Digital Commons Network^™

Global Change, Domestic Policy, And Life Course Influences On Perceptions Of Health Equity Among Older Cubans, James Lester Schwar

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Cubas provision of free health services to the entire population via neighborhood-based family doctors produced dramatic health gains and achieved a relative state of health equality. Since 1989, however, the termination of Soviet trade, a grave economic crisis, intensification of the US embargo, welfare reductions, and population aging have placed Cubas health successes and elder care services in jeopardy. Little independent research, though, has focused on the influence of post-Cold War circumstances on citizen attitudes about health programs and resources targeting Cubas older population. This research examined global and domestic factors since 1989 that have most influenced perceptions of the …

Normal And Spin Polarized Transport In High-Temperature Superconductor Tunneling Junctions, Mario Vadim Freamat

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

One of the challenges facing condensed matter physics nowadays is to understand the electronic structure of high temperature superconductors. This dissertation compiles our contribution to the experimental information concerning this subject. Tunneling conductance spectroscopy a technique capable of probing the electronic density of states in hybrid structures was used to study the current and spin transport properties across junctions between metallic counterelectrodes and Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8- (BSCCO) crystals. Since in these structures the transport is mediated by transmission channels depending on superconductive characteristics, the energy resolved density of states is a signature of the mechanism of superconductivity. For instance, one can observe …

An Investigation On The Effects Of Influenza Virus Infection As It Pertains To The Initiation Of Translation, Morgan Hager Mccoy

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Like the majority of host cell mRNAs, the mRNAs of influenza virus are capped and polyadenylated. The NS1 protein of influenza has been implicated as a translational activator for both influenza and reporter gene mRNAs. Data is presented showing that influenza A virus infection resulted in an increased ratio of cap-dependent to cap-independent translation. This ratio increase was largely due to an increase in cap-dependent translation. These experiments employed a bicistronic reporter construct measuring cap-dependent and cap-independent translation in a single sample. Expression of NS1 alone resulted in a small, but reproducible increase in the ratio of cap-dependent to cap-independent …

Identification And Characterization Of Socs44a In Drosophila, Jason Scott Rawlings

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The JAK/STAT pathway is but one of the signal transduction cascades responsible for proper development and homeostasis. Gain-of-function mutations of pathway components are causative agents of several leukemias, highlighting the necessity for proper regulation of signal transduction. Drosophila presents an attractive model to study JAK/STAT signaling because mutations in the pathway behave in an analogous manner. Furthermore, the Drosophila cascade is much simpler as only one of each component required for activation has been characterized; whereas in mammals, there are many ligands, receptors, 4 JAKs and 7 STATs.Suppressors of Cytokine Signaling (SOCS) are one family of molecules which regulate JAK/STAT …

Ecology, Morphology, And Germination Physiology Of Tree Seeds In A Tropical Semievergreen Forest In The Panama Canal Watershed, With Special Reference To Seed Dormancy Classes Along A Precipitation Gradient, Adriana Elena Sautu

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The Panama Canal Watershed (PCW) represents a special opportunity for studies related to seed dormancy in the tropics with both applied and basic research objectives. There is a clear need for seed information for nursery planning in restoration projects that involves use of a large number of local species. Moreover, the strong rainfall gradient along the 60 km of continuous lowland forest in the PCW represents an excellent opportunity to understand dormancy and its role as an adaptive trait that evolved in response to environmental factors. This study presents useful seed information for 100 tree species native to the PCW. …

Automated Synthesis Of Virtualblocks For Interfacing System Under Test, Andrew Hai Liang She

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

In this thesis, I/O signal recognizers, called VIRTUALBLOCKS, are synthesized to interface with a SYSTEM UNDER TEST (SUT). Methods for automated synthesis of virtualblocks allow us to simulate environment interfaces with SUT and also perform fault detection on SUT. Such methods must be able to recognize incoming sequences of signals from SUT, and upon the signal recognition determine the proper outgoing sequences of signals to SUT. We characterize our systems into four distinctive systems: system under test, AUXILIARY SYSTEM, controller and external environment. The auxiliary system is represented as a form of condition system Petri net (virtualblocks) and interacts with …

Optimization Of Blowing And Suction Control On Naca0012 Airfoil Using Genetic Algorithm With Diversity Control, Liang Huang

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Active control of the flow over an airfoil is an area of heightened interest in the aerospace community. Previous research on flow control design processes heavily depended on trial and error and the designers knowledge and intuition. Such an approach cannot always meet the growing demands of higher design quality in less time. Successful application of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to this kind of control problem critically depends on an efficient searching algorithm for design optimization. CFD in conjunction with Genetic Algorithms (GA) potentially offers an efficient and robust optimization method and is a promising solution for current flow control …

Optimization And Simulation Of Just-In-Time Supply Pickup And Delivery Systems, Keng Hoo Chuah

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

A just-in-time supply pickup and delivery system (JSS) manages the logistic operations between a manufacturing plant and its suppliers by controlling the sequence, timing, and frequency of container pickups and parts deliveries, thereby coordinating internal conveyance, external conveyance, and the operation of cross-docking facilities. The system is important to just-in-time production lines that maintain small inventories. This research studies the logistics, supply chain, and production control of JSS. First, a new meta-heuristics approach (taboo search) is developed to solve a general frequency routing (GFR) problem that has been formulated in this dissertation with five types of constraints: flow, space, load, …

Neuromechanical Control Of Locomotion In Intact And Incomplete Spinal Cord Injured Rats, Anil Kumar Thota

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Rodent models are being extensively used to investigate the effects of traumatic injuryand to develop and assess the mechanisms of repair and regeneration. We presentquantitative assessment of 2D kinematics of overground walking and for the first time3D joint angle kinematics of all four limbs during treadmill walking in the intact and inincomplete spinal cord contusion injured (iSCI) adult female Long Evans rats. Phaserelationship between joint angles on a cycle-by-cycle basis and interlimb footfalls areassessed using a simple technique. Electromyogram (EMG) data from major flexor andextensor muscles for each of the hindlimb joints and elbow extensor muscles of theforelimbs synchronized to …

Development And Evaluation Of A Controller Area Network Based Autonomous Vehicle, Matthew John Darr

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Through the work of researchers and the development of commercially availableproducts, automated guidance has become a viable option for agricultural producers.Some of the limitations of commercially available technologies are that they onlyautomate one function of the agricultural vehicle and that the systems are proprietary toa single machine model.The objective of this project was to evaluate a controller area network (CAN bus)as the basis of an automated guidance system. The prototype system utilized severalmicrocontroller-driven nodes to act as control points along a system wide CAN bus.Messages were transferred to the steering, transmission, and hitch control nodes from atask computer. The task …

Breeding For Fusarium Head Blight Resistance In Soft Red Winter Wheat, Virginia Laura Verges

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Fusarium graminearum, the causative agent of Fusarium head blight, is an economically important pathogen of wheat (Triticum aestivum). Breeding Fusarium head blight (FHB) resistant wheat requires knowledge of the underlying genetic control of FHB resistance. Genetic parameters for FHB resistance and five related traits were estimated in three populations at two locations and in two years. Moderate broad sense heritabilities for FHB severity and Fusarium damaged kernels (FDK) were observed. Incidence of FHB and the toxin deoxynivalenol (DON) accumulation had low to moderate broad sense heritabilities. Correlations between FDK and severity and FDK and DON were moderate to high in …

Challenges In Estimating Size And Conservation Of Black Bear In West-Central Florida, Joshua Hager Brown

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The Greater Chassahowitkza Ecosystem black bear (Ursus americanus floridanus) population of west-central Florida is likely to be the smallest documented population of the species. It has experienced almost no recruitment since 1997 and exhibits behavior that appears to be a response to human activities. The local diet is dominated by the fruit of saw palmetto and sabal palm, species that exhibit patchy distributions and irregular mast production. These food supplies are often separated by busy highways that have killed 6 bears since 1997, 21% of known individuals. Motion-activated camera surveys suggest that the bear population is declining in this rapidly …

Tolerance Allocation For Kinematic Systems, Mathieu Barraja

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

A method for allocating tolerances to exactly constrained assemblies is developed. The procedure is established as an optimization subject to constraints. The objective is to minimize the manufacturing cost of the assembly while respecting an acceptable level of performance. This method is particularly interesting for exactly constrained components that should be mass-produced. This thesis presents the different concepts used to develop the method. It describes exact constraint theory, manufacturing variations, optimization concepts, and the related mathematical tools. Then it explains how to relate these different topics in order to perform a tolerance allocation. The developed method is applied on two …

Aeromechanics Of Low Reynolds Number Inflatable/Rigidizable Wings, Michiko Usui

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Use of an inflatable/rigidizable wing is explored for Mars airplane designs. The BIG BLUE (Baseline Inflatable-wing Glider Balloon Launched Unmanned airplane Experiment) project was developed at the University of Kentucky, with an objective to demonstrate feasibility of this technology with a flight-test of an high-altitude glider with inflatable/rigidizable wings. The focus of this thesis research was to design and analyze the wing for this project. The wings are stowed in the fuselage, inflate during ascent, and rigidize with exposure to UV light. The design of wings was evaluated by using aerodynamic and finite element software and wind tunnel testing. The …

Family Environment And Substance Use In Adolescent Males, Emily H. Brechting

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between several aspects of family environment and adolescent substance use. Participants included 372 (M = 15.45 years, range = 15-17) adolescent males with and without a paternal history of Substance Use Disorder (SUD). Participants completed measures of family functioning, family communication, parentadolescent communication, living arrangement, temperament, and substance use. Results indicated that family functioning and communication predicted a significant reduction in the number of drugs used, frequency of drug use, and problems associated with drug use beyond the effects of demographic covariates. Additionally, temperament and family history of SUD were …

Comparative Mapping: Homology Within The Order Perissodactyla Of Four Genes Located On Equus Caballus Chromosome 20, Christine Marie Mains

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Since changes in chromosome morphology contribute to the knowledge of evolution as well as to chromosome dynamics, this study looks specifically at one chromosome compared in twelve different species of Perissodactyls: Equus caballus (ECA), E. przewalskii (EPR), Equus africanus somaliensis (EAF), E. asinus (EAS), E. hemionus onager (EHO), E. h. kulan (EHK), E. h. kiang (EKI), E. zebra hartmannae (EZH), E. grevyi (EGR), E. burchelli (EBU), Tapirus indicus (TIN), and Rhinoceros unicornis (RUN). While chromosome morphology studies have been done in some of the extant equids, none have followed the evolution of this chromosome, homologous to Equus caballus chromosome 20 …

Tribute To Willburt D. Ham, Robert G. Lawson, Rutheford B. Campbell Jr., Christopher W. Frost

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Horizontal Stare Decisis On The U.S. Court Of Appeals For The Sixth Circuit, Emery G. Lee Iii

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

"Bonded & Insured?": The Future Of Mandatory Insurance Coverage And Disclosure Rules For Kentucky Attorneys, Nicholas A. Marsh

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Of Money And Judicial Independence: Can Inherent Powers Protect State Courts In Tough Fiscal Times?, Michael L. Buenger

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Extraterritorial Jurisdiction And U.S. Securities Law: Seeking Limits For Application Of The 10(B) And 10b-5 Antifraud Provisions, Brandy L. Fulkerson

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Preemption Of State Tort Law By Federal Safety Statutes: Supreme Court Preemption Jurisprudence Since Cipollone, Richard C. Ausness

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Proof Of Product Defect, David G. Owen

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Law's Hard Choice: Self-Inflicted Injustice Or Lawyer-Inflicted Indignity, Christopher Johnson

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Virulence Of BlackthinkTm And How Its Threat Of Ostracism Shackles Those Deemed Not Black Enough, Kimberly Jade Norwood

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Pharmaceutical Overpromotion Liability: The Legal Battle Over Rural Prescription Drug Abuse, Phillip J. Wininger

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Lending A Helping Hand?: A Guide To Kentucky's New Predatory Lending Law, Kent H. Barnett

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Ramifications Of Rejecting Wrongful Birth: A Closer Look At Grubbs V. Barbourville Family Health Center, Johanna L. Frantz

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Development Of A Method For The Detection And Confirmation Of The Alpha-2 Agonist Amitraz And Its Major Metabolite In Horse Urine, A. F. Lehner, C. G. Hughes, W. Karpiesiuk, J Daniel Harkins, L. Dirikolu, Jeffrey M Bosken, Fernanda Camargo, J. Boyles, A. Troppmann, W. E. Woods, Thomas Tobin

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Faculty Publications

Amitraz (N′-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)-N-[[(2,4-dimethylphenyl)imino] methyl]-N-methyl-methanimidamide) is an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist used in veterinary medicine primarily as a scabicide- or acaricide-type insecticide. As an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist, it also has sedative/tranquilizing properties and is, therefore, listed as an Association of Racing Commissioners International Class 3 Foreign Substance, indicating its potential to influence the outcome of horse races. We identified the principal equine metabolite of amitraz as N-2,4-dimethylphenyl-N′-methylformamidine by electrospray ionization(+)-mass spectrometry and developed a gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) method for its detection, quantitation, and confirmation in performance horse regulation. The GC-MS method involves derivatization with t-butyldimethylsilyl groups; selected ion monitoring (SIM) of m/z …

Mechanisms Of Resistance To Halogenated And Non-Halogenated Ahr Ligands In Chronically Contaminated Killifish Populations, Xabier Arzuaga

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Chronically contaminated killifish from Newark Bay (NB) NJ, and New Bedford Harbor (NBH) MA, have developed resistance to halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons that bind to and activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). To study the mechanisms of resistance, adult killifish were exposed to halogenated and non-halogenated AHR ligands and enzymatic and toxicological endpoints were measured in adult and embryonic fish.

The chlorinated and non-chlorinated AHR ligands 3,34,4-tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB77) and benzo-a-pyrene (B[a]P) induced cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) in reference site, but not in NB killifish. Expression of CYP3A (not part of the AHR gene battery) was inducible only in Flax Pond killifish. …