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Fluctuations In Alcohol Impairment Of Working Memory Across The Menstrual Cycle, William Mcgarrigle

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Behavioral endocrinology studies in women suggest that higher circulating levels of the ovarian sex hormone estradiol (E2) may be linked to better working memory performance, especially under conditions of cognitive impairment (e.g., age-related cognitive decline). Phases of the menstrual cycle characterized by different levels of E2 may therefore influence the degree to which women are vulnerable to alcohol impairment of working memory. The current thesis used a within-subjects design to test the hypothesis that women are less sensitive to acute alcohol-induced impairment of working memory when E2 is elevated during the menstrual cycle. A sample of 75 premenopausal women completed …

Disinhibition And Bac Estimation As Predictors Of Risky Driving Behavior While Intoxicated, Sarah Heymsfeld

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Alcohol-related driving fatalities persist as a public health problem in the United States. Recent studies have begun focusing on driver risk-taking as a factor in DUI occurrences and consequent driving fatalities. Key factors that could contribute to risky intoxicated driving are a lack of self-awareness concerning intoxication levels and consequent risk in addition to alcohol-induced increases in the driver’s impulsivity. Fifty young adult drivers received 0.65 g/kg of alcohol (target BAC = 80 mg/dl) or a placebo in a counterbalanced order on two different days and performed a simulated driving test that measured driver risk-taking as reduced distance to other …

Power Of Perception: The Role Of Perceived Caregiver Mindset Beliefs On Undergraduate Student Academic Engagement, Katherine R. Tanaka

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Promoting academic engagement is vital for college student success. Researchers have explored factors like growth mindset, the belief that intelligence can improve with effort, as a driver of academic engagement. Beyond personal mindset, students’ perceptions of key social influences, such as caregivers, also play a role. This study examined how undergraduate students’ own mindsets and perceptions of their caregivers’ mindsets relate to four components of academic engagement: behavioral and emotional engagement, and behavioral and emotional disaffection. Data from undergraduates (N = 1417) were analyzed using surveys, descriptive statistics, hierarchical regression, and exploratory moderation. Students generally reported both a personal …

Cognitive-Behavioral Effects And Sex Differences In Alcohol Use, Mia Radevski

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Addiction models (e.g., iRISA model) suggest that excessive substance use can result in behavioral consequences such as decreased response inhibition and increased salience attribution toward alcohol cues. The primary goal of this project was to explore potential sex differences in these characteristics of addiction. This dissertation is comprised of two separate but related studies. Study 1 investigated sex differences in inhibitory control and attentional bias. The central hypotheses are 1) women who reported heavy-drinking would display greater disruptions in behavioral inhibitory control following alcohol-related cues, 2) men who reported heavy-drinking would display greater attentional bias toward alcohol-related cues, and 3) …

Establishing The Feasibility Of Crowdsourcing To Study Value-Based Decision-Making In Substance Use Disorders, Thomas Shellenberg

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are characterized by repeated choices to use drugs despite adverse consequences. Value-based decision-making theory posits that choices are guided by predicted values of available options which are updated based on outcomes. Computational modeling of reinforcement learning (RL) during choice tasks has shown promise for uncovering latent mechanisms of decision-making. Recruiting people with SUD is difficult, but crowdsourcing offers an alternative for accelerating data collection. However, the validity of computational modeling using online choice task data has not been well-established. This thesis aimed to use the online crowdsourcing platform Prolific to 1) compare online and in-person choice …

Menstrual Cycle Phase And Hormonal Effects On Emotional Eating In Females With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Urveesha Nirjar

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Previous research has shown that cyclical fluctuations in ovarian hormones can predict changes in ADHD symptoms as well as eating behaviors, particularly emotional eating across the menstrual cycle. Previous studies have so far only examined the effects of estrogen (E2), progesterone (P4) and cycle phase in predicting individual symptoms or disorders such as ADHD or eating disorders or related behaviors separately. The aim of this study is to examine how emotional eating is influenced by naturally occurring hormonal and cycle changes in a sample overrecruited for ADHD. Seventy-eight individuals (assigned female at birth) with menstrual cycles overrecruited for ADHD provided …

Mediation By Fatalism Of The Association Between Symptom Burden And Self-Care Management In Patients With Heart Failure, Ashmita Thapa, Misook L. Chung, Jia-Rong Wu, Abigail Latimer, Terry A. Lennie, Gia Mudd-Martin, Chin-Yen Lin, Jessica Harman Thompson, Junghee Kang, Debra K. Moser

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Background: Clinicians and researchers often assume that symptom burden is associated with self-care management (SCM) in patients with heart failure (HF). However, that association is often not borne out in simple regression analyses and may be because another variable mediates the association. Fatalism is an appropriate candidate for mediation and is the belief that circumstances are predetermined without opportunity for control by individuals.

Objective: Our objective was to determine whether fatalism mediated the relationship of symptom burden with SCM among adults with HF.

Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis (N = 95) from a clinical trial. We used Self-care of …

Bundle For Quantifying Vaginal Blood Loss After Childbirth, Mariana Torreglosa Ruiz, Nayara Freitas Azevedo, Cynthya Viana De Resende, Maria Paula Custódio Silva, Divanice Contim, Luciano Marques Dos Santos, Monika Wernet, Ana Linares

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Objective: To construct and validate the content of a bundle to quantify vaginal blood loss after childbirth.

Methods: This is a methodological study developed from February to August 2022, divided into bibliographic survey, instrument construction and content validity, by 14 experts. The instrument for validity consisted of 11 items selected from a systematic review. For each item in the bundle, a Likert scale was applied, and to check agreement among experts, the Concordance Index was calculated. Items with agreement above 80% were considered valid. Content validity was carried out in a single round of assessment.

Results: The final version of …

Mediators Of The Association Between Cognitive Function And Self-Care Behaviors In Patients Hospitalized With An Exacerbation Of Heart Failure, Jia-Rong Wu, Chin-Yen Lin, Abigail Latimer, Muna Hassan Hammash, Debra K. Moser

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Background: Patients with heart failure (HF) must engage in self-care, yet their self-care is often poor. Cognitive function commonly is impaired in HF and is associated with poor self-care. Heart failure knowledge and self-care confidence also are needed to preform self-care. Few investigators have examined mediators of the association of cognitive function with self-care.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine whether HF knowledge and self-care confidence mediated the association of cognitive function with self-care maintenance and management among patients with HF.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study of 164 patients with HF. Cognitive function was assessed …

Primary Care Providers’ Experiences Treating Opioid Use Disorder Using Telehealth In The Height Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sarah Alexandra Marshall, Lachan E. Siebenmorgen, Katherine Youngen, Tyrone F. Borders, Nickolas Zaller

Nursing Faculty Publications

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed a rapid shift in healthcare delivery towards telehealth services, impacting patient care, including opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment. Regulatory changes eliminated the in-person evaluation requirement for buprenorphine treatment, encouraging adoption of telehealth. This study focused on understanding experiences of primary care providers in predominantly rural areas who used telehealth for OUD treatment during the pandemic. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 primary care providers. Participants practiced in 13 rural and 9 urban counties in Kentucky and Arkansas. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis. Results: The pandemic significantly impacted healthcare delivery. While telehealth was …

Champions To Enhance Implementation Of Clinical And Community-Based Interventions In Cancer: A Scoping Review, Joseph Astorino Nicola, M. Muska Nataliansyah, Maria A. Lopez‑Olivo, Adebola Adegboyega, Kelly A. Hirko, Lou‑Anne R. Chichester, Nora L. Nock, Pamela Ginex, Shannon M. Christy, Paul Levett

Nursing Faculty Publications

Background Champions are integral across research in cancer, yet studies exploring their roles are limited and have produced mixed results. The current review examines and synthesizes descriptions of how champions emerged and the types of activities they most often performed. By examining evidence from across the translational research continuum, this scoping review aims to characterize the role of champions and strategies that facilitate their involvement in the implementation of cancer care interventions in both clinical and community‑based settings.

Methods This scoping review was designed and implemented in compliance with PRISMA‑ScR. The review focused on peer‑reviewed articles in English‑language journals. We …

High-Risk Individuals And Naloxone Use: Implications For Thn Programs In Rural Appalachian Communities, Victor Garcia, Lisa Mccann, Erick Lauber, Christian Vaccaro, Melissa Swauger, Alex Daniel Heckert

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Take-home naloxone (THN) is being made available across rural Appalachia to curb opioid overdose fatalities. Despite this initiative, some opioid users do not possess naloxone, and if they do, do not administer it to others.

Purpose: Research findings on risk factors that contribute to opioid overdose are presented. These factors, identified in a sample of 16 overdose cases, are (1) early onset age of opioid use; (2) progressive opioid use; (3) a transition from pain medication to heroin and fentanyl; (4) fears of being arrested at a naloxone intervention if first responders are contacted, and (5) limited knowledge of …

Assessing And Addressing The Determinants Of Appalachian Population Health: A Scoping Review, David L. Driscoll, Hannah O'Donnell, Maitri Patel, David C. Cattell-Gordon

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Residents of Appalachia experience elevated rates of morbidity and mortality compared to national averages, and these disparities are associated with inequitable exposures to various determinants of population health. Social and environmental determinants of health are a useful lens through which to develop and evaluate programs to mitigate regional health disparities.

Methods: This 2023 scoping review was conducted of studies linking determinants of Appalachian health with leading causes of regional mortality and morbidity. The search strategy employed a keyword search that included geographic terms for the Appalachian Region and the primary adverse health outcomes in that region. Studies meeting the …

Review Of: Coal, Cages, Crisis: The Rise Of The Prison Economy In Central Appalachia, Ted Olson Phd

Journal of Appalachian Health

Ted Olson, PhD, is a professor of both Appalachian Studies and Bluegrass, Old-Time and Roots Music Studies at East Tennessee State University. In this piece, he reviews Professor Judah Schept's Coal, Cages, Crisis: The Rise of the Prison Economy in Central Appalachia and discusses the impacts of incarceration on the health of Appalachia and on its residents more broadly.

Factors Associated With Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy In South Central Appalachia, Florence M. Weierbach, Rebecca Adkins Fletcher, Ingrid E. Luffman, Cynthia Meyer, Janet M. Keener, Manik Ahuja, Hadii M. Mamudu

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: The newly emergent COVID-19 virus reached pandemic levels in March 2020. By the middle of August 2020, there were over 1 million deaths attributed to COVID-19 in the U.S., with those in rural areas outpacing urban counterparts. Prior to emergency approval of the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine formulations, mitigation efforts addressing individual behavior were challenging. However, even with the entrance of these three new vaccines, herd immunity was not achieved in rural areas, as vaccine uptake remained low there. Although there has since been an abundance of COVID-19-related research addressing health literacy, vaccine hesitancy and overall …

Disparities In Mortality Between Appalachian And Non-Appalachian Regions Of Kentucky, Sonali S. Salunkhe, Sahal Alzahrani, Beatrice Ugiliweneza

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: In the opioid epidemic, the U.S. faces a significant public health crisis, with some areas of the country, such as rural and Appalachian regions, suffering more than others. The differential regional impact of the crisis in Kentucky—a state with both non-metropolitan/metropolitan and Appalachian/Non-Appalachian statuses—has not yet been documented despite such knowledge being essential to the success of overdose prevention efforts.

Purpose: This study compares all-cause, drug- and opioid-related mortality between counties in different regions of Kentucky: Appalachian non-metropolitan, Appalachian metropolitan, non-Appalachian non-metropolitan, and non-Appalachian metropolitan.

Methods: Age-adjusted mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Wide-ranging Online …

Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales—Kentucky, 2013–2020: Challenges And Successes, Mary Issac, Andrea Flinchum, Kevin Spicer

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) are considered urgent, antibiotic-resistant threats in the U.S. and are of global concern. Active collaboration between public health authorities and healthcare facilities and providers will be necessary to prevent and contain these organisms.

Purpose: To describe the epidemiology of CRE in Kentucky and to discuss challenges and successes with building and sustaining an effective prevention and containment program.

Methods: Retrospective descriptive summary of CRE isolates reported by healthcare providers, facilities, and laboratories in Kentucky from 2013 through 2020. Data available from case reporting forms and laboratory testing are summarized.

Results: From 2013 through 2020, 1805 CRE …

Changes In Perceptions Of First Responders After Witnessing A Drug Overdose: Individual And Contextual Variations Among People Who Use Opioids In West Virginia, Kathleen L. Egan, Kelly Gurka, Alexandria Macmadu, Herb Linn

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Success of opioid overdose interventions involving first responders is dependent on the comfort level that bystanders have with first responders and their willingness to call for assistance. Positive or negative experiences with first responders following witnessing an overdose may influence a person’s willingness to call a first responder for assistance in the future.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to examine changes in bystanders’ perceptions of first responders following witnessing an overdose attended by emergency medical services or a law enforcement official. It specifically explored perception changes among a sample of individuals residing in Appalachia who use prescription …

Reimagining A Caregiver-Friendly Society, Jodi L. Southerland

Journal of Appalachian Health

Demographic aging is accelerating in the Appalachian Region, resulting in a growing proportion of caregivers living in areas that lack services to support their needs. Strategies are urgently needed in Appalachia to address deficiencies in the region’s long-term supports and services for older adults and their caregivers. Strengthening equitable access to care and community supports for family caregivers is a policy priority for state and community leaders in Appalachia.

Industrial Hemp Forage Potential, Swarup Podder, John H. Fike, B. Wilson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) has been a valuable species for humans throughout history due to its adaptability and diverse uses. Farmers are interested in hemp as a forage and feedstuff due to its unique nutritional properties and fast summer production. Moreover, the presence of cannabinoids in leaf and bud tissues may provide pharmacological benefits to animal health, productivity, and product quality under different regulatory frameworks. This study examined two hemp cultivars, Grandi and Joey, solely as forage crops, and samples were taken at different growth stages in Blacksburg, VA, USA, in 2021. The highest biomass production of 1.41 tons per …

Beyond N-Dopants For Organic Semiconductors: Use Of Bibenzo[D]Imidazoles In Uv-Promoted Dehalogenation Reactions Of Organic Halides, Kan Tang, Megan R. Brown, Chad Risko, Melissa K. Gish, Garry Rumbles, Phuc H. Pham, Oana R. Luca, Stephen Barlow, Seth R. Marder

UK CARES Faculty Publications

2,2’-Bis(4-dimethylaminophenyl)- and 2,2'-dicyclohexyl-1,1',3,3'-tetramethyl-2,2',3,3'-tetrahydro-2,2'-bibenzo[d]imidazole ((N-DMBI)2 and (Cyc-DMBI)2) are quite strong reductants with effective potentials of ca. −2 V vs ferrocenium/ferrocene, yet are relatively stable to air due to the coupling of redox and bond-breaking processes. Here, we examine their use in accomplishing electron transfer-induced bond-cleavage reactions, specifically dehalogenations. The dimers reduce halides that have reduction potentials less cathodic than ca. −2 V vs ferrocenium/ferrocene, especially under UV photoexcitation (using a 365 nm LED). In the case of benzyl halides, the products are bibenzyl derivatives, whereas aryl halides are reduced to the corresponding arenes. The potentials of the halides that can be …

Expflow: A Graphical User Interface For Automated Reproducible Electrochemistry, Rebekah Duke, Siamak Mahmoudi, Aman Preet Kaur, Vinayak Bhat, Ian C. Dingle, Nathan C. Stumme, Scott K. Shaw, David L. Eaton, Asmund Vego, Chad Risko

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Reproducible data and results underpin the credibility and integrity of research findings across the sciences. However, experiments and measurements conducted across laboratories, or by different researchers, are often hindered by incomplete or inaccessible procedural data. Additionally, the time and resources needed to manually perform repeat experiments and analyses limit the scale at which experiments can be reproduced. Both improved methods for recording and sharing experimental procedures in machine- readable formats and efforts towards automation can be beneficial to circumvent these issues. Here we report the development of ExpFlow, a data collection, sharing, and reporting software currently customized for electrochemical experiments. …

A Comparison Of Devices For Race Day Characterization Of North American Turfgrass Thoroughbred Racing Surfaces, Peter Schmitt, Wayne T. Sanderson, John Trey Rogers Iii, Tyler J. Barzee, Michael L. Peterson

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Both pre-race meet and daily turf surface condition measurements are required by regula- tions adopted as part of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA). The Orono Biomechanical Surface Tester (OBST) is the primary device used for characterizing a racing surface and is used for the pre-meet inspections. Tools that are better suited for the daily testing of turf surfaces are also needed to meet the new federal regulations. The purpose of this study was to compare five simple tools commonly used in turf applications to the OBST. Data were collected with each of the six devices at plots chosen …

Communication With Physicians And Family About Breast Cancer Recurrence, Kimberly M. Kelly, Pragya Rai, Jamie L. Studts, Stephanie Dickinson, Beate Henschel, Mark Dignan, Mara D. Chambers, Hannah Hazard-Jenkins

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Objective: Adequate physician-patient communication about cancer recurrence is vital to quality of life and to informed decision-making related to survivorship care. The current study was guided by a cognitive-affective framework to examine communication with family and physicians about breast cancer recurrence risk.

Methods: A survey of recently-diagnosed, early-stage breast cancer patients in Appalachia investigated physician- patient and familial communication about breast cancer recurrence risk.

Results: Over 30% of participants reported not talking to family or physicians about breast cancer recurrence risk. Younger patients reported more conversations, and speaking with physicians was associated with greater perception risk factors associated with recurrence …

Insights From Obstetric Providers And Emergency Medical Technicians On Determinants Of Maternal Morbidity And Mortality Among Underserved, Rural Patients In The United States, Anna Hansen, Nancy Schoenberg, Carrie B. Oser

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Over the past two decades, individuals in the United States (US) have faced a steadily increasing risk of experiencing severe morbidities attributable to pregnancy and dying from pregnancy-related causes. The prevalence of severe maternal morbidity (SMM), defined as the occurrence of end-organ damage in the mother encompassing unexpected outcomes of labor and delivery, has nearly tripled since the turn of the 21st century (Creanga et al., 2014; Neggers, 2016). The prevalence of pregnancy related mortality (PRM), defined as the death of a woman during or within one year of pregnancy due to pregnancy-related complications or aggravated preexisting conditions, has nearly …

A Gold-Based Inhibitor Of Oxidative Phosphorylation Is Effective Against Triple Negative Breast Cancer, R. Tyler Mertens, Jong Hyun Kim, Samuel Ofori, Chibuzor Ngozi Olelewe, Paul J. Kamitsuka, Gunnar F. Kwakye, Samuel G. Awuah

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is associated with metabolic heterogeneity and poor prognosis with limited treatment options. New treatment paradigms for TNBC remains an unmet need. Thus, therapeutics that target metabolism are particularly attractive approaches. We previously designed organometallic Au(III) compounds capable of modulating mitochondrial respiration by ligand tuning with high anticancer potency in vitro and in vivo. Here, we show that an efficacious Au(III) dithiocarbamate (AuDTC) compound induce mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative damage in cancer cells. Efficacy of AuDTC in TNBC mouse models harboring mito- chondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) dependence and metabolic heterogeneity establishes its thera- peutic potential following systemic …

Cell Aggregation Activates Small Gtpase Rac1 And Induces Cd44 Cleavage By Maintaining Lipid Raft Integrity, Dong Li, Younhee Park, Hami Hemati, Xia Liu

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Lipid rafts are highly ordered membrane domains that are enriched in cholesterol and glycosphingolipids and serve as major platforms for signal transduction. Cell detachment from the extracellular matrix (ECM) triggers lipid raft disruption and anoikis, which is a barrier for cancer cells to metastasize. Compared to single circulating tumor cells (CTCs), our recent studies have demonstrated that CD44-mediatd cell aggregation enhances the stemness, survival and metastatic ability of aggregated cells. Here, we investigated whether and how lipid rafts are involved in CD44-mediated cell aggregation. We found that cell detachment, which mimics the condition when tumor cells detach from the ECM …

Early Emergency Department Experience With 7-Day Extended-Release Injectable Buprenorphine For Opioid Use Disorder., Gail D'Onofrio, Jeanmarie Perrone, Kathryn F. Hawk, Ethan Cowan, Ryan Mccormack, Edouard Coupet, Patricia H. Owens, Shara H. Martel, Kristen Huntley, Sharon L. Walsh, Michelle R. Lofwall, Andrew Herring, The Ed-Innovation Investigators

Center on Drug and Alcohol Research Faculty Publications

As the opioid overdose epidemic escalates, there is an urgent need for treatment innovations to address both patient and clinician barriers when initiating buprenorphine in the emergency department (ED). These include insurance status, logistical challenges such as the ability to fill a prescription and transportation, concerns regarding diversion, and availability of urgent referral sites. Extended-release buprenorphine (XR-BUP) preparations such as a new 7-day injectable could potentially solve some of these issues. We describe the pharmacokinetics of a new 7-day XR-BUP formulation and the feasibility of its use in the ED setting. We report our early experiences with this medication (investigational …

A Wearable Fluorescence Imaging Device For Intraoperative Identification Of Human Brain Tumors, Mehrana Mohtasebi, Chong Huang, Mingjun Zhao, Siavash Mazdeyasna, Xuhui Liu, Samaneh Rabienia Haratbar, Faraneh Fathi, Jinghong Sun, Thomas A. Pittman, Guoqiang Yu

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Malignant glioma (MG) is the most common type of primary malignant brain tumors. Surgical resection of MG remains the cornerstone of therapy and the extent of resection correlates with patient survival. A limiting factor for resection, however, is the difficulty in differentiating the tumor from normal tissue during surgery. Fluorescence imaging is an emerging technique for real-time intraoperative visualization of MGs and their boundaries. However, most clinical grade neurosurgical operative microscopes with fluorescence imaging ability are hampered by low adoption rates due to high cost, limited portability, limited operation flexibility, and lack of skilled professionals with technical knowledge. To overcome …

Hospital Adhering To The Ten Steps To Successful Breastfeeding Predicts Exclusive Breastfeeding In Latinx Mothers., Ana Linares, Diana Cartagena, Marialda Moreira Christoffel

Nursing Faculty Publications

Introduction: Assessing how well a hospital adheres to the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding is the key to outlining necessary modifications in mother breastfeeding support. This study aimed to assess Latinx mothers’ perception of how well a hospital adheres to the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and its influence on exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rates at hospital discharge.

Methods: Secondary analysis of two longitudinal studies. The combined sample (N = 74) of Latinx pregnant women residing in the US. We modified, translated, and evaluated reliability of the Questionnaire for the Breastfeeding Mother (QBFM), which was applied to evaluate mothers’ …