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Development Of Strategies To Minimize The Release Of Trace Elements From Coal Waste Sources, Mohammad Rezaee

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

To assess strategies aimed at minimizing the release of trace elements and the impact of disposal of coal waste materials on the environment, two long-term leaching experiments of up to five months duration were performed using waste materials from two plants cleaning high and low sulfur bituminous coal. The tests evaluated the mobility of major trace elements under different disposal scenarios: (i) a static leaching test designed to simulate the quiescent conditions encountered by coal waste material stored under water in a stable impoundment, and (ii) a dynamic test to simulate waste materials exposed to the atmosphere, either in variable …

Is Densified Biomass Fuel From Agro-Forestry Waste A Sustainable Energy Option?, William A. Linnig Iii

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Raw biomass material is bulky, high in void fraction, and very low in transportation efficiency. Furthermore, biomass dissipates quickly in harsh environments of high heat furnaces because of its relatively low calorific value (BTU/lb) and has grinding or size degradation properties highly dissimilar from commonly-used fossil fuels like coal. Therefore, the development of transformational technologies are necessary to convert raw biomass into high-value and useful products of high hardness and calorific value without requiring excessive process energy.

This thesis investigates the sustainability of densified biomass fuels. In addition, a procedure that converts raw biomass from agro/forest industry waste into a …

A New Metric-Based Lca Method For Assessing The Sustainability Performance Of Metallic Automotive Components, Xiangxue Zhang

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

This thesis presents a new metric-based Life-cycle Assessment (LCA) method for assessing the sustainability performance of metallic automotive components. The unique feature of this research work include the development and use of a metrics-based product sustainability index (ProdSI) methodology by considering the total life-cycle approach and the triple bottom line (TBL) with the 6R methodology. It has been shown that the manufactured product’s sustainability performance can be comprehensively assessed using this new methodology. The major focus of this research is the integration of the 6R activities (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, Redesign and Remanufacture). Four life-cycle stages of the …

Finite Element Analysis Of Cancellous Bone, Lucas T. Wilkerson

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

A variety of pathologies exist which increase the likelihood of bone fracture. Present methods for determining the fracture risk of a specific patient are based exclusively on the amount of bone present. While the quantity of bone tissue is correlated with strength, it neglects to account for bone’s intricate microarchitecture. To assess the effect of bone quality on strength, a methodology was developed for the structural analysis of cancellous bone biopsies. Thirty biopsies were selected from a pre-existing biopsy bank, and scanned using a SCANCO µCT-40 at a resolution of 30 microns. Cortical bone was removed from the resulting three-dimensional …

Design And Flight Testing Of A Warping Wing For Autonomous Flight Control, Edward Brady Doepke

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Inflatable-wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have the ability to be packed in a fraction of their deployed volume. This makes them ideal for many deployable UAV designs, but inflatable wings can be flexible and don’t have conventional control surfaces. This thesis will investigate the use of wing warping as a means of autonomous control for inflatable wings. Due to complexities associated with manufacturing inflatable structures a new method of rapid prototyping deformable wings is used in place of inflatables to decrease cost and design-cycle time. A UAV testbed was developed and integrated with the warping wings and flown in a …

Applying Specific Arts Activities To Improve The Quality Of Life For Individuals With Alzheimer’S Disease And Dementia, Ann Christianson Tietyen

Theses and Dissertations--Art and Visual Studies

This study examined the effectiveness of a combination of seven different visual art activities, hat decoration, collage, embossing, painting, ceramics, photography, and printmaking, on quality of life for eight veterans with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The eight veterans were selected from the population of residents at the Thomson‐ Hood Veterans facility in Wilmore, Kentucky. These veterans were administered the seven art activities mentioned above, which ranged from less difficult to increasing difficulty. Three standard self‐reporting instruments, the Quality of Life‐AD, the Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale, and the Smiley‐Face Mood Assessment, as well as systematic observation and surveys were used to explore …

A Comparison Of Group Versus Individual Therapy On The Output Of Appropriate Utterances In A Six-Year-Old Girl With Autism: A Case Study, Mckinzie Craig Sheridan

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Children with autism spectrum disorders typically experience language deficits in multiple areas, including form, content, and use. These children often receive speech therapy with individual sessions (one child and clinician), group sessions (several children), or a combination of both. Although research has deemed individual therapy successful, there is still debate regarding the success of group therapy, and there is virtually no literature examining a comparison between individual and group therapy. The current case-study investigated the relative effectiveness of individual versus group therapy for one six-year-old female with moderate autism spectrum disorder. The child underwent ten alternating therapy sessions of similar …

Effects Of Proximal Stability Training On Sport Performance And Proximal Stability Measures, Thomas Gerard Palmer

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Proximal stability, or the ability to stabilize and actively control the spine, pelvis and trunk, has been reported to influence sport performance. Traditional training practices for the proximal segments have had little success improving sport performance. The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the effects a sport specific proximal stability training program can have on throwing velocity and measures of muscular endurance and power which target the proximal segments of the pelvis, spine and trunk.

A stratified randomized clinical trial was implemented with a pre- to post-intervention design. Forty-six healthy, Division III collegiate female softball (n=17) and male baseball …

Environmental Influences On Occupational Therapy Practice, Camille L. Skubik-Peplaski

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Rehabilitation hospitals serve to foster a client’s independence in preparation to return home after an injury or insult. Having space in rehabilitation environments that is home-like and supportive for each client can facilitate participation in occupations and assist in learning and practicing the skills needed to transition to home. Yet, typically occupational therapists provide interventions to clients in therapy gyms with exercise and impairment based equipment. Currently the stroke population is changing and identifying the optimal rehabilitation environment is imperative to guide occupational therapy practice. This dissertation contains three studies relating to the rehabilitation environment and occupational therapy interventions. The …

Reconstruction Of Nigrostriatal Pathway In An Animal Model Of Parkinson's Disease, Chen Zhang

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

Parkinson's disease is characterized by progressive degeneration of substantia nigra (SN) and subsequently loss of the nigrostriatal circuit. Many strategies have attempted to reconstruct this circuit but failed to satisfy clinical trials. The inhibitory environment of the adult CNS and the long distance between the SN and the striatum make true reconstruction difficult. To reconstruct this circuit, we used a transplant-pathway targeting model. Several putative pathway targeting molecules were examined for their ability to direct the growth of axons from a dopaminergic transplant. For a proof-of-principle study, adenoviral and lentiviral encoded glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), GDNF-receptor alpha1 (GFRa1 …

Symptom Assessment And Management In Patients With Heart Failure, Kyoung Suk Lee

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

Patients with heart failure (HF) must monitor and recognize escalating symptoms to manage worsening HF in a timely manner. However, routine symptom monitoring is not commonly performed by this population.

Providing a symptom diary along with an education and counseling session may help HF patients promote symptom monitoring and interpretation. The accumulated information about changes in daily symptoms will allow patients to easily compare current symptom status to the past without depending on memory and can rapidly capture worsening HF. To date, few studies have tested the effect of a daily symptom diary.

The purpose of this dissertation was to …

Medically Ill Smokers And Planning To Quit, Audrey Darville

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and is the cause of nearly 1 in 5 deaths in the United States. The prevalence of smoking has had a leveling off effect after many years of significant decline. Certain subgroups of the population, such as those with low income and certain illnesses, continue to smoke at disproportionately high rates. Reasons for these disparities in smoking rates are complex. Developing a better understanding of the issues related to persistent smoking particularly for those with medical illness and limited access to cessation resources can help focus interventions to help these high …

Chronic Opioid Use In Fibromyalgia Syndrome: Characteristics And Outcomes, Jacob T. Painter

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic pain condition with significant societal and personal burdens of illness. Chronic opioid therapy in the treatment of chronic nonmalignant pain has increased drastically over the past decade. This is a worrisome trend in general, but specifically, given the pathophysiologic characteristics seen in fibromyalgia syndrome patients, the use of this class of medication deserves special scrutiny. Although the theoretical case against this therapy choice is strong, little empirical evidence exists. In order to supplement this literature, retrospective analysis methods are utilized to examine the association of state-, provider-, and patient level characteristics with the prevalence …

Discovery Of Gz-793a, A Novel Vmat2 Inhibitor And Potential Pharmacotherapy For Methamphetamine Abuse, David B. Horton

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Methamphetamine abuse is a serious public health concern affecting millions of people worldwide, and there are currently no viable pharmacotherapies to treat methamphetamine abuse. Methamphetamine increases extracellular dopamine (DA) concentrations through an interaction with the DA transporter (DAT) and the vesicular monoamine transporter-2 (VMAT2), leading to reward and abuse. While numerous studies have focused on DAT as a target for the discovery of pharmacotherapies to treat psychostimulant abuse, these efforts have been met with limited success. Taking into account the fact that methamphetamine interacts with VMAT2 to increase DA extracellular concentrations; the focus of the current work was to develop …

Molecular Mechanisms Of Thromboxane A2 Receptor-Mediated Invasion In Lung Cancer Cells, Xiuling Li

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Thromboxane A2 receptor (TP) has been shown to play important roles in multiple aspects of cancer development including regulation of tumor growth, survival and metastasis. Molecular mechanisms of TP mediated cancer cell invasion remain to be identified. TP agonist, I-BOP, significantly elevated several matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) including MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-9 and MMP-10 in A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells overexpressing TPα (A549-TPα) or TPβ (A549-TPβ). Signaling pathways of I-BOP-induced MMP-1 expression were examined in further detail as a model system for MMPs induction. Signaling molecules involved in I-BOP-induced MMP-1 expression were identified by using specific inhibitors including small interfering (si)-RNAs of …

Localization And Functional Characterization Of Oatp4c1 Transporter In In Vitro Cell Systems And Human/Rat Tissues, Kuei-Ling Kuo

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

The organic anion transporting polypeptide 4c1 (Oatp4c1) was previously identified as a novel uptake transporter predominantly expressed at the basolateral membrane in the rat kidney proximal tubules. Its functional role was suggested to be a vectorial transport partner of an apically-expressed efflux transporter for the efficient translocation of physiological substrates into urine, some of which were suggested to be uremic toxins. In vitro studies in polarized cell lines showed that upon transfection rat Oatp4c1 localizes at the apical membrane. The objectives of this project were to further validate the subcellular localization of Oatp4c1/OATP4C1 in rat and human tissues as well …

Influence Of Oncotype Dx® On Chemotherapy Prescribing In Early Stage Breast Cancer Patients: A Claims-Based Evaluation Of Utilization In The Real World, Kenneth Neil Kennedy

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

The decision for adjuvant therapy in women with early stage breast cancer (ESBC) has historically been guided by the presence or absence of specific biological markers (hormone and HER2 receptors), age, and extent of nodal involvement. Oncotype DX® is a validated assay that quantifies protein expression that can predict the risk of cancer recurrence. This study evaluates if the use of Oncotype DX® impacts chemotherapy prescribing in ESBC. This retrospective, cohort study identified patients with ESBC from a large commercially insured population from January 2007 through June 2009. Patients were identified as having ESBC by utilizing procedure and diagnosis codes …

Role Of Alternative Macrophage Activation In Mediating Fibrosis In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Pneumonia, Susan Elizabeth Birket

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Patients with cystic fibrosis who are infected with the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa have shown favorable responses to the drug azithromycin (AZM). This drug works in an anti-inflammatory capacity, improving clinical outcomes and improving quality of life in this population. The drug has also been shown to affect macrophage polarization by shifting these cells away from an inflammatory phenotype toward an alternatively activated anti-inflammatory phenotype. The full impact of this phenotypic change is not well understood in the context of the response to P. aeruginosa infection, or the overall immune response in cystic fibrosis.

To understand how the AZM-polarized macrophage affects …

Nanocrystals Of Chemotherapeutic Agents For Cancer Theranostics: Development And In Vitro And In Vivo Evaluation, Christin P. Hollis

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

The majority of pharmacologically active chemotherapeutics are poorly water soluble. Solubilization enhancement by the utilization of organic solvents often leads to adverse side effects. Nanoparticle-based cancer therapy, which is passively targeted to the tumor tissue via the enhanced permeation and retention effect, has been vastly developed in recent years. Nanocrystals, which exist as crystalline and carry nearly 100% drug loading, has been explored for delivering antineoplastic agents. Additionally, the hybrid nanocrystal concept offers a novel and simple way to integrate imaging agents into the drug crystals, enabling the achievement of theranostics. The overall objective of this dissertation is to formulate …

Role Of Cyclooxygenase-2 In Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms In Mice, Kamalika Mukherjee

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a chronic inflammatory disease with no available pharmacological treatment. AAA formation reduces the structural integrity of the vessel and increases the susceptibility to rupture. The inflammatory response within human aneurysmal tissue is characterized by increased expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Similarly, in a mouse model of the disease induced by chronic Angiotensin II (AngII) infusion, we have shown that COX-2 expression in the abdominal aortic smooth muscle layer increases early in the development of the disease. Furthermore, genetic or pharmacological inactivation of COX-2 prior to disease initiation reduces AAA incidence.

The current study utilized nonhyperlipidemic mice …

Glycerolipids And The Plant Cuticle Contribute To Plant Immunity, Qing-Ming Gao

Theses and Dissertations--Plant Pathology

The conserved metabolites, oleic acid (18:1), a major monounsaturated fatty acid (FA), and glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) are obligatory precursors of glycerolipid biosynthesis in plants. In Arabidopsis, the SSI2-encoded SACPD is the major isoform that contributes to 18:1 biosynthesis. Signaling induced upon reduction in oleic acid (18:1) levels not only upregulates salicylic acid (SA)-mediated responses but also inhibits jasmonic acid (JA)- inducible defenses. I examined the transcription profile of ssi2 plants and identified two transcription factors, WRKY50 and WRKY51. Although the ssi2 wrky50 and ssi2 wrky51 plants were constitutively upregulated in SA-derived signaling, they were restored in JAdependent defense signaling. Not only …

Modeling Movement Behavior And Road Crossing In The Black Bear Of South Central Florida, Joseph Maddox Guthrie

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

We evaluated the influence of a landscape dominated by agriculture and an extensive road network on fine-scale movements of black bears (Ursus americanus) in south-central Florida. The objectives of this study were to (1) define landscape functionality including corridor use by the directionality and speed of bear movements, (2) to develop a model reflecting selected habitat characteristics during movements, (3) to identify habitat characteristics selected by bears at road-crossing locations, and (3) to develop and evaluate a predictive model for road-crossing locations based on habitat characteristics. We assessed models using GPS data from 20 adult black bears (9 …

Ingestion Of Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue Seed Induces Peripheral Vasoconstriction But Does Not Affect Cyclicity In Non-Pregnant Mares, And A Population Of Biogenic Amine Receptors Relative To Vasoconstriction Is Identified, Daniel Andrew Hestad

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Three experiments were conducted to explore the effect of fescue toxicosis on vasoconstriction and various parameters of the estrous cycle. In the experiment of Chapter 3, a 2x2 crossover experimental design with repeated measures was implemented to test whether the ingestion of endophyte-infected tall fescue seed would alter blood hormone concentrations of prolactin, progesterone, and estradiol, interovulatory intervals, and corpus luteum blood flow. Also, Doppler ultrasonography was used to assess whether palmar artery and palmar vein lumen diameter, area, circumference, and resistivity index could be altered by the ingestion of endophyte-infected tall fescue seed. Ingestion of endophyte-infected tall fescue seed …

Economic And Policy Implications Of Forest-Based Bioenergy Production In Kentucky, Jonathan Franklin Catron

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

Interest in using woody biomass from forestlands for energy production has reemerged in recent years. In Kentucky, bioenergy has great potential to help reduce reliance on fossil fuels. However, questions still remain about economic and other social effects associated with forest-based bioenergy production. This study investigates some of the economic implications of harvesting woody biomass for bioenergy production alongside traditional forest products in Kentucky. Results show that forest-based bioenergy can increase financial return to nonindustrial private forest owners. This study also investigates social impacts and drivers of forest-based bioenergy in Kentucky. Results indicate that a variety of issues will have …

Private Landowner Intent To Supply Forest Biomass For Energy In Kentucky, Zachary John Leitch

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

The Commonwealth of Kentucky is taking steps to expand bioenergy production in response to federal policy initiatives as well as environmental and energy security concerns. The success of this industry will be impacted by the supply of feedstock available from private individuals who own a majority (78%) of forest resources in the state. Despite a developing body of bioenergy research, little is known concerning the social availability of forest biomass for energy production. This study measures intent to harvest energy wood among family forest owners using a mail-­‐based survey and tests the effect of educational materials provided to participants. The …

A Hydrologic Characterization Of Three Headwater Mountain Wetlands In Eastern Kentucky, Usa, Catherine Hoy

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

Three small (< 1 ha) mountain wetlands located in eastern Kentucky, host populations of two rare orchids, the white fringeless orchid, Platanthera integrilabia, and the crested yellow orchid, Platanthera cristata. Recently, concern has arisen about the persistence of the orchids. To better understand these wetlands and determine if hydrology is affecting the orchid populations, a hydrologic characterization study was initiated in 2009. Each wetland was equipped with a well nest consisting of piezometers, tensiometers, and a shallow well with a data logging pressure transducer. Chemistry and stable isotopes analysis (deuterium and ¹⁸O) of groundwater and precipitation were analyzed, and soil, topographic and channel cross-section surveys were conducted. Hydrology data suggest the primary source of water …

The Transmission Dynamics Of Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 (Ehv-1) Infection In Outbreaks Characterized Predominately By Neurologic Or Respiratory Illness, Barry Jay Meade

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Formalized epidemiological field investigations were conducted to compare and contrast the transmission dynamics of EHV-1 neurological disease among horses stabled at Churchill Downs Racetrack, Louisville, Kentucky and of EHV-1 respiratory illness among horses stabled in the student barn at Murray State University. Differences were assessed by means of statistical and mathematical modeling techniques applied to survey and biological data collected over the course of the respective disease events.

Regression methods applied to survey data enabled the construction of a statistical model to predict a date of onset of illness for horses within each equine cohort. Comparisons of the epidemic curves …

Breeding Induced Endometritis In The Mare: The Local Innate Immune Response, Elizabeth Moran Woodward

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Uterine inflammation after breeding is considered necessary for the clearance of excess semen and debris from the uterus. A subpopulation of mares fails to clear the inflammation in a timely fashion, and develops a persistent breeding induced endometritis (PBIE). Experiments were preformed to evaluate correlations of PBIE to endometrial quality and age. Mares of advanced age and poor endometrial quality had a higher incidence of PBIE. In addition, mares fluctuated in susceptibility to PBIE from one season to the next. The uterine inflammatory gene expression in susceptible and resistant mares within the first 24 hours after breeding was investigated. The …

Development Of Molecular Diagnostic Assays For Equine Respiratory Viruses And Analysis Of The Role Of Equine Arteritis Virus Envelope Proteins In The Early Events Of Virus Entry, Zhengchun Lu

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

There is an urgent need for detection of viral respiratory pathogens to identify the causal agent(s) involved and to prevent the spread of related diseases. The first part of this dissertation focuses on development, optimization and validation of Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) assays for the detection of several common equine viral pathogens: equine arteritis virus (EAV), equine influenza virus and equine rhinitis viruses A and B. Emphasis of the second part of this dissertation is on studying the role of EAV envelope proteins in virus attachment and entry. Using an infectious cDNA clone of EAV and reverse …

Effectiveness Of Elevated Skid Trail Headwater Stream Crossings In The Cumberland Plateau, Christopher D. Reeves

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

One of the primary concerns associated with timber harvesting is the production of sediments from stream crossings. While research has shown that using improved haul road crossings can mitigate sediment production in perennial streams compared to the use of unimproved crossings little research has been undertaken on temporary skidder crossings of headwater streams, a situation common to a significant percentage of ground skidding operations. This experiment consisted of a controlled replicated testing of the effectiveness of four types of temporary skidder stream crossings (unimproved ford, corrugated culvert, wood panel skidder bridge, and PVC pipe bundle) relative to bedload and suspended …