Digital Commons Network^™

Hormonal And Nutritional Regulation Of Molting, Metamorphosis, And Reproduction In Bed Bugs, Cimex Lectularius, Hemant Gujar

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

The bed bug, Cimex lectularius is an obligate hematophagous ectoparasite that feeds on humans. The increase in travel and development of insecticide resistance to commercially available insecticides have enabled the bed bug population to resurge, causing economical and psychological trauma to the human population. Lack of knowledge about the basic molecular biology of bed bugs has motivated us to study the key aspects of molting, metamorphosis, and reproduction. A blood meal triggers expression of various genes that enable bed bugs to molt or undergo metamorphosis. Molting and metamorphosis in bed bugs are regulated by two key hormones: 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and …

Family Dinner Across Generations: My How Times Have Changed?, Dayna E. Parrett

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

In an effort to determine differences between family dinners across generations, this study examined typical family dinners of participants and how they have changed across the four generations addressed. Previous qualitative research has been conducted to determine communication frames that occur during family dinners and the effect of parenting styles on family dinners, but little research connecting generational differences to family dinners has been published. Data were collected from a homogeneous sample of twenty-four women living in three counties across the Commonwealth of Kentucky. By asking open ended questions during interviews, similarities and differences between family dinners across generations were …

The Chemical Ecology Of Bed Bugs (Cimex Lectularius, L.) And The Impact Of A Neurotoxic Insecticide On Physiology And Behavior, Sydney E. Crawley

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Following a decades-long hiatus in many nations, populations of bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) have rebounded and are thriving on a global scale posing substantial challenges for pest management professionals. Insecticide resistance to both pyrethroid and neonicotinoid compounds has been identified in many populations, leading to renewed interest in alternative control methods for management of this pest. The objectives of my dissertation research were to study various, typically cryptic, bed bug behaviors in order to improve both conventional and alternative management strategies. Novel behavioral interactions among mother and offspring were characterized. Additionally, changes in behavior and physiology after treatment …

Endosymbiotic Bacteria In The Bed Bug, Cimex Lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), Mark H. Goodman

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

The return of bed bugs to prominence as an urban pest has precipitated an emphatic research response from the scientific community in an effort to better understand their biology and management. However, not all aspects of bed bug biology have received equal attention. The role of symbiotic bacteria in the normal function and biology of insects is often underappreciated, and this is true of bed bugs. Bed bugs have two main endosymbiotic bacteria, a Wolbachia species and a poorly-characterized gamma-proteobacterium referred to as BLS. However, their interactions with the host are poorly understood. I explored various aspects of these symbionts …

Comparison Of Quick Methods For Determining Body Composition In Female Collegiate Athletes And Obese Females, Mandee E. Martin

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a tool used broadly by public health agencies to assess weight in populations. However, when differentiating between fat mass and fat free mass the formula (BMI = weight in kilograms/height in meters2) is not applicable. Research suggests that evaluating body fat percentage and adipose tissue deposition may provide a nuanced indication of overall health, making it more accurate on an individual basis. This study evaluated four methods (Body Mass Index, waist circumference, A Body Shape Index, and Waist to Stature Index) that assess body composition and their ability to predict body fat percentage in …

Evaluation Of Diet Composition Of Pediatric Cancer Survivors As A Need For Nutrition Counseling, Sean O'Nan

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

Prior research has shown that pediatric cancer survivors face a multitude of longterm effects from treatment of their disease. Many of these conditions can be treated or managed through proper nutrition, however patients of the DanceBlue Kentucky Children's Hospital Hematology/Oncology Clinic do not see a registered dietitian. This study looked at food and drink consumption of the past 30 days by the patient using the NHANES Dietary Screener Questionnaire to see if they met nutrition recommendations as outlined by the 2015‐2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Results from the study found that off‐treatment pediatric cancer survivors (n=21) failed to meet …

Promoting Healthy Home-Cooked Family Meals: Evaluation Of A Social Marketing Program Targeting Low-Income Mothers, Mollie Y. Dawahare

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

Objective: Evaluate how a social marketing approach compares to traditional nutrition education curriculum for promoting behavioral changes related to eating and food.

Design: Nonequivalent comparison group, entry-exit design. Participants from 12 Kentucky counties assigned either comparison or pilot group. Comparison group received traditional nutrition education curriculum and pilot group received the social marketing program, Cook Together, Eat Together (CTET) curriculum. EFNEP’s Behavior Checklist and 24-Hour Dietary Recall were administered at entry and exit of the 8-week programs.

Participants: Females (18-72 years of age) from families eligible to receive SNAP benefits (n=64 comparison group participants, n=60 pilot group participants).

Intervention: …

Associations Between Consumption Of Fruits And Vegetables Among Older Consumers And Farmers Market Shopping, Shu-Feng Tsao

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

The number of farmers’ markets in the United States has increased over 300% in past two decades. Many studies have also shown a positive association between an increased access to farmers’ markets and consumption of fruits and vegetables. However, few studies have explored relationships between older consumers aged 55+ whose fruit and vegetable consumption and their attendance at farmers’ markets. In Taiwan, no previous studies regarding farmers’ markets had been conducted from nutritional perspectives. The aims of this study were to determine general characteristics of farmers’ markets shoppers and their perceptions regarding the markets in Lexington, Kentucky and Taipei City, …

Evaluation Of A Diabetes Self-Management Program For Hispanics In Lexington Kentucky: A Pilot Study, Miguel A. Gamboa Oropeza

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

Hispanics are more affected by diabetes than non-Hispanic whites and they tend to experience more severe complications. Research shows that although self-management is poor among ethnic minorities, it is even more so among Hispanics. The “Taking Ownership of Your Diabetes” (TOYD) program has been shown to be successful in helping individuals manage their diabetes. However, no work has been conducted with Hispanic audiences in Kentucky. TOYD program allows individuals to modify lifestyle risks and solve problems related to diabetes management. The program was translated from English to Spanish. Hispanics males and females between ages 19 to 75 years …

Color Your Plate Nutrition Intervention: Using Exposure Interventions To Increase Fruit And Vegetable Intake In Older Adults Attending Congregate Meal Sites, Alyson D. Humphrey

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

The aims of the Color Your Plate nutrition intervention were to increase intake of fruits and vegetables and increase motivators and decrease barriers to consuming fruits and vegetables rich in older-adults who regularly attend congregate meal sites. In this quasiexperimental pilot study, a convenience sample (n=35) of older adults at two intervention and two control sites completed pre- and post-surveys. Following the five-lesson curriculum, intervention participants reported greater intakes of fruits and vegetables (mean change increase of 3.47 ± 2.38 servings/week) and significant increases in days having consumed 4.5 cups or more of fruits and vegetables (p=.0004), incorporation of fruits …

“Exchange Northern Ky”: An Evidence-Based Needle & Syringe Exchange Program Serving The Northern Kentucky Area Development District, Amanda Hunter

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

Intravenous drug users (IDUs) account for nearly 16% of new HIV infections in the United States and almost one half (48%) of newly reported acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections have been found to be IDU related.1 Within the Northern Kentucky Area Development District, hepatitis C infections have soared with an incidence of more than 1,000 newly reported cases during 2015 alone.⁴ Rigorous scientific evidence complied by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has indicated that one of the most unique and effective strategies for the curtailing HIV incidence among IDUs is by ensuring users’ access to …

Assessment Of Obesity Management In A Primary Care Setting, Katie Diffenderfer

DNP Projects

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the current practices related to obesity in the primary care setting in University of Kentucky’s Healthcare System. The specific aims were to: 1) Determine the proportion of obese patients who had an ICD-9/10 diagnosis code for obesity, 2) Determine the proportion of obese patients who received interventions related to their obesity, 3) Determine whether obesity diagnosis and interventions varied based on patient demographics, and 4) Compare actual obesity interventions to those outlined in the clinical practice guidelines.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of male and female patients between the ages of …

Effect Of Enteral Feeding Timing In Septic Shock Patients, Shane D. Slone

DNP Projects

The goal of this research project was to identify the effect of the timing of enteral nutrition (EN) initiation timing on in-hospital mortality, ICU LOS and hospital LOS among patients with septic shock requiring norepinephrine. The study design was a cross-sectional analysis of retrospective electronic health record data. Patients who had received norepinephrine for septic shock were divided into early EN initiation (within 48 hours of ICU admission) and late EN initiation (Greater than or equal to 48 hours after ICU admission) groups. 680 subjects were included; 469 in the early group and 211 in the late group. Demographics, comorbidities, …

An Evaluation Of Childhood Overweight And Obesity Screening And Management In The Primary Care Setting, Stephanie Horning

DNP Projects

Background-In Kentucky, 19.7% of children ages 6-11 years old are obese ("Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)," 2013). Approximately 50% of these children will become obese adults (Lazarou & Kouta, 2010). It is imperative that interventions are initiated to normalize weight in childhood to offset the long term physical and psychosocial risks associated with obesity.

Purpose-The purpose of this gap analysis was to evaluate the screening and management of childhood overweight and obesity in one of Norton’s healthcare primary care setting.

Methods-The electronic medical records of 35 children aged 10 to 11, who had BMIs > 85 …

Automated Solid-Substrate Cultivation Of The Anaerobic Bacterium Clostridium Thermocellum, Mathew J. Ruwaya

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

The organism Clostridium thermocellum grows on cellulosic substrates and produces ethanol, acetate, lactate, formic acid, and CO₂. The organic acids produced alter the growth environment in which the bacteria grows and ultimately inhibit bacterial growth. One method which has been used successfully to maintain the system at acceptable growth conditions is to intermittently flush out the spent media and metabolic products and replace with new fermentation media. Our goal was to design and build an automated system that will automatically flush the spent media from the growing culture and resupply new media without manual intervention. An automated control …

In Search Of "Real" Migrants: The Effects Of County Level Factors On Enrollment In The Migrant Education Program In Kentucky, Thomas Hatton

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Migrant laborers and their families have historically faced, and continue to face, major barriers in their education. The migrant population is, according to Dr. Michael Romanowski, “the most undereducated major subgroup in the United States” (Romanowski, 2003). The lack of educational attainment among migrant families can be attributed to numerous factors: above all, the disruptive migratory lifestyle of seasonal agricultural workers (Rosenthal & Banz-Spall, 2003), but also to socioeconomic burdens, mental and physical health issues, and more recently, linguistic and cultural barriers.

The Migrant Education Program is a supplemental federal program that was created under Title 1 Part C of …

From Bail Bondsmen To Risk Assessments: Assessing Kentucky's Pretrial Release Approaches, Ismaila Ceesay

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

As one of only four states that ban bail bond companies, Kentucky is an experiment in the “laboratory of democracy,” which is made even more interesting because the state has tried three different approaches to pretrial release—the Pre-1976 approach, the 1976 to 2011 approach, and the 2011 to present approach. An assessment of these approaches show s how state actions and inaction can affect the right to pretrial release and underscores the importance of adopting appropriate state pretrial release policies.

Determinants Of Student Engagement In Undergraduate Research At The University Of Kentucky, Tricia Coakley

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

No executive summary.

How Feedback And Goal-Setting Impact Children's Recess Physical Activity, Ryann Koufoudakis, Heather Erwin, Aaron Beighle, Michelle L. Thornton

Kinesiology and Health Promotion Faculty Publications

In recent years, schools desire to promote physical activity (PA) for their students but are restricted due to resources being expended in other areas of their curriculum, including standardized testing preparation. Recess/lunch periods have potential to contribute important amounts of PA to youth’s overall levels. Interventions to maximize PA during recess are warranted. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the impact of feedback and goal-setting on students’ PA during recess. A sample of 136 (67 females, 69 males) 4^th and 5^th grade students in the Southeast United States wore unsealed Walk4Life pedometers during recess for one …

Ppap2b Expression Limits Lesion Formation In Murine Models Of Atherosclerosis, Paul A. Mueller

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death in both men and women worldwide and is defined as a narrowing of the coronary arteries due to accumulation of atherosclerotic plaques. Genome-wide association studies have identified risk loci within the gene PPAP2B that confers increased risk of developing CAD. Evidence suggests these aforementioned SNPs are regulating PPAP2B expression in a cis-manner through the interruption of transcription factor binding sites. PPAP2B encodes the lipid phosphate phosphatase 3 enzyme that plays a key role in degrading bioactive lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). LPA has a plethora of effects on vascular tissue and is …

Measuring A Big Bold Goal, Jonathan Kohn

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

No executive summary.

School Characteristics: Impact On A Student's Post-Graduation Decision, Andrew Kidd

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Graduating high school seniors have several choices to make as they begin their transition to adulthood. Some of the most popular and studied choices are to attend college, enter the work force, or join the military. Past research is focused on the effects of demographic, socioeconomic status, or gender characteristics, but little is known about the effect that specific school characteristics have on a student’s post-graduation choice.

The purpose of this analysis is to answer the question “do school characteristics affect a high school student’s post-graduation choice?” In this analysis I use Kentucky school level data and a simple regression …

Effects Of Epichloë Coenophiala−Tall Fescue Symbiosis On Plant-Microbe-Soil Interactions In A Temperate Pasture, Lindsey C. Slaughter

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Plants interact in myriad ways with microorganisms to influence ecosystem processes such as nutrient cycling, which can regulate ecosystem response to global change. One important plant-microbe symbiosis occurs between cool-season grasses and asexual fungal Epichloë endophytes, such as tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus) and Epichloë coenophiala. Because the common toxic strain of the endophyte (CTE) harms grazing livestock, non-livestock toxic endophyte (NTE) strains have been developed and are increasingly deployed in pastures. Little is known about how these symbioses impact other plant-microbe interactions and microbe-mediated soil processes in grassland ecosystems. I conducted three studies to determine how E. …

Insights Into Triterpene Metabolism In Model Monocotyledonous And Oilseed Plants Genetically Engineered With Genes From Botryococcus Braunii, Chase F. Kempinski

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Isoprenoids are one of the most diverse classes of natural products and are all derived from universal five carbon, prenyl precursors. Squalene and botryococcene are linear, hydrocarbon triterpenes (thirty carbon compounds with six prenyl units) that have industrial and medicinal values. Squalene is produced by all eukaryotes as it is the first committed precursor to sterols, while botryococcene is uniquely produced by the green algae, Botryococcus braunii (race B). Natural sources for these compounds exist, but there is a desire for more renewable production platforms. The model plant Arabidopsis thaliana was engineered to accumulate botryococcene and squalene in its oil …

Selective Induced Altered Coccidians To Immunize And Prevent Enteritis, Helieh S. Oz

Physiology Faculty Publications

Microbiomic flora in digestive tract is pivotal to the state of our health and disease. Antibiotics affect GI, control composition of microbiome, and shift equilibrium from health into disease status. Coccidiosis causes gastrointestinal inflammation. Antibiotic additives contaminate animal products and enter food chain, consumed by humans with possible allergic, antibiotic resistance and enigmatic side effects. Purposed study induced nonpathogenic, immunogenic organisms to protect against disease and abolish antibiotics’ use in food animals and side effects in man. Diverse species of Coccidia were used as model. Immature organisms were treated with serial purification procedure prior to developmental stages to obtain altered …

American Obesity: Rooted In Uncertainty, Institutions And Public Policy, James Woodward

Theses and Dissertations--Public Policy and Administration

Despite the efforts of policymakers, medical professionals, and other stakeholders, obesity and related health problems show no signs of receding from their record-high rates. Public policy has largely taken the form of consumer advice, (e.g., USDA’s Dietary Guidelines). Since consumers bear most of the costs associated with their obesity, the goal of obesity prevention appears to be incentive-compatible, prima facie. That is, there is no a priori case for much further policy intervention unless existing advice is deficient or consumers’ exhibit systematically poor decision-making.

My review of the literature shows that scholars have long conveyed a consistent narrative regarding …

The “Weight” Of Socio-Economic Status, Race/Ethnicity, And Gender: A Systematic Examination Of Obesity And Its Co-Morbidities, Gabriele Ciciurkaite

Theses and Dissertations--Sociology

Although extensive research exists on the association between SES and obesity and its patterning across separate gender and racial/ethnic groups, critical gaps remain. In particular, the majority of studies on the SES-BMI association have examined it in additive models without simultaneously considering the influence of gender and race/ethnicity. An additional limitation of the current obesity scholarship concerns the lack of scholarship addressing the interplay between social factors, such as SES, race/ethnicity, gender, and proximate health risk factors, such as BMI, in shaping obesity-related chronic health outcomes, especially considering that health outcomes may vary in the extent to which they may …

Making Health A Priority: Constrained Choices At The Grocery Store, Christy F. Brady

Theses and Dissertations--Sociology

Mounting evidence of the deleterious health effects of poor diet, obesity, and correlated conditions underscore the need to understand how social factors influence food choices. A variety of factors contribute to the diets that Americans consume including limited time, limited income, lack of cooking skills, food deserts, and cheap, convenient foods in abundant portions in grocery stores and restaurants. These contextual factors serve as constraints that impact an individual’s ability to prioritize health when shopping for food. Using the three paper dissertation format, this project will utilize a Constrained Choice Theory (CCT) framework to investigate sociodemographic trends in priorities in …

Evaluation Of Serum Vitamin D Levels In Older Adults Who Fall And Sustain A Fracture: A Retrospective Chart Review, Suzanne L. Pilon

DNP Projects

Purpose: This practice inquiry project was designed to (i) evaluate serum vitamin D levels in individuals aged 65 years and older who had fallen and sustained a fracture and (ii) identify if the serum vitamin D levels were within therapeutic range.

Background: Older adults are at increased risk of falling and sustaining a fracture as a result of falls. Vitamin D has been shown to be effective in fall prevention yet vitamin D is deficient in the older population worldwide. Evaluating current serum vitamin D levels in older adults who fall and sustain a fracture may provide additional insight in …

Outcomes Experienced By Patients Presenting With Ventral Hernias And Morbid Obesity In A Surgical Clinic, Margaret A. Plymale

DNP Projects

Surgeons generally agree that morbid obesity is a contraindication to ventral hernia repair surgery due to risk of adverse outcomes. The purpose of this study was to describe the experience of patients with ventral hernia complicated by morbid obesity by reviewing a population of patients that were seen by a surgical service to determine the characteristics of those patients that had favorable and unfavorable outcomes. A retrospective medical record review was conducted of new patients with ventral hernias and morbid obesity (body mass index (BMI ) ≥ 40 kg/m²) seen by one surgical service over a two and …