Digital Commons Network^™

Relative Adrenal Insufficiency Is A Risk Factor And Endotype Of Sepsis - A Proof-Of- Concept Study To Support A Precision Medicine Approach To Guide Glucocorticoid Therapy For Sepsis, Chia-Hua Wu, Ling Guo, Dan Hao, Qian Wang, Xiang Ye, Misa Ito, Bin Huang, Chieko Mineo, Philip W. Shaul, Xiang-An Li

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

Introduction: 25-60% of septic patients experience relative adrenal insufficiency (RAI) and glucocorticoid (GC) is frequently used in septic patients. However, the efficacy of GC therapy and whether GC therapy should be based on the status of RAI are highly controversial. Our poor understanding about the pathogenesis of RAI and a lack of RAI animal model present significant barriers to address these critical issues.

Methods: Scavenger receptor BI (SR-BI) regulates stress-induced GC (iGC) production in response to stress. We generated SF1CreSR-BIfl/fl mice and utilized the mice as a RAI model to elucidate the pathogenesis of RAI and GC therapy in sepsis. …

A Legislative Call-To-Action: Applying Capture Theory To Combat The Risk Of Private Industry’S Excess Influence Over The Fda’S Regulation Of Livestock Antibiotics, Nathaniel Richey

Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture, & Natural Resources Law

No abstract provided.

Linking Previous Experiences To Behavior And Health In The Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera), Rebecca R. Westwick

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

An organism’s ability to respond to changing conditions can be vital to its success. Indeed, plasticity is a common feature of living organisms. Much of the research in this area, though, has focused on effects caused by environmental conditions. What has received relatively less attention is how social experiences and broader features of an organism’s social environment can lead to long-lasting changes in health and behavior. This knowledge gap exists despite the well-documented existence of health and behavioral effects after social interactions in certain taxa such as humans.

Social insects such as honey bees provide an excellent opportunity to better …

Nutritional & Colorectal Health, Tariq A. Alam, Brittany R. Rice, Sara B. Police

Journal of Pharmacology & Nutritional Sciences

Kentucky has the highest incidence and mortality rate of all site cancers, and Kentuckians residing in the Appalachian region often have worse outcomes, where cancer is a leading cause of death. Focusing on colorectal cancer (CRC) specifically, Kentucky ranks first nationwide for incidence (50 cases per 100,000 people) and fifth for mortality (about 17 deaths per 100,000 people). The Kentucky Colon Cancer Screening Program increased screening rates and reduced mortality since its launch. Yet, CRC remains a leading cause of death for Kentuckians. Risk factors for CRC include increasing age as well as a history of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) …

Curbing Diabetes Prevalence And Reducing Risk Through Policy, Grayson Blount

Undergraduate Public Policy Capstone Projects

The purpose of this policy brief is to illuminate the dire circumstances surrounding the ongoing diabetes epidemic in Kentucky. Type II diabetes mellitus, a preventable and manageable chronic illness, affects nearly 465,000 Kentuckians currently. Beyond the daily struggle associated with diabetes, many acute complications can arise that are severly detrimental to quality of life, such as blindness or lower extremeity amputation. Additionally, the costs associated with diabetes are tremendous, to patients, to providers, and to the state. It is in the best interest of all stakeholders to do whatever we can in order to reduce prevalence and improve management of …

Delta-Late: How The Contentious And Hazy Legal Status Of Delta-8 Thc Reveals Kentucky’S Need For Federal Regulatory Guidance, Georgiana Ledford

Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture, & Natural Resources Law

No abstract provided.

Paper Gowns, Cold Hands, Or Something Else? Black Women's Barriers To Gynecologic Screening, Nadia Ayesha Sesay

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Cervical cancer mortality burden is carried disproportionately by African American women. Early indicators of cervical cancer are identified through prevention screening, a procedure typically performed by a gynecologist. Ideally, the patient group with the most severe mortality would likewise be the group with the most robust communication exchange with their physician to prevent cervical cancer incidence. However, a slew of factors contributes to continued mortalities among Black women. This study uses semi-structured interviews (n=10) and the health belief model to examine one barrier to Black women’s prosocial behaviors regarding routine gynecologic care—awkwardness, which here is conceptualized as social anxiety. The …

Selenium Form-Induced Changes In The Early Luteal Phase Corpus Luteum, The Blood, And The Endometrium During Early Gestation In Beef Cows, Sarah Nancy Carr

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Selenium (Se) deficient soils and thus forages are widespread throughout the United States, necessitating supplementation of this trace mineral in the diet of grass-fed cattle to negate detrimental effects of a deficiency on immune function, growth, and fertility. Conventionally, Se is supplemented to cattle in a vitamin-mineral mix as an inorganic form (ISe) although the organic forms (OSe) are available when cattle consumer forage, and OSe has been shown to increase the bioavailability of Se in cattle. Previous research has demonstrated supplementation with 1:1 mixture (MIX) of ISe and OSe compared to ISe alone increases systemic concentrations of progesterone (P4) …

Increasing Efficiency Of Finishing Beef Production: Strategies To Optimize Starch Digestion, Improve Flake Quality, And Reduce Methane Emissions, Ronald J. Trotta

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

To continue to meet the demands of increasing food production and environmental sustainability, new strategies are needed to enhance the efficiency of finishing cattle production. A review of the literature identified several nutritional and physiological constraints that limit the ability for cattle to digest starch and absorb glucose from the small intestine. Comparative sequencing analyses revealed a missing region of the sucrase-isomaltase protein which could affect the capacity for starch digestion in cattle. Post-flaking sampling and handling recommendations were generated based on a series of experiments to improve estimates of starch availability and flaking consistency for commercial feedlots and laboratories. …

Evaluation Of Boron Supplementation In Swine And Poultry, Tyler B. Chevalier

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The objectives of this dissertation were to evaluate dietary boron (B) supplementation as sodium borate in various swine models and broiler chicks through a series of experiments. The initial experiment evaluated supplemental B (0, 25, 50, and 100 ppm B) on serum insulin, glucose, and clinical chemistry panel of growing pigs. Serum insulin/glucose ratio tended to decrease linearly with increasing supplemental B in a fasting state (P = 0.08). These findings were more noticeable (linear effect, P = 0.02) in a postprandial state (~ 50 minutes following a meal). A series of follow-up studies further evaluating B supplementation (0, 5, …

Evaluation Of Increasing Levels Of Mycotoxin-Containing Corn Fines On Diet Choice And Growth Performance Of Nursery Pigs, Duncan B. Paczosa

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Pigs fed mycotoxin contaminated diets at high concentrations will result in a detriment to health and performance. An initial study and a follow-up study were conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding increasing levels of mycotoxin-containing corn fines on growth performance, diet preference of pigs, and two possible mitigants.

The initial study was a 3 x 2 factorial containing three levels of fines (0, 10, and 20%, Diets 1-3, respectively) and either 0 ppm (Diets 1-3) or 40 ppm boron (Diets 4-6; Diets 4-6 were Diets 1-3, respectively, plus boron) as sodium tetraborate decahydrate as a possible mitigant. In this …

Profiling The Cell Wall Polysaccharides Of Hemp (Cannabis Sativa L.) Inflorescence And Hempseed And Exploring Their Application As Ruminant Feed Ingredients, Miranda Agbana

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is used in the United States as a source of CBD oil, fiber, and grain. While hempseeds are consumed whole or as dehulled hemp hearts, hempseed oil is also a desirable seed oil in human nutrition. The process of collecting hempseed oil leaves behind hempseed cakes that are abundant in protein and fiber. Feeding of hempseed cakes to animals, including ruminants, has only initially been explored. Extraction of CBD from hemp inflorescences generates organic waste that may find a second purpose as a fiber feed for cattle. Little is known about the exact fiber composition …

Precision Livestock Farming And Personality As Tools To Understand Dairy Calf Individual Variation In Performance, Behavior, And Response To Stress, Megan Marie Woodrum Setser

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Individual differences impact animal responses to their environments and can be observed with animal personality (stable behavioral differences with populations) and food neophobia (avoidance of unfamiliar feeds). These individual differences can influence cattle performance and welfare. Precision technologies, such as automatic feeding systems (AFS) and accelerometers continuously measure feeding behaviors and activity and may allow us to relate individual differences to behaviors in the home environment. Therefore, the first objective was to determine if food neophobia was associated with feeding behaviors measured by AFS. Food neophobia was associated with rewarded visits to the AFS, but to no other feeding behaviors. …

Campylobacter Vaccination Reduces Diarrheal Disease And Infant Growth Stunting Among Rhesus Macaques, Sara M. Hendrickson, Archana Thomas, Hans-Peter Raué, Kamm Prongay, Andrew J. Haertel, Nicholas S. Rhoades, Jacob F. Slifka, Lina Gao, Benjamin K. Quintel, Ian J. Amanna, Ilhem Messaoudi, Mark K. Slifka

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Campylobacter-associated enteric disease is estimated to be responsible for more than 160 million cases of gastroenteritis each year and is linked to growth stunting of infants living under conditions of poor sanitation and hygiene. Here, we examine naturally occurring Campylobacter-associated diarrhea among rhesus macaques as a model to determine if vaccination could reduce severe diarrheal disease and infant growth stunting. Compared to unvaccinated controls, there are no Campylobacter diarrhea-associated deaths observed among vaccinated infant macaques and all-cause diarrhea-associated infant mortality is decreased by 76% (P = 0.03). By 9 months of age, there is a 1.3 cm increase in dorsal …

Prevalence Of Multimorbidity In The Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities Study At Baseline, Katie Highfill

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Aim: The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence of multimorbidity among middle-aged adults in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study at baseline by examining the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the participants.

Methods

I included 15,698 participants from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) baseline visit. Participants were randomly selected from 4 different locations in the United States. Multimorbidity was defined as the prevalence of 2 or more chronic conditions in an individual. Three different multimorbidity definitions (MM1, MM2, and MM3) were created with different inclusion criterion. Prevalence of each multimorbidity definition was analyzed among participants using …

Moving Toward And Accessing Adult-Oriented Rehabilitation Therapy Services For Adults With Lifelong Disabilities: A Tale Of Three Studies, Catherine Gohrband

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

The aim of this dissertation was to explore how adults with a Lifelong Disability (LLD) access and experience rehabilitation therapy services across their lives. Many LLD diagnoses such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida are considered non-progressive; however, there are common challenges that occur as people with LLD become adults, including increased pain, fatigue, and functional loss. Literature addressing the needs of people with LLD to access adult-oriented medical providers has focused primarily on medical transitions, which have described the processes for pediatric patients moving to adult-oriented settings from pediatric settings. Few studies have addressed the rehabilitation therapy needs of …

Consequences Of Shift Work And Job-Related Exposure On Sleep And Musculoskeletal Outcomes In Structural Firefighters, Jacob Dennis Jelmini

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Firefighting is considered one of the most dangerous occupations in the workforce. Musculoskeletal injuries are consistently the most frequent, and most costly, documented non-fatal injuries in the firefighting setting. An increase in job stress, job exposure, and deprived sleep secondary to job-related duties are plausible explanations for the frequency in musculoskeletal injury. The aims of this dissertation were to ascertain not only how occupational exposure via firefighter emergency call volume may influence outcomes contributing to job stress and objective and subjective sleep metrics, but also its influence on the incidences of musculoskeletal pain.

The results showed that emergency call volume …

Three Essays On Health, Food, And Agricultural Economics, Saber Feizy

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

This dissertation comprises three distinct but interrelated projects that explore the intersection of agriculture, nutrition, and economics. The first project investigates the impact of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) food programs on the health outcomes of its participants. Using fixed effects models and a matching algorithm, the study finds that while conventional fixed effects models indicate a significant effect of CSA participation on diet-related medical expenditures, our modified time-heterogenous fixed effects model did not find a meaningful effect. The results of the matching method are consistent with those of our modified model.

The second project examines racial disparities in the prevalence …

Consumers’ Preferences And Willingness To Pay For Value-Added Dairy Products In Kentucky - Considering Price, Provenance, And Environmental Product Attributes, Favour E. Esene

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

Many medium and smaller dairies are shifting to various kinds of value-added products that may expand in demand nationally aside from fluid milk. This study uses a latent class logit model to investigate the heterogeneity of consumer preferences and willingness to pay for dairy value-added products across four latent classes considering different local and environmental sustainability labels. The dairy products examined for this research are butter, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. This research revealed that younger consumers, especially those that reside in rural areas, always pay attention to product attributes when they shop for dairy products, mostly the local state …

Prenatal Morphine Exposure Increases Cardiovascular Disease Risk And Programs Neurogenic Hypertension In The Adult Offspring, Nermin Hassan Mohamed Selim Ahmed, Alana Kassis, Jena Malone, Jodie Yang, Esraa Zamzami, An-Hsuan Lin, Scott M. Gordon, Ming C. Gong, Michael T. Bardo, Carolina Dalmasso, Analia S. Loria

Psychology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The opioid overdose and opioid use disorder epidemics are concomitant with increased metabolic and CVD risk. Although opioid use disorder causes adverse pregnancy outcomes, the offspring’s cardiovascular health is understudied. We hypothesized that offspring exposed to in utero morphine exposure (IUME) would show increased CVD risk factors and endogenous opioid system dysregulation.

METHODS: Sprague Dawley dams were treated with saline (vehicle, n=10) or escalating doses of morphine (5–20 mg/kg per day, SC, n=10) during gestation. Cardiovascular and metabolic parameters were assessed in adult offspring.

RESULTS: Litter size and pups’ birth weight were not different in response to IUME. Female …

A Mini Review Of What Matters In The Management Of Nas, Is Esc The Best Care?, Enrique Gomez Pomar

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

As the use of opioids and polysubstance by pregnant women has increased over the years, there has also been a sharp increase in cases of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Classically, infants affected by NAS have been cared for in neonatal intensive care units resulting in an increase of healthcare expenditure and resource utilization as well as separation from the families. Consequently, the Eat, Sleep, and Console (ESC) tool was developed and promoted as a novel method that focuses on maternal/infant dyad during hospital stay while decreasing the use of pharmacological interventions and therefore decreasing the length of stay and healthcare …

Implementing A Mobile Saliva Rinse Screening For P16 Markers For Hpv (Human Papillomavirus) Positive Head And Neck Cancers In Central Kentucky, Madeline Brown

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Rates of HPV-related head and neck cancers are increasing across the nation and more specifically, there has been a significant increase in the state of Kentucky. This study focuses on the implementation of a mobile clinic saliva-rinse screening program. This program will be set up at UK Athletics Men's basketball and football games in hopes of recruiting middle aged men ages 45-60, who are the target audience of the study. This is the population with highest prevalence for HPV positive head and neck cancers and also the population least likely to visit their health providers regularly. A quick saliva rinse …

Changes In Severity Of Diabetes At Diagnosis Following The Onset Of The Sars-Cov-2 Pandemic, Annelise King

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic it was seen that diabetes was a risk factor for severe COVID-19. The objective of this study is to assess the severity of diabetes at diagnosis during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-pandemic to see how the pandemic and SARS-CoV-2 infection impacted the severity of diabetes. This study used University of Kentucky electronic health records of 13,794 patients who developed diabetes. The majority of patients were female, white non-Hispanic, 65+, and living in an urban area. There were differences seen between the COVID-19 positive and negative cohorts in the DKA and HbA₁c variables, with …

Rapid Scoping Review Of The Epidemiological Evidence For Mercury Exposure And Prevalence Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Rebecca Mattingly

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

This rapid scoping review examines the current body of epidemiologic research evaluating the potential linkage between environmental exposure to mercury and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60-80% of all neurodegenerative disease in the United States and was the seventh leading cause of death in Kentucky in 2020. The exact etiology of AD needs further investigation; however, environmental factors such as pesticides, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury have been correlated with development of AD lesions, cognitive decline, and AD. Mercury is a toxic metal that can be found in air, water, and soil, both from natural and human-made sources. …

Fork It, Kylee Pipgrass

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Obesity prevalence is at an alarmingly high rate within the United States, but especially in rural areas of Kentucky. Obesity can lead to a variety of negative physical health outcomes including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and some cancers. There are also mental disorders associated with obesity through mechanisms such as weight stigma and self-perception. Similar to obesity rates, prevalence and mortality associated of these health outcomes are also seen at disproportionately higher rates in rural, Appalachian Kentucky. Causes for increased obesity and obesity related consequences include some genetic factors as well as behavioral factors like physical inactivity, poor diet, stress, …

Breastfeeding Promotion In The Workplace, Katie C. Nettesheim

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Breastfeeding is one of the best things a mother can do for her baby. It has many protective qualities including a reduced risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes, respiratory infections, ear infections, and stomach bugs for the baby (CDC, 2022). There are also protective qualities for the mother as well, including a reduced risk of high blood pressure, breast and ovarian cancer, and type II diabetes. Breastfeeding exclusively, the infant only receives breastmilk and no other supplementation for 6 months, which maximizes the many benefits that breastfeeding has.

Rural areas of the United States …

The Meals On Wheels-Breathitt: A Health Campaign For Reducing Food Insecurity Among The Older Adults In Breathitt County, Kentucky., Sarah Haroon

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

The population of the United States of America is aging at a faster rate than ever before. More than 1 in 6 Americans are now 65 or older (The Washington Post, 2023). Since 2010, compared to people under 65, there has been close to a two-hundred percent increase in people 65 and above (The Washington Post, 2023). The rise in the aging U.S. population is due to increased life span and people living longer (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020). Furthermore, life expectancy for the total U.S. population is projected to increase by six years, from 79.7 in 2017 to 85.6 by …

Personality Traits Of Dairy Calves And Their Relationship With Feeding Behavior, Activity, And Performance, Emily A. Michalski

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Detection of individual differences in personality traits of animals may prove beneficial for producers to help tailor management for individuals and to make selection decisions. Therefore, the objectives of this thesis were to

1) review and evaluate literature on relationships between individual cattle personality traits and feeding behavior, activity, and performance; and

2) evaluate and develop tests suitable for characterizing crossbred dairy-beef calves’ personalities and associations with behavioral patterns and performance.

The existing literature indicates that growth, intake, activity, and milk production measures from precision technologies have associations with cattle personality traits and behaviors identifiable through standardized tests. This indicates …

The Effects Of Exogenous Enzyme Supplementation On The Performance, Bone Quality, And Nutrient Utilization Of Broiler Chickens, Megan Bauer

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Two experiments were conducted to examine the effects of Allzyme® Spectrum supplementation to a reduced nutrient diet on the growth performance, energy and nutrient digestibility and utilization, bone quality, and jejunal digesta viscosity in broiler chickens. Each experiment used 300 one-day old Cobb by-product breeder chicks with 5 treatments, 10 replicates, and 6 birds per replicate cage in a randomized complete block design. The only differences between the two experiments were experiment 1 lasted for 21 days using a corn-soybean meal-based diet and experiment 2 lasted for 22 days using a wheat-soybean meal-based diet. The 5 treatments included a positive …

Rebranding The Battle Against Clinician Burnout, Taylor Albitar

DSW Capstone Projects

The purpose of this capstone project is to take a deep dive into the issue of burnout among marginalized healthcare providers. This paper will dissect key points in history that target wellness and define terms that are relevant to understanding the effects of burnout on a person’s work-life balance. It will be divided into several sections, including an overview of the problem and contributing factors, a thorough review of relevant literature, a conceptual idea that will explore both the problem at hand and theories that can help with its effects, and finally a practice application that will serve as the …