Digital Commons Network^™

Assessment Of The Quality Of Public Data Reporting By Nonprofit Social Service Agencies Receiving Funding From The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government In Fy 2013, Yuanyuan Song

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

In 2012 and 2013, Lexington Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) Department of Social Service requested a “Social Service Needs Assessment Project” in Fayette County, Kentucky. In Aug, 31, 2012, Social Service Department established the “Needs Assessment Budget”. During Mar-Oct, 2013, two teams from The University of Kentucky College of Social Work (COSW) and the Martin School of Public Policy and Public Administration worked together to accomplish this project.

One of the tasks of this project is to assess the quality of data reported by the social service partner agencies of Lexington. “Partner organization” is the name government officials give to …

The Impact Of Sea Surface Temperature On Outbreaks Of Acanthaster Planci On The Great Barrier Reef, Laura A. Grossman

Scripps Senior Theses

The causes of increasing outbreaks of Acanthaster planci on the Great Barrier Reef have been a point of hot debate in recent years. It is unknown whether the increased success is due to nutrient runoff, salinity levels, or a decrease in predation, among other possibilities. In this paper I argue that the primary influence on outbreak status is sea surface temperature. From existing literature, I demonstrate that sea surface temperature in the Great Barrier Reef has increased by 0.4°C per year over the past three decades. I attempt to tie this increase with an increase in frequency of A. planci …

Bayesian Pathway Analysis Of Cancer Microarray Data, Melike Korucuoglu, Senol Isci, Arzucan Ozgur, Hasan H. Otu

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

High Throughput Biological Data (HTBD) requires detailed analysis methods and from a life science perspective, these analysis results make most sense when interpreted within the context of biological pathways. Bayesian Networks (BNs) capture both linear and nonlinear interactions and handle stochastic events in a probabilistic framework accounting for noise making them viable candidates for HTBD analysis. We have recently proposed an approach, called Bayesian Pathway Analysis (BPA), for analyzing HTBD using BNs in which known biological pathways are modeled as BNs and pathways that best explain the given HTBD are found. BPA uses the fold change information to obtain an …

Applying The Biopsychosocial Model: Factors Associated With Depression In Mexican-American Adults, Alison B. Ross

Scripps Senior Theses

Although professionals in psychiatry, psychology and medicine claim to endorse the biopsychosocial model as proposed by George L. Engel (1977), clinicians in all three fields still tend to underutilize it. Some academics have also criticized the model for its inadequate emphasis on cultural contextualization. To improve upon the model, I sought to empirically establish the relationship between culturally-specific social factors and psychological disorder, in this case depressive symptoms in Mexican-American adults. Eighty-six Mexican-American participants living on the US-Mexico border completed scales measuring depressive symptoms, bidirectional acculturation, living situation, diabetes, and health beliefs regarding the origins of diabetes. The results revealed …

Genetically Modified Organisms And Innovation Policy Are Key Weapons In Fight Against Hunger, Konstantinos Giannakas

Cornhusker Economics

The introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the food system and the assignment of intellectual property rights (IPRs) for plant genetic resources are among the most notable features of the increasingly industrialized agri-food marketing system of numerous, developed and developing, countries around the world. IPRs have provided innovating firms with incentives to aggressively pursue improvements of crop characteristics (such as herbicide tolerance, insect and virus resistance, drought tolerance, and increased nutritional value) through gene splicing techniques, and the agronomic benefits of the GM products have resulted in their embrace by a significant number of agricultural producers around the world.

Bgsu Graduate College 2014-2015 Catalog, Bowling Green State University

Course Catalogs

Bowling Green State University graduate catalog for 2014-2015.

From Vacant Lots To Full Pantries: Urban Agriculture Programs And The American City, Jessica Owley, Tonya Lewis

Articles

No abstract provided.

Prison Health Care After The Affordable Care Act: Envisioning An End To The Policy Of Neglect, Evelyn Malavé

Faculty Publications

Inadequate prison health care has created a health crisis for reentering prisoners and their communities—a crisis that is exacerbated by barriers to employment and other collateral consequences of release. This Note will first examine how current Eighth Amendment doctrine has failed to sufficiently regulate prison health care so as to have any significant effect on the crisis. Next, it will argue that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) alters the Eighth Amendment analysis by triggering a change in the “evolving standards of decency” that guide the doctrine. Specifically, this Note will argue that, after the passage of the ACA, releasing sick, …

Employee Wellness, Health Risk Assessment, Modifiable Health Risk, Pen-3 Model, Worksite Culture, Worksite Envirmonent, Stephanie R. Keteyian-Stacy

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study used an online Health Risk Appraisal (HRA) to assess individual employee health and eight additional statements to assess the worksite health "culture" of Eastern Michigan University. It was hypothesized there will be a relationship between EMU employees’ levels of self-reported health risk and their perceptions of supportiveness of the worksite environment and health culture. The results indicated the relationship between health risks of participants and perception of supportiveness of the worksite culture was not significant (p >.05). Of the employees that participated, the top three risk factors identified were body weight (20%), stress (14%), and blood pressure (10%). …

A Champion For African Freedom: Paul Robeson And The Struggle Against Apartheid, Penelope Andrews

Articles & Chapters

On February 28, 2013, I was honored to deliver the Paul Robeson lecture at Columbia Law School, an annual event to commemorate the life and legacy of Paul Robeson, a graduate of Columbia Law School (Class of 1923). This article is a slightly expanded version of my lecture.

This article will have four components: first, it will highlight the achievements of this extraordinary man, an advocate for social justice, a world-renowned artist, and an accomplished sportsman. Second, in this article I explore Paul Robeson’s connections and commitment to the African anti-colonial struggle, and in particular the struggle against apartheid in …

Β-Amyloid Deposition Is Shifted To The Vasculature And Memory Impairment Is Exacerbated When Hyperhomocysteinemia Is Induced In App/Ps1 Transgenic Mice, Tiffany L. Sudduth, Erica M. Weekman, Holly M. Brothers, Kaitlyn Braun, Donna M. Wilcock

Physiology Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Vascular dementia is the second most common cause of dementia after Alzheimer's disease (AD). In addition, it is estimated that almost half of all AD patients have significant cerebrovascular disease comorbid with their AD pathology. We hypothesized that cerebrovascular disease significantly impacts AD pathological progression.

METHODS: We used a dietary model of cerebrovascular disease that relies on the induction of hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy). HHcy is a significant clinical risk factor for stroke, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. In the present study, we induced HHcy in APP/PS1 transgenic mice.

RESULTS: While total β-amyloid (Aβ) load is unchanged across groups, Congophilic …

From Vacant Lots To Full Pantries: Urban Agriculture Programs And The American City, Jessica Owley, Tonya Lewis

Journal Articles

This Article builds on efforts to promote urban agriculture and remove legal and practical obstacles to its development. Specifically, we explore concerns regarding land tenure. Urban agriculture development can be retarded by uncertainties in landownership and agriculturalists’ land rights. We explore property tools that could be helpful to urban agriculturalists (both farmers and gardeners). One thing we learned quickly in our research is that the challenges (and therefore the most helpful tools) vary greatly by place. For this reason, we present examples of urban agriculture efforts across the United States to demonstrate the varying challenges that jurisdictions face and to …

Securing Food And Livelihoods: Opportunities And Constraints To Sustainably Enhancing Household Food Production In Santa Familia Village, Belize, Siobhan B. Lozada

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Rural households play an active role in reorganizing their livelihood strategies to respond to external stresses and shocks. What is unclear is the extent to which rural households can remain resilient in the face of continued external stresses and how policy actions at larger scales can more effectively encourage rural food and livelihood sustainability. Economic and ecological stresses and shocks have negatively impacted livelihood security and wider economic stability in Belize. This has increased the number of people below the poverty line to 41.3 percent, who remain disproportionately located in rural areas. With a high degree of import dependency, global …

Food Miles: Environmental Protection Or Veiled Protectionism?, Meredith Kolsky Lewis, Andrew D. Mitchell

Journal Articles

This article examines the international trade, environmental, and development implications of campaigns to convince consumers to make food purchases based on food miles. Buying food from nearby sources has become a popular objective. One of the unmistakable messages of the “locavore” movement is that importing food – particularly food that comes from far away – causes environmental harm. The theory is that transporting food long distances results in the release of high levels of greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere and is thus a dangerous contributor to climate change. Proponents of this view therefore argue that “food miles” – the …

“By Goodly River's Uninhabited” Waterways And Plymouth Colony, Jordan Coulobme

Open Access Master's Theses

The colonists of Plymouth were dependent on aquatic environments for the dispersal and acquisition of ideas, goods, and people. This thesis builds on of the work of Donald Worster and Michael Rawson amongst others to examine the importance of water in Plymouth Colony.Ultimately this study utilizes primary documents to argue that the abundance of aquatic environments in the colonies played a crucial role in allowing for the establishment of a permanent colony in New England. The rise of environmental history over the past several decades presents a natural tool for analyzing the experiences of Plymouth's earliest settlers. Between the years …

The Compliance Case For Information Governance, Peter Sloan

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

In an increasingly convoluted information environment, organizations strive to manage information-related risks and exposures, minimize information-related costs, and maximize information value. The inadequacy of traditional strategies for addressing information compliance, risk, and value is becoming clear, and so too is the need for a better, more holistic approach to governing the organization’s information.

Do N3 Fatty Acid Supplements Effect Depressive Symptoms Post Cardiovascular Event In Men And Women Ages 40 And Older?, Lindsey G. Caton

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not n-3 fatty acids have an effect on depressive symptoms post cardiovascular event in men and women ages 40 and older.

STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review of three English language random controlled trials published between 2011-2012.

DATA SOURCES: Two randomized controlled trials published after 2011 comparing the effects of n-3 fatty acid supplementation on depressive symptoms post cardiovascular event and one randomized controlled trial comparing n-3 fatty acid supplementation effects on depressive symptoms in elderly patients with diagnosed depression. The studies were obtained using the …

Is Topical Clonazepam More Effective Than Oral Clonazepam In Treatment Of Burning Mouth Syndrome (Bms)?, Sherley Casseus

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Abstract not available.

Is Arginine Oral Supplement Effective On Wound Healing In Adult Patients With Stage Ii, Iii And Iv Pressure Ulcers?, Camilla Chou

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not the addition of arginine protein supplementation is effective in wound healing of adult patients with stage II, III and IV pressure ulcers.

STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review of three English language primary studies. One observation controlled study and two randomized controlled studies all published between 2010- 2012.

DATA SOURCES: Two double blind randomized controlled trials and one observational controlled trial comparing the efficacy of arginine supplementation in wound healing of adult patients with stage II, III and IV pressure ulcers. All research articles were …

Does Electroanalgesic Therapy Decrease Neuropathic Pain In Diabetic Patients?, Michelle A. Lee

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not use of electroanalgesic therapy decreases neuropathic pain symptoms in diabetic patients

STUDY DESIGN: Review of a 2 randomized control trial published in 2013 and 2011 published in the English language and an observational study published in 2010 in the German language translated into English.

DATA SOURCES: One randomized, double-blind control trial comparing frequency-modulated electromagnetic stimulation vs placebo in reduction of diabetic neuropathic pain, one randomized, control trial comparing microcurrent transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation vs placebo in reduction of painful diabetic neuropathy and a observational …

Are Linoleic Acid Supplements Beneficial In Increasing Growth In Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis Patients?, Sarah M. Saporito

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine “Are linoleic acid supplements beneficial in increasing growth in pediatric cystic fibrosis patients?”

STUDY DESIGN: Review of three English primary studies published between 1995 and 2000.

DATA SOURCES: Two randomized control trial and one controlled clinical trial were used. Studies were found using PubMed and Cochrane Databases.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: Primary outcomes measured include the taste, smell, and appearance of the supplement and the growth of the cystic fibrosis patients.

RESULTS: In Steinkamp G, Demmelmair et al., the treatment group grew in its weight-for-height; whereas, …

Is Polydextrose A Beneficial Supplement For Gastrointestinal Health And Maintenance Of A Healthy Body Weight?, Katharine Reilly

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine if polydextrose is a beneficial supplement for gastrointestinal health and maintenance of a healthy body weight

STUDY DESIGN: Review of three English language primary randomized controlled studies published from 2000-2011.

DATA SOURCES: All studies were double blind randomized control trials and found using one search+ and EBSCO host through the PCOM library webpage.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: The outcomes measured in each study were based on subjective evaluations of ease of defecation, ease of stool passage, and feelings of fullness.

RESULTS: Only one of the three …

Is Aztreonam Lysine For Inhalation Effective In The Treatment Of Patients With Cystic Fibrosis And Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Airway Infection?, Christine Shevchenko

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not aztreonam lysine for inhalation is effective in the treatment of patients with cystic fibrosis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa airway infection.

STUDY DESIGN: Review of three English language primary randomized controlled trials published in 2008, 2009, and 2011.

DATA SOURCES: Three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies using Cochrane and Pubmed databases.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: Patient oriented outcomes measured included change in respiratory symptoms measured by the Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire-Revised and need for additional anti-pseudomonal antibiotics indicative of pulmonary exacerbation.

RESULTS: In both cystic fibrosis (CF) …

Does The Injection Of Botulinum Toxin Improve Symptoms In Patients With Gastroparesis?, Jillian Solomon

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selected EBM review is to determine whether or not the injection of botulinum toxin improves symptoms in patients with gastroparesis.

STUDY DESIGN: Review of two published, double blind randomized controlled trials and one published, open label pilot study were used for this review, which were found on PubMed.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: The outcome was the change in gastroparesis-associated symptoms, which was measured using the Gastroparesis Cardinal Scale Index (GCSI) and Gastroparesis Questionnaire. In the two double blind, randomized controlled trials by Arts et al. and Friendenberg et al., symptoms were quantified using the …

Is A Low Glycemic Index Diet An Effective Treatment Regimen For Acne Vulgaris In Adolescents And Young Adults Ages 15-30?, Gina C. Tomkus

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not a low glycemic index (Low GI) diet is an effective treatment for acne vulgaris in adolescents and young adults ages 15-30.

STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review of two randomized, double blind, placebo controlled clinical trial and one parallel clinical trial published in peer-reviewed journals.

DATA SOURCES: Two randomized double blind clinical trials and one parallel clinical trial published in 2007, 2012, and 2010 respectively. The sources studying the use of a low glycemic index diet as a therapeutic intervention for acne vulgaris were obtained …

Does Epigallocatechin Gallate Improve Mood In Heathly Adults?, Bethany J. Wong

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) improves mood in healthy adults.

STUDY DESIGN: A review of three peer-reviewed journal articles written in the English language published between 2009 and 2012.

DATA SOURCES: Three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies comparing the effect of EGCG to placebo on mood were found using PubMed and Cochrane databases.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: Outcomes measured in the studies included change in mood. Patient ratings of mood were measured using Mood Visual Analog Scales (Mood VAS), the University of Wales Institute of Science and …

Is The Addition Of Omega-3 Fatty Acids To Other Treatment Methods Effective In Reducing Pain In Adult Patients With Osteoarthritis?, Lisa C. Martin

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: Is the addition of Omega-3 fatty acids to other treatment methods effective in reducing pain in adult patients with osteoarthritis?

STUDY DESIGN: Review of three published, double blind, randomized controlled trials were used for this review and were selected based on their relevance to the clinical question.

DATA SOURCE: The most recent randomized control trials examining the relief of osteoarthritic pain with intake of omega-3 fatty acids in addition to traditional medical therapies were found using Medline, PubMed, and OVID databases.

OUTCOME MEASURED: Relief of osteoarthritic pain with the addition of omega-3 fatty acids to …

Population Structure Of Geosmithia Morbida, The Causal Agent Of Thousand Cankers Disease Of Walnut Trees In The United States, Marcelo M. Zerillo, Jorge Ibarra Caballero, Keith E. Woeste, Andrew D. Graves, Colleen Hartel, Jay W. Pscheidt, Jadelys Tonos, Kirk Broders, Whitney Cranshaw, Steven J. Seybold, Ned Tisserat

Department of Forestry & Natural Resources Faculty Publications

The ascomycete Geosmithia morbida and the walnut twig beetle Pityophthorus juglandis are associated with thousand cankers disease of Juglans (walnut) and Pterocarya (wingnut). The disease was first reported in the western United States (USA) on several Juglans species, but has been found more recently in the eastern USA in the native range of the highly susceptible Juglans nigra. We performed a comprehensive population genetic study of 209 G. morbida isolates collected from Juglans and Pterocarya from 17 geographic regions distributed across 12 U.S. states. The study was based on sequence typing of 27 single nucleotide polymorphisms from three genomic …

Correction: Comparative Analysis Of Fungal Genomes Reveals Different Plant Cell Wall Degrading Capacity In Fungi, Zhongtao Zhao, Huiquan Liu, Chenfang Wang, Jin-Rong Xu

Department of Botany and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications

Readers are alerted that there is currently a discussion regarding the use of some of the unpublished genomic data presented in this manuscript. Appropriate editorial action will be taken once this matter is resolved.

Background

Fungi produce a variety of carbohydrate activity enzymes (CAZymes) for the degradation of plant polysaccharide materials to facilitate infection and/or gain nutrition. Identifying and comparing CAZymes from fungi with different nutritional modes or infection mechanisms may provide information for better understanding of their life styles and infection models. To date, over hundreds of fungal genomes are publicly available. However, a systematic comparative analysis of fungal …

The Efficacy Of Prostaglandin Synthase Inhibition On Attenuating Pressure Overload Induced Cardiac Remodeling, Krishna T. Nagalla

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chronic hypertension has long been known to cause left ventricular remodeling. Although previous studies pointed towards inflammation as the pathological driver of cardiac remodeling, the exact mechanistic pathway associated with pressure overload-induced cardiac remodeling remains to be elucidated. In order to address this issue, we designed this study to determine pathways associated with pressure overload induced cardiac remodeling and identify therapeutic targets to attenuate this maladaptive cardiac remodeling. Rats with surgically constricted abdominal aorta were used as an animal model for pressure overload and associated Left ventricular (LV) structure and functional changes were measured by pressure-volume admittance catheterization. Human cardiac …