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Influence Of Dietary Manipulation On The Relationship Between Temperament Measures And Growth In Beef Cattle: Endophyte Exposure, Phytogenic Supplementation, And Controlled Feeding, Paul Shanks

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The influence of dietary factors (including endophyte exposure, phytogenic supplementation, and controlled feeding) on relationships between exit velocity (EV), growth performance in grazing and finishing cattle, and carcass characteristics were explored. Two grazing studies were conducted evaluating EV effects on cattle grazing both toxic and nontoxic endophyte-infected tall fescue. Cattle were followed through two subsequent finishing studies and an additional beef cattle finishing beef cattle study was also conducted. Results from these studies agree with many literature reports indicating that EV measures relate to growth performance and associated carcass traits in beef cattle being fed high energy diets in confinement, …

Monocyte Abundance And White Blood Cell Expression Of Prolactin And Nf-Kb Pathway Genes In Beef Steers Are Altered By Grazing Toxic Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue And Lipopolysaccharide Challenge, Cecilia Winfrey

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Experiment 1 tested the hypothesis that ad libitum consumption of a 1:1 blend (MIX) of sodium selenite (ISe) and SELPLEX vs solely ISe as selenium (Se) supplements (27 ppm) in a vitamin-mineral mix (V-M) by steers subjected to summer-long grazing of toxic endophyte-infected tall fescue (TE) would ameliorate the negative effects of TE by positively affecting the expression pattern of prolactin (PRL) and NF-kB pathway genes by circulating leukocytes (WBC). Experiment 2 tested the hypothesis that the MIX form of supplemental Se also would ameliorate the negative effects of in vitro blood lipopolysaccharide challenge (LPS) on WBC gene expression. The …

Assessing The Impact Of Teacher Self-Efficacy On Teacher Led Physical Activity, Donovan Willard-Lee Ross

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Many children are not meeting national physical activity recommendations and are sedentary during the school day. This has led teachers to implement classroom physical activity to increase movement of their students. This dissertation focused on student perceptions of classroom physical activity and teacher self-efficacy to implement it. This dissertation includes three studies focusing on classroom physical activity: (1) student perceptions of classroom physical activity, (2) an examination of the relationship between teacher self-efficacy and implementation of classroom physical activity, and (3) a description of factors related to teacher implementation of classroom physical activity, including methods of implementation and teacher confidence. …

Two Essays On Food Environment, Nutrition, And Food Insecurity, Suliman Abdulaziz Almojel

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

A healthy food environment is fundamental to good health. It contributes to the reduction of obesity and the development of healthy eating habits. In spite of this, many people in the United States (US) have been hypnotized to become obese due to the current food environment. Recently, the US has consistently ranked high in the world in terms of obesity. The rising rate is symptomatic of consuming unhealthy diets. Besides, the double-edged crisis of the US food environment and obesity poses a major threat to food security and public health. Therefore, studying the US food environment is important to sustain …

Exploring The Relationships Between Cultural Values And Diet Patterns Among Mexican And Cuban Immigrants In Kentucky, Nasreen Omran

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

The number of Latinx in the U.S. is expected to grow to about 28 percent of the population by the year 2060. As the number of Latinx increases in the U.S. it is important to understand how cultural beliefs influence dietary behaviors as Latinx are disproportionately affected by diet related disease such as diabetes mellitus, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. The aim of this secondary data analysis is to examine the relationship between family values, gender roles, and religious values on diet patterns in adult Mexican and Cuban immigrants in Kentucky utilizing the Mexican American Cultural Values Scale. The study findings …

A Novel Role For Neurotensin In Regulation Of Stem Cell Function In The Small Intestine, Stephanie Rock

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

Neurotensin (NT) is a nutrient-regulated gut hormone that plays important roles in lipid absorption, obesity, metabolic disorders, and normal and neoplastic growth in the intestine. In this study, we 1) elucidate the mechanisms regulating NT release from endocrine cells, 2) examine the role of NT on proliferation and stem cell function in the small intestine and 3) define the effects of NT on colorectal cancer stem cells. We report that NT release from endocrine cells is enhanced by the MAPK scaffold protein Kinase Suppressor of Ras 1 (KSR1) and the exocyst complex component 70 (Exo70). Moreover, free fatty acid stimulated …

Effects Of Season And Nutrition On Insulinemic Responses In Insulin Dysregulated Horses, Erica Lyn Macon

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Insulin dysregulation (ID) is the main risk factor for the development of hyperinsulinemia-associated laminitis (HAL). ID in the equid has been extensively researched; however, recommendations for diagnosing and managing ID horses have originated from work completed in other models, such as the ID pony and healthy horse. Therefore, our overall objective was to improve current diagnostic tools and nutritional management strategies by investigating the effect of season, the fed and fasted state on the oral sugar test (OST) and dietary nutrient content on insulinemic responses in the ID horse. To address this, four main objectives with three specific aims were …

Implementing The Mothers And Babies Program To Reduce Preterm And Low Birth Weight Deliveries, Tan Frison

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

Georgia ranks fourth (4th) in the nation for the highest low birth weight rate at 10%, and sixth (6th) in the nation for preterm birth rate at 11.7%, among the states. Based on statistical data Bulloch county has maintained an average low birth weight statistic of 10% for over a decade. In 2019, there were 107 preterm and 79 low weight births in Bulloch county, Georgia. These numbers confirm there is a need for more preventive resources for mothers and children within this community. To address this burden, the Bulloch County health department has decided to implement the Mothers and …

Implementing The Textme Cardiovascular Mobile Health Intervention In Detroit, Michingan, Melissa Horton

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

Cardiovascular disease is currently the leading cause of death in the United States. One of the cities with the highest rates of cardiovascular disease is Detroit, Michigan. Those diagnosed with cardiovascular disease are encouraged to make lifestyle modifications to improve their health. However, if cardiovascular disease is not managed, it can lead to serious health outcomes such as stroke, heart disease, and death. The TEXTMe program is designed to send randomized text messages to participants to encourage lifestyle changes around diet, exercise, and smoking cessation. Participants in the program will be recruited from three health clinics located in the city …

Cognitive-Motor Interactions In Gait And Postural Control And Cortical Network Neurocorrelates, Nathan Morelli

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

The ability to mitigate performance decrements during the concurrent completion of cognitive and motor tasks (i.e., dual task (DT)) deteriorates in patients with mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI). It is theorized that the long-term sequelae of mTBI are due to the return to full activity prior to neurophysiologic healing. To mitigate the negative outcomes associated with mTBIs, translational clinical research of neurophysiologic recovery is of paramount importance for both athletic and non-athletic populations. Despite the well-known health consequences, clinical decisions regarding neurophysiologic recovery and return to activity remain problematic for clinicians. Return to activity decisions are currently based on normalization …

The Influence Of Physical Health, Emotional Health, And Socioeconomic Factors On The Musculoskeletal Pain Experience In Patients Attending A Pro Bono Physical Therapy Clinic, Garrett Naze

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Non-communicable, chronic diseases are highly prevalent in the United States, reducing the quality of life for those affected and contributing to the majority of the nation’s healthcare expenditure. These conditions include, among others, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and musculoskeletal disease. Musculoskeletal disease is particularly of interest for the field of physical therapy as the vast majority of patients seeking care in the outpatient setting present with musculoskeletal pain complaints, resulting in limitations in function, participation, and quality of life for the patient.

The factors influencing health outcomes are diverse and include a person’s physical environment, social and economic factors, access to …

The Use Of Mechanotherapy To Promote The Recovery From Disuse Atrophy In Aging Rat Skeletal Muscle, Zachary Hettinger

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

The combination of age and disuse-related skeletal muscle atrophy predisposes older adults to reduced mobility, loss of independence, and poor quality of life. Poor health outcomes resulting from periods of disuse in older adults are exacerbated by an inability to fully recover, ultimately accelerating geriatric populations towards further functional decline. Aged-related changes to skeletal muscle viscoelastic properties, specifically of muscle extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness, may not only impact how muscle responds during recovery, but also to interventions intended to augment recovery. Remodeling of muscle ECM in the aged may therefore benefit muscle mass recovery, yet therapies focused on ECM remodeling …

Three Essays On Grocery Sales Taxes, Lingxiao Wang

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

Grocery sales taxes represent a stable tax revenue stream for state and municipal government, but there is rare empirical evidence suggesting grocery taxes may adversely affect health. In addition, the how governments set grocery sales taxes is still unclear. Therefore, based on a novel national dataset of annual county and state-level grocery taxes from 2009 through 2016, the following three essays in the dissertation investigate the health impacts of grocery sales taxes and the causes of grocery sales taxes in a framework of tax competition.

In the first essay, we document the spatial and temporal variation in grocery taxes and …

Using Authentic Online Resources In Russian For Stem Coursework For Novice Through Superior Level Learners, Molly T. Blasing

Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures and Cultures Faculty Publications

This article makes a case for incorporating STEM content into Russian language courses at the Novice through Superior levels of proficiency. The author presents models of asynchronous learning activities based on authentic online resources developed for a Russian for STEM pilot course taught during the COVID-19 pandemic. These lessons can be employed in online or face-to-face courses to prepare students to speak, read, write, and understand the language of STEM fields in Russian.

Healthy Living People: A Hiv Transmission Intervention In Four Chicago Communities, Angela Wuerger

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

The transmission of HIV within the city of Chicago has been established as a major health concern: however, the lack of adequate resources has created gaps within current programming available for people living with HIV. Healthy Living People (HLP) is an evidence-based program focused on reducing the transmission of HIV through strengthening adherence to antiretroviral therapy and decreasing number of higher risk sexual encounters. The Chicago Department of Public Health will provide the HLP program, which includes fifteen 90-minute sessions over the course of one year. The HLP program will be offered for people living with

HIV in four Chicago …

Implementation Of A School-Based Sexual Health Curriculum For Fayette County, Kentucky Public Schools, Laura P.H. Bellnier

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

Adolescents in the United States are vulnerable to negative sexual health outcomes such as unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) due to a high prevalence of risky sexual behaviors in this population. Research demonstrates that providing adolescents with comprehensive sexuality education that addresses sexual health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors can increase protective behaviors, such as condom use and decrease negative health outcomes over the long term. Implementing a comprehensive sexuality education program in a public school setting is an effective strategy to reach a large number of adolescents and targeting early adolescents can influence student sexual health knowledge, attitudes, …

Volatile Organic Compound Exposure And Hearing Loss In Children, Brooke Spillman

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

Hearing loss is often associated with repeated exposure to noise levels above 85 decibels. While noise is noted as the largest contributor to hearing loss, some fail to consider the impacts of chemical exposure on the hearing health of children, specifically VOCs. Early detection and prevention of hearing loss in children is important due to the impacts that hearing has on the learning, behavior, speech, and language development of children. This study examined the relationship between VOC exposure and hearing loss in children using NHANES data collected from 2005-2006. This was analyzed with Chi-square analyses and a logistic regression taking …

The Effect Of The Affordable Care Act On The Ability Of Health Departments In The Appalachian Regions To Offer Primary Care Services, Ogechi Anyagaligbo

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

In the Appalachian region, the need for primary care services has increased due to an increase in morbidity rates from coal mining, obesity, drugs, and poor health care. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted in part to expand access to patient care. The ACA aimed to help solve these problems and help underdeveloped communities such as the ones in the Appalachian region that do not have access to affordable and quality health care. This project examines differences before and after the ACA was passed on the delivery of primary care services by local health departments within the Appalachian region. …

Healthy, Fit, & Strong: A Parent-Child Physical Activity Program For Families With Obese And Overweight Adolescents, Patrick Maloney

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

Over 20% of Kentucky children between the ages of 10-17 are obese, the third highest prevalence in the nation. The Healthy, Fit, & Strong Program works with children with a BMI above the 85th percentile and their parents to improve behaviors related to physical activity (PA) and nutrition. The intervention is a 12-week program which features tri-weekly physical activity sessions and nutrition classes. Both children and parents participate in activities in order to build knowledge and confidence related to healthy behaviors. The goal of this intervention is to improve upon baseline physical activity levels and diet as well as to …

Assessment Of The University Of Kentucky's Nutrition Education Program's Smarter Lunchrooms Pilot Plate Waste Project In Three Kentucky Schools, Natalie Jones

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

School-based approaches utilizing policy, systems, and environmental strategies are needed to address the complex factors driving childhood obesity. The purpose of this pilot study is to implement Smarter Lunchroom strategies in three participating Kentucky middle schools in 2019 and then assess two outcomes: (1) determine the impact of the intervention on fruit and vegetable purchases and waste, and (2) determine how purchases or waste varied by interventions selected for each setting. After the 6-week intervention, combined we found no statistical significant increases in fruit and vegetable purchasing from pre to post-intervention. No statistical significant decreases in fruit and vegetable plate …

Factors Influencing Mare Milk And Foal Gastrointestinal Health, Morgan Brewer Pyles

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Foals are born lacking a functional microbial community in their gastrointestinal tract (GIT). However, these microbes quickly colonize after birth. Factors influencing the process of microbial colonization and health of the foal’s gastrointestinal tract, such as milk yield and composition, are not well understood. Milk contains non-lactose carbohydrates termed “oligosaccharides”, which serve as prebiotics in human neonates and may serve a similar function in foals. Three animal studies were conducted to evaluate factors influencing mare milk and digestive health in the foal. In experiment 1, bacteria were enumerated and identified in foal feces and the utilization of different carbohydrates by …

The Effect Of Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue Seed Consumption On Gut And Satiety Hormones Related To Intake Regulation In Holstein Steers, Mindy Elizabeth King

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Cattle consuming endophyte-infected tall fescue (E+) typically experience a syndrome termed fescue toxicosis which is thought to be caused by ergot alkaloids produced by the endophyte. The most abundant alkaloid, and considered the most likely cause of the syndrome, is ergovaline (ERV). During fescue toxicosis, a decrease in ADG is observed which is likely due to the decrease in DMI commonly observed in animals consuming E+ compared to animals consuming non-endophyte-infected tall fescue (E-). However, the cause of the decrease in intake is not well elucidated. Many physiological responses control feed intake including, but not limited to, physical, neural, metabolic, …

New Evidence For P-Gp-Mediated Export Of Amyloid-Β Peptides In Molecular, Blood-Brain Barrier And Neuronal Models, Amanda B. Chai, Anika M. S. Hartz, Xuexin Gao, Alryel Yang, Richard Callaghan, Ingrid C. Gelissen

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Defective clearance mechanisms lead to the accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides in the Alzheimer’s brain. Though predominantly generated in neurons, little is known about how these hydrophobic, aggregation-prone, and tightly membrane-associated peptides exit into the extracellular space where they deposit and propagate neurotoxicity. The ability for P-glycoprotein (P-gp), an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter, to export Aβ across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) has previously been reported. However, controversies surrounding the P-gp–Aβ interaction persist. Here, molecular data affirm that both Aβ₄₀ and Aβ₄₂ peptide isoforms directly interact with and are substrates of P-gp. This was reinforced ex vivo by the …

Life Cycle Assessment Of Polylactic Acid Biopolymer Industrial Waste Management Techniques In Belize, Dennis J. Newby

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

In January 2020, the Government of Belize enacted an Implementation Strategy and Action Plan to phase-out single-use plastics and to transition to products like bioplastics. This work investigated the environmental effects of using alternative waste management techniques to manage polylactic acid biopolymer (PLA) waste by using life cycle assessment (LCA). The following treatment options were compared: landfill, landfill expansion, cogeneration, and anaerobic digestion. The landfill and landfill expansion processes both had a global warming potential of 0.01 kg of CO₂ eq. per kg of PLA waste managed compared to the cogeneration and anaerobic digestion processes -0.03 and -0.06 kg …

The Role Of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor In Leukemia Trafficking, Shaw Powell

Theses and Dissertations--Medical Sciences

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a signaling protein involved in inducing and regulating endothelial cell proliferation and function (Duffy et al 2000). VEGF is also involved in cancer progression, as it induces vascular permeability and promotes angiogenesis to tumor laden areas, giving cancer cells critical oxygen and nutrients (Hoeppner et al.,2012. Studies indicate VEGF prevents lymphoblast apoptosis, which may contribute to leukemia formation and enable the proliferation of leukemic cells (Duffy et al 2000). Ongoing research seeks to further examine VEGF in leukemia, using a rag2:GFP-Myc expressing transgenic zebrafish as the animal model of T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (T-ALL). …

Human Regulatory T Cells Control Inflammation From Effector T Cells In Prediabetes, Rui Liu

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronic low-grade inflammatory disease. A T cell cytokine profile (Th17) from PBMCs can distinguish obese T2D from obese non-diabetes subjects. Individual T cell subsets interact with each other and the diverse subsets jointly determine overall inflammation. Cellular metabolism drives cytokine production of CD4⁺ T cells, and therefore contributes to inflammation in T2D. However, specific changes in metabolism and function of CD4⁺ T cells during the progression from lean healthy to obese and diabetic stages in people have not been clarified.

We hypothesize that human regulatory T cells (Treg) impact metabolism of effector …

Identification And Characterization Of Epitope Specific Immune Responses In Humans And Mice, David Henson

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality around the world causing approximately 14% of total disease burden. A major factor in the progression to major CVD within patients is immune activation, which led to the study of various immune products as potential biomarkers for the prediction of cardiovascular events, including antigen-specific antibodies and immune complexes. One focus of this biomarker research is IgG autoantibodies targeting apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I), and several studies of these antibodies have found an association with increased CVD events. Based on the encouraging results from these studies and previous research which has identified …

Use Of Microscale Hydrophobic Surface Features For Integration Of 3d Cell Culture Into Multi-Functional Microfluidic Devices, Soroosh Torabi

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

3D cell culture and microfluidics both represent powerful tools for replicating critical components of the cell microenvironment; however, challenges involved in integration of the two and compatibility with standard tissue culture protocols still represent a steep barrier to widespread adoption. Here we demonstrate the use of engineered surface roughness in the form of microfluidic channels to integrate 3D cell-laden hydrogels and microfluidic fluid delivery. When a liquid hydrogel precursor solution is pipetted onto a surface containing open microfluidic channels, the solid/liquid/air interface becomes pinned at sharp edges such that the hydrogel forms the “fourth wall” of the channels upon solidification. …

Additive Manufacturing In Personalized Medicine: Patient-Customized Solid Dose Medicines, And Patient-Customized Wound Care Device, Amir Najarzadeh

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Personalized Medicine - from a one-size fits all to a tailored approach is the future in pharmaceutical therapeutics and medical applications. The aim of this study is demonstrate additive manufacturing in two personalized medicine applications: 1. Patient- customized solid dose medicines, and 2. Patient-customized wound care device. The aim of the first application is to develop an inexpensive and accurate method to design and fabricate patient-customized tablets. Particularly this paper focuses on fabricating and dose controlling of patient-customized extended release prednisolone-poly(vinyle alcohole) PVA. Dry-Blending, Wet Granulation, Extrusion, Spherionization, Hot melt extrusion (HME) was adopted to produce drug loaded prednisolone-PVA filaments …

Comparison Of Implant-Retained Overdenture And Conventional Complete Denture In The Edentulous Mandible: A Survey Study To Measure Patients' Satisfaction And Quality Of Life In Dental School Clinical Environment, Ahmad Kutkut

Theses and Dissertations--Clinical and Translational Science

Patient satisfaction and quality of life are integral parts of assessing the quality of oral health care. Current aging population trends suggest a growing need to understand the effects of edentulism on oral health and quality of life. As the proportion of aged Americans expands, there will be an increased need to understand treatment options and patient communication strategies. In addition, as new treatment options and innovative technologies emerge, it will be essential to understand patients' concerns and identify best practices associated with denture treatments' individual fit and function. Advanced denture treatments can now be fabricated using CAD/CAM digital denture …