Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Hot And Gaseous Universe From Infrared To X-Ray, Chamani Gunasekera

Theses and Dissertations--Physics and Astronomy

Over 90% of baryonic matter in the universe exists as astrophysical plasmas. The gas
is often far from thermodynamic equilibrium, so numerical non-equilibrium spectral
synthesis simulations are used to understand observations. cloudy simulates vari-
ous physical conditions, providing spectra predictions. This thesis aims to meet the
challenge of new observatories like the JWST (James Webb Space Telescope) and
XRISM (X-Ray Imaging Spectroscopy Mission). These simulations are no better
than the underlying atomic and molecular database and the fourth chapter details
a long-needed update to an evolving database. The predicted spectra are strongly
affected by the composition of the gas, which …

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 …

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 …

Investigating The Impact Of Leaderboards, Badges, And Ebucks On High School English Language Learners’ Cognitive Engagement, Self-Efficacy And Intrinsic Motivation Toward Reading In English, Omar J. Almamoori

Theses and Dissertations--Curriculum and Instruction

This study examines the impact of gamification elements, in particular leaderboards, badges, and eBucks, on the cognitive engagement (CE), intrinsic motivation (IM), and self-efficacy (SE) of English Language Learners (ELLs) at a high school in the Southeastern United States. The investigation, conducted during optional weekly readings, utilizes a mixed methods design to investigate the effects of gamification on ELLs' learning experiences. Through pre-post surveys and semi-structured interviews, data was collected to assess the gamified intervention's impact. Utilizing a one-way covariate analysis (ANCOVA) in IBM SPSS Statistics (version 29), the study evaluates the effect of gamification while controlling for grade, gender, …

Enrollment Management Leadership Response To System Changes: Case Study, Christopher R. Jensen

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

While the impact of government funding for institutions of higher education has been researched extensively, little research looks at the impact of students as a funding source. This is important because students are one of the greatest contributors to higher education budgets. Within the Commonwealth of Kentucky, there has been a decline in high school graduates as well as state funding since the Great Recession in 2008.

This study uses systems theory as a theoretical framework to help understand the dynamic relationship between the external environment and institutions of higher education, as well as frame how leadership at regional institutions …

Answering The Call Of Late Registration, Brooke Justice

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

The topic of late registration in higher education is a term that must be clearly defined to properly compare and contrast academic success metrics. A standard definition for late registration has yet to be agreed upon. For the purposes of this mixed methods action research study, late registration is enrollment in a course 10 days preceding the beginning of the course.

Review of registration data at Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College uncovered a disparity between student academic performance of those who registered on time and those who registered late. The institution’s heightened focus on academic performance reflects the performance-based …

Shaping College Habitus: An Exploration Of The Effect Of The Social/Spatial Construction Of First-Year Classes On The Habitus Of Low-Income, Working-Class Rural Students, Joshua R. Mcconnell Parsons

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

Low-income, working-class (LI/WC) students entering spaces of higher education often face completely new social and cultural fields that do not match their prior experiences, requiring them to construct new conceptualizations of their habitus within those spaces—the way they internalize and interact with the world. However, a dearth of research exists on how these students’ conceptualizations of the social and physical spaces that make up their actual classroom and academic experiences play a role in how they come to form their new identities or habitus. This in-depth qualitative analysis of students’ habitus formation leverages Doreen Massey’s theoretical framework of critical spatiality …

The Psychosocial Aspects Of Rest, Morgan Findley

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Past research in sport sciences has focused primarily on “rest” from a physical perspective, while giving limited focus to the psychosocial perspective (Eccles & Riley, 2014; Eccles et al., 2022). One major development on psychosocial rest emerged with the pioneering model introduced by Eccles and Kazmier (2019); however, further research is needed to test this proposed model with other sport/performance populations. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the model's generalizability and investigate the perceived frequency of psychosocial rest by athletes throughout their season. To accomplish this, 67 female university athletes completed an online survey comprised of questions representative of the …

An Investigation Of Body Image And Eating Behaviors In Former Ncaa Heptathletes, Claire Bailey

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Research consistently supports associations between body image dissatisfaction and disordered eating pathologies in collegiate athletes (e.g., Reel & Voelker, 2012; Sundgot-Borgen, 1994). More specifically, female NCAA athletes report feeling torn between peak performance body composition and body fat levels fitting ideal feminine standards (Beckner & Record, 2016; Carson et al., 2020). Examining track and field, most event groups hold a lean-promoting perspective. However, heptathletes warrant further investigation due to the multifaceted and contradictory nature of events. Specifically, heptathletes encounter complex pressures training for a wide range of physical demands, which can create confusion in expected body types (Heazlewood et al., …

Poc@Fwcd: A Critical Discourse Analysis Of Black@ Instagram In K-12 Independent Schools, Chaka Cummings

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

The summer of 2020 saw many aspects of American society deal with the racial reckoning that arose in the wake of the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. Their murders sparked outrage, protests, and calls for action and change in the United States through a critical examination of race relations across numerous facets of society. Structures such as educational institutions were called to perform this critical examination much in the same way that cities and industries were. A catalyst in the calls for change came from students through their utilization of social media platforms.

This study is …

De Aquí, Y De Allá: Education, Culture, And Identity Development Of Transnational Latinas, Elizabeth Harris-Medina

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

De Aquí, y De Allá: Education, Culture, and Identity Development of Transnational Latinas This ethnographic case study examines the experiences of three transnational Latina women, descendants of families from Degollado, Jalisco, Mexico, exploring how their migration history and educational backgrounds influence their life trajectories. Focusing on these three women, the study aims to better understand their challenges and inform the development of resources to support their success in the U.S. education system. Using ethnographic interviews and Ecological Systems Theory, the research highlights how places and social systems shape views and life paths, offering insights into how best to support these …

Data In Higher Education: Exploring The Collection, Interpretation, And Utilization Of Information For Institutional Decision-Making Around Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion, Terri Berkley

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

This study investigates how higher education institutions in the Appalachian region collect, assess, and utilize data to inform diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and broader institutional transformations. It focuses on understanding how data influences policy reforms, operational practices, and cultural shifts within these institutions. Through a mixed-methods approach—comprising surveys, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups—the study examines the perspectives of key stakeholders, including DEI administrators, non-DEI administrators, and executive-level leaders.

The research identifies how institutional roles and positionality shape stakeholders' engagement with data and their ability to implement DEI-informed strategies. Key findings highlight discrepancies in data access, interpretation, and application, …

Increasing Expectations For Entry: Analyzing Changes In Labor Market Entry-Level Education Requirements Over Time With Potential Implications For Credential Or Degree Inflation And Returns-To-Education, William Nicholas Grinstead

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

The dissertation asks the following question: Have occupations increased academic degree requirements over time?

The literature review provides background on the origin and criticisms of the concept of a “knowledge economy.” It addresses economic “signaling theory” and sociologic “credentialism.”

The methodology relies on a trend analysis using the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook and the occupations’ Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system and its predecessor the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT). In order to address whether occupations have increased academic degree requirements over time, this dissertation will compare entry-level education requirements for BLS SOC occupations that today are …

Correlates Of Transactional Sex Among Black Men And Women Who Misuse Opioids, Shemeka Thorpe, Paige Orphé, Gabriella Pitcher, Kendall Mccleod, Natalie Malone, Danelle Stevens-Watkins

Kinesiology and Health Promotion Faculty Publications

The rise in opioid misuse coincides with increased sexually transmitted infection (STI) and HIV incidence. Transactional sex is an under-researched phenomenon among Black Americans who misuse opioids, and may increase their risk of STI or HIV transmission. Given the disproportionate impact of the opioid epidemic on Black Americans and the risks associated with opioid misuse, the current study aims to investigate sociostructural factors, history of violence, and sexual risk factors associated with transactional sex among Black men and women. A sample of n = 375 Black adult Kentuckians reporting opioid misuse completed a survey including transactional sex, sociostructural, violence history, …

Exploring Elementary Teachers’ Self-Efficacy And Propensity For Teaching Stem, Ashley Wilkirson

Theses and Dissertations--Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education

The following research is conducted in the interest in exploring self-efficacy (or the lack of) in pre- and in-service elementary school teachers when it comes to teaching STEM. In order to explore the issue of self-efficacy for STEM in elementary schools, it comes to defining what STEM education is and what self-efficacy is. These definitions guide research collected in building these future and current teachers’ self-efficacy, with factors ranging from resources available, pre-service training, professional development, content area knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, perceptions of teaching STEM, and opportunities to collaborate with other teachers were listed as some of the reasons. These …

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 …

Recurrence Interval Estimates For The July 2022 Eastern Kentucky Floods, North Fork Of The Kentucky River, William C. Haneberg

Open File Reports--KGS

July 2022 flood recurrence interval calculations for three gages along the North Fork of the Kentucky River—Whitesburg, Hazard, and Jackson, Kentucky—based upon both empirical distributions and theoretical log-Pearson Type III distributions yield a range of results from 851 years for the Whitesburg gage near the headwaters of the North Fork to about 2 years for the Hazard gage to 94 years for the Jackson gage. While the log-Pearson Type III approach worked well for the Whitesburg and Hazard gages, it produced an unrealistically low estimate for the Jackson gage because the empirical and theoretical curves diverge significantly for large floods …

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’ …

Ecohiv-Infected Mice Show No Signs Of Platelet Activation, Hammodah Rawhi Hammodah Alfar, Dominic Ngima Nthenge-Ngumbau, Kathryn E. Saatman, Sidney W. Whiteheart

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

Platelets express several surface receptors that could interact with different viruses. To understand the mechanisms of HIV-1′s interaction with platelets, we chose the EcoHIV model. While EcoHIV is an established model for neuroAIDS, its effects on platelets are ill-defined. Our results indicate that EcoHIV behaves differently from HIV-1 and is cleared from circulation after 48 h post- infection. The EcoHIV course of infection resembles an HIV-1 infection under the effects of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) since infected mice stayed immunocompetent and the virus was readily detected in the spleen. EcoHIV-infected mice failed to become thrombocytopenic and showed no signs of …

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Of Macrophage Response To Radiation Therapy, Harrison Yang, Brock Howerton, Logan Brown, Tadahide Izumi, Dennis C. Cheek, Jason Anthony Brandon, Francesc Marti, Roberto Gedaly, Reuben Adatorwovor, Fanny Chapelin

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive imaging modality which, in conjunction with biopsies, provide a qualitative assessment of tumor response to treatment. Intravenous injection of contrast agents such as fluorine (19F) nanoemulsions labels systemic macrophages, which can, then, be tracked in real time with MRI. This method can provide quantifiable insights into the behavior of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in the tumor microenvironment and macrophage recruitment during therapy.

Methods: Female mice received mammary fat pad injections of murine breast or colon cancer cell lines. The mice then received an intravenous 19F nanoemulsion injection, followed by a baseline 19F MRI. …

A Solution To Weed Control In Grassland Containing White Clover, E. Bardsley, T. Schulz, R. Bentley, V. Van Damme, D. Gurney, N. Blanchier, B. B. Sleugh

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Productive grass with white clover can lead to advantages both in forage quantity and quality, economics and in meeting wider expectations detailed in recent EU and UK policy. The ability to achieve this agronomic success is currently difficult due to a lack of options for broad spectrum weed control that also allow establishment or preservation of a white clover population. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that 3730XL, developed by Corteva Agriscience, is a solution to this critical success factor. Data is presented from 16 efficacy trials (10 from established grassland and 5 from newly sown) where white …

Opening Speech, Ray Smith

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

https://youtu.be/CbRcQzf5z0o?si=ESOHxXF-jFsYMw2A

Development Of Poly(Acrylamide)-Based Hydrogel Composites With Powdered Activated Carbon For Controlled Sorption Of Pfoa And Pfos In Aqueous Systems, Maria Victoria X. Klaus, Angela M. Gutierrez, J. Zach Hilt

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are anthropogenic compounds developed for various applications; some are connected to adverse health impacts including immunosuppression and higher susceptibility to some cancers. Current PFAS remediation treatments from aqueous sources include granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption, membrane separation, and anion- exchange resin (AER) removal. Each has specific disadvantages, hence the need for a new and efficient technology. Herein, acrylamide-based hydrogel composites were synthesized with powdered activated carbon (PAC) and characterized to determine their affinity for PFAS. Physicochemical characterization included Fourier-Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to identify chemical composition, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to confirm PAC loading percentage, and …

Will Our Future Selves Thank Us? An Examination Of Born-Digital Curation Practices At The University Of Kentucky Libraries, Sarah Dorpinghaus, Ruth E. Bryan, Megan M. Mummey, Emily B. Collier

Library Presentations

University of Kentucky archivists share practical tips, tools, and mental frameworks to identify gaps, pitfalls, and opportunities in stewarding born-digital collections. Topics include managing a shifting digital preservation landscape, instituting comprehensive appraisal practices while considering environmental impact, curating born-digital and web-based university records, and aligning resources with future collection needs.

Human Schwann Cells In Vitro I. Nerve Tissue Processing, Pre-Degeneration, Isolation, And Culturing Of Primary Cells, Gabriela I. Aparicio, Paula V. Monje

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

This paper presents versatile protocols to prepare primary human Schwann cell (hSC) cultures from mature peripheral nervous system tissues, including fascicles from long spinal nerves, nerve roots, and ganglia. This protocol starts with a description of nerve tissue procurement, handling, and dissection to obtain tissue sections suitable for hSC isolation and culturing. A description follows on how to disintegrate the nerve tissue by delayed enzymatic dissociation, plate the initial cell suspensions on a two-dimensional substrate, and culture the primary hSCs. Each section contains detailed procedures, technical notes, and background information to aid investigators in understanding and managing all steps. Some …

Phosphorylation Of Ahr By Plk1 Promotes Metastasis Of Luad Via Dio2-Th Signaling, Chaohao Li, Derek B. Allison, Daheng He, Fengyi Mao, Xinyi Wang, Piotr G. Rychahou, Ibrahim A. Imam, Yifan Kong, Qiongsi Zhang, Yanquan Zhang, Jinghui Liu, Ruixin Wang, Xiongjian Rao, Sai Wu, B. Mark Evers, Qing Shao, Chi Wang, Zhiguo Li, Xiaoqi Liu

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is a major cause of death in patients. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), an important transcription factor, is involved in the initiation and progression of lung cancer. Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1), a serine/threonine kinase, acts as an oncogene promoting the malignancy of multiple cancer types. However, the interaction between these two factors and their significance in lung cancer remain to be determined. In this study, we demonstrate that PLK1 phosphorylates AHR at S489 in LUAD, leading to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastatic events. RNA-seq analyses reveal that type 2 deiodinase (DIO2) is responsible for EMT and …

Southeastern Law Librarian Fall 2023, Seaall

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