Digital Commons Network^™

Agn Storm 2. Xi. Spectroscopic Reverberation Mapping Of The Hot Dust In Mrk 817, Hermine Landt, Benjamin D. Boizelle, Michael S. Brotherton, Laura Ferrarese, Travis Fischer, Varoujan Gorjian, Michael D. Joner, Daniel Kynoch, Jacob N. Mclane, Jake A.J. Mitchell, John W. Montano, Rogemar A. Riffel, David Sanmartim, Thaisa Storchi-Bergmann, Martin J. Ward, Aaron J. Barth, Edward M. Cackett, Gisella De Rosa, Rick Edelson, Jonathan Gelbord, Yasaman Homayouni, Keith Horne, Erin A. Kara, Gerard A. Kriss, Nahum Arav, Elena Dalla Bontà, Maryam Dehghanian, Gary J. Ferland, Carina Fian, Diego H. González Buitrago, Dragana Ilić, Shai Kaspi

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

The AGN Space Telescope and Optical Reverberation Mapping (STORM) 2 campaign targeted Mrk 817 with intensive multiwavelength monitoring and found its soft X-ray emission to be strongly absorbed. We present results from 157 near-IR spectra with an average cadence of a few days. Whereas the hot dust reverberation signal as tracked by the continuum flux does not have a clear response, we recover a dust reverberation radius of ∼90 lt-days from the blackbody dust temperature light curve. This radius is consistent with previous photometric reverberation mapping results when Mrk 817 was in an unobscured state. The heating/cooling process we observe …

Single-Molecule Mechanostructural Fingerprinting Of Nucleic Acid Conformations, Prakash Shrestha, Hans T. Bergal, William M. Shih, Wesley P. Wong

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Understanding the three-dimensional structure and mechanical response of biomolecules is key to uncovering their molecular mechanisms, particularly in contexts where force plays a regulatory role. Structural methods such as X-ray crystallography, Cryo-electron microscopy, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy provide high-resolution conformational data, while single-molecule force spectroscopy reveals mechanical properties—but these approaches are rarely integrated. A more comprehensive understanding of structure-function relationships, including nonequilibrium conformations and transitions under force, calls for methods capable of simultaneously resolving structural and mechanical properties at the single-molecule level. To meet this need, we present a DNA nanoswitch calipers platform capable of both measuring multiple …

Impact Of Grain Size On Low-Temperature Carrier Phase Coherence Length In Polycrystalline Halide Perovskite Films, Aungkan Sen, Liam J. Scanlon, Axel Melchor Gaona Carranza, Jose L. Mendoza-Cortes, Johannes Pollanen, Richard R. Lunt, William J. Gannon

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Halide perovskites are now being studied for a full range of optoelectronic devices due to their excellent electronic and optical properties. This work explores the impact of grain boundaries on low-temperature carrier transport in polycrystalline cesium tin iodide (CsSnI₃) within the quantum diffusive transport regime, comparing a range of polycrystalline samples with varying grain sizes with epitaxial counterparts. Low-temperature magnetoresistance measurements reveal the presence of weak anti-localization (spin-orbit effects) with a shorter coherence length (L_ϕ) than the epitaxial films. Surprisingly, L_ϕ is not found to be impacted by grain size, despite being nearly an order …

Study Of Clustering Technique And Communication Topologies For Cooperative Control-Based Volt-Var Optimization, Gaurav Yadav, Yuan Liao, Dan M. Ionel

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Introducing renewable distributed generation (DG) in the power distribution system causes rapid voltage fluctuations due to its intermittency. This intermittency renders conventional voltage regulation devices such as on-load tap changers (OLTCs) and capacitor banks (CBs) inefficient to regulate rapid voltage changes and leads to reduced equipment lifetime and high operation and maintenance costs. Hence, this calls for non-conventional methods to mitigate such voltage fluctuations. This paper presents a cooperative control-based method aimed to optimally control the reactive power of DG inverters to mitigate the voltage deviations by establishing communication among the DG nodes, and between DG and non-DG nodes. This …

Electromagnetic Formation Flying Using Alternating Magnetic Field Forces And Control Barrier Functions For State And Input Constraints, Sumit Suryakant Kamat, Thomas Michael Seigler, Jesse B. Hoagg

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

This article presents a feedback control algorithm for electromagnetic formation flying with constraints on the satellites’ states and control inputs. The algorithm combines several key techniques. First, we use alternating magnetic field forces to decouple the electromagnetic forces between each pair of satellites in the formation. Each satellite’s electromagnetic actuation system is driven by a sum of amplitude-modulated sinusoids, where amplitudes are controlled in order to prescribe the time-averaged force between each pair of satellites. Next, the desired time-averaged force is computed from an optimal control that satisfies state constraints (i.e., no collisions and an upper limit on intersatellite speeds) …

Alter Composition With Overlapping Group Memberships, Martin G. Everett, Stephen P. Borgatti

Management Faculty Publications

In this paper, we examine common methods of analyzing network data in which we characterize nodes via categorical attributes. For example, we consider alter composition (counting the number of alters of a given type), alter heterogeneity (measuring the diversity of ego’s alters), homophily (similarity between ego and their alters) and Gould-Fernandez brokerage (assessing how often a node is in a position to broker between different categories). All of these techniques assume that all nodes belong to one and only one category -- i.e., the categorical attribute forms a node partition. However, there are a number of circumstances in which network …

Protocol For Stable Isotope Tracing Of Primary Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells, Samantha N. Hart, Holden C. Williams, William B. Inabnet Iii, Joshua P. Steiner, Varun Jain, Philip A. Kern, Cecily R. Wood, Barbara S. Nikolajczyk, Lance A. Johnson

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Stable isotope tracing gives direct insight into the rate of metabolic reactions occurring in cells by analyzing the incorporation of labeled carbons into metabolic pathways. Here, we present a protocol for stable isotope tracing of primary human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). We describe the steps for culturing and exposing PBMCs to stable isotopes U¹³C glucose and U¹³C glutamine. We then detail procedures for derivatization, metabolite purification, and tracing analysis via single-quadrupole gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

A Live Cell Biosensor Protocol For High-Resolution Screening Of Therapy-Resistant Cancer Cells, Viral D. Oza, Colin S. Williams, Jessica S. Blackburn

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The Genetically Encoded Death Indicator (GEDI) is a ratiometric, dual-fluorescence biosensor that enables real-time detection of cell death through calcium influx. Originally developed for use in neurodegeneration models, GEDI can be applied to cancer cells to quantify therapy-induced death at single-cell resolution. This protocol details how to generate GEDI-expressing cancer cell lines, empirically determine stress-induced GEDI thresholds using radiation or chemotherapeutic agents, and perform time-resolved imaging and image analysis to track cell fate. This workflow is optimized for high-throughput drug and radiation screening in heterogeneous populations and is especially useful for identifying chemo- and radio-resistant subclones. Key limitations include the …

Leadership And Creative Placemaking In Central Appalachia: Morehead, Kentucky, Toni C. Hobbs

Theses and Dissertations--Arts Administration

In rural Appalachia, longstanding patterns of extractive economic development, coupled with limited public investment and uneven institutional support, have contributed to persistent economic stagnation and a diminished sense of pride among residents. These conditions reflect deeper structural challenges, including economies shaped by resource extraction and external control. Addressing these conditions is critical to fostering economic growth, promoting cultural heritage, and enhancing overall well-being in the region. By cultivating resilient communities, leaders can create environments in which both the economy and local pride can thrive, contributing to a more prosperous and unified Appalachian region.

This study investigates the organizational and leadership …

Heat Input Control And Deep Learning-Based Indirect Measure Of Process And Deposition Stability In Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing, Alessandra Caggiano, Giulio Mattera, Yuming Zhang, Roberto Teti

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

A process qualification-oriented data-driven framework for Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) integrating qualification data, process monitoring and feedback control, is presented. A proportional control strategy regulating heat input by varying the Contact Tip–to–Workpiece Distance (CTWD) is developed to enhance process stability, ensure consistent layer geometry and maintain the qualified heat-input conditions for process qualification. To assess the control strategy stability, deep learning-based CTWD soft sensing from high-frequency welding signals is combined with an uncertainty-aware process quality index. The framework is validated on Invar 36 alloy, but it supports extension to other alloys and arc welding-based additive processes.

A Comparison Of Time-Dependent Cloudy Astrophysical Code Simulations With Experimental X-Ray Spectra From Kev Laser-Generated Argon Plasmas, N. Rathee, F. P. Keenan, R. J. R. Williams, Gary Ferland, S. J. Rose, S. White, D. Riley

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We have generated strongly photoionized Ar plasmas in experiments designed to use primarily X-ray l-shell line emission generated from Ag foils irradiated by the VULCAN high-power laser at the UK Central Laser Facility. The principle of the experiment is that use of line emission rather than the usual sub-keV quasi-blackbody source allows keV radiation to play a more dominant role compared to softer X-rays and thus mimic the effect of a blackbody with a higher effective spectral temperature. Our aim is to reproduce in the laboratory the extreme photoionization conditions found in accretion-powered astrophysical sources. In this paper, we compare …

Deep Learning-Based Quantification Of Tall Fescue Abundance In Pastures, Rose E. Binkley, Samuel R. Revolinski, Echo Elizabeth Gotsick, Ray Smith, Zeya Wang, Katsutoshi Mizuta

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Accurate and rapid measurement of tall fescue abundance is essential for efficient forage management and mitigating livestock exposure to potential endophyte-related toxicity. Traditional visual estimation methods are labor-intensive and are subject to change depending on the observer doing the calculations, which limits their scalability and consistency. This study explores the application of deep learning techniques to automate and improve the classification of tall fescue abundance across pasture systems in Kentucky. Ground-truth abundance classes were evaluated using one of the traditional methods with occupancy grid and compared against estimates derived from red-green-blue images. Two convolutional neural network architectures, YouOnlyLookOnce (YOLO) and …

A Novel Less Invasive Single Port Pulsatile Ventricular Assist Device, Li Li, Jinsong Chen, Zhongjiang Zhuang, Stephen Topaz, Masashi Kawabori, Joseph B. Zwischenberger, Cherry Ballard-Croft, Dongfang Wang

Surgery Faculty Publications

A less invasive paracorporeal single port pulsatile ventricular assist device (sppVAD) was developed for cardiogenic shock. This compact sppVAD includes a valved single lumen cannula (VSLC), valveless single port diaphragm displacement pump (spDDP), and portable console. A 33/27 Fr VSLC was fabricated for mock loop testing, a 28/25 Fr VSLC was made for 6 hours sheep testing (n = 5, 44–52 kg), and valveless spDDP with portable console was made. The sppVAD (33/27 Fr VSLC) achieved 6.2 L/min flow in mock loop. In sheep, the 28/25 Fr VSLC was inserted without cardiopulmonary bypass from apex to ascending aorta within 1 …

Driving Employee Engagement Across Sectors: Current Evidence And An Agenda For Future Research, Taha Hameduddin, Kerstin Alfes, Adrian Ritz

Public Policy and Administration Faculty Publications

Employee engagement has emerged as a critical employee attitude linked to employee motivation and organisational performance and has successfully embedded itself in governments around the world. Apart from a few exceptions, however, much of what we know about engagement does not attend to the institutional context of public institutions and whether private-sector theories and approaches to driving employee engagement work well in public sector organisations. To address this gap, we systematically review the evidence on antecedents of employee engagement, and determine whether and how sectoral differences may matter. We then discuss the findings and contextualise the debate surrounding the employee …

Consumer Perceptions Of Farmers Market Performance: A Comparative Analysis Across States And Age Groups, Azita Varziri, Timothy A. Woods, Shuoli Zhao

Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has invested in direct-to-consumer initiatives to expand local food consumption and enhance farmers market opportunities. To evaluate the effectiveness of these efforts, this study employs a sample-selected ordered probit model to analyze consumer perceptions of farmers market performance across four states in the Southeast United States. Specifically, we examine differences in awareness and performance of product quality, diversity, and market infrastructure. Awareness and perceptions vary significantly by age, other demographics, and state. These insights provide market organizers and policymakers with data-driven strategies to tailor marketing efforts and improve engagement across diverse consumer segments.

Do Food Safety Certifications Improve The Safety Of Our Food System? Evidence From The U.S. Meat, Poultry, And Egg Industry, Lijiao Hu, Yuqing Zheng

Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Private food safety certifications have become increasingly popular in the global agri-food supply chain over the last three decades. We examine a fundamental yet unaddressed question of whether food safety certifications make our food system safer. Focusing on the U.S. processing industry for meat, poultry, and eggs, the most likely contaminated foods, we matched unique establishment-level food safety certification data collected over the period of 2015–2018 with the microbial testing data from the government for processing establishments. By applying a penalized maximum likelihood method to address the rare event problem in the data, we found that the certification to the …

The Association Between Personal Particulate Matter Exposures And Cognitive Function Among Stroke Patients, Kentucky, Usa, Nana Afua Ankomah Dei

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

Stroke, a major cause of long-term disability and cognitive problems in the U.S., significantly affects people’s quality of life. Exposure to particulate matter (PM_2.5) may result in systemic inflammation and oxidative stress, which can worsen the cognitive function of post-thrombectomy stroke patients. This project thus assessed the relationship between PM_2.5 exposure and its effect on the cognitive function of post-thrombectomy stroke patients. Fifteen stroke patients (9 non-Appalachian and 6 Appalachian) undergone thrombectomy were recruited. Personal PM_2.5 exposure was measured using wearable sensors for a week during the study period. Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores and covariates …

Forage News [2026-04], University Of Kentucky

Forage News

No abstract provided.

Forage News [2026-02], University Of Kentucky

Forage News

No abstract provided.

Forage News [2026-01], University Of Kentucky

Forage News

No abstract provided.

Inhibition Of Fatty Acid Synthase Enhances Therapeutic Efficacy And Delays Acquired Resistance To Braf-Targeted Therapy In Colorectal Cancer, Mariah E. Geisen, Elisane W. Tessmann, Courtney O. Kelson, Daheng He, Chi Wang, Abu Saleh Mosa Faisal, Ellen J. Beswick, Yasmine Baca, Stephanie Rock, Jill M. Kolesar, Yekaterina Y. Zaytseva

Toxicology and Cancer Biology Faculty Publications

The presence of BRAF ^V600E mutations is associated with poor prognosis in colorectal cancer (CRC). Although the FDA-approved combination of encorafenib and cetuximab provides clinical benefit in this population, only 22% of patients respond and most eventually develop resistance. This study investigated the mechanisms of resistance to PLX8394, a second-generation BRAF inhibitor. Using primary and established BRAF ^V600E CRC cells, we show that the development of resistance to PLX8394 results in cross-resistance of cells to encorafenib. Moreover, the acquired resistance is associated with increased proliferation, invasion, and upregulation of lipid metabolism, including increased expression of fatty acid synthase (FASN), a …

Twenty-First Century Data Systems: Evolving Cancer Registries To A Learning Health System, Peter P. Yu, W. Scott Campbell, Eric B. Durbin, Lawrence N. Shulman, Jeremy L. Warner

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Introduction: Oncology is a data-rich environment reflecting the increasing incidence of cancer in the US aging population, transformation of cancer into a chronic disease due to advances in treatment, and the emergence of new data categories such as genomics. Concomitantly, healthcare systems are challenged to meet regulatory and voluntary reporting of cancer data to support government, quality certification, research and strategic partnership needs.

Materials and Methods: The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine organized a workshop entitled “Enabling 21st-century applications for cancer surveillance through enhanced registries and beyond” with representation from NCI Comprehensive Cancer Centers, oncology and medical informatics …

Psychosocial Strengths Associated With Higher Functioning After Interpersonal Adversity In The United Kingdom And Ireland, Matthew Brooks, Victoria Banyard, Xiafei Wang, Sherry Hamby

Social Work Faculty Publications

Objective: Over the past two decades, positive psychology research has identified correlates of resilience. Although a range of strengths have been explored, there is a need to identify specific strengths that best support individuals to thrive after interpersonal trauma and adversity. This study assessed the contribution of 24 strengths from the Values in Action (VIA) positive psychology survey, alongside five other measures of strengths identified from resilience research, to identify those that show most promise.

Method: In total, 1,440 adults from the United Kingdom and Ireland completed the online VIA survey, and questions on five psychosocial strengths (ecoconnections, …

Clopidogrel Versus Aspirin Monotherapy Following Dual Antiplatelet Therapy After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: An Updated Meta- Analysis Of 162,829 Patients, Mohammed A. Elbahloul, Ahmed Mansour, Amr Galal, Walaa M. Moawad, Manar Khaled, Ahmed Wahdan Kasem, Eman E. Labeeb, Islam Y. Elgendy

Gill Heart & Vascular Institute Faculty Publications

Background: Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains a cornerstone for preventing ischemic events; however, the optimal long-term single antiplatelet therapy after completion of DAPT remains unclear. We aimed to compare clopidogrel and aspirin monotherapy after completion of the standard duration of DAPT.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science from inception to April 2025. We included randomized clinical trials and observational studies that compared aspirin versus clopidogrel monotherapy after completion of standard-duration DAPT. The primary and co-primary outcomes were major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and major bleeding, respectively. …

Cross-Linking Peg Microgels With Mesoporous Organosilica Nanoparticles To Engineer Microporous Annealed Particle Scaffold Properties, Jonathan M. Zuidema, Alessandro Ajo, Marco Carofiglio, Luisa De Cola

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Microporous annealed particle (MAP) scaffolds composed of cross-linked microgels are emerging as important biomaterials due to their modular design, high porosity, and large surface area, which allow for highly tailored properties, cellular infiltration, nutrient and waste exchange, and improved drug release characteristics. To further expand on these technologies and enhance their modular design, thiolated mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles (ssMSN-SH), which degrade in response to glutathione, were first cross-linked inside of 4-arm poly(ethylene glycol) maleimide microgels. The microgel size, rheological properties, and payload release characteristics were determined. Hierarchical MAP scaffolds were then created by cross-linking 4-arm poly(ethylene glycol) maleimide microgels with ssMSN-SH. …

Coupling Liquid Chromatography To Orbitrap Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry: Overcoming Isotope Effects Of Chromatography And Amount-Dependency By Peak Homogenization, Aoife Canavan, Leonhard Prechtl, Habib Al-Ghoul, Nils Kuhlbusch, Andrea M. Erhardt, Martin Elsner

Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications

Electrospray ionization Orbitrap mass spectrometry (ESI-Orbitrap-MS) has recently proven to be a powerful tool for compound- and position-specific stable isotope analysis, targeting isotopologues of multiple elements (H, C, N, O, S) in polar analytes. However, studies have so far mainly focused on pure analyte solutions via direct infusion. Here, we present the online coupling of liquid chromatography (LC) to ESI-Orbitrap-MS for stable isotope analysis of sulfamethoxazole (SMX), a synthetic antimicrobial, used as a model compound. Our study explored the fidelity of isotope values with two strategies for capturing and broadening chromatographic peaks after LC. When capturing the target analyte in …

Colchicine Among Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Meta‑Analysis Of Randomized Trials, Mohamed Hamed, Sheref A. Mohamed, Mohamed Abdelazeem, Eric Lieberman, Abdelrahman Ali, Dharam J. Kumbhani, Anthony Bavry, Hani Jneid, Islam Y. Elgendy, Ayman Elbadawi

Gill Heart & Vascular Institute Faculty Publications

Introduction: Prior trials evaluating the benefit of colchicine in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have yielded mixed results. Hence, we conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the role of colchicine after ACS.

Methods: We performed an electronic search of MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases through November 2024 for studies comparing colchicine with placebo after ACS. Our study’s primary outcome was major adverse cardiac events (MACE).

Results: Our final analysis included five RCTs with 12,979 patients with a mean follow-up of 26.6 months. The weighted mean age was 59.8 years. Colchicine was associated with a modest …

Bringing Pandemic Science To The Classroom: Building Public Health Capacity At A Rural Kentucky High School, Sahar Alameh, Anna G. Hoover, James W. Keck, Scott M. Berry, Sagan Goodpaster, Savannah Tucker, Ashley Goodin

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Faculty Publications

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a multidisciplinary team at the University of Kentucky developed an interdisciplinary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and environmental health unit—the Wastewater Assessment for Coronavirus in Kentucky: Implementing Enhanced Surveillance Technology (WACKIEST) Unit—for high school students in summer 2022. This case study outlines the WACKIEST Unit, which focused on wastewater surveillance and COVID-19, the obstacles faced during development and recruitment, and implementation of the WACKIEST Unit in conjunction with a rural wastewater surveillance initiative. The unit was implemented in spring 2023 at a rural high school in Kentucky, spanning 12 days and engaging 190 students. …

Implementing A “Naloxone Hub With Many Spokes” Model In Kentucky: Partner Agency Perspectives On Implementation Strategies, Hannah K. Knudsen, Michael Goetz, Shaquita Andrews-Higgins, Sandra Back-Haddix, Olivia A. Davis, Patricia R. Freeman, Douglas R. Oyler, Sharon L. Walsh

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Background: Overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND) is a vitally important evidence-based practice for addressing the ongoing opioid epidemic. During the HEALing Communities Study in Kentucky, OEND was dramatically scaled up in eight counties using a “hub with many spokes” model and multifaceted implementation strategies. This aim of this manuscript is to describe qualitative perspectives of partner organizations regarding the utility of the implementation strategies used to expand OEND.   Method: Twenty small-group and 24 individual qualitative interviews were conducted with staff from 44 agencies that implemented OEND through partnerships with the study team. Interviews were conducted 6–8 months after the …

Derivation Of An Intrinsic Brain Activity Biomarker For The Earliest Prediction Of Cognitive Decline, Leslie S. Prichep, Syed N. Zaidi, Kara Brink, Saloni Kanakia, Bo Liang, Yang Jiang, Ruben Armañanzas

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Early identification of cognitive decline in the elderly is essential for timely and effective intervention. Current neuroimaging and clinical biomarkers have largely focused on patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementias, and though effective, have not been demonstrated to be sensitive to the earliest signs of functional abnormalities. The electroencephalogram (EEG), with a millisecond time base, allows a precise exploration of synaptic dysfunction even at the initial stages of the damage. This study introduces a novel non-invasive EEG-based biomarker to predict cognitive decline of participants showing only subjective cognitive impairment (SCI). Baseline EEG recordings from 88 SCI participants who …