Digital Commons Network^™

Enforcement Mechanisms For Supreme Court Ethics Codes: Applying State Models To Scotus, Katherine Nipper

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Hope In The Holler: How Eminent Domain Can Bring Economic Justice To Central Appalachia, Matthew B. Chaney

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

History And Tradition Of Inequality, Advocacy, And Progress, Teri Dobbins Baxter

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Birth Of Creditor Qualified Immunity, Daniel M. Tavera

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

States Strip Local Governments Of Authority To Govern Causing Some Rural Communities To Suffer, Terence J. Centner

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents For Volume 114, Issue 3, Kentucky Law Journal

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Much Ado About Nothing: The Effect Of The "Nullity Rule" On Purported Pro Se Litigants In Federal Court, John T. Lambert

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Consumer Bankruptcy: A "Gem" Of The Legal Profession But A Diamond In The Rough, Tori Harris

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Arbitration Clause Expansion, Hossein Fazilatfar

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The New Parens Patriae, Meredith Johnson Harbach

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Against First Amendment Traditionalism, Jacob M. Schriner-Briggs

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents For Volume 114, Issue 2, Kentucky Law Journal

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

From Centralized To Decentralized Care: Assessing The Role Of Design In Cardiovascular Unit Performance, Lindsey Fay

Interiors Faculty Publications

This report presents a comprehensive pre- and post-occupancy evaluation of the University of Kentucky HealthCare Cardiovascular Unit, conducted through a collaborative effort between the College of Design, College of Communication and Information, UK HealthCare, and GBBN Architects. The study examines the transition from a centralized to a decentralized care delivery model within a newly constructed hospital environment, with the goal of understanding how spatial design influences healthcare delivery, staff performance, and patient experience.

Using a mixed-methods approach, the research integrates quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques, including behavioral mapping, communication tracking, pedometer data, acoustic measurements, and staff and user feedback. …

Rural/Urban Disparities In Utilization Of Diabetes Self-Management Training (Dsmt) To The Fee-For-Service Medicare Population, 2017–2024, Wanying Zhu, Aleksandr Taraskin, Jeffrerey Talbert

Rural & Underserved Health Research Center Publications

Key Report Highlights

• A significant rural DSMT access gap exists. Rural beneficiaries accounted for 20.1% of Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes but only 7.8% of DSMT participants.

• Geographic availability remains limited. Only 16.8% of counties with DSMT utilization were rural.

• Access, not demand, appears to be the primary challenge. Rural counties offering DSMT achieved utilization rates more than twice those observed in urban counties (6.0% vs. 2.5%).

• Expanding rural DSMT capacity may represent a high-impact opportunity to improve diabetes self-management support among underserved Medicare beneficiaries.

Non-Metropolitan Vs. Metropolitan Variations In Alcohol, Illicit Drug, And Prescription Therapeutic Drug Misuse, Tyrone F. Borders

Rural & Underserved Health Research Center Publications

Key Findings

Alcohol Use. The prevalence of past year and past 30-day drinking was lower among non-metropolitan (non-metro) than metropolitan (metro) residents. However, non-metro drinkers engaged in more frequent binge drinking than metro drinkers. Drinking 3-5, 6-19, and 20-30 days over the past 30 days were higher among non-metro than metro residents.

Illicit Drug Use. Hallucinogens were the mostly commonly used illicit drugs among non-metro as well as metro residents. Methamphetamine use was significantly higher among non-metro than metro residents.

Prescription Pain Reliever Use. The misuse of prescription pain killers, primarily prescription opioids, was higher among non-metro than …

High-Deductible Health Plans In Rural And Urban Populations: Outpatient Utilization And Out-Of-Pocket Costs, Aaron P. Smith, Jefferey Talbert

Rural & Underserved Health Research Center Publications

Overview of Key Findings This policy brief explores rural-urban differences in High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) enrollment, subsequent healthcare utilization, and out-of-pocket (OOP) costs. ▪ HDHP enrollment was uncommon. Rural residents were slightly less likely to enroll than urban residents across all demographic groups. ▪ Switching plans influenced utilization. Compared to those who did not change healthcare plans, switching from a Traditional plan to a HDHP was associated with a larger reduction in 2022 outpatient visits for both rural and urban residents. Moving from a HDHP to a Traditional plan was associated with a smaller reduction in 2022 outpatient visits for …

Impact Of Schedule V Controlled Substance Classification Of Gabapentin On Adult Gabapentin-Involved Overdose Rates, West Virginia, 2016–2019, Katherine Gora Combs, Juan M. Hincapie-Castillo, Nabarun Dasgupta, Rachel Vickers-Smith, Alan Kinlaw, Gordon S. Smith, Stephen W. Marshall

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Objective: Assess the association between West Virginia’s classification of gabapentin as a schedule V controlled substance and fatal overdoses involving gabapentin, relative to a control state. Methods: Using a controlled interrupted time series design, we modeled a segmented linear regression using Newey-West standard errors to estimate the immediate and trend changes in gabapentin-involved fatal overdoses among adults in West Virginia associated with gabapentin’s scheduling in June 2018. Data from North Carolina (no gabapentin scheduling) was used as a control to account for potential secular changes. Quarterly rates were computed from 2016 to 2019. Results: The introduction of West Virginia’s policy …

Locus Coeruleus Tdp-43 Pathology In A Community-Based Cohort, Allison M. Neltner, Ryan K. Shahidehpour, Megan E. Hall, Xiaotong Ning, Shuling Fister, Hannah Kang, Sonya Anderson, Gregory A. Jicha, Tiffany L. Lee, Erin L. Abner, David W. Fardo, Peter T. Nelson

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

The locus coeruleus (LC) is the source of norepinephrinergic innervation in the human brain. Locus coeruleus pathology has been linked to clinical conditions such as cognitive impairment and behavioral and psychiatric symptoms of dementia (BPSD). However, phosphorylated TDP-43 (pTDP-43) pathology in the LC has been understudied, particularly in the contexts of aging and limbic predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy neuropathologic change (LATE-NC). Here, a convenience sample (n = 134) of autopsied participants from the University of Kentucky Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center community-based cohort was analyzed for LC pTDP-43 and phosphorylated tau (pTau) pathologies. Locus coeruleus pTDP-43 pathology was found in 28/134 …

Cellular Senescence Links Muscle Atrophy And Posttraumatic Osteoarthritis After Acl Injury, Alexander R. Keeble, Allison Owen, Sara Gonzalez-Velez, Nicholas T. Thomas, Camille R. Brightwell, Peyton J. Balawender, Madeline G. O'Daniel, Helena C. Weiss, Haley Noehren, Heather Thompson, Karen Sofia Zuluaga-Osorio, Zane T. Bates, Lauren Gottlieb, Douglas E. Long, Douglas Harrison, Philip Kern, Caitlin E. Conley, Michael A. Samaan, Stephen Duncan, Austin Stone, Darren Johnson, Yuan Wen, Brian Noehren, Cory Dungan, Christopher Fry

Biology Faculty Publications

Traumatic knee injury leads to posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) and significant skeletal muscle weakness, resulting in chronic disability. The current standard of care frequently fails to prevent musculoskeletal dysfunction, underscoring the need to identify therapeutic mechanisms of PTOA. Using an established preclinical anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) transection model of PTOA and leveraging an innovative SPiDER-senescence-associated β-galactosidase stain to discern senescent cells, we investigated cellular senescence at single-cell resolution and identified anti-inflammatory macrophages as a predominant contributor to the senescent cell burden in both muscle and knee joint after injury. Clearance of senescent cells using the senolytic dasatinib and quercetin (D + …

Chameleon Carriers In Trucking: Detection, Enforcement, And Financial And Safety Impacts, Brian Howell, Drew Law, Andrew Martin

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Chameleon carriers are motor carriers that evade regulatory enforcement by dissolving and reregistering under new corporate identities. This study, commissioned by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), examined how states characterize, detect, and respond to chameleon carrier activity and assessed its financial and safety impacts in Kentucky from 2020 through 2025. The research team conducted a literature review of existing agency practices and relevant stakeholder perspectives, reviewed administrative codes and statutes across 13 pilot states, and administered two structured surveys to state motor carrier credentialing officials examining carrier characterization and enforcement practices. An analysis of KYTC's carrier data flagged by CVIEW …

Racial And Ethnic Differences In Medications For Opioid Use Disorder And Overdose In 11 State Medicaid Programs From 2016 To 2020, Julie M. Donohue, Bill Wang, Lu Tang, Joo Yeon Kim, Stefanie Junker, Evan S. Cole, Chung Chou H. Chang, Eric Roberts, J. Deanna Wilson, Utibe R. Essien, Katie Gifford, Lindsey Hammerslag, Jeffery Talbert, Katherine Ahrens, David Idala, Shamis Mohamoud, Sarah Clark, Anna Austin, Orrin Ware, Krystel Tossone, Aimee Mack, Carrie Fry, Adam J. Gordon, Andrew Barnes, Sarah Marks, Peter Cunningham, Lindsay Allen, Marguerite Burns

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

Introduction: Access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) varies across racial and ethnic groups. As the largest payer for MOUD, Medicaid has potential to ensure access for all enrollees. We aimed to quantify recent trends and state variation in MOUD use by race and ethnicity in Medicaid. Methods: Using a distributed research network, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 11 states' Medicaid data from 2016 to 2020. Among enrollees diagnosed with opioid use disorder (OUD), we measured the percent receiving MOUD (overall; and methadone, buprenorphine, naltrexone, separately), continuity of MOUD for ≥180 days, and claims-based overdose event rates. We …

Neutralization Of Reactive Oxygen Species With Cobinamide Augments Aortic Dissections And Rupture In Bapn-Administered Mice, Alexis Richard, Zhen Zhou, Jose Emiliano Esparza Pinelo, Callie S. Kwartler, Hema Kalyanaraman, Gerry R. Boss, Hong S. Lu, Alan Daugherty, Dianna M. Milewicz

Physiology Faculty Publications

Thoracic aortic aneurysms involving the root and ascending aorta progressively enlarge and can lead to life-threatening acute aortic dissections, collectively termed thoracic aortic disease (TAD). Oxidative stress due to an excess of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been implicated in TAD pathogenesis by promoting vascular inflammation, extracellular matrix degradation, and smooth muscle cell apoptosis. Cobinamide (Cbi), a potent antioxidant and vitamin B12 analog, has been reported to slow aortic aneurysm growth in TAD mouse models. We evaluated its efficacy in mice administered b-aminopropionitrile (BAPN) to induce TAD, a model in which aneurysms progress to dissections. C57BL/6J mice of both sexes …

Historical Impact Of Climate Change And Progress Of Genetic Traits On Yield In The Major Soybean (Glycine Max L.) Growing Provinces Of South Africa, Vuwani Makuya, Michael Van Der Laan, Montserrat Salmerón, Gianni Bellocchi, Annelie De Beer, Robert Mangani

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Context and objective: Soybean production in South Africa is increasingly threatened by climate change; but the historical interplay between changing climate and genetic improvement on yield remains unexplored. This study assessed the historical influence of climate change and genetic trait improvement on soybean yield from 1998 to 2022 across four different South African localities: Bethlehem, Delmas, Brits and Potchefstroom. Methods: Seasonal climate trends were evaluated using the non–parametric tests, yield anomalies were quantified using detrended standardized residuals, and the effects of rainfall and temperature on yield were analyzed through Bayesian hierarchical modelling. The contribution of genetic improvement to yield gains …

Sex-Specific Adaptive Immune Responses In Spinal Cord Injury, Reena Kumari, John C. Gensel

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Rural And Urban Availability Of Substance Use Treatment Facilities, Aaron P. Smith, Tyrone F. Borders

Rural & Underserved Health Research Center Publications

Overview of Key Findings

• Rural counties have higher per capita numbers of substance use disorder treatment facilities than urban counties on average, but also greater variability and large pockets of unmet need.

• The highest proportions of residents living in counties without any treatment facilities are concentrated in rural areas within the Midwestern and Southern United States.

• Rural and urban treatment facilities offer medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) at similar rates, with inpatient facilities most likely to provide MOUD, followed by residential and outpatient settings.

Development Of Reduced Conflict U-Turn (Rcut) Guidance In Kentucky, Travis Thompson, Duane Thomas, Jill Asher, Jeff Jasper

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

A reduced conflict U-turn (RCUT) intersection eliminates left-turn and through movements from the minor road. Instead, drivers must turn right onto the main road and complete a U-turn at a downstream median opening. Recognized by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) as a proven safety countermeasure, RCUT intersections have reduced fatal and injury crashes 22 – 63%. Despite more than 35 RCUT intersections in operation across Kentucky, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) lacked specific guidance for their planning, design, construction, and operation.

This project, conducted by the Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) in cooperation with KYTC, addressed this gap through a comprehensive …

Attentional Bias During A Novel Alcohol Cue Virtual Reality Paradigm, Ryan M. Sullivan, Benjamin S. Mckenna, Weichen Liu, Arwynn Mckinty, Camarin Laurance, Craig R. Rush, Nadir Weibel, Kelly E. Courtney

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Attentional bias to alcohol cues is largely investigated using pictorial cues (i.e., two-dimensional images). The addition of eye-tracking metrics has improved these investigations yet are limited by a lack of naturalistic cues. Virtual reality (VR) can theoretically improve ecological validity through three-dimensional alcohol object presentation while utilizing eye-tracking metrics. This report sought to test the construct validity of the Alcohol Cue VR paradigm in evoking subjective craving and attentional bias through measurement of eye-gaze characteristics. Methods: Participants (n = 105, 53% male, M_age = 38), with varying alcohol use histories, underwent the Alcohol Cue VR paradigm, an alcohol …

Lung Cancer Screening Disparities Among Screening-Eligible Older Black Adults With 20 + Years Of Tobacco Use, Delvon T. Mattingly, Courtney Blair, Meman Diaby, Tia N. Weber, Justin X. Moore, Jessica L. Burris

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States and disproportionately affects Black adults. Lung cancer screening (LCS) remains narrowly focused on cigarette smoking, often excluding other tobacco use, and low provider referral rates continue to limit screening uptake. Addressing these gaps is critical to advancing screening equity. Methods: We surveyed 100 Black adults (aged 50 + years) with a 20 + year history of tobacco use who either currently used or had quit within the past 15 years. The survey assessed tobacco use characteristics, cessation intentions, tobacco product harm perceptions, LCS-related quit motivations, and …

Utility Of The Recombinase Driver Cx3cr1-Ert2 Rat Strain In Nicotine Self-Administration, Ashley M. White, Ashley J. Craig, Daryl L. Richie, Christa L. Corley, Percell T. Kendrick, Kathleen R. Mcnealy, Michael D. Scofield, Cassandra D. Gipson

Psychology Faculty Publications

Smoking remains a leading preventable cause of death, and nicotine is the primary substance responsible for maintaining use of tobacco products. Preclinical rodent models have shown that neuroimmune signaling is dysregulated by nicotine self-administration (SA) within the nucleus accumbens core (NAcore). Microglia are the resident brain immune cell and prior studies have shown that they play an important role in nicotine-related behaviors. However, while transgenic mouse lines allow for specific evaluations of microglia to determine their role in neurobiology and behavior, there are fewer tools available for rats as a model species, thus limiting our ability to evaluate specific contributions …

Evaluation Of Kentucky’S Work Zone Speed Camera Pilot Program: Speed And Crash Analyses, Xu Zhang, William Staats, Eric Green

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Kentucky introduced automated speed enforcement in work zones to mitigate hazards and improve the safety of motorists and workers. This study describes the impacts of automated speed enforcement at five pilot sites. Researchers analyzed speed data and crash data from pilot sites and paired control sites. The control sites and pilot sites had similar traffic volumes, lane configurations, and functional classifications. Analysis drew on over 15 million individual speed records captured using automated enforcement cameras as well as segment-level speed data from HERE.  Active enforcement at pilot sites was associated with lower mean, 85th-percentile, and 99th-percentile vehicle speeds. Average vehicle …