Digital Commons Network^™

Cancer Research Provides A Model For Advancing Clinical Trials In Dementia In The Era Of Disease-Modifying Alzheimer’S-Type Dementia Therapies, Gregory Jicha, Thomas Tucker, Susanne Arnold, Peter T. Nelson

Neurology Faculty Publications

Dementia and cancer are multifactorial, widely-feared, age-associated clinical syndromes that are increasing in prevalence. There have been major breakthroughs in clinical cancer research leading to some effective treatments, whereas the field of dementia has achieved comparatively limited success in clinical research. The lessons of cancer research may help those in the dementia research field in confronting some of the dilemmas faced when the clinical care regimen is not entirely safe or efficacious. Cancer clinical trials have assumed that untreated individuals with cancer are at high risk for morbidity and mortality after primary diagnoses. Thus, patients deserve a choice of clinical …

Estimating Socio-Economic Status For Alzheimer’S Disease Trials, D. M. Rentz, J. D. Grill, D. P. Molina-Henry, Gregory Jicha, Michael S. Rafii, A. Liu, Reisa A. Sperling, Paul Aisen, R. Raman

Neurology Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Metrics of a participant’s socioeconomic status (SES) are not routinely collected or standardized in clinical trials. This omission limits the ability to evaluate the generalizability of trial results and restricts clinicians from confidently interpreting the efficacy of new treatments across important sub-populations. METHODS: We adapted an SES measure of social disparity; the Hollingshead Two Factor Index of Social Position, which combines education and occupation into a single metric. We modernized the 1965 occupations to reflect the 2017 careers tabulated by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. We currently use this adapted measure in Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials Consortium studies. RESULTS: …

Clinical Trial Protocol For Beach: A Phase 2a Study Of Mw189 In Patients With Acute Nontraumatic Intracerebral Hemorrhage, Radhika Avadhani, Wendy C. Ziai, Richard E. Thompson, W. Andrew Mould, Karen Lane, Angeline Nanni, Michael Lacobelli, Matthew F. Sharrock, Lauren H. Sansing, Linda J. Van Eldik, Daniel F. Hanley

Neurology Faculty Publications

Patients with acute spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) develop secondary neuroinflammation and cerebral edema that can further damage the brain and lead to increased risk of neurologic complications. Preclinical studies in animal models of acute brain injury have shown that a novel small-molecule drug candidate, MW01-6-189WH (MW189), decreases neuroinflammation and cerebral edema and improves functional outcomes. MW189 was also safe and well tolerated in phase 1 studies in healthy adults. The proof-of-concept phase 2a Biomarker and Edema Attenuation in IntraCerebral Hemorrhage (BEACH) clinical trial is a first-in-patient, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. It is designed to determine the safety and tolerability …

Multiomics Analysis To Explore Blood Metabolite Biomarkers In An Alzheimer’S Disease Neuroimaging Initiative Cohort, Takaki Oka, Yuki Matsuzawa, Momoka Tsuneyoshi, Yoshitaka Nakamura, Ken Aoshima, Hiroshi Tsugawa, Alzheimer’S Disease Metabolomics Consortium

Neurology Faculty Publications

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that commonly causes dementia. Identifying biomarkers for the early detection of AD is an emerging need, as brain dysfunction begins two decades before the onset of clinical symptoms. To this end, we reanalyzed untargeted metabolomic mass spectrometry data from 905 patients enrolled in the AD Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) cohort using MS-DIAL, with 1,304,633 spectra of 39,108 unique biomolecules. Metabolic profiles of 93 hydrophilic metabolites were determined. Additionally, we integrated targeted lipidomic data (4873 samples from 1524 patients) to explore candidate biomarkers for predicting progressive mild cognitive impairment (pMCI) in patients diagnosed with AD …

Evaluating A Rapid Coaching Intervention Delivered Remotely: Teaching Naturalistic Language Strategies To A Parent Of Child With Down Syndrome, Pallie Gullett

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Parents of young children play a significant role in their child’s communication development during early childhood. Many parents of children with or at risk for disabilities could benefit from learning ways to promote their child’s communication. This study implemented a rapid coaching intervention to teach a parent of a child with Down syndrome how to implement naturalistic language strategies such as expanding on their child’s play, providing linguistic input during play, and arranging the environment to create an opportunity for their child to communicate.

Building Rural Resilience: A Rural And Farm Youth Safety And Well-Being Curriculum, Kelly Mcfarland

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

Mental health is a growing concern in today’s youth (CDC, 2023). The suicide rates in youth have been on a rise, increasing the need for mental health literacy (CDC, 2023). Mental health is often neglected in people’s lives, especially in rural areas (Boyd et al., 2008). This study answers four research questions: 1) Has the Building Rural Resilience: A Rural and Farm Youth Safety and Well-being Curriculum increased students' knowledge to recognize stress factors among rural communities and farmers? 2) Has the Building Rural Resilience: A Rural and Farm Youth Safety and Well-being Curriculum increased students' knowledge to recognize stress …

Cancer Survivorship Care In The United States At Facilities Accredited By The Commission On Cancer, Julia Stal, Kimberly A. Miller, Timothy W. Mullett, Judy C. Boughey, Amanda B. Francescatti, Elizabeth Funk, Heidi Nelson, David R. Freyer

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

IMPORTANCE Since 2021, American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC) accreditation standards require providing a survivorship program for patients with adult-onset cancer treated with curative intent. Since more than 70% of all patients with cancer in the US are treated at CoC-accredited facilities, this presents an opportunity for a landscape analysis of survivorship care availability.

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence, types, and outcomes of cancer survivorship services at CoC-accredited facilities.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This survey study used an anonymous, online, cross-sectional survey conducted from May 4 to 25, 2023. Participants were CoC-accredited facilities in the US representing diverse …

Nalfurafine Promotes Myelination In Vitro And Facilitates Recovery From Cuprizone + Rapamycin-Induced Demyelination In Mice, Ross Van De Wetering, Rabia Bibi, Andy Biggerstaff, Sheein Hong, Bria Pengelly, Thomas E. Prisinzano, Anne C. La Flamme, Bronwyn M. Kivell

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

The kappa opioid receptor has been identified as a promising therapeutic target for promoting remyelination. In the current study, we evaluated the ability of nalfurafine to promote oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) differentiation and myelination in vitro, and its efficacy in an extended, cuprizone-induced demyelination model. Primary mouse (C57BL/6J) OPC-containing cultures were treated with nalfurafine (0.6–200 nM), clemastine (0.01–100 μM), T3 (30 ng/mL), or vehicle for 5 days. Using immunocytochemistry and confocal microscopy, we found that nalfurafine treatment increased OPC differentiation, oligodendrocyte (OL) morphological complexity, and myelination of nanofibers in vitro. Adult male mice (C57BL/6J) were given a diet con- taining …

The Potential Beneficial Role Of Anti-Platelet/Anti-Coagulant Medications On Diabetic Retinopathy: A Scoping Review Protocol, Sarah Draud, Qingjun Wang, Lauren E. Robinson

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a prevalent microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus (DM, both types 1 and 2), affecting millions of individuals worldwide. DM is known to induce changes in platelet function and hemostasis, thereby elevating the risk of thrombotic incidents. The hyperglycemic environment in DM can trigger platelet hyperactivity, potentially exacerbating the onset and progression of DR. Despite the intricate pathophysiology of DR, which involves oxidative stress, inflammation, retinal neovascularization, and the disruption of the blood-retina barrier, the specific mechanisms underlying platelet hyperactivity in the microvasculature of DM patients remain inadequately explored. Antiplatelet and anticoagulation medications have proven beneficial in …

Ezh2 Inhibition Promotes Tumor Immunogenicity In Lung Squamous Cell Carcinomas, Tanner Ducote, Xiulong Song, Kassandra J. Naughton, Fan Chen, Daniel Plaugher, Avery R. Childress, Abigail R. Gellert, Erika M. Skaggs, Xufeng Qu, Jinze Liu, Jinpeng Liu, Fei Li, Kwok-Kin Wong, Christine F. Brainson

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Two important factors that contribute to resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are an immune-suppressive microenvironment and limited antigen presentation by tumor cells. In this study, we examine whether in- hibition of the methyltransferase enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) can increase ICI response in lung squamous cell carcinomas (LSCC). Our in vitro experiments using two-dimensional human cancer cell lines as well as three-dimensional murine and patient-derived organoids treated with two inhibitors of the EZH2 plus IFNγ showed that EZH2 inhibition leads to expression of both MHC class I and II (MHCI/II) expression at both the mRNA and protein levels. …

Crowdsourcing Geospatial Data For Earth And Human Observations: A Review, Xiao Huang, Siqin Wang, Di Yang, Tao Hu, Meixu Chen, Mengxi Zhang, Guiming Zhang, Filip Biljecki, Tianjun Lu, Lei Zou, Connor Y. H. Wu, Yoo Min Park, Xiao Li, Yunzhe Liu, Hongchao Fan, Jessica Mitchell, Zhenlong Li, Alexander Hohl

Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications

The transformation from authoritative to user-generated data landscapes has garnered considerable attention, notably with the proliferation of crowdsourced geospatial data. Facilitated by advancements in digital technology and high-speed communication, this paradigm shift has democratized data collection, obliterating traditional barriers between data producers and users. While previous literature has compartmentalized this subject into distinct platforms and application domains, this review offers a holistic examination of crowdsourced geospatial data. Employing a narrative review approach due to the interdisciplinary nature of the topic, we investigate both human and Earth observations through crowdsourced initiatives. This review categorizes the diverse applications of these data and …

Synthesis, Characterization, And Performance Assessment Of Reusable And Biodegradable Antimicrobial Polymeric Membranes For Aerosolized Pathogen Inactivation And Filtration, Ebuka Ogbuoji

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Air filtration technology has proven effective in purifying air by trapping particulates which can cause adverse health effects. High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, capable of capturing over 99.99% of PM_0.3, are recommended for critical applications. However, conventional non-woven HEPA filters rely on electrostatic interactions to trap smaller particles, which can deplete over time or after cleaning, reducing filtration efficiency and posing health risks. Additionally, these filters contribute to plastic waste.

This dissertation investigated the feasibility of using flat sheet polymeric membranes fabricated via nonsolvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) as reusable and biodegradable alternatives to commercially available non-biodegradable air …

Combining Spatially Fractionated Radiation Therapy (Sfrt) And Immunotherapy Opens New Rays Of Hope For Enhancing Therapeutic Ratio, Qiuxia Lu, Weisi Yan, Alan Zhu, Slavisa Tubin, Waleed F. Mourad, Jun Yang

Radiation Medicine Faculty Publications

Spatially Fractionated Radiation Therapy (SFRT) is a form of radiotherapy that delivers a single large dose of radiation within the target volume in a heterogeneous pattern with regions of peak dosage and regions of under dosage. SFRT types can be defined by how the heterogeneous pattern of radiation is obtained. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been approved for various malignant tumors and are widely used to treat patients with metastatic cancer. The efficacy of ICI monotherapy is limited due to the “cold” tumor microenvironment. Fractionated radiotherapy can achieve higher doses per fraction to the target tumor, and induce immune activation …

Multivariate Model Of Road Crashes For Vulnerable Users, Jonathan Agüero-Valverde, Darío Vargas Aguilar

Kentucky Transportation Center Presentations

No abstract provided.

Unintended Consequences: Changes In Driver Behavior Associated With The Adoption Of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, Nischal Gupta, Peter T. Savolainen

Kentucky Transportation Center Presentations

Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are a disruptive precursor to fully autonomous vehicles (AVs), which will have far-reaching impacts on the nature of travel. With various ADAS features becoming increasingly common in vehicles, some unintended changes in driving behavior are expected including engaging in more risk-taking behavior while driving. To that end, the present study utilizes survey-based data of 1,000 Michigan adults and investigates the likelihood of drivers engaging in three different driving behaviors- cell phone use, consumption of alcohol, and tailgating when driving a vehicle with collision alert systems by means of multivariate ordered probit regression analysis. Results showed …

Long-Term Cardiometabolic Effects Of Preconceptional And Prenatal Opioid Exposure In The Adult Offspring, Nermin Hassan Mohamed Selim Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Opioid use disorder (OUD), one of the greatest public health threats in the US, requires urgent attention. In 2022, the CDC reported 107,941 overdose deaths, over 70% attributed to synthetic opioids such as fentanyl (FEN). An alarming increase in opioid use disorder (OUD) diagnoses in pregnant people resulted in a 5-fold rise in cases of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS). This condition elicits sympathetic overactivity, neural hyperexcitability, and a stress reaction characterized by tachycardia and hypertension. Whether prenatal exposure to fentanyl induces cardiovascular dysfunction in the offspring remains undetermined, impeding the timely development of strategies to mitigate OUD-related health risks …

Using Agency Data For Research Development, Lou Hurst

Research Analytics Summit 2024

This session will explore ways to locate, analyze, and present sponsor-provided data to guide research development. Individual investigators, who may be proposing to a funder for the first time, often want to know about funding success rates, as well as more nuanced insight into the kinds of projects agencies tend to favor. They may also benefit from insight into changing workforce demographics and career trajectories in their discipline. At the departmental and institutional level, leadership seeks information about trends in funding availability and mechanisms, and in patterns of grants made, to better position themselves for these opportunities. As a research …

Making The Most Of What You Have: Data To Optimize Space And Achieve Research Goals, Paul Leef

Research Analytics Summit 2024

Every institution has a strategic goal for more research funding and results. The drive for funding is inextricably tied to competition for top researchers, and competition for researchers is directly related to investments in and optimization of research space on university campuses. The case for focusing on space is critical when you expect each lab to produce $1 million or more in expenditures every 4 years. How can you use data analytics to optimize space allocation for research? How can you creatively use under-utilized spaces for short- and long-term research investments? This session will discuss Carnegie R2 and R1 and …

Introducing A ‘Research Impact Roadmap’ In A Young University: Challenges And Opportunities, Roopa Rajashekar

Research Analytics Summit 2024

‘Research Impact’ as a defined concept is expanding and garnering more attention globally. What was once positioned more narrowly and often confused with basic outcomes reporting has since risen to a primary focus for sponsor agencies across all stages of R&D. Hence, building a comprehensive research impact framework provides a critical map for universities to strengthen the R&D ecosystems in which it engages in innumerable ways.

Khalifa University of Science and Technology (KU), located in Abu Dhabi, UAE, is a relatively a young university, by Times Higher Education definition). Even so, KU ranked 238 in the QS World University Rankings …

Generating Impact Narratives With Ai, Sean Newell, Charity Elifritz

Research Analytics Summit 2024

Senior academic leaders face mounting pressure to communicate academic impact to various stakeholders, including faculty, students, funding bodies, government agencies, and the media. However, assessing impact extends beyond traditional bibliometrics, encompassing influence on policy, culture, environment, and technology, making it complex to define and measure. Moreover, the interpretation of research impact can vary significantly depending on the perspective. In this discussion, we explore how Elsevier leverages AI to integrate quantitative metrics and qualitative narratives, offering a comprehensive approach to addressing the nuanced challenge of understanding and quantifying research impact. Through real-world examples, we demonstrate the efficacy of this approach and …

Correction: Patton Witt, R.; Guzman, M.I. Coal Ash Triggers An Elevated Temperature Landfill Development: Lessons From The Bristol Virginia Solid Waste Landfill Neighboring Community. Environments 2024, 11, 201, Reagan Witt, Marcelo I. Guzman

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Correction to: Environments 2024, 11, 201, https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11090201

Building Sustainable Community-Academic Partnerships While Implementing A Nutrition-Based Blackberry Garden Program At A Senior Center, Dawn Brewer, Annie Koempel, Abbey L. Moellering, Tammy Stephenson, Amy Kostelic, Julie Plasencia, Alexis Sheffield, Ben Guerrant, Alethia Price

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Due to limited access to and low consumption of fruits and vege- tables, older adults are at increased risk of worsening or developing chronic diseases. This paper describes a community-academic partnership that provides a sustainable source of blackberries to attendees of a rural senior center. Qualitative research evaluated the partnership following implementation of a blackberry program. Focus groups and interviews included partners from a senior cen- ter, Cooperative Extension Service, and a detention center. Main themes: group power dynamics influenced communication between research and community leadership teams; unexpected project barriers emerged; and community leadership team sug- gested strategies to promote …

The Impact Of Dissolved Organic Matter On Photodegradation Rates, Byproduct Formations, And Degradation Pathways For Two Neonicotinoid Insecticides In Simulated River Waters, Josephus F. Borsuah, Tiffany L. Messer, Daniel D. Snow, Steven D. Comfort, Shannon Bartelt-Hunt

UK CARES Faculty Publications

The influences of dissolved organic matter (DOM) on neonicotinoid photochemical degradation and product formation in natural waters remain unclear, potentially impacting the sustainability of river systems. Therefore, our overall objective was to investigate the photodegradation mechanisms and phototransformation byproducts of two neonicotinoid pesticides, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, under simulated sunlight at the microcosm scale, to assess the implications of DOM for insecticide degradation in rivers. Direct and indirect photolysis were investigated using twelve water matrices to identify possible reaction pathways with two DOM sources and three quenching agents. Imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, and potential degradants were measured, and reaction pathways identified. The photodegradation …

Physiological Adaptation/Phenotypic Plasticity: A Vital Core Concept From The Medical And Health Care Perspective, Thad E. Wilson, Kristen Metzler-Wilson

UK CARES Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Flexible Attenuation Fields: Tomographic Reconstruction From Heterogeneous Datasets, Clifford S. Parker

Theses and Dissertations--Computer Science

Traditional reconstruction methods for X-ray computed tomography (CT) are highly constrained in the variety of input datasets they admit. Many of the imaging settings -- the incident energy, field-of-view, effective resolution -- remain fixed across projection images, and the only real variance is in the detector's position and orientation with respect to the scene. In contrast, methods for 3D reconstruction of natural scenes are extremely flexible to the geometric and photometric properties of the input datasets, readily accepting and benefiting from images captured under varying lighting conditions, with different cameras, and at disparate points in time and space. Extending CT …

“Your Legs Don’T Look All That Good” An Analysis Of Impoliteness And Politeness In Individuals With Traumatic Brain Injuries In The Workplace, Grace Kozal

Theses and Dissertations--Communication Sciences and Disorders

Background: Social communication disorders are a common outcome from traumatic brain injury (TBI). This social communication disorder can be seen through impolite speech acts during conversation. While politeness is a social norm for workplace discourse, instances of impoliteness may have poor consequences. This research explores the use of impoliteness in persons with TBI within computer generated work-based conditions.

Methods: Language samples from the Voicemail Elicitation Task (VET) and Feedback/Advice Spoken Task (FAST) were transcribed word-for-word. Transcripts from all 62 participants were coded for impoliteness using a developed Impoliteness Codebook and were analyzed to identify significant differences in the number of …

Profiles Of Satisfaction And Frustration Of Undergraduate General Chemistry Students’ Basic Psychological Needs At The Beginning And End Of The Semester, Cara E. Worick

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

The early college years represent an adjustment period characterized by motivational destabilization and academic and career-related uncertainty for many STEM majors (Robinson et al., 2019). Although students who begin college less academically prepared than their peers are at greater risk of struggling in introductory STEM courses, many still struggle in these courses despite adequate academic preparation (Perez et al., 2014). Self-determination theory proposes that motivation, optimal functioning, and psychological well-being occur through the satisfaction, as opposed to the frustration, of three basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness (Ryan & Deci, 2020). Although many studies in educational settings demonstrate …

Knowledge, Experiences, And Perceptions Of Medications For Opioid Use Disorder Among Black Kentuckians, Paris B. Wheeler, Brittany Miller-Roenigk, Jasmine Jester, Danelle Stevens-Watkins

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Opioid overdoses have continued to increase at higher rates among Black Americans compared to people from other racial groups. Despite demonstrated effectiveness of MOUD in reducing risk of opioid overdose, Black Americans face decreased access to and uptake of MOUD. the current study aimed to examine the knowledge, perceptions, and experiences with MOUD among a sample of Black adults who use prescription opioids nonmedically in order to inform tailored efforts to improve MOUD uptake.

Methods: Data were derived from a larger study assessing cultural and structural influences on drug use and drug treatment among people who use prescription opioids …

Population Burden Of Rare Infectious And Inflammatory Diseases Of The Heart, Meera Marji

Theses and Dissertations--Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Rare diseases of the heart, such as infective endocarditis (IE), myocarditis, and pericarditis, have earned limited attention in cardiovascular research despite their potential for severe morbidity and mortality. Amidst the opioid crisis in the United States, there has been a notable increase in endocarditis hospitalizations among people who inject drugs. Kentucky, at the epicenter of the opioid epidemic, lacks available data on IE hospitalizations. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced unprecedented challenges to healthcare systems, influencing hospitalizations and healthcare utilization patterns. While trends before, during, and after the pandemic have been extensively studied for common cardiovascular diseases, such as heart …

Beer, Robert Yokel

Aluminum in Beverages and Foods: A Compilation

No abstract provided.