Digital Commons Network^™

Gene Regulatory Networks Of Agl15 A Plant Mads Transcription Factor, Cong Zhu

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Plant embryogenesis is an intriguing developmental process that is controlled by many genes. AGAMOUS Like 15 (AGL15) is a MADS-domain transcriptional regulator that accumulates preferentially during this stage. However, at the onset of this work it was unknown which genes are regulated by AGL15 or how AGL15 is regulated. This dissertation is part of the ongoing effort to understand the biological roles of AGL15. To decipher how AGL15 functions during plant development, a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) approach was adapted to obtain DNA fragments that are directly bound by AGL15 in vivo. Putative AGL15 targets were isolated, and binding and regulation …

Characterizing Sensory Processing In Autism Spectrum Disorders, Scott David Tomchek

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Rationale: Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder with onset prior to the age of three years characterized by qualitative impairments in social interaction and communication skill, along with a restricted repetitive and stereotyped pattern of behavior, interests, and activities. In addition to these core diagnostic features, aberrant sensory responding has also been widely reported in the literature describing children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Aberrant sensory processing has, however, been infrequently studied compared to communication and cognition in autism and existing studies have had multiple methodological deficiencies, especially with sampling procedures. Purpose. The purpose of this study is to …

A Comparison Of Syntax Training For Students With Developmental Disabilities Utilizing Clinician-Directed Versus Self-Determined Session Paradigms, Jane O'Regan Kleinert

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Self-determination is the ability to control one’s life and to actively participate in the decisions which affect the direction of one’s life. This ability is considered a critical life skill for individuals with developmental disabilities. The ability to make choices, plan, and self-evaluate are among the primary skills included in the development of self-determination. Currently, there is very limited emphasis on the importance of self-determination in the literature of communication disorders. This study was designed to determine if a teaching paradigm which incorporates key elements of self-determination is as or more effective and efficient in teaching syntax than a traditional, …

A Function-Based Approach To Establishing Standardization And Flexible Work Cells For High-Variety, Low-Volume Manufacturing, Yamkelani Moyo

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Certain types of high-variety, low-volume manufacturing operations employ clusters of machines to execute general classes of operations in the manufacture of their product mix, but those operations differ significantly from job to job. Consequently operations are not standardized and batch and queue operational strategies are employed with all attendant shortcomings. However, closer examination reveals that these operations largely consist of a small number of elemental machine functions that are exercised in various combinations. The functions provide a basis to for defining richly descriptive standardized work at the individual process level using parameters to distinguish the unique settings and characteristics for …

Towards Full-Body Gesture Analysis And Recognition, Muthukumar B. Puranam

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

With computers being embedded in every walk of our life, there is an increasing demand forintuitive devices for human-computer interaction. As human beings use gestures as importantmeans of communication, devices based on gesture recognition systems will be effective for humaninteraction with computers. However, it is very important to keep such a system as non-intrusive aspossible, to reduce the limitations of interactions. Designing such non-intrusive, intuitive, camerabasedreal-time gesture recognition system has been an active area of research research in the fieldof computer vision.Gesture recognition invariably involves tracking body parts. We find many research works intracking body parts like eyes, lips, face …

Cycle-Up Of Multiple Rifting Event Models: How Long Does It Take To Reach A Steady State Stress?, Lokranjith K. Ravi

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Many geological numerical models are initiated with a background stress state of zero. Often these numerical results are compared directly to geodetic data. Recent work (Kenner and Simons, 2004) has shown that modeled deformation rates can change as the model is cycled-up following repeated earthquakes or rifting events. In this study, we investigate model cycle-up in the context of time-dependent deformation following rifting during the 1975-1984 Krafla eruption in Iceland. We consider the number of rifting cycles required for complete cycle-up, variations in cycle-up time at different locations in the model, background stress magnitudes in fully cycled-up models, and errors …

Simulation Of Low-Re Flow Over A Modified Naca 4415 Airfoil With Oscillating Camber, Vamsidhar Katam

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Recent interest in Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAVs) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have revived research on the performance of airfoils at relatively low Reynolds numbers. A common problem with low Reynolds number flow is that separation is almost inevitable without the application of some means of flow control, but understanding the nature of the separated flow is critical to designing an optimal flow control system. The current research presents results from a joint effort coupling numerical simulation and wind tunnel testing to investigate this flow regime. The primary airfoil for these studies is a modified 4415 with an adaptive actuator …

Statistical Analysis Of Injury Data And The Conceptual Design Of A Rollover Protective Structure For An All-Terrain Vehicle, Bhavana Parvathareddy

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The rising statistics of fatal and non-fatal injuries involving an all-terrain vehicle has called for an analysis of the accumulated data from the past years. The analysis has led to the conclusion that in the past years, the fatal and non-fatal injuries have been rising rapidly in spite of the consent decrees which were brought into effect from 1988-1998 by the consumer product safety commission. A necessity to provide increased safety while riding an all-terrain vehicle is recognized. Rollover protective structures which were used with successful results in curbing the injuries on agricultural tractors have been identified as having a …

To Forgive Is Divine, But Is It Always Helpful? Examining The Effects Of Brief Forgiveness Instructions In Helping Female Victims, Michelle K. Cardi

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The purpose of the present study was to examine whether women who have been victimized can have a decrease in their negative affect by being exposed to the suggestion of one of two dimensions of forgiveness. The study also examined the moderating effect of several personality variables on participants reactions to the intervention. Seventy-nine women were given several personality and affect questionnaires before and after they listened to instructions for either granting forgiveness (interpersonal), letting go of their negative affect (intrapsychic), or relaxation (control). Results indicated that focusing on granting forgiveness was associated with more negative affect than the other …

Parent-Child Storytelling During Joint Picture-Book Reading And Relation To Language Scores Of Children With Adhd, Melinda A. Leonard

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Three questions were investigated in the current study. First, do children with ADHD have language deficiencies in comparison to non-referred peers? Second, are there diagnostic group differences in parent and child storytelling when interacting in a joint picture-book setting or in parent reported home literacy habits? Third, are these differences related to child language scores? Parents of 25 children with ADHD and 39 comparison children, average age 7 years 6 months, told their children a story based on a wordless picture-book, and children then retold the story to an examiner without using the book. In addition, children made up two …

Characteristics Of Beef Cattle That Determine The Price Difference Between Traditional And Cph Sales, Terry L. Lunsford

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Cattle producers are faced with difficult decisions on how they market theircalves. This study examines the different characteristics that play a role in determiningthe price of a group of animals. Identifying characteristics that determine pricedifferentials relative to the price premium given to producers participating in CPH salesis important information when producers are making a marketing decision. The modeldeveloped in this study provides producers with evidence of what characteristics generatethe highest price, as well as relative differences between sales locations and types ofsales. The more information available to producers, the better equipped they are to makedecisions.

A Comparison Between Masticatory Muscle And Temporomandibular Joint Pain Patients With Regard To The Prevalence And Impact Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms, Elizangela Bertoli

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate masticatory muscle (MM) and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain patients regarding the prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and evaluate the level of psychological dysfunction and its relationship to PTSD symptoms in these patients. This study included 445 adult patients (male = 42, female = 403). Psychological questionnaires included the Symptom Check List-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), the Multidimensional Pain Inventory, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the PTSD Check List Civilian. The total sample of patients was divided into two major groups: The MM group (n=242) and TMJ group (n=203). Each group was divided …

Expanding Deictic Shift Theory: Person Deixis In Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club, Anna Laura Bennett

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Deictic shift theory (DST) was developed as a model of the construction and comprehension of all types of fictional narrative. With respect to the participant structures of texts, however, DST researchers have focused their attention on deictic shifts in third-person narratives, leaving first-person narratives unanalyzed from this theoretical perspective. As a result, DST in its present form does not adequately account for the variety of manipulations of a range of perspectives that may be achieved in first-person narratives. Nor has DST been systematically applied to texts whose participant structures undergo extensive reorganization as the result of a surprise ending or …

Numerical Investigation Of The Influence Of Front Camber On The Stability Of A Compressor Airfoil, Rui Li

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

With the advent of smart materials it is becoming possible to alter the structural characteristics of turbomachine airfoils. This change in structural characteristics can include, but is not limited to, changes in the shape (morphing) of the airfoil. Through changes in the airfoil shape, aerodynamic performance can be improved. Moreover, this technique has the potential to act as a flutter suppressant. In this investigation changes in the airfoil front camber while maintaining the airfoil thickness distribution are made to increase airfoil stability. The airfoil section is representative of current low aspect ratio fan blade tip sections. To assess the influence …

Phylogenetic Analysis Of Kentucky Strains Of Xylella Fastidiosa, J. Nicole Mundell

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Phytopathogenic bacterium, Xylella fastidiosa, causes a number of economically important diseases, including Pierces disease (PD) of grape and bacterial leaf scorch (BLS) of a number of landscape trees. In Kentucky (KY), BLS affects a number of shade trees including many oak and maple species. In 2001, PD was diagnosed in grapevines in western KY. Xylella fastidiosa is also detected in many asymptomatic landscape plants and grasses. It was the goal of this research to identify hosts of X. fastidiosa around KY and use phylogenetic analysis to compare sequences of the 16S rDNA and gyrase B (gyrB) genes between samples. This …

Using Sequential Imagery To Evaluate Aspects Of Seed Vigor And Germination, Manjul Dutt

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

A sequential imaging system using a flat bed scanner interfaced to a personal computer was developed to study seed germination and vigor. The utility of the system was demonstrated in studies relating aspects of seed vigor in impatiens seed lots and for dormancy release in two woody perennials. Impatiens seed lots were kept in storage for 6 months to obtain a range in vigor levels. The ability to see differences at the individual seed level was possible because of the development of the sequential imaging system. It was observed that seeds deteriorated both under optimum 4OC as well as 25OC …

The Use Of A Whole Genome Scan To Find A Genetic Marker For Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis In The Peruvian Paso Horse, Diane I. Strong

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Degenerative suspensory ligament desmitis (DSLD) is a debilitating disease of connective tissues seen in many breeds but has become prevalent in the Peruvian Pasohorse. DSLD is believed to be a genetic disorder caused by one primary founder and most likely has a recessive mode of inheritance although a dominant or co-dominant mode of inheritance has not been ruled out.

A genome scan using 259 microsatellite markers was used to test for linkage disequilibrium between one or more markers and DSLD. Two groups of Peruvian Pasohorses were selected from one population including the US and Canada. The only difference between the …

Table Of Contents For Volume 93, Issue 3, Kentucky Law Journal

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Corporate Fiduciary Duties In Kentucky, Rutheford B. Campbell Jr.

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Internet Libel And The Communications Decency Act: How The Courts Erroneously Interpreted Congressional Intent With Regard To Liability Of Internet Service Providers, Emily K. Fritts

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Supreme Court's Mixed Messages On The Public Domain: Cases Interpreting Section 43 Of The Lanham Act, William Scott Hunt

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Not-So-Critical Vendors: Redefining Critical Vendor Orders, Christopher D. Hunt

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Mayday, Mayday!: How The Current Bankruptcy Code Fails To Protect The Pensions Of Employees, Amy Lassiter

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Contestable Judicial Elections: Maintaining Respectability In The Post-White Era, Joseph E. Lambert

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Tax Exemption Of American Churches And Other Nonprofits: One Election Cycle After Branch Ministries V. Rossotti, Jerome Park Prather

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Kentucky's Investment Tax Credits In Light Of Cuno V. Daimlerchrysler, Inc., Bradford C. Spencer

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Neural Network Applications In Agricultural Economics, Jianhua Chen

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Neural networks have become very important tools in many areas including economic researches. The objectives of this thesis are to examine the fundamental components, concepts and theory of neural network methods from econometric and statistic perspective, with particular focus on econometrically and statistically relevant models. In order to evaluate the relative effectiveness of econometric and neural network methods, two empirical studies are conducted by applying neural network methods in a methodological comparison fashion with traditional econometric models.Both neural networks and econometrics have similar models, common problems of modeling and interference. Neural networks and econometrics/statistics, particularly their discriminant methods, are two …

Microelectrode Array Studies Of Normal And Disease-Altered L-Glutamate Regulation In The Mammalian Central Nervous System, Brian Keith Day

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

L-glutamate (Glu) is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system. Monitoring extracellular Glu is critical to understanding Glu regulation to discriminate physiological and pathological roles. To overcome the limitations of previous in vivo extracellular Glu studies, we developed Glu selective microelectrode arrays with better spatial and temporal resolutions than commonly used techniques like microdialysis. We used these microelectrode arrays to characterize basal and potassium-evoked Glu neurotransmission in the normal rat brain. We then investigated disease-related Glu alterations in a rat model of Parkinson's disease and normal Glu regulation in young and aged rhesus monkeys. In the normal …

Human Cardiovascular Responses To Artificial Gravity Training, Michael Brian Stenger

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Human cardiovascular adaptations to microgravity include decreased plasma volume, exercise capacity, baroreflex function as well as decreased orthostatic tolerance upon return to a gravity environment. Several countermeasures have been proposed and tested, although currently none have been developed to prevent post-spaceflight orthostatic intolerance (OI). Artificial gravity (AG) generated by short-radius centrifugation (SRC) has been proposed as a countermeasure to OI as well as other cardiovascular alterations. Methods: Fifteen men and fourteen women underwent three weeks of daily (5 days a week) exposure to intermittent (1.0 to 2.5 Gz) artificial gravity on a 1.9m human powered centrifuge (HPC) at the NASA …

Hierarchical Hybrid-Model Based Design, Verification, Simulation, And Synthesis Of Mission Control For Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, Siddhartha Bhattacharyya

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The objective of modeling, verification, and synthesis of hierarchical hybrid mission control for underwater vehicle is to (i) propose a hierarchical architecture for mission control for an autonomous system, (ii) develop extended hybrid state machine models for the mission control, (iii) use these models to verify for logical correctness, (iv) check the feasibility of a simulation software to model the mission executed by an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) (v) perform synthesis of high-level mission coordinators for coordinating lower-level mission controllers in accordance with the given mission, and (vi) suggest further design changes for improvement. The dissertation describes a hierarchical architecture …