Digital Commons Network^™

Polymer Micelles For Tunable Drug Release And Enhanced Antitumor Efficacy, Andrei G. Ponta

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Cancer remains a leading cause of death in the United States. The most common treatment options include chemotherapy, but poor solubility, adverse side effects and differential drug sensitivity hamper clinical applications. Current chemotherapy generally aims to deliver drugs at the limit of toxicity, assuming that higher dosage increases efficacy, with little attention paid to potential benefits of tunable release. Growing evidence suggests that releasing drugs at a constant rate will be as effective as a single bolus dose. To test this hypothesis, it is critical to develop drug delivery systems that fine-tune drug release and elucidate the impact of tunable …

Methylphenidate And Atomoxetine Treatment During Adolescence In The Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat: Mechanisms Underlying High Cocaine Abuse Liability In Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Sucharita S. Somkuwar

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Effects of pharmacotherapies for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) on cocaine abuse liability in ADHD are not understood. Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR), an ADHD model, exhibited greater cocaine self-administration than control Wistar-Kyoto and Wistar rats. Methylphenidate, but not atomoxetine during adolescence enhanced cocaine self-administration in adult SHRs compared to controls. The mesocortical dopaminergic system, including medial prefrontal (mPFC) and orbitofrontal (OFC) cortices, is important for ADHD and cocaine addiction. Dopamine and norepinephrine transporter (DAT and NET) are molecular targets for methylphenidate, atomoxetine and cocaine action.

In the current studies, SHR, Wistar-Kyoto and Wistar were administered methylphenidate (1.5 mg/kg/day, p.o.), atomoxetine (0.3 …

Cellular And Molecular Aspects Of The Interaction Betwen Maize And The Anthracnose Pathogen Colletotrichum Graminicola, Maria F. Torres

Theses and Dissertations--Plant Pathology

Maize anthracnose, caused by the fungus Colletotrichum graminicola, is an economically important species contributing to major yield losses. C. graminicola is a hemibiotroph; initially it invades its host while it is alive, and then it switches to destructive necrotrophic growth and the host is killed. Establishment of compatible interactions by biotrophic pathogens is usually associated with suppression of host defenses and cell death, while necrotrophic pathogens typically secrete phytotoxic compounds and induce cell death. To understand the relationship of hemibiotrophy in C. graminicola to biotrophy and necrotrophy, I compared a compatible and an incompatible interaction, utilizing a non-pathogenic …

Equine Serum Antibody Responses To Streptococcus Equi And Streptococcus Zooepidemicus, Rafaela De Negri

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Streptococcus zooepidemicus (Sz) and Streptococcus equi (Se) share 98% DNA sequence homology, but display different pathogenic properties. Infection by one organism does not cross-protect against the other. To better understand pathogenic differences between these organisms and gain information about which proteins are expressed in horses infected experimentally with Se, intrauterine Sz or naturally with respiratory Sz we compared antibody specificities of convalescent sera using ELISA. These comparisons were based on sets of 8 and 14 immunoreactive recombinant proteins of Se strain CF32 and Sz strain NC78, respectively. Sera from donkeys that were previously naturally affected with strangles and later developed …

Celiac Disease: A Gluten Free Diet And Diet Quality, Taylor M. Stauble

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

The media has highlighted a proposed link between a gluten free diet (GFD) and weight loss. However, research related to weight gain and a GFD for persons with celiac disease (CD) has shown the opposite effect. A GFD is the only known treatment for persons with CD. If a patient with CD consumes a diet high in GF processed foods, weight management may be difficult to achieve.

Participants with self-reported CD completed a modified GF food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to assess typical dietary consumption of whole grains, sweets, fruits, vegetables and regular soda. Additionally, body mass index (BMI) and exercise …

Entrepreneurship On The Farm: Kentucky Growers’ Perceptions Of Benefits And Barriers, Amy L. Camenisch

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

This study analyzed the perceptions of Kentucky Homebased Processors and Microprocessors of the benefits of and barriers to developing and selling value-added products. The final sample consisted of 141 participants, 60.5% (n=72) of which were from Central KY, 26.9% (n=32) were from Western KY, and 12.6% (n=15) were from Eastern KY. Overall, participants seemed to feel that their value-added products were successful in many different benefit categories. The primary barriers to developing value-added products were lack of time, lack of funding, and lack of legal knowledge. The primary barriers to utilizing program resources for farmers were not having enough time, …

Disordered Eating Habits And Behaviors Among Elite Collegiate Athletes, Ann M. Armes

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

Eating disorders and disordered eating habits and behaviors were measured using the Eating Disorders Inventory-3 Referral Form (EDI-3 RF). The sample consisted of 159 elite, collegiate student athletes, males and females, aged 18 to 22. Five sports were represented, including basketball, gymnastics, soccer, swimming & diving, and volleyball. Overall, findings support the position that athletes, as a distinct population, and specifically female athletes and those that participate in lean sports, are at an increased risk for disordered eating behaviors and diagnosable eating disorders. Of the 159 total athletes that completed the questionnaire, 33% (n=53) of the athletes sampled met one …

Relationship Between Clandestine Methamphetamine Laboratory Seizures And Burns In Kentucky, David A. Wittmer

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Methamphetamine is a highly addictive stimulant that is synthetically produced using equipment and chemicals available in the community. Its burden to society may be determined through a number of mechanisms, including the imposed strain on healthcare systems. The evolution of methamphetamine use and production methods has led to reports of increased methamphetamine related burn admissions among hospital burn units[1-3] . Current literature identifies an increase in injury severity, comorbid complications, and cost of care associated with methamphetamine related burn injuries[1-5]. The intent of this study is to identify burn injuries in Kentucky and assess whether a statistically significant association exists …

Developing A Best Practice Model For Forecasting Annual Franchise Fee Revenue: The Case Of The Lexington-Fayette Urban-County Government, Ian K. Banta

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The LFUCG currently forecasts their revenues internally and has their forecasts validated by the Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER) at the University of Kentucky. However, it does not have a well-developed method of forecasting franchise fee revenue. They are not alone, as the literature on revenue forecasting that finds that between 50 and 75 percent of local governments rely on informal, judgmental approaches to forecast revenue instead of more formal, quantitative techniques. However, the literature also indicates that these judgmental approaches are less accurate.

Inspired by a study of St. Petersburg, Florida by Gianakis et al., and in …

Student-Athletes And Drug Abuse Policies: A Study Of Drug Abuse Policies Of Athletics Departments In A Major Intercollegiate Athletics Conference, Jennifer Hale

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

No executive summary.

Unrelated Business Income's Impact On Direct Public Support In The Nonprofit Sector, Kelsey Lewis

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Nonprofits today are losing their traditional funding sources for a variety of reasons and are turning to nontraditional ways of finding resources to make sure their organization is able to sustain itself while still meeting its mission. One common non-traditional approach is engaging in unrelated business income activities. Since these activities are not related to a nonprofit’s mission they are subject to taxation. Some question whether these activities help a nonprofit organization meet its mission.

A nonprofit seen not fulfilling its mission can be detrimental to that organization especially where its donors are concerned. If a donor does not support …

Influential Determinants On The Time Of Adoption Of State-Based Healthcare Insurance Exchanges, Chris Record

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 consists of several provisions designed to promote the obtainment of affordable health insurance coverage for all Americans. In order to facilitate access to information on available prices and policies for this coverage, the law requires states to decide whether to operate their own healthcare insurance exchange or join a partnership or federal exchange. While many states proceeded with the implementation of state-based exchanges despite a challenge to the law in the Supreme Court, other states did not. This paper explores the influence that certain and health market characteristics may have had …

A Conductor’S Guide To David Del Tredici’S In Wartime, Joe David Moore

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Del Tredici (b. 1937) has gained recognition as a composer for both instrumental and vocal settings. Although his instrumental contributions include solo, chamber, and orchestral works, to date he has only written one composition for wind band. A conductor must devote himself / herself to score study and analysis in order to form an accurate interpretation and to conduct effective rehearsals. A vital part of score study and analysis is familiarity with the composer’s technique and style of writing.

A brief biographical sketch presents Del Tredici’s background, education, honors and awards, academic career, and influences, as …

Engineering Novel Terpene Production Platforms In The Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Xun Zhuang

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

The chemical diversity and biological activities of terpene and terpenoids have served in the development of new flavors, fragrances, medicines and pesticides. While terpenes are made predominantly by plants and microbes in small amounts and as components of complex mixtures, chemical synthesis of terpenes remains technically challenging, costly and inefficient. In this dissertation, methods to create new yeast lines possessing a dispensable mevalonate biosynthetic pathway wherein carbon flux can be diverted to build any chemical class of terpene product are described. The ability of this line to generate diterpenes was next investigated. Using a 5.5 L fed bath fermentation system, …

Transformations, Bioavailability And Toxicity Of Manufactured Zno Nanomaterials In Wastewter, Sewwandi Rathnayake

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

In order to properly evaluate the ecological and human health risks of ZnO Manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs) released to the environment, it is critical to understand the likely transformation products in the wastewater treatment process and in soils receiving biosolids. To address this critical knowledge gap, we examined the transformation reactions of 30 nm ZnO MNMs in single component and multi-component systems, with phosphate and natural organic matter (NOM). We also assessed the influence of nano ZnO transformation on the bioavailability, and toxicity of ZnO transformation products to Triticum aestivum. The data revealed that ZnO MNMs react with phosphate at …

Recovering Local Neural Tract Directions And Reconstructing Neural Pathways In High Angular Resolution Diffusion Mri, Ning Cao

Theses and Dissertations--Computer Science

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an imaging technique to visualize internal structures of the body. Diffusion MRI is an MRI modality that measures overall diffusion effect of molecules in vivo and non-invasively. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is an extended technique of diffusion MRI. The major application of DTI is to measure the location, orientation and anisotropy of fiber tracts in white matter. It enables non-invasive investigation of major neural pathways of human brain, namely tractography. As spatial resolution of MRI is limited, it is possible that there are multiple fiber bundles within the same voxel. However, diffusion tensor model is …

Context Aware Privacy Preserving Clustering And Classification, Nirmal Thapa

Theses and Dissertations--Computer Science

Data are valuable assets to any organizations or individuals. Data are sources of useful information which is a big part of decision making. All sectors have potential to benefit from having information. Commerce, health, and research are some of the fields that have benefited from data. On the other hand, the availability of the data makes it easy for anyone to exploit the data, which in many cases are private confidential data. It is necessary to preserve the confidentiality of the data. We study two categories of privacy: Data Value Hiding and Data Pattern Hiding. Privacy is a huge concern …

The Impairment Of Macrophage-To-Feces Reverse Cholesterol Transport During Inflammation Does Not Depend On Serum Amyloid A, Maria C. De Beer, Joanne M. Wroblewski, Victoria P. Noffsinger, Ailing Ji, Jason M. Meyer, Deneys R. Van Der Westhuyzen, Frederick C. De Beer, Nancy R. Webb

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

Studies suggest that inflammation impairs reverse cholesterol transport (RCT). We investigated whether serum amyloid A (SAA) contributes to this impairment using an established macrophage-to-feces RCT model. Wild-type (WT) mice and mice deficient in SAA1.1 and SAA2.1 (SAAKO) were injected intraperitoneally with ³H-cholesterol-labeled J774 macrophages 4 hr after administration of LPS or buffered saline. ³H-cholesterol in plasma 4 hr after macrophage injection was significantly reduced in both WT and SAAKO mice injected with LPS, but this was not associated with a reduced capacity of serum from LPS-injected mice to promote macrophage cholesterol efflux in vitro. Hepatic accumulation of ^{3 …}

Simulacro, Hiperrealidad Y Pos-Humanismo: La Ciencia Ficción En Argentina Y España En Torno Al 2000, Mirta Rímolo De Rienzi

Theses and Dissertations--Hispanic Studies

This project focuses on science fiction literature of Spain and Argentina produced in the last twenty years (1990-2010). It hypothesizes that in this period a change of perspective substantially modified science fiction productions in both countries and converges into a new model of narrative. As a consequence of this reformulated vision, a new narrative perspective immerses readers in an era of simulation, hyperreality, and post-humanism. When advanced technology is able to modify the basic human anatomy, and persons are trapped between virtual and real universes, simulacra facilitate control of people in an effective and impersonal manner. Simultaneously, fictional scenarios show …

Analyzing The Presence Of Marketing In Campus Recreation Departments, Amy Gibson

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The University of Kentucky’s Campus Recreation department is currently operating without professional marketing personnel to promote the programs and services the facility offers. With the university expanding campus housing for incoming students, the question of how activity spaces will accommodate and reach out to these students is certainly one to consider.

I conducted this research with the aim of analyzing the importance of marketing in Campus Recreation facilities and to see if marketing efforts have an effect on facility usage by participants. The department began conducting surveys in 2010 to assess its programs and services in order to determine student …

Exploring I.T. Innovation In A Sample Of Kentucky Nonprofits, Candice Rider

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Nonprofit organizations today face an increasingly competitive landscape and often operate under the motto of “doing more with less.” As nonprofits struggle to balance mission fulfillment with financial support, information technology [IT] is usually deemed a luxury or acquired as-needed. I posit, however, that technological innovation must be considered a crucial element to staying competitive, efficient, accountable, and engaged with supporters.

After conducting a survey of a sample of Kentucky nonprofits [NPOs], I explore a number of organizational characteristics that might predict the information technology budget, especially with respect to IT innovation. I combine a set of explanatory variables in …

Multidimensional Perfectionism And Social Connectivity Among Youth: Findings And Implications, Alexander Nounopoulos

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

Although traditional researchers exploring perfectionism frequently cast the construct in a negative light, a steady stream of recent studies have demonstrated that perfectionistic beliefs can yield both positive and negative outcomes. Despite this progression in the research, perfectionism remains an understudied phenomenon among youth, especially as it relates to the ways in which these individuals are perceived by others. The current study builds on the previous literature by exploring adolescent perfectionism across a variety of psychological and psychoeducational dimensions. Moreover, a unique addition to the literature offered by this study was the inclusion of peer-reports along with self-reported measures in …

Academic Support Of Division I Head Coaches: Perceptions Of Student-Athletes, Mikaela M. Raddatz

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

Intercollegiate athletics in the United States have continuously become more commercialized, pressuring athletics departments and coaches to produce winning teams. The commanding expectations for successful programs have been thought to take away from the academic mission of colleges and universities, focusing efforts on athletics over academics. This phenomenon has been examined, but the role head coaches play in support of student-athlete academics has yet to be explored.

The purpose of this study is to measure student-athlete perception of academic support from Division I head coaches. Current literature demonstrates the strong influence of coaches on student-athletes, but the effect in the …

Great Expectations: Twenty-First Century Public Institutions And The Promise Of Technology Based Economic Development: A Case Study, Tara K. Baas

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

American research universities, especially over the past 30 years, have increasingly become involved in technology transfer activities. For public land grant institutions, involvement is largely inspired by a desire to maximize revenue opportunities and demonstrate economic relevance. This intrinsic case study addresses the efforts of a public, land grant and flagship institution, the University of Kentucky, to augment its technology transfer activities, with a specific focus on its attempts to spin off university technology-based firms. The data were gathered primarily through oral history interviews with technology transfer personnel, entrepreneurs, and spinoff personnel. Its purpose is to understand better the structure …

The Effect Of Augmented Reality Treatment On Learning, Cognitive Load, And Spatial Visualization Abilities, Nedim Slijepcevic

Theses and Dissertations--Curriculum and Instruction

This study investigated the effects of Augmented Reality (AR) on learning, cognitive load and spatial abilities. More specifically, it measured learning gains, perceived cognitive load, and the role spatial abilities play with students engaged in an astronomy lesson about lunar phases. Research participants were 182 students from a public university in southeastern United States, and were recruited from psychology research pool. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: (a) Augmented Reality and Text Astronomy Treatment (ARTAT); and (b) Images and Text Astronomy Treatment (ITAT). Upon entering the experimental classroom, participants were given (a) Paper Folding Test to measure their spatial …

Using The I-Learn Model For Information Literacy Instruction: An Experimental Study, Stacey Greenwell

Theses and Dissertations--Curriculum and Instruction

Given the proliferation of information and the lifelong importance of information literacy skills, there is a need to determine how to best design information literacy instruction in order to help students locate, evaluate, and use information more effectively. This experimental study examined whether information literacy skills instruction designed using the I-LEARN model increased student understanding and application of information literacy concepts as compared to how librarians currently provide information literacy skills instruction. The experimental group received an instruction session and an online library research guide designed using the I-LEARN model, and the control group received an instruction session and an …

Little Eichmanns: A Composition For Chamber Octet, Benjamin D. Norton

Theses and Dissertations--Music

An original composition in one movement for a chamber octet comprised of a string quartet and a jazz piano quartet with tenor saxophone. The work develops an idée fixe, introduced in the opening bars, through a wide variety of transformations, textures, and styles. The two quartets begin in antiphonal alteration, united in thematic material, yet separated by style. A modern art music style contrasts with an improvisational jazz style. Gradually, the two quartets, and their concomitant musics, bleed into one another, breaking down stylistic boundaries. In the conclusion of the work, the idée fixe, the supplementary themes, and …

Unlocking The Paradox Of Christian Metal Music, Eric S. Strother

Theses and Dissertations--Music

In 1984, Stryper released its first album The Yellow and Black Attack and introduced audiences to a different kind of heavy metal. Instead of lyrics about sex, alcohol, and Satan, Stryper sang about Jesus, salvation, and God. While there were a number of fans ready for this change more were not. Members of the Church as well as members of the metal subculture were in agreement that Christianity and heavy metal were incompatible. Despite these objections, however, more bands emerged, and Christian metal became a significant genre within the Christian music industry. These bands presented Christian-oriented lyrics within the full …

Three Essays On Fiscal Stress And Financial Stability In State Government Finance, James B. Gibson

Theses and Dissertations--Public Policy and Administration

State government finance is a substantial endeavor in the United States. The management of a multitude of revenues and expenditures often involves some level of fiscal stress. In an age of increased public scrutiny, policymakers must be mindful of possible causes of fiscal stress, and the policy options available to mitigate fiscal stress and increase financial stability. This dissertation contains three essays that examine different elements of fiscal stress, and in some cases, the applicable policy responses.

Chapter two examines rainy day funds and their countercyclical goal of reducing recessionary fiscal stress. This essay takes a different approach from much …

Three Essays On Local Government Debt, Robert Greer

Theses and Dissertations--Public Policy and Administration

The local government tax-exempt debt market is a growing, and complex, sector of public finance. As local governments turn to debt financing the factors that contribute to interest costs of that debt have become important considerations for local government officials and politicians. Governance at the local level involves a network of overlapping governments some of which share a tax base. This system of overlapping governments that share a tax base are subject to externalities that arise from taxation, expenditures, and debt. These externalities are usually analyzed in terms of tax or expenditure reactions, but there are implications for local government …