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Geo 3820 : Remote Sensing I, Geology/Geography

Approved Course Proposals

No abstract provided.

Cmn 3903 : Rhetoric Of Gender And The Body, Communication Studies

Approved Course Proposals

No abstract provided.

Overcoming Treatment Resistance In Heterogeneous Tumors, Nikhil Hebbar

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

Most primary tumors are heterogeneous and are often composed of therapy-sensitive and emerging therapy-resistant cancer cells. Rather unexpectedly, treatment of therapy-sensitive tumor cells in heterogeneous tumor microenvironments resulted in apoptosis of the therapy-resistant cancer cells. We identified a novel Par-4 amino-terminal fragment (PAF, which includes amino acids 1-131 of Par-4) that is produced and released by therapy-sensitive cancer cells following therapy-induced caspase-dependent cleavage of the tumor suppressor Par-4. PAF caused paracrine apoptosis in therapy-resistant cancer cells. Unlike Par-4-inducible apoptosis, which is dependent on the cell surface GRP78 receptor, PAF produced cancer-selective apoptosis independent of cell surface GRP78 function. Par-4 contains …

Incidence Of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma By Residential Proximity To Superfund Sites In Kentucky: A Multivariate Analysis, William Brent Webber

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

Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL) is a category of cancers that arise from the lymphocytes of the immune system. The rates of NHL in the United States and Kentucky began to rise in the mid-20th Century, shortly after the manufacture, use, and disposal of numerous chemical substances began to increase during and after the Second World War. While the etiology of NHL is not fully known, there are several chemical substances for which evidence exists of a possible link between exposures and development of NHL and other cancers. Several of these substances are also present in sites within Kentucky designated by the …

Correlates Of Hepatitis C Serostatus Disclosure In Rural Appalachian Kentucky, Megan G. Hofmeister

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

Aim: To identify demographic, behavioral, and interpersonal characteristics associated with hepatitis C (HCV) serostatus disclosure among adult, rural, high-risk people who use drugs (PWUD) in Appalachian Kentucky.

Methods: Laboratory confirmed HCV antibody-positive participants (n=243), drawn from the fifth follow-up assessment of a longitudinal study of rural PWUD, completed interviewer-administered questionnaires eliciting demographic and interpersonal characteristics, risk behaviors, and information on HCV disclosure. Correlates of HCV disclosure were assessed using logistic regression.

Results: Most (69.1%) reported disclosing their HCV-positive status to at least one of their social referents (current or past sex partners, current or past injection drug use (IDU) partners, …

Birth Cohort Effects In Risk Factors For Alzheimer’S Disease, Kingsley Uzodinma

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

Background and Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the presence of birth cohort effects by exploring differences in established risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and dementia using case-control designs and also estimate the AD risk among women with respect to their number of biological children.

Methods: This is a case control study design of participants born in 1896 – 1955 and were enrolled in one of the designated Alzheimer’s disease centers (ADCs). The uniform Data Set of the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating center (NACC) include those who had Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment (cases) and were …

Drink Switch Program In South La Schools, Lauren Barker

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

Sugary drinks, including sports and energy drinks, are the number one source of added sugar in the American diet.1 Excess sugar consumption can lead to health complications such as overweight and obesity, and obesity-related chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease.2 Sugary drink consumption among youth in Los Angeles is particularly high, and teenagers in Service Planning Area (SPA) 6 of Los Angeles have some of the highest consumption rates in the county, with one out of two reporting consuming at least one sugary drink per day.3 Based on the correlation between sugar consumption and health, …

Wnc Healthy Teens: A Multi-Level Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative, Katharine Macmillan

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

WNC Healthy Teens is a multi-component, community-based teen pregnancy prevention initiative. The program will be targeted in rural areas of Buncombe and Henderson Counties that have aggregate rates showing that over half the population of women aged 15-19 years are giving birth. Sexual education is necessary, but not sufficient to preventing risky sexual behaviors1. Tying multiple levels of evidence-based school interventions together with standardization of adolescent sexual health care will provide a well-rounded approach to address teenage pregnancy. Starting the initiative at age 14, it is anticipated the majority of teens will have yet to initiate sexual activity. Reducing the …

Colorectal Cancer Prevention In The North Slope Borough Of Alaska Utilizing The Flu-Fit Intervention, Jennifer Jenkins

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

The intention of the Flu-FIT intervention is to increase colorectal cancer screening rates by combing two annual activities into one visit that doesn’t necessitate a doctors visit. The original study increased colorectal cancer screening rates by 14 percentage points and this program should be able to show similar results in the North Slope Borough of Alaska. The North Slope Borough has the highest incidence rate of colorectal cancer in the United States, and this proposed intervention could lead to a reduction in that rate by increasing screening and knowledge about colorectal cancer in the community.

Forced Sexual Intercourse And Its Link To Suicide Ideation/Suicide Attempts Among Adolescent Girls: Findings From 2013 Youth Risk Behavioral Survey, Adebukola Helen Adegbite

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

Objectives. We sought to assess the association between forced sexual intercourse and suicidal ideation/attempts among adolescent girls ages 14-17.

Methods. We performed secondary data analysis of the 2013 Youth Risk Behavioral Survey, using chi-square tests to examine the association of forced sex and race/ethnicity, with suicide ideation.

Results. We found that there was an association between those who had considered suicide and those who had experienced forced sexual intercourse. Moreover, race/ethnicity was associated with those who had ever considered suicide in the past 12 months before taking the survey. Lastly, we found that there was an association of suicide ideation …

Development Of Multiple Primary Cancers In Lung Cancer Patients: Appalachian Vs. Non-Appalachian Populations Of Kentucky, Vira Pravosud

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

OBJECTIVE: This study examined whether there were differences in the development of multiple primary cancers in lung cancer patients residing in the Appalachian versus Non-Appalachian regions of Kentucky. The study also identified other factors associated with the development of another primary cancer in lung cancer patients.

HYPOTHESIS: Lung cancer patients residing in Appalachian Kentucky are more likely to develop multiple primary cancers compared to patients residing in Non-Appalachian Kentucky.

METHODS: This was a retrospective, population-based cohort study of Kentucky patients (N=26456) aged 20 years and older, diagnosed with primary lung cancer between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2013. The …

An Examination Of Traumatic Brain Injury As A Risk Factor For Psychiatric Symptoms In Alzheimer’S Disease Patients, Jennifer F. Walch

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

Introduction:

Dementia is a major public health issue both in the United States and worldwide. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is widely considered to be the most prevalent type of dementia. While the hallmark AD symptom is profound memory loss, patients also commonly experience changes in personality and behavior. These changes often include depression, anxiety, social withdrawal, mood swings, irritability and aggression, changes in sleeping habits, and delusions.

Background:

Several studies have established a mechanistic link between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the development of AD. However, it is unknown whether TBI contributes to the personality/behavior changes observed in many AD patients. …

Are There Rural-Urban Differences In Dentist Supply?, Mutlaq Alotaibi

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

The purpose of this project was to examine the supply of dentists in the Commonwealth of Kentucky at the county level. Counties with shortages in dentist supply were determined and associated factors were examined.

Several county-level variables were analyzed. These included total number of dentists, total county population, dentist to population ratio, dentist supply shortage, median household income, median age, percent of Medicaid enrollees, rurality, oral cancer crude incidence and mortality rates per 100,000 and percent of adults missing six or more teeth.

This project showed that 42 of the 120 counties in Kentucky had shortages in dentist supply. Also, …

Policy And Political Motives For Medicaid Expansion Under The Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act, Ross C. Stanton

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

Objective

This study aims to analyze policy-related and political rationales for Medicaid expansion under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). More specifically, this study seeks to discover whether states’ decisions regarding Medicaid expansion were likely based on policy implications regarding the uninsured or political motives.

Methodology

The approach is a cross-sectional/observational study of American states and the District of Columbia after the Sebelius decision in 2012. This study compares three variables: (1) whether each state decided to opt into the expansion (“Opted In”), (2) whether each state’s governor and legislature were affiliated with either the Democratic or Republican …

Service Training And Recovery (Star) Program: An Interdisciplinary Community-Based Project To Mitigate Rr-Ptsd Among Kentucky Women, Margaret Melissa Brown

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

Background: Kentucky has greater prevalence of sexual assault compared to the US overall, 37.5% versus 35.6% of all assault crimes respectively, translating to roughly 638,000 victims within the Commonwealth [1].Research identified sexual violence as the number one factor in development of PTSD among women. There are four times the prevalence of PTSD in victims of sexual violence versus other forms of trauma. [2, 3] The STAR program utilizes skills-based training methods to empower participants through improving a sense of safety and security, self-confidence, and self-efficacy to mitigate RR-PTSD symptoms leading to negative health outcomes.

Literature Review: Existing research …

Circumstances Contributing To Suicides Among Pregnant, Postpartum And Non-Pregnant Women (15 - 54 Years) In Rural And Urban Counties In The U.S., Nvdrs 2003-2012, Akosua Korantema Adu

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

Abstract withheld upon request.

Patterns In Dental Health: Investigating Dental Disease At The Archaeological Site Of Kuelap In Chachapoyas, Peru, Vu Tran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social organization influences individual well-being and overall community health, which may lead to health disparities that manifest in teeth. The research in this thesis explores social variability by analyzing patterns in dental disease at the archaeological site of Kuelap in Chachapoyas, Peru. The ancient Chachapoya (AD 900-1535) were a complex society but the nature of that complexity is not well understood based on traditional archaeological correlates. Since burials at Kuelap lack grave goods that are often used to discriminate variation in social status or identity, bioarchaeological dental proxies were tested. The dental remains of 106 individuals (7 subadults, 54 adult …

Chlamydia Trachomatis Transformants Show A Significant Reduction In Rates Of Invasion Upon Removal Of Key Tarp Domains, Christopher Parrett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate, intracellular bacterium which is known to cause multiple human infections including nongonococcal urethritis (serovars D-K), lymphogranuloma venereum (serovars L1, L2, L3) and trachoma (serovars A-C). The infectious form of the bacterium, called the elementary body (EB), harbors a type III secreted effector known as Tarp (translocated actin recruiting phosphoprotein) which is a candidate virulence factor and is hypothesized to play a role in C. trachomatis' ability to invade and grow within epithelial cells in a human host. C. trachomatis L2 Tarp harbors five unique protein domains which include the Phosphorylation Domain, the Proline Rich Domain, …

An Investigation Of The Influence Of Cyber-Sexual Assault On The Experience Of Emotional Dysregulation, Depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, And Trauma Guilt., Kelley Holladay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the past decade, cyber-sexual assault (also known as "nonconsensual pornography" or "revenge porn") has gained the attention of legal experts, the media, and most recently, the counseling profession. Whereas this nonconsensual sharing of sexually explicit images online, through social medial, or other forms of technology has been demonstrated to have significant impacts on victims, researchers have focused heavily upon the legality of these actions (i.e. should there be consequences for posting nude/semi-nude photos of non-consenting adults to the internet), but there has been a lack of attention to the mental health consequences of cyber-sexual assault on victims. The purpose …

"I Kid You Not, I Am Asked A Question About Children At Least Once A Week": Exploring Differences In Childbearing Habitus In Pronatalist Fields, Alyssa Mullins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, childbearing remains part of the typical life course. However, evidence suggests that men and women, on average, are having fewer children and having them later in life. Additionally, public and academic outlets are increasingly acknowledging some adults' decisions to intentionally forego childbearing completely, with an emphasis on the reasons why individuals choose to abstain from childbearing. However, further research is needed to identify the ways in which voluntarily childless adults actively negotiate the social world among structural influences that simultaneously values parenthood and place complex burdens on parents. Utilizing the Bourdieuian concepts of habitus, capital, and …

Ecology Of Two Reintroduced Black Bear Populations In The Central Appalachians, Sean Mccarthy Murphy

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Reintroduced populations are vulnerable to demographic and environmental stochasticity, deleterious genetic effects, and reduced population fitness, all of which can increase extinction probability. Population viability is principle to determining the status of reintroduced populations and for guiding management decisions. To attempt to reestablish black bear (Ursus americanus) populations in the central Appalachians, two reintroductions using small founder groups occurred during the 1990s in the Big South Fork area along the Kentucky-Tennessee border (BSF) and in the Jefferson National Forest along the Kentucky-Virginia border (KVP). My objectives were to estimate demographic and genetic parameters, and to evaluate long-term viability …

Relative Reactivity Of Protein And Lipid To Oxidants In Different Bi-Phasic Systems And Its Implication In Sausage Quality, Jiayi Yang

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

This study investigated the progression of protein and lipid oxidation in different bi-phasic model systems: simple aqueous dispersions, liposome, and oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions. Varied concentrations of isolated pork myofibrillar protein (MFP) were mixed with free fatty acids (C18:1, C18:2, C18:3), lecithin, or vegetable oil to construct different lipid-protein dispersion systems, then subjected to hydroxyl radical stress at 4 °C. Comparison of the evolution of lipid oxidation with protein modification markers in all dispersion systems showed noteworthy attenuation of tryptophan fluorescence, protein carbonyl formation, and extensive polymerization of myosin in 2 h. This process preceded lipid oxidation which exhibited notable accumulations …

Bio 3850 : Environmental Health/Sustainability, Biological Sciences

Approved Course Proposals

No abstract provided.

Phytoplankton Pigment Specific Growth And Losses Due To Microzooplankton Grazing In A Northern Gulf Of Mexico Estuary During Winter/Fall, Amanda M. Mcgehee, Donald G. Redalje

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Microzooplankton dilution grazing experiments were carried out on 6 dates, over a 3 month period at 2 locations in the Bay of St. Louis, MS (BSL) to determine phytoplankton pigment specific growth rates under natural (µ₀) and replete (µ_n) nutrient conditions and microzooplankton grazing. We hypothesized that diatoms would be the largest portion of the phytoplankton composition due to the winter/fall season and that these organisms would have the highest growth/grazing rates. We suspected that river flow from the Jourdan River would adversely affect growth and grazing rates of all phytoplankton classes. Growth rates of 5 …

Endohelminth Parasites Of Some Midwater And Benthopelagic Stomiiform Fishes From The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Michael J. Andres, Mark S. Peterson, Robin M. Overstreet

Gulf and Caribbean Research

: Mesopelagic fishes represent significant ecological links between mesozooplankton and the larger pelagic squids, fishes, and marine mammals. As such, these fishes also play a significant role as intermediate or paratenic hosts for parasites that require a crustacean intermediate host and mature in marine mammals or pelagic fishes. We examined a total of 208 individuals representing 5 species of Sternoptychidae and 88 individuals representing 2 species of Phosichthyidae from 20 locations in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM). Six of the 7 species we examined are mesopelagic and one species was benthopelagic. We found the larval stages of Anisakis brevispiculata …

The Effects Of Rubric Use On Calibration Accuracy, Katrice Hawthorne, Linda Bol, Shana L. Pribesh

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The utility of rubric-referenced calibration and the interaction between achievement and calibration accuracy were investigated. Students (N = 596) were assigned to one of three rubric conditions: (1) a global condition, (2) a general criteria condition, or (3) a detailed criteria condition. Students in all three conditions provided holistic predictions and postdictions. Students in the rubric conditions also provided criteria-based predictions and postdictions. Whereas calibrating by condition did not affect calibration accuracy overall, significant effects were found between calibration accuracy by criteria and achievement level. Lower achieving students had better calibration accuracy in the detailed rubric criteria condition when compared …

The Small Mammals Of Southeastern Virginia As Revealed By Pitfall Trapping, Robert K. Rose

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Pitfall trapping is a poor method to catch small mammals but the only way to catch and study the Southeastern Shrew (Sorex longirostris), the primary mammal of interest in the field studies reported here. While learning much about its distribution and abundance, still more was learned about the other small mammals present in forests and fields of eastern Virginia. A total of 15 species was captured at 19 locations during the 1990-2013 period, including five shrews, two moles, and eight rodents, representing all but one of the common small mammals in eastern Virginia.

Studies On Hydroxyl Radical Formation And Correlated Photoflocculation Process Using Degraded Wood Leachate As A Cdom Source, Luni Sun, Kenneth Mopper

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

In this study, we examined hydroxyl radical (•OH) formation with respect to photoreactivity of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), the Fenton reaction, and photoflocculation using leachate from decaying wood. The relationship between •OH photoproduction rate and leachate optical properties (UV-visible absorption and fluorescence excitation-emission matrices (EEMS)) was studied during irradiation using a UV solar simulator. The results showed that the •OH photochemical formation rate is strongly related to humic-like fluorescence as characterized by parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC), and that these fluorescence components are more photolabile than most of the other CDOM components. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) indicated the photodegradation …

The Role Of Microbial Exopolymers In Determining The Fate Of Oil And Chemical Dispersants In The Ocean, Antonietta Quigg, Uta Passow, Wei-Chun Chin, Chen Xu, Shawn Doyle, Laura Bretherton, Manoj Kamalanathan, Alicia K. Williams, Jason B. Sylvan, Zoe V. Finkel, Anthony H. Knap, Kathleen A. Schwehr, Saijin Zhang, Luni Sun, Terry L. Wade, Wassim Obeid, Patrick G. Hatcher, Peter H. Santschi

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) by planktonic microbes can influence the fate of oil and chemical dispersants in the ocean through emulsification, degradation, dispersion, aggregation, and/or sedimentation. In turn, microbial community structure and function, including the production and character of EPS, is influenced by the concentration and chemical composition of oil and chemical dispersants. For example, the production of marine oil snow and its sedimentation and flocculent accumulation to the seafloor were observed on an expansive scale after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Northern Gulf of Mexico in 2010, but little is known about the underlying …

Measurement Of Antioxidant Activity Toward Superoxide In Natural Waters, D. Whitney King, Emma Berger, Zachary Helm, Eleanor Irish, Kenneth Mopper

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Antioxidants are a class of molecules that provide a protective function against reactive oxygen species (ROS) in biological systems by out competing physiologically important molecules for ROS oxidation. In natural waters, the reactivity of antioxidants gives an estimate of oxidative stress, and may determine the reactivity and distribution of reactive oxidants. We present an analytical method to measure antioxidant activity in natural waters through the competition between ascorbic acid, an antioxidant, and MCLA, a chemiluminescent probe for superoxide. A numerical kinetic model of the analytical method has been developed to optimize analytical performance. Measurements of antioxidant concentrations in pure and …