Digital Commons Network^™

Immpact-Recommended Outcome Measures And Tools Of Assessment In Burning Mouth Syndrome Rcts: An International Delphi Survey Protocol, B. Carey, A. M. Farag, C. Nasri-Heir, G. D. Klasser, A. Ariyawardana, M. Chmieliauskaite, A. Sardella, Charles R. Carlson, Craig S. Miller, L. Mejia, F. E. O'Neill, R. Albuquerque

Oral Health Science Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: A core outcome set (COS) represents the agreed minimum set of domains and measurement instruments that should be measured and reported in any clinical trial for a given condition. In BMS randomized controlled trials (RCTs), the outcomes identified in the existing literature regarding the efficacy of therapeutic interventions are numerous and diverse. Although the standardized IMMPACT core outcome domains has been developed for measurement of outcomes in chronic pain RCTs, no BMS-specific COS have been adopted and validated. With the evolving landscape of BMS management end points and the development of new therapies, a consensus on a COS for …

Method And System For Terpene Production Platforms In Yeast, Joseph Chappell, Xun Zhuang, Shuiqin Wu

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Patents

A method is provided for producing modified mutant yeast and the resulting yeast that can be used as a platform for terpene production. The method includes chemical mutagenesis to effect ergosterol dependent growth in yeast. Subsequently, these yeast are subjected to an erg9 knockout mutation to thereby produce ergosterol dependent growth/ erg9 knockout mutation yeast cell lines. The resulting yeast are well suited for use in the production of terpenes.

Near Simultaneous Laser Scanning Confocal And Atomic Force Microscopy (Conpokal) On Live Cells, Joree N. Sandin, Surya P. Aryal, Thomas E. Wilkop, Christopher I. Richards, Martha E. Grady

Physiology Faculty Publications

Techniques available for micro- and nano-scale mechanical characterization have exploded in the last few decades. From further development of the scanning and transmission electron microscope, to the invention of atomic force microscopy, and advances in fluorescent imaging, there have been substantial gains in technologies that enable the study of small materials. Conpokal is a portmanteau that combines confocal microscopy with atomic force microscopy (AFM), where a probe "pokes" the surface. Although each technique is extremely effective for the qualitative and/or quantitative image collection on their own, Conpokal provides the capability to test with blended fluorescence imaging and mechanical characterization. Designed …

Why Form A Coalition? Facilitator's Guide, Daniel Kahl

Community and Leadership Development

Working in partnership with others brings expanded expertise, resources and networks to any initiative. When addressing difficult and complex community issues, sustained solutions often require the support and investment of many community members. But working in a coalition means giving up some of the credit and control. Working in a coalition is one way to organize to work on shared outcomes, but is it the right way? This guide will help a group reflect on the pressing question: Why form a Coalition?

University Of Kentucky Measurements Of Wind, Temperature, Pressure And Humidity In Support Of Lapse-Rate Using Multisite Fixed-Wing And Rotorcraft Unmanned Aerial Systems, Sean C. C. Bailey, Michael P. Sama, Caleb A. Canter, Luis Felipe Pampolini, Zachary S. Lippay, Travis J. Schuyler, Jonathan D. Hamilton, Sean B. Macphee, Isaac S. Rowe, Christopher D. Sanders, Virginia G. Smith, Christina N. Vezzi, Harrison M. Wight, Jesse B. Hoagg, Marcelo I. Guzman, Suzanne Weaver Smith

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

In July 2018, unmanned aerial systems (UASs) were deployed to measure the properties of the lower atmosphere within the San Luis Valley, an elevated valley in Colorado, USA, as part of the Lower Atmospheric Profiling Studies at Elevation – a Remotely-piloted Aircraft Team Experiment (LAPSE-RATE). Measurement objectives included detailing boundary layer transition, canyon cold-air drainage and convection initiation within the valley. Details of the contribution to LAPSE-RATE made by the University of Kentucky are provided here, which include measurements by seven different fixed-wing and rotorcraft UASs totaling over 178 flights with validated data. The data from these coordinated UAS flights …

Considerations For Studying Sex As A Biological Variable In Spinal Cord Injury, Andrew N. Stewart, Steven M. Maclean, Arnold J. Stromberg, Jessica P. Whelan, William M. Bailey, John C. Gensel, Melinda E. Wilson

Physiology Faculty Publications

In response to NIH initiatives to investigate sex as a biological variable in preclinical animal studies, researchers have increased their focus on male and female differences in neurotrauma. Inclusion of both sexes when modeling neurotrauma is leading to the identification of novel areas for therapeutic and scientific exploitation. Here, we review the organizational and activational effects of sex hormones on recovery from injury and how these changes impact the long-term health of spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. When determining how sex affects SCI it remains imperative to expand outcomes beyond locomotor recovery and consider other complications plaguing the quality of …

A Hybrid Achromatic Metalens, Fatih Balli, Mansoor A. Sultan, Sarah K. Lami, J. Todd Hastings

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Metalenses, ultra-thin optical elements that focus light using subwavelength structures, have been the subject of a number of recent investigations. Compared to their refractive counterparts, metalenses offer reduced size and weight, and new functionality such as polarization control. However, metalenses that correct chromatic aberration also suffer from markedly reduced focusing efficiency. Here we introduce a Hybrid Achromatic Metalens (HAML) that overcomes this trade-off and offers improved focusing efficiency over a broad wavelength range from 1000-1800 nm. HAMLs can be designed by combining recursive ray-tracing and simulated phase libraries rather than computationally intensive global search algorithms. Moreover, HAMLs can be fabricated …

Tool For Observing Play Outdoors (Topo): A New Typology For Capturing Children's Play Behaviors In Outdoor Environments, Janet Loebach, Adina Cox

Landscape Architecture Faculty Publications

Engagement in play has been definitively linked to the healthy development of children across physical, social, cognitive, and emotional domains. The enriched nature of high-quality outdoor play environments can afford a greater diversity of opportunities for play than indoor settings. To more effectively design outdoor play settings, we must better understand how the physical environment supports, or hinders, the different types of play which suit children's needs and interests. However, play typologies or observation tools available to date do not adequately capture the unique characteristics of outdoor play. This paper outlines the development and testing of the Tool for Observing …

Are College Students’ Attitudes Related To Their Application Of Sanctions For Campus Sexual Assault Cases?, Jaspreet K. Chahal, Caihong R. Li, Diane R. Follingstad, Claire M. Renzetti

CRVAW Faculty Journal Articles

With growing attention to adjudication of campus sexual assault cases, more is known regarding students’ views of sexual assault, but little the literature focuses on how students perceive “justice” in terms of assigning sanctions or guilt/responsibility for such cases. The present study focused on understanding whether college students’ preformed attitudes and beliefs were associated with the severity of sanctions they applied across a range of sexual assault cases as well as their assignments of guilt and responsibility to the parties involved. To determine students’ attitudes and beliefs mediating effects on sanction choices, five scales (i.e., rape myth acceptance, downplaying the …

Fujio Cho Legacy Lecture Notes, Fujio Cho, Kozo Saito

Institute of Research for Technology Development Textbook Gallery

The Fujio Cho legacy lecture was created in 2013 as part of UK Institute of Research for Technology Development (IR4TD)’s True Lean Systems program to assist industrial clients to transform their organizations to a True Lean organization by effectively using principles and tools of Toyota Production System (TPS). During the years 1987-1994, Cho and Saito worked together to layout the foundation of the now well-established Toyota-University of Kentucky relationship on R&D, True Lean Systems, and production engineering, housed in IR4TD, the Toyota endowed Institute established in 2007 with the support from the Commonwealth of Kentucky under the research competitiveness trust …

Policy, Systems, And Environmental Change: A Planning Tool For Community Health Implementation, Lauren E. Kennedy, Christopher T. Sneed, Karen L. Franck, Heather Norman, Lisa Washburn, Soghra Jarvandi, Janet Mullins

Dietetics and Human Nutrition Faculty Publications

Extension educators across the United States are being asked to expand their direct education efforts to include policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) changes. However, professional development opportunities and tools are needed to familiarize Extension professionals with PSE change approaches, build their capacity to implement PSE change, and make the process relevant to their work. We describe a planning tool developed for a unique multistate PSE change intervention training and designed to facilitate the process of PSE change implementation at the local level. An example of the tool and recommendations for others wishing to use it are included.

Association Between Work-Related Hyperthermia Emergency Department Visits And Ambient Heat In Five Southeastern States, 2010-2012--A Case-Crossover Study, Jeffrey Shire, Ambarish Vaidyanathan, Michelle Lackovic, Terry L. Bunn

Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center Faculty Publications

The objective of this study is to assess ambient temperatures' and extreme heat events' contribution to work-related emergency department (ED) visits for hyperthermia in the southeastern United States to inform prevention. Through a collaborative network and established data framework, work-related ED hyperthermia visits in five participating southeastern U.S. states were analyzed using a time stratified case-crossover design. For exposure metrics, day- and location-specific measures of ambient temperatures and county-specific identification of extreme heat events were used. From 2010 to 2012, 5,017 work-related hyperthermia ED visits were seen; 2,298 (~46%) of these visits occurred on days when the daily maximum heat …

Translating Provider And Staff Engagement Results To Actionable Planning And Outcomes, Roberto Cardarelli, Madeline Slimack, Ginny Gottschalk, Michael Ruszkowski, Jessica Sass, Kristen Brown, Rachel Kikendall, John J. Allard, Kelly Burgess, Maggie Luoma, Wanda Gonsalves

Family and Community Medicine Faculty Publications

Staff and provider engagement leads to better quality and experience of care and less turnover and burnout. In this program, we describe an approach to better understand underlying factors that lead to low staff and provider engagement and address such factors by creating actionable plans that drive improved engagement measures. Focus groups were conducted with staff, advance practice providers, and faculty to better understand low scored areas in an annual third-party engagement survey. Focus group results were analyzed, and thematic action plans were then developed by a leadership team. These plans and the status of addressing the identified issues were …

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Right Of Way Process Review (Phase I), Christopher W. Van Dyke, Bryan Gibson, Robin Baskette, Jeff Jasper, Candice Y. Wallace, Steven Douglas Kreis

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

From the Executive Summary:

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) is responsible for planning, developing, constructing, and maintaining a prodigious inventory of roadway and bridge assets throughout the state. Project development is a complex process involving the coordination of numerous divisions and preconstruction disciplines across the Cabinet. On many projects, right-of-way (ROW) acquisition presents many challenges. Frequently, the ROW process is found on the critical path, meaning that it effectively governs a project’s overall duration. In some cases — especially on more complex projects — acquiring the ROW may take several years. Recognizing the need to shorten the duration and improve …

Engaging Students In Discussion Board Forums And Encouraging Tce Participation, C. Sean Burns

Information Science Presentations

A talk discussing strategies to foster engagement and increase evaluation responses in online courses.

Telemedicine In The Emergency Department In The Era Of Covid-19: Front-Line Experiences From 2 Institutions, Joel M. Hamm, Chris Greene, Michael T. Sweeney, Setareh Mohammadie, Linda B. Thompson, Eric Wallace, Walter Schrading

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

During the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the major changes that has occurred in emergency medicine is the evolution of telemedicine. With relaxation of regulatory and administrative barriers, the use of this already available technology has rapidly expanded. Telemedicine provides opportunity to markedly decrease personal protective equipment (PPE) and reduce healthcare worker exposures. Moreover, with the convenience and availability of access to medical care via telemedicine, a more fundamental change in healthcare delivery in the United States is likely. The implementation of telemedicine in the emergency department (ED) in particular has great potential to prevent the iatrogenic spread of COVID-19 and …

What Do Grades Mean? Variation In Grading Criteria In American College And University Courses, Anastasiya A. Lipnevich, Thomas R. Guskey, Dana M. Murano, Jeffrey K. Smith

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

This study examined differences in the criteria used by college and university instructors in the United States to assign course grades. Two hundred and fifty course syllabi (159 from universities and 91 from four-year colleges) developed by randomly selected instructors from five academic disciplines (education, maths, science, psychology, and English) were examined to determine the extent to which instructors employed different criteria in assigning course grades in introductory-level courses. Sources of variation in grade assignment included the use of product versus process criteria, the prevalence of using performance exams, and the framing criteria for grades. Differences between institution types and …

Investigation The Improvement Operations Affections On Ecological Indexes Of Rangeland Health In Rangelands Of Golestan Province, Iran, Zeid Ahmadi, Mehdi Abedi, Gholam Ali Heshmati

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Characterization And Enzyme Engineering Of A Hyperthermophilic Laccase Toward Improving Its Activity In Ionic Liquid, Joseph Craig Stevens, David W. Rodgers, Claire Dumon, Jian Shi

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Ionic liquids (ILs) are organic salts molten at room temperature that can be used for a wide variety of applications. Many ILs, such as 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C₂C₁Im][OAc]), have been shown to remove a significant fraction of the complex biopolymer lignin from biomass during pretreatment. Valorizing lignin via biological pathways (e.g., enzymes) holds promise but is limited by the low biocompatibility of many ILs used for pretreatment. The discovery of thermostable enzymes and the application of enzyme engineering techniques have yielded biocatalysts capable of withstanding high concentrations of ILs. Converting lignin from a waste product to value-added …

A Qualitative Exploration To Understand Hospitalists’ Attitude Toward The Patient Experience Scoring System, Ankur Segon, Yogita Segon, Vivek Kumar, Hirotaka Kato

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Patient’s perception of their inpatient experience is measured by the Center for Medical Services’ (CMS) administered Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers & Systems (HCAHPS) survey. There is scant existing literature on physicians’ perceptions toward the HCAHPS scoring system. Understanding hospitalist knowledge and attitude toward the HCAHPS survey can help guide efforts to impact HCAHPS survey scores by improving the patient’s perception of their hospital experience. The goal of this study is to explore hospitalists’ knowledge and perspective of the physician communication domain of the HCAHPS survey at an academic medical center. Seven hospitalists at an academic medical center were …

Listening To Voices In Appalachia: Gathering Wisdom From The Field About Substance-Abuse Recovery Ecosystems, Bruce Behringer

Journal of Appalachian Health

New qualitative data collected through six regional community-based listening sessions and community meetings are presented that describe elements of the Appalachian Regional Commission’s Recovery Ecosystem Model. These data informed the Model, which was used in formulating the new ARC Recovery-to-Work initiative. Input was intentionally solicited from multiple sectors, including persons recovering from substance abuse disorder, treatment and recovery service providers, workforce development agencies, employers, and community advocacy groups.

Responding To Appalachian Voices: Steps In Developing Substance-Use Recovery Ecosystems, Bruce Behringer

Journal of Appalachian Health

A description is presented of the four-step process used by the Appalachian Regional Commission to develop a new Recovery to Work initiative. The Commission identified, defined, and described issues facing individuals who complete substance abuse disorder treatment and who seek reentry into the workforce. Key elements were identified for resources and supports to develop and maintain community-based substance abuse recovery ecosystems. The steps included conceptualization, data collection, analysis, and review to formulate recommendations for program and policy development. The full process of development was accomplished in twelve months.

Experiencing Cancer In Appalachian Kentucky, Melanie Mccomsey, David Ahern, Robin C. Vanderpool, Timothy W. Mullett, Ming-Yuan Chih, Meghan Johnson, Michele Ellison, Karen Onyeije, Bradford W. Hesse, Eliah Aronoff-Spencer

Journal of Appalachian Health

Nothing tells the story of people working together better than a community quilt. A diversity of talents, colors, and materials brought together through skill and shared purpose. Perhaps never before have we as Americans needed a stronger reminder that many hands make short work of big problems. The work presented here by the L.A.U.N.C.H. Collaborative offers a new framework for health care that could be compared to a digital quilt, powered by community-based participatory design, with lived expertise and the newest advances in broadband-enabled connected health solutions. This work demonstrates the value and need to engage local communities and what …

Preface: Experiencing Cancer In Appalachian Kentucky, Michele Ellison, Robin C. Vanderpool

Journal of Appalachian Health

Connected cancer care is of increasing importance in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Linking & Amplifying User-Centered Networks through Connected Health (L.A.U.N.C.H.) Collaborative in Appalachian Kentucky has pioneered a new roadmap for equipping communities with the transformative power of broadband to innovate around the future of cancer care and to better scale their ideas. The roadmap involves reaching across disciplines, including public health, anthropology, telecommunications, and user-centered design. The goal is to leverage connectivity and cancer communication research and practice to make a real difference for patients and families.

Preventive Care And Chronic Disease Management: Comparison Of Appalachian And Non-Appalachian Community Health Centers In The United States, Julie P. Marcinek, Alek Sripipatana, Sue C. Lin

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: The Appalachian region is often characterized by poor health outcomes and economic depression. Health centers (HCs) are community-based and patient-directed organizations that deliver comprehensive, culturally competent, high-quality primary healthcare services in high need areas, including Appalachia, where economic, geographic, or cultural factors can hinder access to healthcare services.

Purpose: The study compares the clinical quality performance in preventive care and chronic disease management between Appalachian HCs and their non-Appalachian counterparts.

Methods: Using 2015 Uniform Data System (UDS) health center data, bivariate and multivariate linear regression analyses examine the association of Appalachian HC with performance on preventive and chronic care …

Geographic Variation In The Structure Of Kentucky’S Population Health Systems: An Urban, Rural, And Appalachian Comparison, Rachel Hogg-Graham, Angela Carman, Glen P. Mays, Pierre Martin Dominique Zephyr

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Research examining geographic variation in the structure of population health systems is continuing to emerge, and most of the evidence that currently exists divides systems by urban and rural designation. Very little is understood about how being rural and Appalachian impacts population health system structure and strength.

Purpose: This study examines geographic differences in key characteristics of population health systems in urban, rural non-Appalachian, and rural Appalachian regions of Kentucky.

Methods: Data from a 2018 statewide survey of community networks was used to examine population health system characteristics. Descriptive statistics were generated to examine variation across geographic regions in …

Insufficient Sun Exposure Has Become A Real Public Health Problem, Lars Alfredsson, Bruce K Armstrong, D. Allan Butterfield, Rajiv Chowdhury, Frank R. De Gruijl, Martin Feelisch, Cedric F. Garland, Prue H. Hart, David G. Hoel, Ramune Jacobsen, Pelle G. Lindqvist, David J. Llewellyn, Henning Tiemeier, Richard B. Weller, Antony R. Young

Chemistry Faculty Publications

This article aims to alert the medical community and public health authorities to accumulating evidence on health benefits from sun exposure, which suggests that insufficient sun exposure is a significant public health problem. Studies in the past decade indicate that insufficient sun exposure may be responsible for 340,000 deaths in the United States and 480,000 deaths in Europe per year, and an increased incidence of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, autism, asthma, type 1 diabetes and myopia. Vitamin D has long been considered the principal mediator of beneficial effects of sun exposure. …

Cellular Dynamics Of Double Fertilization And Early Embryogenesis In Flowering Plants, Ji Min Shin, Ling Yuan, Masaru Ohme-Takagi, Tomokazu Kawashima

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Flowering plants (angiosperms) perform a unique double fertilization in which two sperm cells fuse with two female gamete cells in the embryo sac to develop a seed. Furthermore, during land plant evolution, the mode of sexual reproduction has been modified dramatically from motile sperm in the early-diverging land plants, such as mosses and ferns as well as some gymnosperms (Ginkgo and cycads) to nonmotile sperm that are delivered to female gametes by the pollen tube in flowering plants. Recent studies have revealed the cellular dynamics and molecular mechanisms for the complex series of double fertilization processes and elucidated differences …

Effect Of Different Culture Medium On Subculture And Differentiation Of Alfalfa Anther Callus, Zenghong Li, Bo Zhang, Aiping Chen, Yupeng Luo

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Techno-Economic Comparative Analysis Of Renewable Energy Systems: Case Study In Zimbabwe, Loiy Al-Ghussain, Remember Samu, Onur Taylan, Murat Fahrioglu

Mechanical Engineering Graduate Research

Fluctuations in fossil fuel prices significantly affect the economies of countries, especially oil-importing countries, hence these countries are thoroughly investigating the increase in the utilization of renewable energy resources as it is abundant and locally available in all the countries despite challenges. Renewable energy systems (RES) such as solar and wind systems offer suitable alternatives for fossil fuels and could ensure the energy security of countries in a feasible way. Zimbabwe is one of the African countries that import a significant portion of its energy needs which endanger the energy security of the country. Several studies in the literature discussed …