Digital Commons Network^™

Home Vegetable Gardening In Kentucky, Richard Durham, Shubin Saha, John Strang, Mark A. Williams, Shawn Wright, Ricardo Bessin, Kenneth W. Seebold, Nicole Ward

Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications

Before You Begin

Every aspiring gardener should follow seven steps to have a successful gardening season:

1. Plan your garden on paper before you begin.
2. Select a good gardening site that is:
   a. in full sun for at least eight hours each day,
   b. relatively level,
   c. well‑drained,
   d. close to a water source,
   e. not shaded.
3. Prepare the soil properly and add fertilizer and lime according to soil test recommendations.
4. Plan only as large a garden as you can easily maintain. Beginning gardeners often overplant, and then they fail because they cannot keep up with the tasks required. Weeds and …

Long-Term Trends Of Participation In Physical Activity During Adolescence With Educational Ambition And Attainment, Frances Jillian Priesmeyer

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Insufficient physical activity is a serious concern for the youth of this nation. In 2008, more than one third of children and adolescents could be classified as either obese or overweight (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). Poor nutrition and lack of physical activity are two major factors contributing to this epidemic. A physically active lifestyle during youth not only improves physical health, but has also been shown to improve emotional health, behavior, and academic performance. It is important that this area of research is continued and expanded so appropriate educational policies that support the health and well-being of …

A Life Span Approach To The Relationship Between Cholesterol, Late Onset Alzheimer’S Disease, And Cognitive Functioning Among Older Adults, Brian Downer

Theses and Dissertations--Gerontology

There is evidence that cholesterol presents an important risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but the direction of this relationship is modified by age. High cholesterol during midlife and low cholesterol during late life are both associated with an increased risk for AD. This dissertation research engaged a life span approach to study the relationship between cholesterol, AD and cognitive functioning among older adults. The purpose of this research was to determine if trajectories of cholesterol from midlife through late life differ according to AD status and if these trajectories are associated with cognitive functioning during old age.

This research …

Characterizing The Maternally Inherited Endosymbionts Of Solitary Bees, Abiya Saeed

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Solitary bees are important pollinators of crops, with species in the family Megachilidae (mason bees) being used for orchard pollination. Commercial movement of these bees also moves their microbiota, including bacterial endosymbionts capable of reproductive manipulation. To test for presence of these bacteria, I screened commercially available species of US orchard pollinators and locally captured solitary bees from Kentucky. I also set up mason bee boxes in five apple orchards to examine recruitment of local pollinators. I conducted 454-pyrosequencing to determine bacterial diversity within four species followed by diagnostic PCR of 30 collected species (184 individuals) to determine infection frequency …

Chemical Control Of Turfgrass Diseases 2014, Paul Vincelli, Gregg Munshaw

Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications

Turfgrasses under intensive management are often subject to outbreaks of infectious diseases. Diseases usually are most damaging when weather or cultural conditions favor the disease-causing agent but not plant growth and vigor. Cultural conditions that predispose turfgrass to diseases include close mowing, inadequate or excessive nitrogen fertility, light or frequent irrigation, excessive thatch, poor drainage, and shade.

Good turf management practices often greatly reduce the impact of disease by promoting healthy plants that are better able to resist infections. Even under good management, however, diseases sometimes cause excessive damage to highly managed turfgrasses. The proper use of fungicides in these …

Fly Ash As A Potential Scrubber Of Acidic Wastes From The Phosphate Industries In Israel, Roy Nir Lieberman, Eli Lederman, Ithamar Pelly, Haim Cohen

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

Fly ash (FA) is produced in Israeli utilities via bituminous coal combustion. It is used as a cement additive or in concrete production, and its economic value is low. The FA produced in Israel is very basic (defined as class F) owing to ambient air quality standards that impose low sulfur content in the imported coals. Because the lime content is high (in the South African coal, ,10 wt%), it is a good potential chemical scrubber to acidic wastes. The phosphate industry in Israel produces mainly phosphate fertilizers and water-treatment products as well as phosphoric acid. The production methods rely …

Geochemistry And Mineralogy Of Coal-Fired Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustion Fly Ashes, Luis F.O. Silva, Marcos L.S. Oliveira, Rubens M. Kautzmann, Claudete G. Ramos, Maria Izquierdo, Shifeng Dai, Jennifer Wilcox, Jeremy Hoffman, James C. Hower

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

The fuel, bed ash, and fly ash were sampled from a circulating fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) unit at two times. The first sampling was a high-sulfur (S) coal-only run, and the second sampling coincided with an experimental burn of up to 10% switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) pressed pellets mixed with a high-S coal. The latter blend had a higher moisture content and a lower heating value than the coal-only fuel. Given the time between the samplings and the special needs for the experimental run, unavoidable changes in the coal and limestone complicate comparisons of the bed ash and fly ash chemistry …

Decker V. Northwest Environmental Defense Center: How Judicial Irresponsibility Saved The Logging Industry, Greg Jackson

Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture, & Natural Resources Law

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of Herbicide Systems For Dark Fire-Cured Tobacco, William A. Bailey, Tim Lax, Bobby Hill

Plant and Soil Sciences Research Report

Field experiments were conducted at Murray, KY in 2005, 2006, and 2007 to compare dark tobacco tolerance and weed control from various herbicide systems applied prior to transplanting. Herbicide treatments included sulfentrazone at 0.38 lb ai/A (12 oz/A Spartan 4F) applied pretransplant (PT), clomazone at 1 lb ai/A PT (2.67 pt/A Command 3ME), sulfentrazone at 0.38 lb ai/A plus clomazone at 1 lb ai/A PT, pendimethalin at 1.48 lb ai/A (3.6 pt/A Prowl 3.3EC) applied pretransplant incorporated (PTI), pendimethalin at 1.48 lb ai/A PTI followed by sulfentrazone at 0.38 lb ai/A PT, pebulate at 4 lb ai/A PTI (2.67 qt/A …

The Role Of Exercise In Polychlorinated Biphenyl Induced Cardiovascular Disease, Margaret O'Bryan Murphy

Theses and Dissertations--Nutritional Sciences

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in Western societies. Endothelial dysfunction is one of the initiating steps in the development of atherosclerosis. While there is a strong correlation with a person’s genetics, lifestyle factors including smoking, physical activity, and diet can significantly increase a person’s susceptibility to the development of atherosclerosis. In addition to these lifestyle factors, there is a strong body of evidence linking exposure to environmental pollutants including persistent organic pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls to increased cardiovascular disease and mortality. It has been well-established that exercise protects against cardiovascular disease, but whether exercise can modulate …

The Role Of Scavenger Receptor Class B Type I-Regulated Inducible Glucocorticoids In Sepsis, Junting Ai

Theses and Dissertations--Nutritional Sciences

Sepsis claims over 215,000 lives in the US annually. Inducible glucocorticoids (iGC) is produced during sepsis. However, the precise effects of iGC in sepsis remain unclear due to a lack of appropriate animal models. Glucocorticoid (GC) insufficiency is associated with a marked increase in mortality and occurs in 60% of severe septic patients. Yet the conclusion of GC therapy on septic patients is still controversial.

Scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) in the adrenal mediates the selective uptake of cholesteryl ester from lipoproteins for GC synthesis. SR-BI-/- mice completely lack iGC during sepsis and are highly susceptible to septic …

Molecular Mechanism Of Human Mismatch Repair Initiation, Sanghee Lee

Theses and Dissertations--Nutritional Sciences

DNA mismatch repair (MMR) is a highly conserved pathway that maintains genomic stability primarily by correcting mismatches generated during DNA replication. MMR deficiency leads to microsatellite instability (MSI), which is a hallmark of HNPCC (Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer). Human mismatch repair is initiated by MutSα, a heterodimer of MSH2 and MSH6 subunits. Mismatch binding by MutSα triggers a series of downstream MMR events including interacting and communicating with other MMR proteins. The ATPase domain of MutSα is situated in the C-termini of its both subunits, and ATP binding is required for dissociation of MutSα from a mismatch. In eukaryotic cells, …

The Role Of Angiotensinogen In Atherosclerosis And Obesity, Congqing Wu

Theses and Dissertations--Nutritional Sciences

Angiotensinogen is the only known precursor in the renin-angiotensin system, a hormonal system best known as an essential regulator of blood pressure and fluid homeostasis. Angiotensinogen is sequentially cleaved by renin and angiotensin- converting enzyme to generate angiotensin II. As the major effector peptide, angiotensin II mainly function through angiotensin type 1 receptor.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, and more recently renin inhibitors are widely known as the 3 classic renin-angiotensin system inhibitory drugs against hypertension and atherosclerosis. Here, we developed an array of regents to explore the effects of angiotensinogen inhibition. First, we demonstrated that genetic deficiency of …

Overexpression Of The Synthetic Chimeric Native-T-Phylloplanin-Gfp Genes Optimized For Monocot And Dicot Plants Renders Enhanced Resistance To Blue Mold Disease In Tobacco (N. Tabacum L.), Dipak K. Sahoo, Sumita Raha, James T. Hall, Indu B. Maiti

Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center Faculty Publications

To enhance the natural plant resistance and to evaluate the antimicrobial properties of phylloplanin against blue mold, we have expressed a synthetic chimeric native-phylloplanin-GFP protein fusion in transgenic Nicotiana tabacum cv. KY14, a cultivar that is highly susceptible to infection by Peronospora tabacina. The coding sequence of the tobacco phylloplanin gene along with its native signal peptide was fused with GFP at the carboxy terminus. The synthetic chimeric gene (native-phylloplanin-GFP) was placed between the modified Mirabilis mosaic virus full-length transcript promoter with duplicated enhancer domains and the terminator sequence from the rbcSE9 gene. The chimeric gene, expressed in transgenic …

Community Visions For Nutrient Management For The Floyds Fork Watershed, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute

KWRRI Research Reports

This report presents the results of a stakeholder engagement process for the Floyds Fork Watershed in north central Kentucky. The report is meant to inform the local citizens of the watershed, as well as US EPA and the Kentucky Division of Water as part of ongoing watershed management activities within the watershed. The process implemented in this study are intended to provide insights into a range of perspectives and community preferences related to possible nutrient management strategies for use in the Floyds Fork Watershed.

Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute Annual Technical Report Fy 2013, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

KWRRI Annual Technical Reports (USGS’s 104b Grant Program)

The FY 2013 Annual Technical Report for Kentucky consolidates reporting requirements of the Section 104(b) base grant award into a single document that includes: 1) a description of Kentucky Information Transfer activities, 2) citations for related publications, 3) a summary of student support during the reporting period, 4) notable awards and achievements during the year, and 5) publications from prior year projects.

No funds were requested for general program administration activities. However, travel funds were provided to support the participation of the Director and the Associate Director in the annual meeting of the National Institutes for Water Resources in Washington, …

A Summary Of The Kentucky River Watershed Watch 2014 Water Sampling Results, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute

Kentucky River Watershed Watch

No abstract provided.

Post-Myriad Genetics Copyright Of Synthetic Biology And Living Media, Michael D. Murray

Law Faculty Scholarly Articles

This Article addresses copyright as a viable form of intellectual property protection for living, organic creations of science and art. The United States Supreme Court's decision in Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics, Inc. narrowed patent-eligible protection over living components of humans or other organisms. Synthetic biologists are expected to look with renewed focus on copyright law for the intellectual property protection of biological creations. The contribution of this Article is to reveal that the same issues are raised with regard to the copyrightability of the works of synthetic biology as are raised by pictorial, graphic, and sculptural arts …

Boron Nutrition Of Burley And Dark Tobacco, Laura Ann Frakes Mitchell

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

The incidences of suspected Boron (B) deficiency have increased recently in Kentucky tobacco fields, potentially due to recent changes in management practices. The symptoms observed in the field include; hollow stalk, stunted growth, deformed or no bud formation, small slits on the lower leaf midrib and uncontrollable breaking of the midrib approximately two inches from the stalk. B is a micronutrient tobacco needs in minute amounts, however excessive additions of B could cause toxicity. The objectives of this work were to 1) establish critical points for B sufficiency, 2) describe and define B deficiency and toxicity symptoms and 3) develop …

I Can't Hear You But I'M Not Sure I'M Going To Tell You: Perceptions Of Stigma And Disclosure For Individuals Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing, Brittany Nicole Lash

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Communication processes can be affected by stigma – a negative evaluation of an individual’s attributes that discredits or identifies the individual as not normal (Goffman, 1963). One such communicative process that is affected by stigma is disclosure. Disclosure is when individuals share personal information that reveals something not previously known (Charmaz, 1991). One such group of individuals who may be forced to choose between disclosing (to get accommodations or social support) and avoiding stigma (by not disclosing) is individuals with disabilities (Braithwaite, 1991; Charmaz, 1991).

This study focuses on one particular population of individuals with disabilities – those with a …

Increasing Compliance With A Tobacco-Free Policy Via A Campus Campaign, Rachael A. Record

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

The implementation of a tobacco-free policy is the leading recommendation among health institutes for reducing the harms associated with tobacco exposure–for both smokers and nonsmokers–on college campuses. Despite the health benefits associated with tobacco-free policies, compliance with these policies remains a serious challenge on college campuses. Interventions aimed at increasing smokers’ willingness to comply with tobacco-free policies are essential for improving public health.

Guided by the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the purpose of this study was to (a) investigate the factors associated with tobacco-free policy compliance among undergraduate students and (b) design and evaluate a theory-based campaign aimed at …

Ultra Clean Coal Production Using Dense Medium Separation For The Silicon Market, Seyed Hassan Amini

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

The production of high quality silicon requires the use of ultraclean coal containing less than 1.5% ash. The magnetite used to clean the coal in a dense medium process is a contaminant that seriously impacts the quality of the final silicon product. As such, research has been conducted to evaluate the potential to substitute the magnetite with fine silica–based alternative material generated during the silicon production process. Dense medium cyclone tests were performed based on a statistically designed program to determine the optimum conditions that maximize organic efficiency and minimize probable error and low–density bypass. The results revealed that a …

Evaluation Of A Novel Feedstuff For Horses, Catherine Whitehouse

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Determining digestibility of feed ingredients is a challenge. While forage type feeds may be fed as the sole dietary component, concentrates cannot. To determine the apparent digestibility of these ingredients a by difference method can be utilized. The study was conducted to investigate the nutritional value of corn germ dehydrated (AAFCO 48.32) for horses in comparison to two processed corns commonly fed to horses. The second objective was to compare total tract digestibility of the treatments to determine differences in digestibility of the various fiber fractions due to added concentrate and to use the difference method to determine nutrient digestibility …

Gestational Form Of Supplemental Selenium (Se) Affects Steroidogenic Gene Expression In The Newborn Calf Testis, Stefani R. Garbacik

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Selenium (Se) is an important trace mineral in the diet of cattle. Our objective was to determine whether the form of supplemental Se fed to the dam would affect the expression of genes regulating steroidogenesis in the newborn testis. Twenty-four Angus-cross cows were assigned randomly (n=8) to individual ad libitum access of a mineral mix containing 35 ppm of Se supplied as sodium selenite (inorganic, ISe; Prince Se), Sel-Plex (organic, OSe; Sel-Plex, Alltech) or a 50/50 mix of ISe/OSe (MIX) 4 months prior to breeding and throughout gestation. All male calves were castrated within 2 days of birth and total …

An Assessment Of Two Feed Additives To Improve Feed Utilization In Pigs, Amanda Shaw Thomas

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Three experiments were conducted to assess the efficacy of including selected feed additives in the diet of weaning and grow-finish pigs. Experiment 1 utilized 24 crossbred grow-finish pigs and measured the effect of added EHY on DM, N, and energy digestibility. There were no differences in DM, Energy, and N digestibility between diets 1 through 4. Experiment 2 utilized a total of 36 crossbred pigs [18 barrows, 18 gilts] in order to determine if preference would be shown when presented with naturally-contaminated corn. There were three dietary comparisons, Control vs Diet 2 (Comparison 1), Control vs Diet 4 (Comparison 2), …

The Acoustic Emissions Produced By Escherichia Coli During The Growth Cycle, Traci Jane Cox

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The objective of this study was to determine if acoustic emissions (AE) generated by three strains of Escherichia Coli (5024-parent strain, 8279-mutant strain and 8279-random/unrelated strain) could be used to differentiate each strain during their growth cycle. An acoustic sensor with an operating range of 35 kHz-100 kHz was inserted into the growth vessel and attached to a selected channel to capture AE data. The growth vessel was loaded with 60 ml of tryptic soy broth (TSB) (0.25% fructose) media with alginate (1.1%) or without alginate and inoculated with 1% (10⁸ CFU/ml) of an E. coli strain. The growth …

Modification Of Plasmonic Nano Structures' Absorption And Scattering Under Evanescent Wave Illumination Above Optical Waveguides Or With The Presence Of Different Material Nano Scale Atomic Force Microscope Tips, Gazi Mostafa Huda

Theses and Dissertations--Electrical and Computer Engineering

The interaction of an evanescent wave and plasmonic nanostructures are simulated in Finite Element Method. Specifically, the optical absorption cross section (C_abs) of a silver nanoparticle (AgNP) and a gold nanoparticle (AuNP) in the presence of metallic (gold) and dielectric (silicon) atomic force microscope (AFM) probes are numerically calculated in COMSOL. The system was illuminated by a transverse magnetic polarized, total internally reflected (TIR) waves or propagating surface plasmon (SP) wave. Both material nanoscale probes localize and enhance the field between the apex of the tip and the particle. Based on the absorption cross section equation the author …

Let’S Play: Understanding The Role And Significance Of Digital Gaming In Old Age, Julie A. Skalsky Brown

Theses and Dissertations--Gerontology

Despite a marked increase in the use of digital games among older persons, there is insufficient research that provides insight into the gaming experiences of this population. A major demographic shift within the senior gaming market has ushered in a new perspective on the use of digital games as a tool for physical and cognitive health, and improved socialization. It is proposed that individual notions of play, which are developed over the life course, influence digital game play engagement and interaction preferences, and contribute to well-being. This study explored how self-perceptions of play over the course of the senior gamer’s …

Implementing The Food Safety Modernization Act: An Examination Of The Inequitable Impact Of The Proposed Preventive Controls And Produce Safety Rules, Ben Metzger

Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture, & Natural Resources Law

No abstract provided.

Economic Analysis Of Carbon Sequestration Under Catastrophic Risk And Price Uncertainty In Kentucky, Lijiao Hu

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

Internalizing carbon value for forest landowners has the potential to increase carbon supply in forest and mitigate CO₂ in the atmosphere. In this study, we developed a modified Hartman model to investigate how payments of carbon offsets impact the optimal management of hardwood forests in Kentucky under condition of catastrophic events. Different carbon markets were modeled and several sensitivity analyses were performed to examine varied management strategies to achieve maximized financial return or highest environmental benefits. Furthermore, another model was developed to incorporate the impact of risk aversion to price uncertainty using E-V model. We were able to identify …