology, sediment supply, water quality and biological composition of downstream reaches. Mine drainages emanating from the toe of valley fills often contain elevated levels of total dissolved solids and heavy metals. Drainage chemistry from Guy Cove, a valley fill located in …

Evaluation Of Algae Concentration In Manure Based Media, Maira Freire Pecegueiro Do Amaral

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Algae can be used to treat wastewater and manure while producing a feedstock for renewable energy. Algae require nutrients to achieve their maximum growth and manure could provide those nutrients, thereby reducing the cost of algae production and the impact of manure treatment. Algae concentration during cultivation is a critical variable that is difficult to measure due to the high concentration of suspended solids present in manure. This dissertation addresses methods to measure algae concentration in the presence of manure solids.

Quantifying the algae concentration gravimetrically or by optical density was unreliable due to manure solids interfering with the measurement. …

Computer Methods For Pre-Microrna Secondary Structure Prediction, Dianwei Han

Theses and Dissertations--Computer Science

This thesis presents a new algorithm to predict the pre-microRNA secondary structure. An accurate prediction of the pre-microRNA secondary structure is important in miRNA informatics. Based on a recently proposed model, nucleotide cyclic motifs (NCM), to predict RNA secondary structure, we propose and implement a Modified NCM (MNCM) model with a physics-based scoring strategy to tackle the problem of pre-microRNA folding. Our microRNAfold is implemented using a global optimal algorithm based on the bottom-up local optimal solutions.

It has been shown that studying the functions of multiple genes and predicting the secondary structure of multiple related microRNA is more important …

Gene Expression Profiling In The Thiamethoxam Resistant And Susceptible B-Biotype Sweetpotato Whitefly, Bemisia Tabaci, Wen Xie, Xin Yang, Shao-Ii Wang, Qing-Jun Wu, Ni-Na Yang, Ru-Mei Li, Xiao-Guo Jiao, Hui-Peng Pan, Bai-Ming Liu, Yun-Tao Feng, Bao-Yun Xu, Xuguo Zhou, You-Jun Zhang

Entomology Faculty Publications

Thiamethoxam has been used as a major insecticide to control the B-biotype sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). Due to its excessive use, a high level of resistance to thiamethoxam has developed worldwide over the past several years. To better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying this resistance in B. tabaci, gene profiles between the thiamethoxam-resistant and thiamethoxam-susceptible strains were investigated using the suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) library approach. A total of 72 and 52 upand down-regulated genes were obtained from the forward and reverse SSH libraries, respectively. These expressed sequence tags (ESTs) belong to several functional categories based …

Elegies For Cello And Piano By Bridge, Britten And Delius: A Study Of Traditions And Influences, Sara Gardner Birnbaum

Theses and Dissertations--Music

In the western classical tradition, the violoncello has developed a reputation for its soulful, vocal qualities. Because of this distinction, many composers have written elegiac works for the cello. This document comprises studies of three twentieth-century British elegies for cello and piano, each explored against a backdrop of poetic, societal and musical influences. The results reveal several common tropes of mourning, both musical and extra-musical, which can be applied to further studies of musical works.

Characteristics Of Kentucky Agricultural Operations Participating In Nrcs Conservation Programs, Carmen T. Agouridis

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) designs and promotes a wide variety of conservation practices and programs that enhance the environment by reducing soil erosion, improving water quality, and enhancing and creating wildlife habitat. The impact of these practices and programs is largely dependent on the voluntary participation of landowners. Thus, central to the success of the NRCS conservation programs is an understanding of the characteristics of landowners and operations participating in these programs.

Using operator and operation characteristics from the 1997, 2002, and 2007 Censuses of Agriculture and controlling for county fixed effects, this study 1) identifies significant characteristics …

Influence Of Medical Marijuana Programs On Controlled Substance Utilization, James A. Farley Ii

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Currently there are no studies examining the impact of medical cannabis programs on controlled substance prescribing. The intent of this study is to conduct a preliminary investigation into whether cannabis substitution for prescription drugs results in lower rates of controlled substance use. The hypothesis is that controlled substance use (in this project, defined by controlled substance supply) will decline in states after the introduction of medical cannabis programs.

State and year–specific per capita retail distributions of the seven most commonly prescribed opioid drugs (fentanyl, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, meperidine, methadone, morphine, and oxycodone) were obtained from the Automation of Reports and Consolidated …

An Analysis Of Laboratory Inspections At The University Of Kentucky, Rachel Eldridge

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Recent news stories about laboratory accidents in which students were severely injured and killed have brought much-needed attention to lab safety. Creating a positive safety climate on college and university campuses is very important in reducing accidents. At the University of Kentucky, all laboratories are inspected once every year, and the results are recorded in a lab inspection database. These data include the department, building, lab classification, type of violation, room number, and the name of the PI (Principal Investigator). I want to analyze inspections to find out whether department and the lab classification are significant in looking at violations. …

Artificial Intelligence And The Technological Sublime: How Virtual Characters Influence The Landscape Of Modern Sublimity, Kyle Craft-Jenkins

Theses and Dissertations--English

The principle objective of this thesis is to expand the term “technological sublime” to include technologies of artificial intelligence. In defining new realms of the technological sublime, we must not only consider the ecological integration of technology within natural surroundings, but also appreciate modern technological objects that instigate sublime experiences. This work examines science fictional portrayals of interactions with sentient artificial intelligence in I, Robot, 2001: A Space Odyssey and other major works of science fiction. In each of these works, characters who encounter technologies possessing artificial intelligence share sublime experiences. This thesis considers various levels of embodiment associated with …

Soil Microbial Community Response To Climate Change: Results From A Temperate Kentucky Pasture, Lindsey C. Slaughter

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Climate change is likely to alter plant species composition and interactions between plants and soil microbes that together dictate the quantity and quality of forage produced in pastures, the base of animal production in central Kentucky. This study assessed the seasonal dynamics of soil microbes and their response to increased temperature (+3^oC) and growing season precipitation (+30% of the mean annual). Total soil microbial biomass, community composition, enzyme activities, potential carbon mineralization, and catabolic responses to selected substrates were measured seasonally in the different climate treatments. In this system, seasonal variability was a dominant driving factor for all …

Using An Active Optical Sensor To Improve Nitrogen Management In Corn Production, Donato Titolo

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Corn nitrogen (N) applications are still done on a field basis in Kentucky, according to previous crop, soil tillage management and soil drainage. Soil tests, as well as plant analysis for N, are not very useful in making N fertilizer rate recommendations for corn. Recommended rates assume that only 1/3 to 2/3 of applied N is recovered, variability largely due to the strong affect of weather on the release of soil N and fertilizer N fate. Many attempts have been made to apply N in a more precise and efficient way. Two experiments were conducted at Spindeltop, the University of …

Neuroinflammation In The Aging Down Syndrome Brain; Lessons From Alzheimer's Disease, Donna M. Wilcock

Physiology Faculty Publications

Down syndrome (DS) is the most genetic cause of mental retardation and is caused by the triplication of chromosome 21. In addition to the disabilities caused early in life, DS is also noted as causing Alzheimer's-disease-like pathological changes in the brain, leading to 50-70% of DS patients showing dementia by 60-70 years of age. Inflammation is a complex process that has a key role to play in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. There is relatively little understood about inflammation in the DS brain and how the genetics of DS may alter this inflammatory response and change the course of disease …

"Human Babesiosis": An Emerging Transfusion Dilemma, Helieh S. Oz, Karin N. Westlund

Physiology Faculty Publications

Babesiosis, a common disease of animals, can infect humans via vector "tick bite", particularly in endemic areas. The recent reports of fatal cases in Hepatitis C and postliver transplant patients resulting from transfusion of contaminated blood should alert the medical profession regarding this emerging dilemma in endemic as well as nonendemic areas and the need for accurate blood screening for transfusion. Here, we illustrate different stages of the parasite lifecycle, progression of babesiosis in animal model, some aspects of pathologic outcomes, ongoing therapeutic modalities, and a feasible Acridine Orange fluorescent methodology for the diagnostic evaluation of blood samples.

Nutrition, Inflammation, And Infectious Disease, Helieh S. Oz, Sung-Ling Yeh

Physiology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Pegylated Arginine Deiminase Downregulates Colitis In Murine Models, Helieh S. Oz, Jian Zhong, Willem J. S. De Villiers

Physiology Faculty Publications

Arginine deiminase (ADI), an arginine-metabolizing enzyme involved in cell signaling, is dysregulated in multiple inflammatory diseases and cancers. We hypothesized that pegylated ADI (ADI-PEG) provide protection against colitis.

METHODS: Dextran sodium sulfate colitis was induced in IL-10-deficient and BALB/c (WT) mice. ADI-PEG was administered i.p., and inflammatory mediators and pathology were evaluated.

RESULTS: Acute colitis in mice was manifested by increases in inflammatory biomarkers, such as serum amyloid A (SAA, P < 0.001), IL-12 p40, and disease index (3-Fold). In contrast, ADI-PEG significantly decreased clinical disease index, SAA levels, and inflammatory cytokines in blood as well as in colonic explants. Animals developed moderate (2.2 ± 0.3 WT) to severe (3.6 ± 0.5 IL-10 deficient) colonic pathology; and ADI-PEG treatment significantly improved the severity of colitis (P < 0.05). Marked infiltration of CD68+ macrophages and iNOS expression were detected in colonic submucosa in colitic animals but not detected in ADI-PEG-treated animals.

CONCLUSION: ADI-PEG attenuated inflammatory responses by suppression of macrophage infiltration and iNOS expression in colitic animals. ADI-PEG can serve as a potential therapeutic value in IBD.

Debt And Discipline: Neoliberal Political Economy And The Working Classes, Tayyab Mahmud

Kentucky Law Journal

Over the last three decades, neoliberal restructuring of the economy created a symbiosis of debt and discipline. New legal regimes and strategic use of monetary policy displaced Keynesian welfare, facilitated financialization of the economy, broke the power of organized labor, and expanded debt to sustain aggregate demand. Public laws and policies created afield of possibility within which financial markets extended their reach and brought ever-increasing sections of the working classes and the marginalized within the ambit of the credit economy. Reordered public policies and new norms of personal responsibility demarcated the horizon within which the economically vulnerable pursued strategies of …