Digital Commons Network^™

A 6-Cpg Validated Methylation Risk Score Model For Metabolic Syndrome: The Hypergen And Goldn Studies, Bertha A. Hidalgo, Bre Minniefield, Amit Patki, Rikki Tanner, Minoo Bagheri, Hemant K. Tiwari, Donna K. Arnett, Marguerite Ryan Irvin

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

There has been great interest in genetic risk prediction using risk scores in recent years, however, the utility of scores developed in European populations and later applied to non-European populations has not been successful. The goal of this study was to create a methylation risk score (MRS) for metabolic syndrome (MetS), demonstrating the utility of MRS across race groups using cross-sectional data from the Hypertension Genetic Epidemiology Network (HyperGEN, N = 614 African Americans (AA)) and the Genetics of Lipid Lowering Drugs and Diet Network (GOLDN, N = 995 European Americans (EA)). To demonstrate this, we first selected cytosine-guanine dinucleotides …

Editorial: Perturbations In Metabolic Cues: Implications For Adverse Cardiac Function Leading To Sudden Cardiac Death, Brian P. Delisle, Ademuyiwa S. Aromolaran

Physiology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Dry Matter Production Of Shoots And Root Density Of Two Cultivars Of Lablab Purpureus (L.) Sweet, L. R. De A. Rodrigues, T. J. D. Rodrigues, A. K. B. Ramos, D. G. De Quadros

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This experiment was conducted in green house conditions to evaluate the DM accumulation in the shoots and in the roots of two cultivars of Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet. A 2x3 factorial (two cultivars and three evaluation dates) was conducted according to a randomized complete block design with four replications, being the cultivars Highworth and Rongai evaluated at 42, 56, and 70 days after seedling emergence (DASE). The results indicated that the cvs. Highworth and Rongai have the same pattern of DM accumulation in the shoots. In the upper layer of the soil (0-0.20 m) it was found 38.83% and 43.64% …

Editorial For The Genetics Of Alzheimer’S Disease Special Issue: October 2021, Laura Ibanez, Justin B. Miller

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Biotinylation As A Tool To Enhance The Uptake Of Small Molecules In Gram-Negative Bacteria, Ankit Pandeya, Ling Yang, Olaniyi Alegun, Chamikara Karunasena, Chad Risko, Zhenyu Li, Yinan Wei

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern. The shrinking selection of effective antibiotics and lack of new development is making the situation worse. Gram-negative bacteria more specifically pose serious threat because of their double layered cell envelope and effective efflux systems, which is a challenge for drugs to penetrate. One promising approach to breach this barrier is the “Trojan horse strategy”. In this technique, an antibiotic molecule is conjugated with a nutrient molecule that helps the antibiotic to enter the cell through dedicated transporters for the nutrient. Here, we explored the approach using biotin conjugation with a florescent molecule …

The Predictive Role Of Grapho-Morphological Knowledge In Reading Comprehension For Beginning-Level L2 Chinese Learners, Tianxu Chen, Sihui Ke, Keiko Koda

Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures and Cultures Faculty Publications

Reading comprehension entails a set of distinct, yet interdependent cognitive, linguistic, and nonlinguistic processes. Previous second language (L2) Chinese studies have identified significant and positive impacts of grapho-morphological knowledge at the character and subcharacter (radical) levels on passage reading comprehension; however, little is known regarding how early L2 grapho-morphological knowledge at the character and radical levels jointly predict later L2 reading comprehension. This study aimed to fill this gap. One hundred and five beginning-level L2 Chinese collegiate learners were recruited, and completed two character-related and two radical-related tasks in Week 8, as well as one reading comprehension tasks in Week …

Fibroblast Growth Factor 19 Increases The Excitability Of Pre-Motor Glutamatergic Dorsal Vagal Complex Neurons From Hyperglycemic Mice, Jordan B. Wean, Bret N. Smith

Physiology Faculty Publications

Intracerebroventricular administration of the protein hormone fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) to the hindbrain produces potent antidiabetic effects in hyperglycemic mice that are likely mediated through a vagal parasympathetic mechanism. FGF19 increases the synaptic excitability of parasympathetic motor neurons in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) from hyperglycemic, but not normoglycemic, mice but the source of this synaptic input is unknown. Neurons in the area postrema (AP) and nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) express high levels of FGF receptors and exert glutamatergic control over the DMV. This study tested the hypothesis that FGF19 increases glutamate release in the DMV …

Genomics Of Postprandial Lipidomics In The Genetics Of Lipid-Lowering Drugs And Diet Network Study, Marguerite R. Irvin, May E. Montasser, Tobias Kind, Sili Fan, Dinesh K. Barupal, Amit Patki, Rikki M. Tanner, Nicole D. Armstrong, Kathleen A. Ryan, Steven A. Claas, Jeffrey R. O’Connell, Hemant K. Tiwari, Donna K. Arnett

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Postprandial lipemia (PPL) is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Inter-individual variation in the dietary response to a meal is known to be influenced by genetic factors, yet genes that dictate variation in postprandial lipids are not completely characterized. Genetic studies of the plasma lipidome can help to better understand postprandial metabolism by isolating lipid molecular species which are more closely related to the genome. We measured the plasma lipidome at fasting and 6 h after a standardized high-fat meal in 668 participants from the Genetics of Lipid-Lowering Drugs and Diet Network study (GOLDN) using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled …

Research On Forage Quality: Progress And Priorities, J. A. Milne

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A broad definition of forage quality is used and the purposes for which research on forage quality is undertaken currently are outlined. These range from research that provides simple measurements that describes the forage quality of a commercial product to research on forage quality to improve understanding of digestion processes. Much of the research in the last decade has related to improving predictive measurements. The different degrees of progress that have been made in the development and use of measurements to further our understanding of forage quality are described and related to their fitness of purpose. It is concluded that …

Forage Quality And The Environment, C. E. Lascano, A. Schmidt, R. Barahona

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The influence of environmental factors on forage quality of temperate and tropical grasses has been reviewed by several authors, who summarized how light, temperature, drought and soil nutrients influence chemical composition, and digestibility of forages grown in contrasting areas of the world. The effects of season of the year on forage growth, grazing behavior and animal performance have also been the subject of numerous papers and reviews. However, there are few recent reviews that summarize how changes in climatic and edaphic factors influence forage quality of legumes with variable levels of condensed tannins (CT), which are important secondary compounds in …

Intake And Digestibility Of Black Locust Foliage Fed To Growing Goat Wethers, L. J. Unruh, J-M. Luginbuhl, J. P. Mueller

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Leaves of Black locust (BL, Robinia pseudoacacia), a native southeastern United States tree species known to contain substantial levels of condensed tannins, were fed to 16, four month old (20.4 kg body weight [BW]) Boer wether goats (Capra hircus hircus) to determine their effects on intake and digestibility. Four diets were stall fed in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. Diets included: (1) 100% eastern gamagrass (EGH; Tripsacum dactyloides) hay; (2) 70% EGH and 30% mixture of ground corn (GC; Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max) meal (SBM); (3) 75% …

Perspectives Of Primary Care Physicians On Acceptance And Barriers To Covid-19 Vaccination, Philip Day, Chance Strenth, Neelima Kale, F. David Schneider, Elizabeth Mayfield Arnold

Family and Community Medicine Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives of primary care physicians in Texas around vaccine acceptance and potential patient barriers to vaccination. National surveys have shown fluctuating levels of acceptance for COVID-19 vaccination, and primary care physicians could play a crucial role in increasing vaccine uptake.

DESIGN: This study employed a cross-sectional anonymous survey design to collect data using an online questionnaire. Participants were asked about vaccination practices and policies at their practice site, perceptions of patient and community acceptance and confidence in responding to patient vaccine concerns.

SETTING: From November 2020 to January 2021, family …

A Simple Method For Estimating Alfalfa Fiber Content In The Field, Reuben M. Sulc, K. A. Albrecht, V. N. Owens

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Predictive equations for alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) quality (PEAQ) based on length of the longest stem and maturity stage of the most mature stem in a sample were developed and validated for estimating neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) concentrations in alfalfa. The objective of this research was to validate PEAQ with a simplified maturity scale when estimating fiber content. Alfalfa samples varying in height and maturity were collected throughout the growing season from fields across six states in USA. Observed NDF and ADF values (determined via wet chemistry) were regressed on estimated values. The estimated …

Synthesis, Evaluation, And Characterization Of An Ergotamine Imprinted Styrene-Based Polymer For Potential Use As An Ergot Alkaloid Selective Adsorbent, Manoj B. Kudupoje, Eric S. Vanzant, Kyle R. Mcleod, Alexandros Yiannikouris

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Alkaloid toxicities negatively impact livestock health and production. To assess alkaloid occurrences, adsorbent technologies may offer effective means to their extraction and isolation from a complex feed matrix. In this study, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were synthesized and evaluated for their specificity of binding to various ergot alkaloids. Co-polymers of styrene and hydroxyethyl methacrylate were synthesized in the absence or presence of an ergotamine (ETA) template, yielding non-imprinted polymer (NIP) and molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP), respectively. The influence of parameters such as pH, temperature, and initial concentration on the adsorption of ergot alkaloids was evaluated along with their application as …

Estimation Of The Conifer-Broadleaf Ratio In Mixed Forests Based On Time-Series Data, Ranran Yang, Lei Wang, Qingjiu Tian, Nianxu Xu, Yanjun Yang

Plant and Soil Sciences Graduate Research

Most natural forests are mixed forests, a mixed broadleaf-conifer forest is essentially a heterogeneously mixed pixel in remote sensing images. Satellite missions rely on modeling to acquire regional or global vegetation parameter products. However, these retrieval models often assume homogeneous conditions at the pixel level, resulting in a decrease in the inversion accuracy, which is an issue for heterogeneous forests. Therefore, information on the canopy composition of a mixed forest is the basis for accurately retrieving vegetation parameters using remote sensing. Medium and high spatial resolution multispectral time-series data are important sources for canopy conifer-broadleaf ratio estimation because these data …

A Review Of Kentucky’S Extended-Weight Hauling Programs, P. Gayle Marks, Jon Wilcoxson, Bryan Gibson, Chris Van Dyke, Andrew Martin, Jennifer Walton, Doug Kreis

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Kentucky established its Extended Weight Coal or Coal By-products Haul Road System (EWCHRS) to increase the state’s competitiveness within the coal industry and reduce financial burdens on coal haulers. A new extended-weight haul system for unrefined petroleum products will come online in 2022. To facilitate enforcement of weight limits throughout Kentucky, this report surveys literature on how overweight vehicles affect roads and bridges, describes statutes and regulations governing weight limits in the state, discusses policies and strategies used throughout the US to handle overweight vehicles, and makes recommendations for improving extended-weight policies in Kentucky. It is apparent that pavements and …

Design Mythbusters, Christopher Van Dyke, Steve Waddle, Doug Kreis

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

When highway project designs depart from design values found in the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Highway Design Manual and AASHTO’s A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, project managers at the agency must obtain either a design exception or design variance. While designers are more comfortable with exceptions and variances than they were 10 or 20 years ago, some hesitancy remains, especially among the Cabinet’s consultants. Misperceptions about what exceptions or variances entail or about their performance may underlie this reluctance. Exceptions and variances are best conceptualized as formal justifications for design decisions. Project managers merely need …

Supplementation With Brosimum Alicastrum Swartz To Pelibuey Sheep Fed Low Quality Rations, Luis Ramírez-Avilés, V. Valdivia-Salgado, Juan C. Ku-Vera

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of the present study was to assess the influence of supplementing increasing levels of ramón (Brosimum alicastrum) foliage to Pelibuey sheep fed guinea grass (Panicum maximum) hay. Rate and extent of rumen degradation of organic matter (OM) and crude protein (CP) of ramón foliage were high. Dry matter (DM) intake of the diet was increased by the inclusion of ramón foliage. However, rate and extent of digestion of guinea grass was not affected by the ramón foliage. Rate of passage of solid was linearly increased as a result of the inclusion of ramón foliage …

Maris: Scalable Online Scenario Development Tool For Rangeland Conservancy Managers Using High Spatial-Temporal Resolution Carrying Capacity Maps And Livestock Market Data, L. G. J. Boerboom, R. O. Ohuru, A. G. Toxopeus, W. Nieuwenhuis, C. A. J. M. De Bie, P. K. Mwangi, M. L. Schouwenburg, R. L. G. Lemmens

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Although the management of livestock numbers within the bounds of carrying capacity of African rangelands is a way to manage risks, both scientists and practitioners, caution against a momentary and local use of carrying capacity as a management indicator. Carrying capacity should be seen in wider spatial and temporal/seasonal context as well as in a social and economic context. Given the large numbers of conservancies across Kenya, and its Maasai Mara region in particular, with many more landowner members, it is difficult for conservancies’ managers to contextualize phenomena such as carrying capacity and market price over space and time.

We …

Untargeted Lipidomics Of Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma Demonstrates Differentially Abundant Lipid Classes In Cancer Vs. Non-Cancer Tissue, Joshua M. Mitchell, Robert M. Flight, Hunter N. B. Moseley

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death worldwide and non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) represents 85% of newly diagnosed lung cancers. In this study, we utilized our untargeted assignment tool Small Molecule Isotope Resolved Formula Enumerator (SMIRFE) and ultra-high-resolution Fourier transform mass spectrometry to examine lipid profile differences between paired cancerous and non-cancerous lung tissue samples from 86 patients with suspected stage I or IIA primary NSCLC. Correlation and co-occurrence analysis revealed significant lipid profile differences between cancer and non-cancer samples. Further analysis of machine-learned lipid categories for the differentially abundant molecular formulas identified a high abundance sterol, …

Futurological Fodder: On Communicating The Relationship Between Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, And Employment, Michael E. Samers Dr

Geography Faculty Publications

This article examines the debate concerning the employment implications of the so-called ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ (FIR) or the increasing presence of artificial intelligence and robotics in workplaces. I analyze three ‘genres’ associated with this debate (academic studies including neo-classical and heterodox/post-human approaches, the ‘gray literature’, and popular media) and I argue that together they represent ‘futurological fodder’ or discourses and knowledges that ‘perform’ the FIR and its purported consequences. I contend further that these genres involve a complex mix of ethics and politics, and I conclude with a reflection on the political implications of the FIR debate.

Selecting The Proper Gps Guidance System For Your Operation, John M. Long

Kentucky Grazing Conference

Computers and other electronics have become commonplace on most newer agricultural equipment. Producers can now collect more information about their operation easier than ever before. Most of this information is commonly tied to the location where it was collected. GPS coordinates are the most common way producers determine this location, so selecting the proper GPS system for the job is critical. Whether a producer has not used a GPS systems and wants to find an affordable entry level guidance system or wants to upgrade to the latest model with all the bells and whistles, there are many different things that …

Precision Ag Isn’T Just For The Row Crop Guys, Christopher D. Teutsch

Kentucky Grazing Conference

Guidance utilizing the global positioning system (GPS) has long been used for various operations in row crop agriculture. However, the high price of these systems has limited use in low input forage‐livestock operations. Reduced prices and the availability of used guidance systems has the potential to increase the use of precision agriculture in ruminant operations. Currently, entry level guidance systems can be purchased for $1,000 to 2,500.

Bale Grazing: Feeding Hay The Rotational Grazing Way, Gregory S. Halich

Kentucky Grazing Conference

Imagine a hay feeding system where you did not have to use a tractor for months at a time and that allowed you to build up pasture fertility without applying commercial fertilizer. Would this be of interest to you? What if this same system also kept your cattle clean during the winter without coats caked in mud and manure, allowed you to creep graze fall‐born calves, and built up the organic matter levels in your pasture soils. Would you be even more interested? As far‐fetched as this may sound, all these benefits are possible with an innovative winter‐feeding technique called …

Mitochondrial Phenotypes In Purified Human Immune Cell Subtypes And Cell Mixtures, Shannon Rausser, Caroline Trumpff, Marlon A. Mcgill, Alex Junker, Wei Wang, Siu-Hong Ho, Anika Mitchell, Kalpita R. Karan, Catherine Monk, Suzanne C. Segerstrom, Rebecca G. Reed, Martin Picard

Psychology Faculty Publications

Using a high-throughput mitochondrial phenotyping platform to quantify multiple mitochondrial features among molecularly defined immune cell subtypes, we quantify the natural variation in mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn), citrate synthase, and respiratory chain enzymatic activities in human neutrophils, monocytes, B cells, and naïve and memory T lymphocyte subtypes. In mixed peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from the same individuals, we show to what extent mitochondrial measures are confounded by both cell type distributions and contaminating platelets. Cell subtype-specific measures among women and men spanning four decades of life indicate potential age- and sex-related differences, including an age-related elevation in mtDNAcn, …

Observed Risk And User Perception Of Road Infrastructure Safety Assessment For Cycling Mobility, Salvatore Cafiso, Giuseppina Pappalardo, Nikiforos Stamatiadis

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

The opportunities for data collection in smart cities and communities provide new approaches for assessing risk of roadway components. This paper presents and compares two different methodological approaches for cycling safety assessment of objective and perceived risk. Objective risk was derived from speed and direction profiles collected with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and camera installed on an instrumented bicycle. Safety critical events between cyclists and other road users were identified and linked to five different roadway components. A panel of experts was asked to score the severity of the safety critical events using a Delphi process to reach consensus. …

Comparisons Of Cooking, Dietary, And Food Safety Characteristics Of Food Secure And Food Insecure Sophomores At A University In Appalachia, Hannah Boone, Melissa D. Gutschall, Alisha Farris, Kimberly Fasczewski, Don Holbert, Laura Mcarthur

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Food insecurity means lacking access to adequate, nutritious, and safe food. Collegiate food insecurity rates at ten Appalachian campuses range from 22.4% to 51.8%, and have been associated with unfavorable health and academic outcomes.

Purpose: This study compared cooking, dietary, and food safety characteristics of food secure (FS) and food insecure (FI) sophomores at a university in Appalachia in the context of the USDA definition of food security.

Methods: Data were collected using an online questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential procedures compared FS and FI sophomores (p < 0.05).

Results: Participants (n = 226) were 65.0% females, 76.1% …

Perceived Hearing Loss And Availability Of Audiologists In Appalachia, Charles B. Pudrith, Ellyn Grider, Blythe Kitner

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: There is a high demand for audiologists throughout the United States. Previous research has supported an additional demand for these providers within Appalachia.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to determine if Appalachia has a disproportionally high demand for audiologists compared to the rest of the United States.

Methods: A cross-sectional retrospective study was performed with population data from the Appalachian Regional Commission, the American Academy of Audiology, and the United States Census Bureau. County-level population-weighted averages of individuals with perceived hearing loss and number of audiologists per capita were compared between Appalachian and non-Appalachian counties. …

Comments On The Holographic Description Of Narain Theories, Anatoly Dymarsky, Alfred D. Shapere

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We discuss the holographic description of Narain U(1)^c × U(1)^c conformal field theories, and their potential similarity to conventional weakly coupled gravitational theories in the bulk, in the sense that the effective IR bulk description includes “U(1) gravity” amended with additional light degrees of freedom. Starting from this picture, we formulate the hypothesis that in the large central charge limit the density of states of any Narain theory is bounded by below by the density of states of U(1) gravity. This immediately implies that the maximal value of the spectral gap for primary fields is ∆₁ = …

Evaluating Large Spontaneous Deletions In A Bovine Cell Line Selected For Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus Resistance, Aspen M. Workman, Michael P. Heaton, Dennis A. Webster, Gregory P. Harhay, Theodore S. Kalbfleisch, Timothy P. L. Smith, Shollie M. Falkenberg, Daniel F. Carlson, Tad S. Sonstegard

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Faculty Publications

Bovine viral diarrhea virus’s (BVDV) entry into bovine cells involves attachment of virions to cellular receptors, internalization, and pH-dependent fusion with endosomal membranes. The primary host receptor for BVDV is CD46; however, the complete set of host factors required for virus entry is unknown. The Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cell line is susceptible to BVDV infection, while a derivative cell line (CRIB) is resistant at the level of virus entry. We performed complete genome sequencing of each to identify genomic variation underlying the resistant phenotype with the aim of identifying host factors essential for BVDV entry. Three large compound deletions …