Digital Commons Network^™

Forage News [2008-10], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Kentucky Grazing Conference
• Grazing Crop Residues
• U.K. Forage Website
• KFGC Board Meeting Highlights
• Frost Brings Danger: Prussic Acid Poisoning
• Kentucky-Tennessee Cow-Calf Conference
• Dow Agrosciences Buys Dairyland Seed
• Court Decision Won’t Affect RR Alfalfa status
• Bale Feeder Reduces Waste
• Upcoming Events

Agricultural Situation And Outlook Fall 2008, Sara Williamson, Kenneth H. Burdine

Agricultural Situation and Outlook

No abstract provided.

Forage News [2008-09], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Forage Spokesman Nomination
• KFGC Awards Nomination
• 29th Kentucky Alfalfa Conference - February 19
• How Good Is Your Hay?
• Brassicas and Cereals: High Quality Options for Fall Grazing
• Fall Fertilizer Applications to Hay Fields and Pastures
• USDA Forecasts 2% Less Alfalfa
• Switchgrass for Energy Will Take Time
• Upcoming Events

Alternation Of Tobacco Alkaloid Content Through Modification Of Specific Cytochrome P450 Genes, Ralph E. Dewey, Steven W. Bowen, Balazs Siminszky, Lily Gavilano

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Patents

Compositions and methods for reducing the level of nornicotine and N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) inNicotiana plants and plant parts thereof are provided. The compositions comprise isolated polynucleotides and polypeptides for cytochrome P450s that are involved in the metabolic conversion of nicotine to nornicotine in these plants. Expression cassettes, vectors, plants, and plant parts thereof comprising inhibitory sequences that target expression or function of the disclosed cytochrome P450 polypeptides are also provided. Methods for the use of these novel sequences to inhibit expression or function of cytochrome P450 polypeptides involved in this metabolic conversion are also provided. The methods find use in …

Preventing Cardiovascular Disease In Kentucky: Epidemiology, Trends, And Strategies For The Future, Sarah Sartini Rugg, Alison L. Bailey, Steven R. Browning

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States despite dramatic improvements in the treatment of heart disease in recent years. Kentucky leads the nation in the prevalence of several individual risk factors for cardiovascular disease, the prevalence of multiple risk factors, and in cardiovascular mortality. While trends in the prevalence of some of these cardiac risk factors have shown improvement, others have remained unchanged or have worsened. The increased prevalence of obesity and diabetes, especially among young persons, is one of the most worrisome trends. The prevalence of smoking in Kentucky remains high, and has …

Renin Inhibition Reduces Hypercholesterolemia-Induced Atherosclerosis In Mice, Hong Lu, Debra L. Rateri, David L. Feldman, Richard Charnigo, Akiyoshi Fukamizu, Junji Ishida, Elizabeth Grace Oesterling, Lisa A. Cassis, Alan Daugherty

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

The role of the renin angiotensin system (RAS) in atherosclerosis is complex because of the involvement of multiple peptides and receptors. Renin is the rate-limiting enzyme in the production of all angiotensin peptides. To determine the effects of renin inhibition on atherosclerosis, we administered the novel renin inhibitor aliskiren over a broad dose range to fat-fed LDL receptor-deficient (Ldlr^-/-) mice. Renin inhibition resulted in striking reductions of atherosclerotic lesion size in both the aortic arch and the root. Subsequent studies demonstrated that cultured macrophages expressed all components of the RAS. To determine the role of macrophage-derived angiotensin in …

Enkephalin-Encoding Herpes Simplex Virus-1 Decreases Inflammation And Hotplate Sensitivity In A Chronic Pancreatitis Model, Hong Yang, Terry A. Mcnearney, Rong Chu, Ying Lu, Yong Ren, David C. Yeomans, Steven P. Wilson, Karin N. Westlund

Physiology Faculty Publications

Background: A chronic pancreatitis model was developed in young male Lewis rats fed a high-fat and alcohol liquid diet beginning at three weeks. The model was used to assess time course and efficacy of a replication defective herpes simplex virus type 1 vector construct delivering human cDNA encoding preproenkephalin (HSV-ENK).

Results: Most surprising was the relative lack of inflammation and tissue disruption after HSV-ENK treatment compared to the histopathology consistent with pancreatitis (inflammatory cell infiltration, edema, acinar cell hypertrophy, fibrosis) present as a result of the high-fat and alcohol diet in controls. The HSV-ENK vector delivered to the pancreatic surface …

Application Of Prodrugs To Inflammatory Diseases Of The Gut, Helieh S. Oz, Jeffrey L. Ebersole

Center for Oral Health Research Faculty Publications

Oral delivery is the most common and preferred route of drug administration although the digestive tract exhibits several obstacles to drug delivery including motility and intraluminal pH profiles. The gut milieu represents the largest mucosal surface exposed to microorganisms with 10^10-12 colony forming bacteria/g of colonic content. Approximately, one third of fecal dry matter is made of bacteria/ bacterial components. Indeed, the normal gut microbiota is responsible for healthy digestion of dietary fibers (polysaccharides) and fermentation of short chain fatty acids such as acetate and butyrate that provide carbon sources (fuel) for these bacteria. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) results …

Is There A Benefit To Alfalfa Balage?, Gary Bates

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Making hay in the mid-South has always been a difficult process. High humidity and rainfall often make drying a long, tedious, if not impossible proposition. Over the last few years there has been an increased interest in making round bale silage, or balage, from forage crops. Fermenting alfalfa for storage has several advantages and disadvantages over regular haymaking systems.

Alfalfa: Forage Crop Of The Future, Neal P. Martin, David Mertens, Ronald Hatfield, Hans Jung

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

In 2007, U.S. farmers harvested 23.6 million acres of alfalfa. Alfalfa harvested as hay and haylage produced 82.8 million tons valued at approximately $9.4 billion, ranking behind only corn and soybeans. Alfalfa hay supports dairy, beef, sheep, and horse production in the U.S. as well as a growing export market.

Map-Based Cloning Of An Anthracnose Resistance Gene In Medicago Truncatula, Shengming Yang

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Anthracnose, caused by the fungal pathogen Colletotrichum trifolii, is one of the most destructive diseases of alfalfa worldwide. Cloning and characterization of the host resistance (R) genes against the pathogen will improve our knowledge of molecular mechanisms underlying host resistance and facilitate the development of resistant alfalfa cultivars. However, the intractable genetic system of cultivated alfalfa, owing to its tetrasomic inheritance and outcrossing nature, limits the ability to carry out genetic analysis in alfalfa. Nonetheless, the model legume Medicago truncatula, a close relative of alfalfa, provides a surrogate for cloning the counterparts of many agronomically important genes in …

Reining In The Horse Racing Industry: A Proposal For Federal Regulation Of Steroid Use In Racehorses, Jennifer M. Jabroski

Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture, & Natural Resources Law

No abstract provided.

Summary Of Kentucky River Watershed Watch 2008 Water Samplig Results, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, Kentucky River Authority

Kentucky River Watershed Watch

No abstract provided.

Let Us Eat Lettuce (And Spinach): Is The Bioterrorism Preparedness Act Enough Or Is An Independent Food Safety Agency Required?, Robert M. Yoke

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Organizational Learning In A High-Risk Environment: Responding To An Anthrax Outbreak, Shari R. Veil, Timothy L. Sellnow

Communication Faculty Publications

The National Center for Food Protection and Defense, a Department of Homeland Security-sponsored Center of Excellence, identified and endorses 10 best practices for risk and crisis communication. The best practices model is designed to aid organizations of all types in preparing for and learning from crisis events. This analysis applied the best practices model to a case study of an anthrax outbreak that fostered a full-blown crisis response. This study analyzes the learning experience of the crisis cohort group that responded to the crisis. The researchers contend that by evaluating a crisis situation using best practices as a benchmarking procedure, …

Obesity, Hypertension, And Mental Health Evaluation In Adolescents: A Comprehensive Approach, Stefan G. Kiessling, Kimberly K. Mcclanahan, Hatim A. Omar

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

The global epidemic of childhood and adolescent obesity in developing and developed countries has become a major public health concern. Given the relation between obesity and hypertension as documented in several landmark studies, it is no surprise that as the prevalence of obesity has increased in the pediatric population, the rates of hypertension have also increased substantially. Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and stroke; therefore, evaluation and initiation of appropriate treatment are extremely important in the pediatric population. Evaluation for secondary causes of hypertension, including renovascular, renoparenchymal, and endocrine disease is the approach …

Sr-Bi Protects Against Endotoxemia In Mice Through Its Roles In Glucocorticoid Production And Hepatic Clearance, Lei Cai, Ailing Ji, Frederick C. De Beer, Lisa R. Tannock, Deneys R. Van Der Westhuyzen

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Septic shock results from an uncontrolled inflammatory response, mediated primarily by LPS. Cholesterol transport plays an important role in the host response to LPS, as LPS is neutralized by lipoproteins and adrenal cholesterol uptake is required for antiinflammatory glucocorticoid synthesis. In this study, we show that scavenger receptor B-I (SR-BI), an HDL receptor that mediates HDL cholesterol ester uptake into cells, is required for the normal antiinflammatory response to LPS-induced endotoxic shock. Despite elevated plasma HDL levels, SR-BI–null mice displayed an uncontrollable inflammatory cytokine response and a markedly higher lethality rate than control mice in response to LPS. In addition, …

Effect Of The SmartstepTm Stabilization System On Balance In Older Adults In An Independent Living Residence, Ann L. Livengood

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

An increase in postural sway is one of the risk factors that have been linked to an increased incidence of falls in the older adult population. Researchers have shown that peripheral sensation is crucial in maintaining a static posture for adults of all ages. It has been reported that older adults have decreased tactile sensation of the plantar surface of their feet. and when the sensory feedback was increased older adults had improved postural control. It was hypothesized that facilitation of the sole of the foot with the use of a semirigid foot orthotic would result in improved postural stability …

The Role Of Spiders In The Detrital Food Web Of An Eastern Deciduous Forest, Erin Elizabeth Hladilek

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Historically, terrestrial food web research has focused on describing the structure of aboveground grazing webs, and determining how interactions among plants, herbivores and higher trophic levels influence primary productivity. Detrital food webs however, play a significant role in regulation of ecosystem dynamics through direct impacts on decomposition. Unraveling the complex nature of detrital food web structure is critical to developing a better understanding of ecosystem function. Therefore the primary objective of this research was to describe the structure of the leaf-litter food web in a temperate deciduous forest, with emphasis on interactions between a community of generalist predators, the forest-floor …

Tikkun Olam A Faith-Based Approach For Assisting Older Adults In Health System Navigation, Janice M. Kuperstein

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The complexity and lack of coordination of the U.S. health care system is especially challenging for older adults, many of whom have multiple chronic conditions. The faith community is a potential partner to assist them, due to strong religiosity of older adults and specific characteristics of faith communities. This study explores the knowledge and practices of faith community nurses (FCNs) in meeting care coordination needs of older adults and identifies a model of gap-filling by FCN practice. An approach combining both quantitative and qualitative approaches was used. A survey was distributed to all known FCNs in Kentucky. From the 60 …

Evaluating The Healthy States Initiative Policy Forums, Jessica Harmon

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Since 2005, The Council of State Governments (CSG) has participated in a cooperative agreement funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) called the Healthy States Initiative. The initiative promotes public health by providing information resources to state legislators through publications and public health forums. CSG is interested in information about the impact of the public health forums on state legislators. More specifically, they would like to know if the forums have encouraged the participants to produce public health legislation, to support funding for public health projects, and to work closely with colleagues and various groups to improve …

The Influence Of Veterinary Schools On The Veterinary Labor Market, Kyle Bosh

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Problem Statement:

Does the presence of a veterinary school in a state influence the supply of veterinarians practicing in that state? Citizens and animals in states without a veterinary school are at a disadvantage if the presence of a veterinary school significantly improves public health and access to medical services in those states that have a veterinary school.

Research Strategy:

The unit of analysis in this study is 50 states and the District of Columbia. The study is designed as a cross-sectional analysis of 2006 pet, 2002 livestock, 2006 human, labor, and economic data. The study uses simultaneous equations to …

Regional Differences And Associations With Obesity-Related Factors In Overweight And Obese U.S. Southern Elderly People, Akemi Sakamoto

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The growing prevalence of overweight and obesity among United States (U.S.) elderly people today is a health concern. Higher incidences of obesity and obesity-related health conditions and mortality exist in the southern area of the U.S. Understanding obesity in relation to obesity-related factors in this population is crucial. The purpose of this study was to identify regional differences and associations between obesity and obesity-related factors in Southern U.S. elderly people, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, using data from the 2005 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), an existing telephone health survey administered by the Centers for Disease Control …

Computer Literacy, Access And Use Of Technology In The Family And Consumer Sciences Classroom, Dana Renee Jenkins

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

For years, schools across the nation have been joining the technology revolution. Today, students have at least some form of technology available to them in school (Roblyer, Castine, andamp; King, 1993; Croxall andamp; Cummings, 2000). This trend is not likely to change, so there is an increasing need for teachers who are literate in the use of the various types of technology. The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between computer literacy and use of technology, as well as if a relationship exists between teachers access to technology and their use of technology in Family …

Comparison Of Nutritional Intake Of Home School Children And Public School Children: A Comparison Study, Stephen D. Perry

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Purpose: To compare selected food /nutrient consumption between families that educate their children at home with those that educate their children in the public school system.

Methods: The study sample included 112 children aged 7-11 years in Fayette Co Kentucky. The children were divided into groups according type of education. There were 65 home-schooled children and 47 children who attend public school. Subjects recorded their dietary intake for one week. The data were analyzed using Nutrition Data Software for Research (2006). Comparisons were made for the intake of selected nutrients using two tailed independent sample t-tests.

Results: The public school …

Challenges And Opportunities To Rural Nutrition Education Programs In Kentucky's Superfund Communities, Carolyn L. Hofe

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The National Electric Coil Company/Cooper Industries, Inc. plant in Harlan County, Kentucky was a mining support operation primarily engaged in the cleaning and repair of mining equipment from 1951 to 1987. Trichloroethylene (TCE) and degradation byproducts, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and vinyl chloride were released into the areas surrounding the plant periodically for decades. Routine water sampling of area wells by the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection Division of Water revealed significant levels of TCE, PCBs, and vinyl chloride. The toxicology of these chemicals implicates various systems, including cardiovascular, dermal, endocrine, and neurological.

University of Kentucky’s Superfund Basic Research Program’s (UK-SBRP) …

Parental Perceptions Of Nutritional Status Of Children With Autism, Rachel Corliss Holt

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Literature shows that nutritional deficiency and feeding behaviors in neurodevelopmentally disabled children is secondary to an underdeveloped gastrointestinal tract. Fifty (50) parents with children with autism responded to a Nutritional Perception Assessment that they believe their children are at adequate nutritional status. They reported confidence in their nutritional knowledge, yet admitted to concern about the nutritional status of their children. The survey revealed that parents are not seeing a registered dietitian for their nutritional advice, leading to the question of soundness in nutritional information received. A marginal correlation was found between belief in adequate nutritional status of children and the …

Stages Of Relationship Change And Individual And Couple Adjustment, Jacob A. Lacoursiere

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Although Prochaska and DiClemente (1984) considered the Transtheoretical Model of Change (TTM) to be relevant to couples therapy, there is a paucity of research in this area. Understanding how couples initiate change in their relationship still proves difficult due to barriers in the collection of couple level data and the fact that the majority of research on the TTM is individualistic in nature (Fowers, 2001; Schneider, 2003). Schneider (2003) reported that research suggests a relationship between change processes and relationship adjustment in couples. To my knowledge this study is the first test of the reliability and correlates of relationship change, …

Removal Of Manganese From An Alkaline Mine Drainage Using A Bioreactor With Different Organic Carbon Sources, Jared D. Edwards

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The treatment of Mn and SO₄^2- contaminated mine drainage via a sulfate reducing bioreactor is expected to result in near-permanent immobilization of significant amounts of Mn and a portion of the sulfates within the matrix. This study tested several different combinations of organic amendments and inorganic substrates in an attempt to optimize sulfate reducing conditions and Mn removal capacity. Five different organic carbon sources, including corn mash, wood mulch, biosolids, soybean oil, and sorghum syrup in combination with five different inorganic substrates, including creek sediment, marble and limestone chips, polished gravel, and sand were tested in batch experiments. …

Toward The Construction Of "Kentucky Food" In The Twenty-First Century: Food Localism And Commodification Of Place Identity Under Post-Tobacco Agricultural Restructuring, 1990-2006., Taro Futamura

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines the concept of local food and the discourses surrounding the concept, both of which have played a significant role during Kentuckys agricultural restructuring. Since the mid-1990s, Kentucky farmers who were dependent on tobacco production began to struggle financially after the substantial reduction of quota allotments, and they were encouraged to diversify their agricultural production. Subsequently, practices of producing, marketing, and consuming locally-grown food were implemented. Drawing primarily on qualitative data, this study investigates the meanings of Kentuckys local food discourse development in four dimensions: 1) the political economy of tobacco production and the structural change of Kentuckys …