Digital Commons Network^™

Managing Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals In Healthcare: A Perplexing Prescription, Garrison Rosser

Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture, & Natural Resources Law

No abstract provided.

Speaking For The States: A Response To The Proposal Of Subnational Forest Federalization, Joseph White

Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture, & Natural Resources Law

No abstract provided.

A Breast Cancer Stem Active Cobalt(Iii)-Cyclam Complex Containing Flufenamic Acid With Immunogenic Potential, Jiaxin Fang, Owamagbe N. Orobator, Chibuzor Ngozi Olelewe, Ginevra Passeri, Kuldip Singh, Samuel G. Awuah, Kogularamanan Suntharalingam

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The cytotoxic and immunogenic-activating properties of a cobalt(III)-cyclam complex bearing the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, flufenamic acid is reported within the context of anti-cancer stem cell (CSC) drug discovery. The cobalt(III)-cyclam complex 1 displays sub-micromolar potency towards breast CSCs grown in monolayers, 24-fold and 31-fold greater than salinomycin (an established anti-breast CSC agent) and cisplatin (an anticancer metallopharmaceutical), respectively. Strikingly, the cobalt(III)-cyclam complex 1 is 69-fold and 50-fold more potent than salinomycin and cisplatin towards three-dimensionally cultured breast CSC mammospheres. Mechanistic studies reveal that 1 induces DNA damage, inhibits cyclooxygenase-2 expression, and prompts caspase-dependent apoptosis. Breast CSCs treated with 1 exhibit …

Breaking The Silence: A Mixed Methods Study On Opioid Education, Overdose Risks, And Treatment Education Among College Students, Anita Silwal

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

The opioid crisis is a national public health emergency in the United States. Opioid education, naloxone training, and medication for opioid use disorder treatment (MOUD) are evidence-based practices to mitigate opioid overdose. The opioid crisis is affecting people of all ages, including college students. Research indicates the gap in research among college students on how they perceive this public health emergency and how it is affecting them; thus, this dissertation aims to address the gap by examining college students' knowledge, attitude, and behavioral intentions toward opioid education, naloxone training, and referral to MOUD to those struggling with opioid addiction. The …

Characterizing The Relationship Between The Presence Of Depression Risk, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, And Benzodiazepine Use To Get High, Julia Kollitz

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

Aim: To determine if there is a relationship between depression risk, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and engaging in benzodiazepine misuse.

Methods: A secondary cross-sectional analysis was conducted on data from a sample of people who use drugs (n=743). Depression risk was assessed via the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale. Meeting DSM-IV criteria for PTSD was identified using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). We used simple and multivariable logistic regression models to estimate the association between mental health factors of interest and benzodiazepine misuse, defined as self-reported benzodiazepine use “to get high” in the past six months.

Results: Of the …

Considerations And Applications Of Environmental Dna In Biodiversity Studies, Sarah Tomke

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling—the detection of species through genetic material shed into the environment—has become an efficient and reliable method for biodiversity assessments. The method has grown in popularity due to its non-invasive and non-destructive nature, and has revolutionized monitoring efforts for rare, elusive, and cryptic species for which traditional sampling approaches are often costly and ineffective. Hundreds of studies have utilized this technique to study species occupancy, delineate distributions, and assess relative community composition. Although eDNA sampling is an effective strategy for many conservation and ecological studies, recently, light has been shed on some of its potential drawbacks and …

Africa’S Overlooked Top Predator: Towards A Better Understanding Of Martial Eagle Feeding Ecology In The Maasai Mara, Kenya, Richard Stratton Hatfield, Allison G. Davis, Ralph Buij, John J. Cox, Shiv Kapila, Lemein Parmuntoro, Simon Thomsett, Munir Z. Virani, Peter Njoroge, Frank Van Langevelde

Forestry and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Raptors exert top-down influences on ecosystems via their effects on prey population dynamics and community composition. Most raptors are sympatric with other predators, thus complicating our understanding of their relative influence in these systems. Estimates of kill rates and prey biomass recycling have been used as predation metrics that allow quantitative comparison among species and assessment of the relative role of single species within complex food webs. Few studies have produced findings of kill rates or prey biomass recycling for raptors. We used a supervised machine learning algorithm to behaviourally classify high resolution accelerometer informed GPS locations of tagged adult …

Biodegradable Nanoparticles Targeting Circulating Immune Cells Reduce Central And Peripheral Sensitization To Alleviate Neuropathic Pain Following Spinal Cord Injury., Michael N. Saunders, Kate V. Griffin, Irina Kalashnikova, Daniel Kolpek, Dominique R. Smith, Eiji Saito, Brian J. Cummings, Aileen J. Anderson, Lonnie D. Shea, Jonghyuck Park

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Neuropathic pain is a critical source of comorbidity following spinal cord injury (SCI) that can be exacerbated by immune-mediated pathologies in the central and peripheral nervous systems. In this article, we investigate whether drug-free, biodegradable, poly(lactide- co -glycolide) (PLG) nanoparticle treatment mitigates the development of post-SCI neuropathic pain in female mice. Our results show that acute treatment with PLG nanoparticles following thoracic SCI significantly reduces tactile and cold hypersensitivity scores in a durable fashion. Nanoparticles primarily reduce peripheral immune-mediated mechanisms of neuropathic pain, including neuropathic pain-associated gene transcript frequency, transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 nociceptor expression, and MCP-1 (CCL2) chemokine …

Industrial Hemp Production And Potential Risks In Kentucky, Hoyeon Jeong

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

Since the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2014 and 2018 legalized Industrial Hemp (Cannabis Sativa. L), interest in grain, fiber, and floral hemp production has seen growing pains. As an emerging crop, there is a research gap in the impact of weather and agronomic conditions on hemp production including THC (Delta 9 Tetrahydrocannabinol) and pollen drift as risks in hemp cultivation. The first essay aims to measure the impact of weather and agronomic factors on hemp grain, fiber, and floral yields in Kentucky using a yield-weather model with information on field locations. The results show that heat conditions during the growing …

Strategic Nutritional Interventions With Probiotics And Their Relationship To Performance, Feeding Behavior, And Reticulorumen Environment In Cows And Calves Under Subacute Ruminal Acidosis Risk, Gustavo Mazon Correa Alves

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) is a digestive disorder in ruminants characterized by extended periods of low reticulorumen pH. This digestive disorder is commonly observed in ruminants fed diets with elevated proportions of non-fibrous carbohydrates. This disorder has been vastly studied in adult dairy cattle and has been associated with losses in milk production, changes in feeding behavior, damage to the gastrointestinal tract, and premature culling. Although vastly studied in adult cattle, there is limited research on the effects of SARA in calves. SARA might be prevented by modifying the reticulorumen environment with probiotic supplements containing lactateutilizing bacteria such as Megasphaera …

Identifying Public Perceptions Towards Precision Dairy Technology Use, Brad Kelly

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

To remain sustainable, the dairy industry must demonstrate commitment to addressing concerns from the public, such as sustainability and animal welfare. Precision dairy technologies (PDT) are a potential solution to ameliorate this issue, but public perceptions towards PDT are currently underinvestigated. This thesis aims to describe public perceptions towards PDT. Specifically, the objectives are to 1) describe baseline perceptions of the U.S. public towards PDT, 2) determine the effects of framing information about human-animal bond, data transparency, and animal welfare on PDT perceptions, and 3) evaluate how demographic characteristics mediate these perceptions. An online survey was used to measure baseline …

Navigating Success In Higher Education: Generative Ai, Financial Well-Being, And Parental Support, Tanya Gardner

Theses and Dissertations--Public Policy and Administration

Postsecondary education is viewed as a sure path to economic mobility. This dissertation contains three essays which examine correlates of postsecondary value. Postsecondary students face a variety of stressors throughout their college career which may impact their ability to be successful. They must complete their coursework and pass their classes while balancing work, social, and familial obligations. Tools such as generative AI may help students achieve their goals even in the face of personal challenges such as low financial stability or the inability to afford the high costs of college. Together these essays add to the body of literature which …

Fowl Play And Lame Ducks: How A Three-Headed Circuit Split Confuses Century-Old Migratory Bird Protections, Omer Arain

Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture, & Natural Resources Law

No abstract provided.

Three Essays On Environmental Risk And Policy, Samuel Owens

Theses and Dissertations--Public Policy and Administration

This dissertation comprises three essays that investigate different facets of environmental hazards and their implications for policy and governance. While each essay examines a different topic area, they are all linked by examining how entities respond to incentives at the intersection of environmental risk and public policy. Each chapter informs a distinct literature within environmental policy and utilizes different methodologies to examine largely unexplored research questions.

In the first essay, I examine how individuals respond to the low-visibility, long-term environmental risk presented by radon. I employ radon zone data from the Kentucky Geological Survey and home information from Zillow to …

Astrocyte Ca2+ In The Dorsal Striatum Suppresses Neuronal Activity To Oppose Cue-Induced Reinstatement Of Cocaine Seeking, Navid S. Tavakoli, Samantha G. Malone, Tanner L. Anderson, Ryson E. Neeley, Artin Asadipooya, Michael T. Bardo, Pavel I. Ortinski

Psychology Faculty Publications

Recent literature supports a prominent role for astrocytes in regulation of drug-seeking behaviors. The dorsal striatum, specifically, is known to play a role in reward processing with neuronal activity that can be influenced by astrocyte Ca2+. However, the manner in which Ca2+ in dorsal striatum astrocytes impacts neuronal signaling after exposure to self-administered cocaine remains unclear. We addressed this question following over-expression of the Ca2+ extrusion pump, hPMCA2w/b, in dorsal striatum astrocytes and the Ca2+ indicator, GCaMP6f, in dorsal striatum neurons of rats that were trained to self-administer cocaine. Following extinction of cocaine-seeking behavior, the rats over-expressing hMPCA2w/b showed a …

Elucidating The Role Of Fatty Acid Synthase In Apc-Driven Colorectal Cancer, Courtney O. Kelson

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

Globally, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths. Currently, there is a growing incidence rate for individuals aged 20-49 years. Genetic and environmental factors contribute to the risk of this cancer. Early detection of CRC allows for the most effective treatment option in which surgical resection of the primary tumor occurs along with adjuvant chemotherapy. This therapeutic approach contributes to 5-year survival rate of 91%. However, surgical procedures and chemotherapy struggles against metastatic and relapsed CRC resulting in 5-year survival rate of 14%. Inefficacious treatments for relapsed and metastatic diseases emphasizes the need for more …

Southeastern Law Librarian Winter 2024, Seaall

Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Project Final Report Watershed Center Of Excellence, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute

KWRRI Research Reports

With the goal of providing a structured foundational background for watershed management to Kentucky’s watershed coordinators and other water quality professionals, the Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute developed the Kentucky Watershed Academy, a six-module series of core training content. The modules address the following subject areas:

• Module 1: The Clean Water Act & Related Water Quality Laws

• Module 2: Water Quality Basics

• Module 3: Dealing with Data

• Module 4: Land Use Impacts & Related Best Management Practices

• Module 5: Likely Partners

• Module 6: Effective Communications

As a result of this project, a total of …

Elucidation Of Mismatch Repair Regulation By Abl1: Advantages/Disadvantages Of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Treatment, Hannah Daniels

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

DNA mismatch repair (MMR) is a critical repair process necessary for not only repairing mispairs incorporated into the DNA during replication, but also for inducing apoptosis in response to certain types of DNA damage. MMR is required for maintaining genomic integrity and due to the importance of this pathway, any impairment of its function can lead to increased mutation frequency, which is well known to be a driving force of cancer development, progression, and resistance. Despite extensive studies involving the proteins involved in the MMR pathway, the regulation of those proteins remains relatively unknown. Regulation of MLH1, a protein necessary …

Acquired Treatment Resistance In Prostate Cancer Via The Production Of Radiation Derived Extracellular Vesicles Containing Mitochondrial Proteins, Caitlin Miller

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

Radiation treatment (RT) is one of the most commonly administered treatments for prostate cancer (PCa) patients, yet the recurrence of tumors after RT remains one of the significant challenges in the eradication of PCa. In addition to induction of DNA damage, ROS production, and cell death, we found that RT promotes Extracellular vesicle (EV) production in PCa cells, at least in part, through H₂O₂ production (Miller CE et al., Antioxidants 2022, PMID 36358489). Since we observed EV production upon RT, EVs and their contents could play a role(s) in cancer survival after RT. By using flow cytometry …

Understanding The Mechanism Of Ferroptosis Susceptibility Variation In Colorectal Cancer, Aziza Alshahrani

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Despite the use of chemotherapeutic agents, CRCs remains to be difficult to cure at least partially due to their intrinsic and/or acquired resistance to cell death inducers. Ferroptosis is a form of regulated cell death that caused by the accumulation of lipid peroxides. Studies have shown that dysregulation of ferroptotic pathways is associated with the development of resistance to various cancer treatment. Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) is a known target for inducing ferroptosis due to its critical role in detoxifying lipid hydroperoxides, and ferroptosis suppressor protein (FSP1) also …

Porcupine’S Role In The Enhancement Of Enzalutamide Efficacy In Drug Resistant Prostate Cancer, Katelyn Jones

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

Androgen receptor (AR) signaling continues to participate as a vital component of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Subsequently, this has led to the development of Androgen Signaling Inhibitors (ASI), specifically Enzalutamide (ENZ), which is a direct inhibitor of AR, to clinically manage CRPC. Inevitably, ENZ treatment only provides improvement for approximately two months before advancing to an incurable form, ENZ-resistant CRPC. With PCa ranking as the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in USA males, there is an urgency and necessity for the discovery and development of novel therapeutic approaches for CRPC. Wnt signaling has been extensively documented in its involvement …

Therapeutic Approaches And Novel Mechansims In Cancer Progression, Kendall Simpson

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

Prostate cancer (PCa) remains the most diagnosed cancer among men in the United States. There are various therapeutic routes that are implored to combat this fatal disease, and our work aims to increase the options made available to PCa patients. A combination treatment of Enzalutamide (Enz), an FDA approved drug for castration-resistant PCa patients, and Metformin, an FDA approved drug for type 2 diabetes, was utilized to enhance the efficacy of Enz in Enz-resistant PCa, both in vitro and in vivo. Thymic Lymphoma is one of the most common malignancies that can occur in various tissues and organs. Genomic stability …

Delineating Contributions Of Genotype And Lineage To Lung Cancer Therapy Response, Kassandra Jo Naughton

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) heterogeneity is a major challenge for determining effective treatment strategies. Adenocarcinomas (ADCs) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) are histologically and epigenetically distinct subtypes of NSCLC. Patients with ADC tumors harboring mutations in both KRAS and LKB1 (aka STK11) have lower survival rates than those with KRAS-only tumors. KRAS/LKB1 tumors are not only aggressive, but also respond poorly to immunotherapy. However, these data are limited to ADCs, and it is unclear if SCCs with this genotype are also resistant to immunotherapy. We developed a mouse model of Kras^mut/Lkb1^mut capable of producing …

Rps6kb1 Is A Critical Target For Overcoming Tumor Lineage Plasticity And Therapy Resistance, Saptadwipa Ganguly

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

Most tumors initially respond to treatment, yet refractory clones subsequently develop owing to resistance mechanisms which can be classified as intrinsic or extrinsic resistance. The intrinsic resistance is usually present prior to any treatment whereas the extrinsic resistance develops as a result of exposure to some kind of therapy. In order to target these “therapy resistant” tumor cells an unbiased screen of an FDA-approved drug library against cancer cells was performed. This was followed by synthesis of chemical analogs of the most effective drug.

The studies led to the identification of a derivative of the antihistamine drug ebastine, designated Super-ebastine …

Digital (Re)Production: Spatial Mediations Through Augmented Reality Landscapes In ‘Pokemon Go’, Brigitte Pulminar Perkins

Theses and Dissertations--Geography

Since 2016, the mobile augmented reality game Pokémon GO has renewed interest within communities by mediating spatial engagement using in-game markers that must be engaged with throughout physical urban landscapes. This thesis identifies factors that influence the spatial distribution of digital markers used by this game to help inform analyses of urban gamification, urban spatial distribution, and cultural knowledge production processes. Drawing specifically on theories of urban spatialization and digital media studies, I highlight features of physical and digital legacies of redlining within Lexington, KY that are reproduced via Pokémon GO. I argue that the urban racialized landscape of Lexington …

An Rnai-Based Approach To Ips Calligraphus Management: A Promising Strategy For Forest Protection, Mary Wallace

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

As climate change leads to more frequent and severe extreme weather, host tree stress is increasing the occurrence of large-scale bark beetle outbreaks. One such beetle, Ips calligraphus (Germar), a native bark beetle in the southeastern United States, has traditionally been considered a secondary pest of pine trees. Management has relied on silvicultural practices that enhance forest resilience, enabling host trees to effectively use natural defenses to deter beetle infestation. However, during periods of forest stress caused by storms, droughts, human disturbance, and other factors, beetle outbreaks can cause considerable ecological and economic damage.

Addressing worsening I. calligraphus outbreaks will …

Zebrafish Drug Screening Identifies Erlotinib As An Inhibitor Of Wnt/ Β-Catenin Signaling And Self-Renewal In T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Majd A. Al-Hamaly, Anna H. Cox, Meghan G. Haney, Wen Zhang, Emma C. Arvin, Shilpa Sampathi, Mary Wimsett, Chunming Liu, Jessica S. Blackburn

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

The Wnt/β-catenin pathway’s significance in cancer initiation, progression, and stem cell biology underscores its therapeutic potential. However, the clinical application of Wnt inhibitors remains limited due to challenges posed by off-target effects and complex cross-talk of Wnt signaling with other pathways. In this study, we leveraged a zebrafish model to perform a robust and rapid drug screening of 773 FDA-approved compounds to identify Wnt/β-catenin inhibitors with minimal toxicity. Utilizing zebrafish expressing a Wnt reporter, we identified several drugs that suppressed Wnt signaling without compromising zebrafish development. The effi- cacy of the top hit, Erlotinib, extended to human cells, where it …

The Distribution Of Cp-Cre Cases From 2013-2020 In The Commonwealth Of Kentucky, Hannah Hiscox

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

Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), particularly Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), pose a significant threat to public health due to their resistance to multiple antibiotics, including carbapenems. CRE infections, especially those producing carbapenemases (CP-CRE), are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates, making them a growing concern in healthcare settings. Despite the prevalence of CRE infections in the United States, limited data exist on the incidence and distribution of CP-CRE infections in specific regions, such as the Appalachian counties of Kentucky.

This study aimed to investigate the cumulative incidence and distribution of CP-CRE cases in Appalachian and non-Appalachian counties of Kentucky, as well as …

A Mixed Methods Exploration Of Occupational Therapy Pratice And Multiple Sclerosis Specialization, Dana Alghadban

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

The aim of this dissertation is to increase the body of research of how occupational therapists can address multiple sclerosis rehabilitation through occupational therapy services. Multiple sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease that creates challenges for individuals to engage in meaningful occupations and significantly affects many areas of their lives. Occupational therapists play a role in the rehabilitation process for people with multiple sclerosis by providing occupation-focused interventions that may improve the health and well-being of clients living with the disease. As a result of the unpredictability of symptoms experienced by this population, individualized approaches to addressing participation and occupational performance …