Digital Commons Network^™

Fat Girls: Sexuality, Transgression, And Fatness In Popular Culture, Maryann Kozlowski

Theses and Dissertations--Gender and Women's Studies

This dissertation focuses on representations, histories, and personal accounts of fat women’s bodies and sexualities. I address stereotypes and representations of fat women's sexuality in popular culture, including film, advertising, television, and literature. Through this examination, I move beyond one-dimensional representations of fat women's sexualities to a more complex, nuanced understanding of the realities of being fat, sexual, and a woman today. Fat women are often represented as either sexless, miserable, and lonely, or alternately, hypersexual and sexually deviant, with the inability to control their appetites for both food and sex. (see Bordo, Gilman, Farrell, Shaw, Wolf) By parsing through …

Using Graduated Guidance To Teach Imitation Of Manual Signs To Children With Intellectual Disabilities, Jacqueline Horsman

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

The purpose of this study was to test the effects of graduated guidance procedure on teaching imitation of manual signs to students with moderate to severe disabilities. Sessions began with student initiation and were embedded across already established reinforcement routines across the student’s day. A multiple baseline across participants design was used to evaluate these effects.

Predictors Of Arterial Stiffness In Law Enforcement Officers, Jason Michael Keeler

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

The prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among law enforcement officers (LEOs) is slightly higher than the general population. Furthermore, the prevalence of CVD doubles among LEOs following retirement compared to the general population. The measure of arterial stiffness serves as an independent risk factor that has prognostic value for future incidence of CVD. However, there is limited research on lifestyle, occupational, and demographic factors that may be associated with increased arterial stiffness in LEOs. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to compare the level of arterial stiffness among LEOs versus the general population and to identify lifestyle, occupational, and …

Effects Of High Fat Exposure On Skeletal Muscle Autophagy And Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress, Adrienne Rose Herrenbruck

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Autophagy is a major degradation mechanism, responsible for clearing damaged and dysfunctional organelles, including the endoplasmic reticulum, a structure essential for protein synthesis and myocellular hypertrophy. Alterations in autophagy throughout various tissues of the body have been linked to various negative side effects such as decreased myocellular hypertrophy and insulin resistance. High fat diets lead to changes (both increases and decreases) in autophagy in various tissues throughout the body in a tissue-specific manner.

Skeletal muscle autophagy is decreased in myotubes cultured from obese women, however the mechanism by which this occurs is unknown. As the largest organ system in the …

Cellubrevin/Vesicle-Associated Membrane Protein-3–Mediated Endocytosis And Trafficking Regulate Platelet Functions, Meenakshi Banerjee, Smita Joshi, Jinchao Zhang, Carole L. Moncman, Shilpi Yadav, Beth A. Bouchard, Brian Storrie, Sidney W. Whiteheart

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Endocytosis is key to fibrinogen (Fg) uptake, trafficking of integrins (αIIbβ₃, α_vβ₃), and purinergic receptors (P2Y₁, P2Y₁₂), and thus normal platelet function. However, the molecular machinery required and possible trafficking routes are still ill-defined. To further identify elements of the platelet endocytic machinery, we examined the role of a vesicle-residing, soluble N-ethylmaleimide factor attachment protein receptor (v-SNARE) called cellubrevin/vesicle-associated membrane protein-3 (VAMP-3) in platelet function. Although not required for normal platelet exocytosis or hemostasis, VAMP-3^−/− mice had less platelet-associated Fg, indicating a defect in Fg uptake/storage. Other granule …

Serine-Dependent Sphingolipid Synthesis Is A Metabolic Liability Of Aneuploid Cells, Sunyoung Hwang, H. Tobias Gustafsson, Ciara O’Sullivan, Gianna Bisceglia, Xinhe Huang, Christian Klose, Andrej Schevchenko, Robert C. Dickson, Paola Cavaliere, Noah Dephoure, Eduardo M. Torres

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Aneuploidy disrupts cellular homeostasis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the physiological responses and adaptation to aneuploidy are not well understood. Deciphering these mechanisms is important because aneuploidy is associated with diseases, including intellectual disability and cancer. Although tumors and mammalian aneuploid cells, including several cancer cell lines, show altered levels of sphingolipids, the role of sphingolipids in aneuploidy remains unknown. Here, we show that ceramides and long-chain bases, sphingolipid molecules that slow proliferation and promote survival, are increased by aneuploidy. Sphingolipid levels are tightly linked to serine synthesis, and inhibiting either serine or sphingolipid synthesis can specifically impair the fitness …

Acute Resistance Exercise Induces Sestrin2 Phosphorylation And P62 Dephosphorylation In Human Skeletal Muscle, Nina Zeng, Randall F. D'Souza, Vandre C. Figueiredo, James F. Markworth, Llion A. Roberts, Jonathan M. Peake, Cameron J. Mitchell, David Cameron-Smith

Center for Muscle Biology Faculty Publications

Sestrins (1, 2, 3) are a family of stress-inducible proteins capable of attenuating oxidative stress, regulating metabolism, and stimulating autophagy. Sequestosome1 (p62) is also a stress-inducible multifunctional protein acting as a signaling hub for oxidative stress and selective autophagy. It is unclear whether Sestrin and p62^Ser403 are regulated acutely or chronically by resistance exercise (RE) or training (RT) in human skeletal muscle. Therefore, the acute and chronic effects of RE on Sestrin and p62 in human skeletal muscle were examined through two studies. In Study 1, nine active men (22.1 ± 2.2 years) performed a bout of single-leg strength …

Remote Sensing Of Forests Using Discrete Return Airborne Lidar, Hamid Hamraz, Marco A. Contreras

Forestry and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Airborne discrete return light detection and ranging (LiDAR) point clouds covering forested areas can be processed to segment individual trees and retrieve their morphological attributes. Segmenting individual trees in natural deciduous forests, however, remained a challenge because of the complex and multi-layered canopy. In this chapter, we present (i) a robust segmentation method that avoids a priori assumptions about the canopy structure, (ii) a vertical canopy stratification procedure that improves segmentation of understory trees, (iii) an occlusion model for estimating the point density of each canopy stratum, and (iv) a distributed computing approach for efficient processing at the forest level. …

Evaluation Of A Field-Deployable Reverse Transcription-Insulated Isothermal Pcr For Rapid And Sensitive On-Site Detection Of Zika Virus, Mariano Carossino, Yanqiu Li, Pei-Yu A. Lee, Chuan-Fu Tsai, Pin-Hsing Chou, Dennis Williams, Ashley Skillman, R. Frank Cook, Grayson Brown, Hsiao-Fen G. Chang, Hwa-Tang T. Wang, Udeni B. R. Balasuriya

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Faculty Publications

Background: The recent emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV) in Brazil and its precipitous expansion throughout the Americas has highlighted the urgent need for a rapid and reliable on-site diagnostic assay suitable for viral detection. Such point-of-need (PON), low-cost diagnostics are essential for ZIKV control in vulnerable areas with limited resources.

Methods: We developed and evaluated a ZIKV-specific field-deployable RT-iiPCR reagent set targeting the E gene for rapid detection of ZIKV in ZIKV-spiked human and mosquito specimens, and compared its performance to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) RT-qPCR assays targeting the E …

Inhibition Of Growth And Ammonia Production Of Ruminal Hyper Ammonia-Producing Bacteria By Chinook Or Galena Hops After Long-Term Storage, Michael D. Flythe, Brittany E. Harlow, Glen E. Aiken, Gloria L. Gellin, Isabelle A. Kagan, Jesse Pappas

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Surplus hops (Humulus lupulus L.) that are not needed by the brewing industry could be used as a feed supplement for cattle and other ruminants. Previous research indicates that antimicrobial hops plant secondary metabolites (i.e., α- and β-acids) inhibit methane and ammonia production and promote the growth of ruminant animals. The goal was to determine that hop pellets produced for brewing still possessed the requisite antimicrobial activity after 5-year storage. HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) analysis indicated that the α- and β-acid concentrations in two varieties of hops were relatively stable after 5 years of storage under N_{2 …}

Mitochondrial Dynamics And Respiration Within Cells With Increased Open Pore Cytoskeletal Meshes, David H. Jang, Sarah C. Seeger, Martha E. Grady, Frances S. Shofer, David M. Eckmann

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

The cytoskeletal architecture directly affects the morphology, motility, and tensional homeostasis of the cell. In addition, the cytoskeleton is important for mitosis, intracellular traffic, organelle motility, and even cellular respiration. The organelle responsible for a majority of the energy conversion for the cell, the mitochondrion, has a dependence on the cytoskeleton for mobility and function. In previous studies, we established that cytoskeletal inhibitors altered the movement of the mitochondria, their morphology, and their respiration in human dermal fibroblasts. Here, we use this protocol to investigate applicability of power law diffusion to describe mitochondrial locomotion, assessment of rates of fission and …

Type 2 Neural Progenitor Cell Activation Drives Reactive Neurogenesis After Binge-Like Alcohol Exposure In Adolescent Male Rats, Chelsea Rhea Geil Nickell, Hui Peng, Dayna M. Hayes, Kevin Y. Chen, Justin A. Mcclain, Kimberly Nixon

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Excessive alcohol consumption during adolescence remains a significant health concern as alcohol drinking during adolescence increases the likelihood of an alcohol use disorder in adulthood by fourfold. Binge drinking in adolescence is a particular problem as binge-pattern consumption is the biggest predictor of neurodegeneration from alcohol and adolescents are particularly susceptible to the damaging effects of alcohol. The adolescent hippocampus, in particular, is highly susceptible to alcohol-induced structural and functional effects, including volume and neuron loss. However, hippocampal structure and function may recover with abstinence and, like in adults, a reactive burst in hippocampal neurogenesis in abstinence may contribute to …

Structural And Functional Insights Into The Role Of Bamd And Bame Within The Β-Barrel Assembly Machinery In Neisseria Gonorrhoeae, Aleksandra E. Sikora, Igor H. Wierzbicki, Ryszard A. Zielke, Rachael F. Ryner, Konstantin V. Korotkov, Susan K. Buchanan, Nicholas Noinaj

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The β-barrel assembly machinery (BAM) is a conserved multicomponent protein complex responsible for the biogenesis of β-barrel outer membrane proteins (OMPs) in Gram-negative bacteria. Given its role in the production of OMPs for survival and pathogenesis, BAM represents an attractive target for the development of therapeutic interventions, including drugs and vaccines against multidrug-resistant bacteria such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The first structure of BamA, the central component of BAM, was from N. gonorrhoeae, the etiological agent of the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea. To aid in pharmaceutical targeting of BAM, we expanded our studies to BamD and BamE within …

Type 1 Diabetes Alters Lipid Handling And Metabolism In Human Fibroblasts And Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells, Albert R. Jones Iv, Emily L. Coleman, Nicholas R. Husni, Jude T. Deeney, Forum Raval, Devin Steenkamp, Hans Dooms, Barbara S. Nikolajczyk, Barbara E. Corkey

Clinical and Translational Science Faculty Publications

Triggers of the autoimmune response that leads to type 1 diabetes (T1D) remain poorly understood. A possibility is that parallel changes in both T cells and target cells provoke autoimmune attack. We previously documented greater Ca²⁺ transients in fibroblasts from T1D subjects than non-T1D after exposure to fatty acids (FA) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα). These data indicate that metabolic and signal transduction defects present in T1D can be elicited ex vivo in isolated cells. Changes that precede T1D, including inflammation, may activate atypical responses in people that are genetically predisposed to T1D. To identify such cellular differences …

Hyperhomocysteinemia-Induced Gene Expression Changes In The Cell Types Of The Brain, Erica M. Weekman, Abigail E. Woolums, Tiffany L. Sudduth, Donna M. Wilcock

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

High plasma levels of homocysteine, termed hyperhomocysteinemia, are a risk factor for vascular cognitive impairment and dementia, which is the second leading cause of dementia. While hyperhomocysteinemia induces microhemorrhages and cognitive decline in mice, the specific effect of hyperhomocysteinemia on each cell type remains unknown. We took separate cultures of astrocytes, microglia, endothelial cells, and neuronal cells and treated each with moderate levels of homocysteine for 24, 48, 72, and 96 hr. We then determined the gene expression changes for cell-specific markers and neuroinflammatory markers including the matrix metalloproteinase 9 system. Astrocytes had decreased levels of several astrocytic end feet …

Three-Dimensional Vapor Intrusion Modeling Approach That Combines Wind And Stack Effects On Indoor, Atmospheric, And Subsurface Domains, Elham Shirazi, Kelly G. Pennell

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Vapor intrusion (IV) exposure risks are difficult to characterize due to the role of atmospheric, building and subsurface processes. This study presents a three-dimensional VI model that extends the common subsurface fate and transport equations to incorporate wind and stack effects on indoor air pressure, building air exchange rate (AER) and indoor contaminant concentration to improve VI exposure risk estimates. The model incorporates three modeling programs: (1) COMSOL Multiphysics to model subsurface fate and transport processes, (2) CFD0 to model atmospheric air flow around the building, and (3) CONTAM to model indoor air quality. The combined VI model predicts AER …

Medicaid Managed Care And The Health Care Utilization Of Foster Children, Makayla Palmer, James Marton, Aaron Yelowitz, Jeffery Talbert

Economics Faculty Publications

A recent trend in state Medicaid programs is the transition of vulnerable populations into Medicaid managed care (MMC) who were initially carved out of such coverage, such as foster children or those with disabilities. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the impact of the transition of foster children from fee-for-service Medicaid coverage to MMC coverage on outpatient health care utilization. There is very little empirical evidence on the impact of managed care on the health care utilization of foster children because of the recent timing of these transitions as well as challenges associated with finding data sets large …

Influence Of Dietary Salt Knowledge, Perceptions, And Beliefs On Consumption Choices After Stroke In Uganda, Martin N. Kaddumukasa, Elly Katabira, Martha Sajatovic, Svetlana Pundik, Mark Kaddumukasa, Larry B. Goldstein

Neurology Faculty Publications

Background

Previous research on Uganda's poststroke population revealed that their level of dietary salt knowledge did not lead to healthier consumption choices.

Purpose

Identify barriers and motivators for healthy dietary behaviors and evaluate the understanding of widely accepted salt regulation mechanisms among poststroke patients in Uganda.

Methods

Convergent parallel mixed methods triangulation design comprised a cross-sectional survey (n = 81) and 8 focus group discussions with 7-10 poststroke participants in each group. We assessed participant characteristics and obtained insights into their salt consumption attitudes, perceptions, and knowledge. Qualitative responses were analyzed using an inductive approach with thematic analytic procedures. Relationships …

A Deafness Mechanism Of Digenic Cx26 (Gjb2) And Cx30 (Gjb6) Mutations: Reduction Of Endocochlear Potential By Impairment Of Heterogeneous Gap Junctional Function In The Cochlear Lateral Wall, Ling Mei, Jin Chen, Liang Zong, Yan Zhu, Chun Liang, Raleigh O. Jones, Hong-Bo Zhao

Otolaryngology--Head & Neck Surgery Faculty Publications

Digenic Connexin26 (Cx26, GJB2) and Cx30 (GJB6) heterozygous mutations are the second most frequent cause of recessive deafness in humans. However, the underlying deafness mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we created different double Cx26 and Cx30 heterozygous (Cx26^+/−/Cx30^+/−) mouse models to investigate the underlying pathological changes and deafness mechanism. We found that double Cx26^+/−/Cx30^+/− heterozygous mice had hearing loss. Endocochlear potential (EP), which is a driving force for hair cells producing auditory receptor current, was reduced. However, unlike Cx26 homozygous knockout (Cx26^−/−) mice, the cochlea in Cx26 …

Cerebrovascular Pathology In Down Syndrome And Alzheimer Disease, Elizabeth Head, Michael J. Phelan, Eric Doran, Ronald C. Kim, Wayne W. Poon, Frederick A. Schmitt, Ira T. Lott

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

People with Down syndrome (DS) are at high risk for developing Alzheimer disease (AD) with age. Typically, by age 40 years, most people with DS have sufficient neuropathology for an AD diagnosis. Interestingly, atherosclerosis and hypertension are atypical in DS with age, suggesting the lack of these vascular risk factors may be associated with reduced cerebrovascular pathology. However, because the extra copy of APP leads to increased beta-amyloid peptide (Aβ) accumulation in DS, we hypothesized that there would be more extensive and widespread cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) with age in DS relative to sporadic AD. To test this hypothesis CAA, …

A Customized Quantitative Pcr Microrna Panel Provides A Technically Robust Context For Studying Neurodegenerative Disease Biomarkers And Indicates A High Correlation Between Cerebrospinal Fluid And Choroid Plexus Microrna Expression, Wang-Xia Wang, David W. Fardo, Gregory A. Jicha, Peter T. Nelson

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

MicroRNA (miRNA) expression varies in association with different tissue types and in diseases. Having been found in body fluids including blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), miRNAs constitute potential biomarkers. CSF miRNAs have been proposed as biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases; however, there is a lack of consensus about the best candidate miRNA biomarkers and there has been variability in results from different research centers, perhaps due to technical factors. Here, we sought to optimize technical parameters for CSF miRNA studies. We examined different RNA isolation methods and performed miRNA expression profiling with TaqMan® miRNA Arrays. More specifically, we developed a customized …

Challenges In Characterizing The Environmental Fate And Effects Of Carbon Nanotubes And Inorganic Nanomaterials In Aquatic Systems, Peter Laux, Christian Riebeling, Andy M. Booth, Joseph D. Brain, Josephine Brunner, Cristina Cerrillo, Otto Creutzenberg, Irina Estrela-Lopis, Thomas Gebel, Gunnar Johanson, Harald Jungnickel, Heiko Kock, Jutta Tentschert, Ahmed Tlili, Andreas Schäffer, Adriënne J. A. M. Sips, Robert A. Yokel, Andreas Luch

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

The current lack of commonly used protocols for dispersion, characterization, and aquatic toxicity testing of nanomaterials (NMs) has resulted in inconsistent results, which make meaningful comparisons difficult. The need for standardized sample preparation procedures that allow the reproducible generation of relevant test conditions remains a key challenge for studies of the environmental fate and aquatic toxicity of NMs. Together with the further development of optimized and cost-effective analytical techniques for physicochemical characterization that depend on reproducible sample preparation, such methods have the potential to overcome the current uncertainties with regard to NM dispersion properties, effective dose, and particle dissolution. In …

Transient Analysis Of Fracture Initiation In A Coupled Thermoelastic Solid, Louis Milton Brock

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

An isotropic, thermoelastic solid is initially at rest at uniform (absolute) temperature, and contains a semi-infinite, plane crack. Application of in-plane and normal point forces to each face of the crack causes transient 3D growth. The related problem of discontinuities in temperature and displacement that exist on regions that exhibit dynamic similarity is first considered. Asymptotic expressions, whose inverses are valid near the crack edges for short times, are obtained in integral transform space. These lead to equations of the Wiener–Hopf type for the fracture problem. Analytical solutions are obtained and, upon inversion, subjected to a dynamic energy release rate …

Noninvasive Liquid Diet Delivery Of Stable Isotopes Into Mouse Models For Deep Metabolic Network Tracing, Ramon C. Sun, Teresa W.-M. Fan, Pan Deng, Richard M. Higashi, Andrew N. Lane, Anh-Thu Le, Timothy L. Scott, Qiushi Sun, Marc O. Warmoes, Ye Yang

Center for Environmental and Systems Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Delivering isotopic tracers for metabolic studies in rodents without overt stress is challenging. Current methods achieve low label enrichment in proteins and lipids. Here, we report noninvasive introduction of ¹³C₆-glucose via a stress-free, ad libitum liquid diet. Using NMR and ion chromatography-mass spectrometry, we quantify extensive ¹³C enrichment in products of glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, the pentose phosphate pathway, nucleobases, UDP-sugars, glycogen, lipids, and proteins in mouse tissues during 12 to 48 h of ¹³C₆-glucose feeding. Applying this approach to patient-derived lung tumor xenografts (PDTX), we show that the liver supplies glucose-derived Gln …

Economic Impact Of The Sugarcane Aphid Outbreak In South Texas, Samuel D. Zapata, Rebekka Dudensing, Danielle Sekula, Gabriela Esparza-Díaz, Raul Villanueva

Entomology Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to estimate the economic impact of the sugarcane aphid (SCA) outbreak in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), Texas. Local producers were surveyed to gather detailed information about crop production and pest control practices. Collected data were used to estimate the reduction in profit associated with the SCA infestation, as well as the monetary value of the prevented loss attributed to control efforts. Sorghum industry losses were then used to assess the overall economic impact of the SCA outbreak in the RGV economy.

The Use Of Bicycle Workstations To Increase Physical Activity In Secondary Classrooms, Alicia Fedewa, Colleen Cornelius, Soyeon Ahn

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND

To date, the majority of interventions have implemented classroom-based physical activity (PA) at the elementary level; however, there is both the potential and need to explore student outcomes at high-school level as well, given that very few studies have incorporated classroom-based PA interventions for adolescents. One exception has been the use of bicycle workstations within secondary classrooms. Using bicycle workstations in lieu of traditional chairs in a high school setting shows promise for enhancing adolescents’ physical activity during the school day.

PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE

The present study explored the effects of integrating bicycle workstations into a secondary classroom setting …

Reducing Symptom Distress In Patients With Advanced Cancer Using An E-Alert System For Caregivers: Pooled Analysis Of Two Randomized Clinical Trials, David H. Gustafson, Lori L. Dubenske, Amy K. Atwood, Ming-Yuan Chih, Roberta A. Johnson, Fiona Mctavish, Andrew Quanbeck, Roger L. Brown, James F. Cleary, Dhavan Shah

Health and Clinical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Symptom distress in patients toward the end of life can change rapidly. Family caregivers have the potential to help patients manage those symptoms, as well as their own stress, if they are equipped with the proper resources. Electronic health (eHealth) systems may be able to provide those resources. Very sick patients may not be able to use such systems themselves to report their symptoms but family caregivers could.

Objective: The aim of this paper was to assess the effects on cancer patient symptom distress of an eHealth system that alerts clinicians to significant changes in the patient’s symptoms, as …

Meeting The Social Media Needs Of Lexington’S Lgbtq Community, Erin Weber

LIS Student Conference

Erin will present a strategic plan for the social media needs of the Pride Community Services Organization (PCSO) and Pride Library in Lexington. She will include discussion on whether social media is a means to a larger goal or a means unto itself for PCSO.

More Than Just Students: Personal Information Needs Of Esl Community College Students, Jennifer Jeffers

LIS Student Conference

Over a million international students attended U.S. colleges and universities in the 2015-­ 2016 academic year, international student enrollment has risen steadily over the past decade, and the majority of these students come from countries where English is not the primary language (Institute for International Education, 2016). Furthermore, the Pew Research Center reports that “future immigrants and their children will account for 88% of the U.S. population increase between 2016 and 2065” (as cited in Ramakrishnan, Barker, Vervoordt, & Zhang, 2017, p. 1).

Existing studies of international and English as a second language (ESL) students have focused mainly on their …

Multi-Mw Solar Pv Pumping System With Capacity Modulation And Battery Voltage Support, Oluwaseun M. Akeyo, Vandana Rallabandi, Dan M. Ionel

Power and Energy Institute of Kentucky Faculty Publications

Solar photovoltaic (PV) renewable energy systems are undergoing major technological developments and large-scale field deployment and electric grid integration. This paper proposes a method of expanding the capacity of an existing irrigation farm with additional pumps powered by solar PV. The system includes PV arrays and battery energy storage connected to a common dc bus, which energizes an array of variable speed inverter driven pumps. Capacity modulation is achieved by energizing an optimal number of pumps required in order to meet a particular load demand with minimum supply energy. A grid connection to the dc bus of the power electronic …