Digital Commons Network^™

Trust And Knowing In Nineteenth-Century American Literature: Fictional Genres And Metacognitive Disruptions, Jessica Marie Van Gilder

Theses and Dissertations--English

This dissertation investigates how constructions of trust can be undermined or reinforced by examining trust’s entanglement with our compulsive and subjective desire to know in nineteenth-century American literature. Specifically, I analyze how different fictional genres – satire, historical romance, fantastic, and gothic – respond to our desire to know through the types of trust fictional texts feature and construct with the reader. In doing so, I demonstrate how genres of fiction in nineteenth-century America function as dynamic social contracts that amplify and undermine the reader’s trust in larger sociopolitical systems (e.g., national identity) and the epistemologies that underpin those systems …

Effects Of Unilateral Lower Limb Suspension On Quadriceps’ Structure And Contractile Function, Eve N. Elmore

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

BACKGROUND: Muscle unloading such as bed rest or space flight decreases strength and cross-sectional area concomitant with a slow-to-fast fiber type shift, of anti-gravitational muscles such as the quadriceps. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) quantifies tissue anisotropic properties such as Fractional Anisotropy, Mean Diffusivity, Axial Diffusivity, and Radial Diffusivity, as well as muscle volume, fascicle length, and physiological cross-sectional area, and has recently been adapted to assess skeletal muscle structure. In skeletal muscle, anisotropic properties correlate with muscle fiber type and contractile function and may be responsive to unloading-induced atrophy.

PURPOSE: To assess the changes in quadriceps’ size, anisotropy, and contractile …

The Psychosocial Aspects Of Rest, Morgan Findley

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Past research in sport sciences has focused primarily on “rest” from a physical perspective, while giving limited focus to the psychosocial perspective (Eccles & Riley, 2014; Eccles et al., 2022). One major development on psychosocial rest emerged with the pioneering model introduced by Eccles and Kazmier (2019); however, further research is needed to test this proposed model with other sport/performance populations. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the model's generalizability and investigate the perceived frequency of psychosocial rest by athletes throughout their season. To accomplish this, 67 female university athletes completed an online survey comprised of questions representative of the …

Increasing Physical Activity: Parenting Style, Parental Perceptions, And Teacher Use And Self-Efficacy, Kendra Hansen

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

This dissertation consists of three papers aimed at varied ways to increase physical activity for youth. The first paper reviews research on hyper-parenting and its effects on physical activity. The systematic literature review revealed that little is known about hyper-parenting effects on physical activity, but limited evidence suggests a negative relationship between the two variables.

The second manuscript examines parents’ perceptions of physical activity and its effect on their children’s academics. Results showed some minor differences between ethnic groups and those whose children are more active. Although parents tended to agree that physical activity was important, most did not seem …

Physical Education Teachers' Perceptions Of Their Pre-Service Teacher Education, Gunay Sen

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Physical education plays a crucial role in fostering lifelong physical activity and contributing to the overall education of children. Effective PE teaching requires well-planned teacher education programs that align with contemporary educational standards and practices (Morgan & Bourke, 2005; Lu & Lorusso, 2016). This study addresses the gap between theoretical training and real-world teaching demands, emphasizing the need for ongoing professional development and alignment with current educational standards (Tinning, 2002; Siedentop, 1994). This dissertation explores the perceptions of physical education (PE) teachers regarding their pre-service teacher education (PETE) across four countries: Australia, England, the USA, and Türkiye. The aim is …

Effect Of On-Duty Resistance Training On Neuromuscular Function In Structural Firefighters, Jamal L. Thruston

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Participation in on-duty exercise is critical to enhance firefighter safety and readiness. However, these sessions are often interrupted with emergency responses and require firefighters to work in a fatigued state that may increase injury risk. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the impact of on-duty resistance training on neuromuscular function. A sample of 18 firefighters (Age: 38.8±8.0yr; Body fat: 24.9±7.0%) completed 3 testing sessions, separated by at least 72 hr to compare the effects of circuit (CT) versus heavy resistance training (HRT) fatigue on neuromuscular function. During Session 1, anthropometrics and familiarization trials of balance and neuromuscular …

High-Risk Individuals And Naloxone Use: Implications For Thn Programs In Rural Appalachian Communities, Victor Garcia, Lisa Mccann, Erick Lauber, Christian Vaccaro, Melissa Swauger, Alex Daniel Heckert

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Take-home naloxone (THN) is being made available across rural Appalachia to curb opioid overdose fatalities. Despite this initiative, some opioid users do not possess naloxone, and if they do, do not administer it to others.

Purpose: Research findings on risk factors that contribute to opioid overdose are presented. These factors, identified in a sample of 16 overdose cases, are (1) early onset age of opioid use; (2) progressive opioid use; (3) a transition from pain medication to heroin and fentanyl; (4) fears of being arrested at a naloxone intervention if first responders are contacted, and (5) limited knowledge of …

Assessing And Addressing The Determinants Of Appalachian Population Health: A Scoping Review, David L. Driscoll, Hannah O'Donnell, Maitri Patel, David C. Cattell-Gordon

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Residents of Appalachia experience elevated rates of morbidity and mortality compared to national averages, and these disparities are associated with inequitable exposures to various determinants of population health. Social and environmental determinants of health are a useful lens through which to develop and evaluate programs to mitigate regional health disparities.

Methods: This 2023 scoping review was conducted of studies linking determinants of Appalachian health with leading causes of regional mortality and morbidity. The search strategy employed a keyword search that included geographic terms for the Appalachian Region and the primary adverse health outcomes in that region. Studies meeting the …

Factors Associated With Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy In South Central Appalachia, Florence M. Weierbach, Rebecca Adkins Fletcher, Ingrid E. Luffman, Cynthia Meyer, Janet M. Keener, Manik Ahuja, Hadii M. Mamudu

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: The newly emergent COVID-19 virus reached pandemic levels in March 2020. By the middle of August 2020, there were over 1 million deaths attributed to COVID-19 in the U.S., with those in rural areas outpacing urban counterparts. Prior to emergency approval of the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine formulations, mitigation efforts addressing individual behavior were challenging. However, even with the entrance of these three new vaccines, herd immunity was not achieved in rural areas, as vaccine uptake remained low there. Although there has since been an abundance of COVID-19-related research addressing health literacy, vaccine hesitancy and overall …

Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales—Kentucky, 2013–2020: Challenges And Successes, Mary Issac, Andrea Flinchum, Kevin Spicer

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) are considered urgent, antibiotic-resistant threats in the U.S. and are of global concern. Active collaboration between public health authorities and healthcare facilities and providers will be necessary to prevent and contain these organisms.

Purpose: To describe the epidemiology of CRE in Kentucky and to discuss challenges and successes with building and sustaining an effective prevention and containment program.

Methods: Retrospective descriptive summary of CRE isolates reported by healthcare providers, facilities, and laboratories in Kentucky from 2013 through 2020. Data available from case reporting forms and laboratory testing are summarized.

Results: From 2013 through 2020, 1805 CRE …

Nitrogen Fertilization And Harvest Management Improve Forage And Crude Protein Content In Crabgrass, B. C. Pedreira, I. T. M. D. Barros, J. I. Yasuoka, D. Helwig, J. K. Farney, G. F. Sassenrath

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Crabgrass (Digitaria spp.) is an annual summer grass that can provide high-quality forage, but optimal management strategies are unclear. Our objective was to compare the yield and quality of crabgrass (Mojo and Quick-N-Big) under different nitrogen rates and harvest management. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with five treatments and three replications for each crabgrass variety, totaling fifteen experimental units for both Mojo and Quick-N-Big, in adjacent sites. Treatments were nitrogen rates (0, 100, and 200 lb N/acre) and harvest management (cut once or twice per year) for two growing seasons (2020 and 2021). Total forage accumulation …

Plant Breeding Perspectives For Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa L.) Success In Warm Climates, Esteban F. Rios, M. Murad Andrade, C. C. Fernandes Filho, P. Sipowicz, A. Biswas, R. Ulbricht, D. Basigalup, E. C. Brummer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Climate change can have major impacts on adaptation of forage species to agroecosystems around the world. The ability of breeders to select for traits that impart adaptability to climate resilience will be critical for the future of grasslands. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is the most important perennial forage legume in the world because of its relatively high yield and nutritional value. In Florida, nondormant cultivars were developed for improved adaptation to the state’s subtropical agroecosystem (‘Florida 66’, ‘Florida 77’, and ‘Florida 99’); however, these cultivars are not commercially available. Breeding efforts are underway to develop new nondormant alfalfa adapted …

Communication With Physicians And Family About Breast Cancer Recurrence, Kimberly M. Kelly, Pragya Rai, Jamie L. Studts, Stephanie Dickinson, Beate Henschel, Mark Dignan, Mara D. Chambers, Hannah Hazard-Jenkins

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Objective: Adequate physician-patient communication about cancer recurrence is vital to quality of life and to informed decision-making related to survivorship care. The current study was guided by a cognitive-affective framework to examine communication with family and physicians about breast cancer recurrence risk.

Methods: A survey of recently-diagnosed, early-stage breast cancer patients in Appalachia investigated physician- patient and familial communication about breast cancer recurrence risk.

Results: Over 30% of participants reported not talking to family or physicians about breast cancer recurrence risk. Younger patients reported more conversations, and speaking with physicians was associated with greater perception risk factors associated with recurrence …

Early Emergency Department Experience With 7-Day Extended-Release Injectable Buprenorphine For Opioid Use Disorder., Gail D'Onofrio, Jeanmarie Perrone, Kathryn F. Hawk, Ethan Cowan, Ryan Mccormack, Edouard Coupet, Patricia H. Owens, Shara H. Martel, Kristen Huntley, Sharon L. Walsh, Michelle R. Lofwall, Andrew Herring, The Ed-Innovation Investigators

Center on Drug and Alcohol Research Faculty Publications

As the opioid overdose epidemic escalates, there is an urgent need for treatment innovations to address both patient and clinician barriers when initiating buprenorphine in the emergency department (ED). These include insurance status, logistical challenges such as the ability to fill a prescription and transportation, concerns regarding diversion, and availability of urgent referral sites. Extended-release buprenorphine (XR-BUP) preparations such as a new 7-day injectable could potentially solve some of these issues. We describe the pharmacokinetics of a new 7-day XR-BUP formulation and the feasibility of its use in the ED setting. We report our early experiences with this medication (investigational …

Current Red Clover Breeding Research, Heathcliffe Riday

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Red clover remains a globally important forage legume grown mostly in humid temperate climates on approximately 4 million ha. In the past 25 years global red clover seed production has stabilized around 10 million kg yr^-1, although there is evidence that seed production is increasing globally at around 0.34 million kg yr^-1 since the early 2000s. Globally many red clover programs exist targeting specific global regions with a focus on improving persistence, biomass yield, seed yield, and a few other minor traits. Breeding programs are increasing persistence by selecting for specific disease resistances, specific agricultural conditions such …

Cool-Season Perennials And Stability In Year-Round Forage Production Systems, C. D. Teutsch

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Changes in long-term climate normals have resulted in warmer and wetter summers and milder winters in the humid eastern United States. This will likely impact regional forage species adaptation in the long-term and varietal adaptation in the short term. Variety evaluation has been occurring at the University of Kentucky for almost 100 years. There are several considerations for selecting forage species and varieties including regional and local adaptation, productivity, distribution of growth, palatability, nutritive value, anti-quality factors, tolerance to stress, and persistence. Two of the most important criteria are long-term productivity and persistence under grazing, both of which are currently …

Additive Negative Effects Of Decadal Warming And Nitrogen Addition On Grassland Community Stability, Q. Wu, G. D. Han, S. X. Chang, H. Y. Ren

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Much recent research has explored how global warming and increased nitrogen (N) deposition, two important components of global environmental changes, influence the structure and functioning of natural ecosystems. However, how ecosystem dynamics respond to the combination of long-term warming and N enrichment remains largely unexplored. The impact of warming and N addition on the temporal stability of plant communities were investigated in a decade-long field experiment. The study was conducted in northern China in a desert steppe, using a split-plot design with warming as the main-plot factor and N addition as the splitplot factor. Long-term warming and N addition had …

Beyond The Boom: Integrated Approaches To Managing Weeds And Brush, M. L. Treadwell, D. Burson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

William Bray stated in his 1904 report, The Timber of the Edwards Plateau of Texas, "This struggle of the timberlands to capture the grasslands is an old warfare....it spreads like infection.” This trend is true today and especially pronounced in the Great Plains, where only 1/4 of the Great Plains’ original grasslands remains intact. Species like honey mesquite, honey locust, black locust, sumac, dogwood, post oak, winged elm, Siberian elm, salt cedar, huisache, Eastern redcedar, Ashe and redberry juniper, pricklypear, sericea lespedeza, and many other species represent alarming rates of spread and rapid establishment throughout Great Plains grasslands. Although, these …

Carbon-Nitrogen Ratios In Rangeland Soils In Various Agriculture Response Units In Three Watersheds In The Central Himalayas, India, Nanda Nautiyal, Vir Singh

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

CN ratios of rangeland soils in selected agriculture response units (ARUs) prevailing in three watersheds, Kosi, Alaknanda, and Pindar, in the Indian Central Himalayan mountains were analyzed. The ratios varied significantly (P

Detection Of Endophyte Mycotoxins By Service Laboratories: Providing Answers For Safe Feed, J. Honneffer, M. Sulyok, V. Milojevic, A. Holman, Jennifer Duringer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

. A global network of service laboratories exists to test livestock feed materials (typically grass hay and pellets) for ergovaline, ergot alkaloids and lolitrem B to ensure ‘safe feeds’ are being given to livestock. These compounds are mycotoxins produced by endophytic fungi that naturally reside in feed material. They have been purposely bred into grass species, as they enhance the plant’s survival from drought and insect predation. Unfortunately, ergovaline and other ergot alkaloids also cause vasoconstrictive effects and reproductive difficulties in livestock, resulting in a $1 million annual loss in production for the cattle industry in the USA alone. Lolitrem …

Will Our Future Selves Thank Us? An Examination Of Born-Digital Curation Practices At The University Of Kentucky Libraries, Sarah Dorpinghaus, Ruth E. Bryan, Megan M. Mummey, Emily B. Collier

Library Presentations

University of Kentucky archivists share practical tips, tools, and mental frameworks to identify gaps, pitfalls, and opportunities in stewarding born-digital collections. Topics include managing a shifting digital preservation landscape, instituting comprehensive appraisal practices while considering environmental impact, curating born-digital and web-based university records, and aligning resources with future collection needs.

Human Schwann Cells In Vitro I. Nerve Tissue Processing, Pre-Degeneration, Isolation, And Culturing Of Primary Cells, Gabriela I. Aparicio, Paula V. Monje

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

This paper presents versatile protocols to prepare primary human Schwann cell (hSC) cultures from mature peripheral nervous system tissues, including fascicles from long spinal nerves, nerve roots, and ganglia. This protocol starts with a description of nerve tissue procurement, handling, and dissection to obtain tissue sections suitable for hSC isolation and culturing. A description follows on how to disintegrate the nerve tissue by delayed enzymatic dissociation, plate the initial cell suspensions on a two-dimensional substrate, and culture the primary hSCs. Each section contains detailed procedures, technical notes, and background information to aid investigators in understanding and managing all steps. Some …

Generative Ai In The Student Research Process: Lessons From The Acrl Framework For Information Literacy, Isaac Wink, Jennifer Hootman

Library Presentations

Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT have potential as student research tools, yet they generally do not cite sources or may invent them, presenting a challenge of information disconnected from any source. This presentation applied pieces of the Association of College and Research Libraries’ Framework for Information Literacy to analyze this challenge and suggest opportunities to use discussions around the use of generative AI to make students more reflective researchers and consumers of information.

Pathways To Discovery: Exploring Transdisciplinary Learning With Primary Sources, Matthew Strandmark

Library Presentations

No abstract provided.

Overview Of Hil Co-Simulation For Very Large Distribution Systems And Power Electronic Converters With A Dc Fast Charging Ev Benchmark Study On An Ieee Test Feeder, Rosemary E. Alden, Donovin D. Lewis, Dan M. Ionel

Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Research

Current development towards implementation of the future smart grid includes advanced controller and power hardware-in-the-loop (CHIL/PHIL) testing of new technology. The impact of new loads, distributed energy resources (DER) equipment, and controls spans two fields, both electric distribution power systems modeling, typically completed in the phasor domain, and electromagnetic transient (EMT) analysis across the frequency domain. The co-simulation of distribution power systems and power electronic converter controls is a growing field of research for improved design using real-time HIL capability. Within this paper, over fifty references are reviewed to summarize the current state of HIL technology, specifically with co-simulation in …

Field Guide To Big Bone Lick, Kentucky: Birthplace Of American Vertebrate Paleontology, Glenn W. Storrs, H Gregory Mcdonald, Eric Scott, Robert A. Genheimer, Stanley E. Hedeen, Cameron E. Schwalbach

Special Publication--KGS

Big Bone Lick is the birthplace of vertebrate paleontology in the Western Hemisphere and has a long and celebrated history in the exploration of the American colonial frontier and of the early United States. Notable European scientists of the 18th century such as Buffon, Cuvier, and Hunter discussed the fossils found there. Prominent Americans of the time, such as Boone, Washington, Franklin, and Jefferson are also part of the site’s history. It is the type locality for several extinct late Pleistocene megafaunal mammals, most notably the iconic American Mastodon, who were attracted to the area by salt licks dictated by …

Distribution System Optimal Operation Of Smart Homes With Battery And Equivalent Hvac Energy Storage For Virtual Power Plant Controls, Steven B. Poore, Rosemary E. Alden, Evan S. Jones, Dan M. Ionel

Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Research

Battery energy storage systems (BESS) that can be utilized for demand response (DR) and load shifting are limited in adoption by high capital cost. Large residential loads such as electric water heaters (EWH) and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) may be controlled using distributed energy resource management systems (DERMS) to perform functions like batteries, such as reducing cost and decreasing energy storage capacity requirements when implemented at the aggregate level. Increasing levels of renewable generation further incentivizes shifting loads in time through controls and energy storage to reduce curtailment and carbon footprint. This paper proposes techniques for the optimization and …

2023 Final Report For Databases In The 2022 Traffic Records Improvement Plan: Facilitating The Development Of Projects To Attain The Goals In The Implementation Plan For The 2022-26 Traffic Records Strategic Plan, Lenahan O'Connell, Samantha Wright, Reginald Souleyrette

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

During fiscal year 2023, with financial support (Grant #M3Da-2022-04) from the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety, the Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC)-continued its work with traffic database officials to facilitate successful attainment of the remaining goals from the 2017-21 Traffic Records Strategic Plan (TRSP), which goals are in the 2022-26 TRSP Transportation Records Improvement Plan (TRIP). For most databases, some new goals were developed; this required further refinement of some projects or strategies to improve database performance. Projects to complete the goals in the TRIP were continued and some completed for the following databases: CRASH, Citation/Adjudication, Injury Surveillance (KIPRC and EMS), …

A Blunted Th17 Cytokine Signature In Women With Mild Cognitive Impairment: Insights From Inflammatory Profiling Of A Community-Based Cohort Of Older Adults, Adam D. Bachstetter, Jenny Lutshumba, Edric D. Winford, Erin L. Abner, Barbra J. Martin, Jordan P. Harp, Linda J. Van Eldik, Frederick A. Schmitt, Donna M. Wilcock, Ann M. Stowe, Gregory A. Jicha, Barbara S. Nikolajczyk

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

People with dementia have an increase in brain inflammation, caused in part by innate and adaptive immune cells. However, it remains unknown whether dementia-associated diseases alter neuro-immune reflex arcs to impact the systemic immune system. We examined peripheral immune cells from a community-based cohort of older adults to test if systemic inflammatory cytokine signatures associated with early stages of cognitive impairment. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were cultured with monocyte or T-cell-targeted stimuli, and multiplex assays quantitated cytokines in the conditioned media. Following T-cell-targeted stimulation, cells from women with cognitive impairment produced lower amounts of TH17 cytokines compared with cells …

Phosphatidic Acid Binding To Patched Contributes To The Inhibition Of Smoothened And Hedgehog Signaling In Drosophila Wing Development, Jie Zhang, Yajuan Liu, Chi Wang, Craig W. Vander Kooi, Jianhang Jia

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Hedgehog (Hh) signaling controls growth and patterning during embryonic development and homeostasis in adult tissues. Hh binding to the receptor Patched (Ptc) elicits intracellular signaling by relieving Ptc-mediated inhibition of the transmembrane protein Smoothened (Smo). We uncovered a role for the lipid phosphatidic acid (PA) in the regulation of the Hh pathway in Drosophila melanogaster. Deleting the Ptc C-terminal tail or mutating the predicted PA-binding sites within it prevented Ptc from inhibiting Smo in wing discs and in cultured cells. The C-terminal tail of Ptc directly interacted with PA in vitro, an association that was reduced by Hh, and increased …