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Attenuated Early Pregnancy Weight Gain By Prenatal Lifestyle Interventions Does Not Prevent Gestational Diabetes In The Life-Moms Consortium, Leanne M. Redman, Kimberly L. Drews, Samuel Klein, Linda Van Horn, Rena R. Wing, Xavier Pi-Sunyer, Mary Evans, Kaumudi Joshipura, S. Sonia Arteaga, Alison G. Cahill, Rebecca G. Clifton, Kimberly A. Couch, Paul W. Franks, Dympna Gallagher, Debra Haire-Joshu, Corby K. Martin, Alan M. Peaceman, Suzanne Phelan, Elizabeth A. Thom, Susan Z. Yanovski, William C. Knowler

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Aims: To examine the effect of lifestyle (diet and physical activity) interventions on the prevalence of GDM, considering the method of GDM ascertainment and its association with early pregnancy characteristics and maternal and neonatal outcomes in the LIFE-Moms consortium. Methods: LIFE-Moms evaluated the effects of lifestyle interventions to optimize gestational weight gain in 1148 pregnant women with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 and without known diabetes at enrollment, compared with standard care. GDM was assessed between 24 and 31-weeks gestation by a 2-hour, 75-gram OGTT or by local clinical practice standards. Results: Lifestyle interventions initiated prior to 16 weeks reduced early …

Social Media And Physical Activity Among African American College Women, Carmen Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Among African American (AA) college women, physical activity (PA) is decreasing, with less than 20% participating in moderate-intensity cardio or aerobic exercise. Physical inactivity can lead to increased morbidity and mortality from chronic conditions. There is a need for more research on AA women’s health practices to develop interventions that can lead to sustainable behavior change among this population. More than 70% of AA college women reported using some form of social media (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat) daily. Social networking sites (SNS) in particular can provide health information, advice, and an open forum for individuals with health …

The Acute Effect Of High Intensity Resistance Training On Subsequent Firefighter Performance, Mark Ryan Mason

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

High intensity resistance training (HIRT) is commonly performed by structural firefighters to enhance preparedness for occupational demands. Despite the potential for HIRT to induce beneficial adaptations over time, it is important to determine if a single on-duty HIRT session is detrimental to subsequent occupational physical ability due to exercise-induced fatigue. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to assess the acute effect of HIRT on occupational physical ability in structural firefighters and to determine the time course of recovery. The secondary purpose was to determine if timed completion of a standardized bout of HIRT was correlated to occupational performance …

The Public Service Motivation Of Kentucky 4-H Youth Development Agents, Kimberly Adams Leger

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

The Cooperative Extension Service is known for bringing research and education from the land grant universities to local communities across the state through its County Extension Agents. Kentucky Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development Agents have a rich history of educating youth in life skill development. 4-H Agents who traditionally served in these roles often continued their public service until retirement. In recent years, the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service has documented a decline in 4-H Youth Development Agents' retention. An online survey was administered to explore Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development Agents' employment motivation in Kentucky. Given CES agents' role as …

Life Cycle Assessment Of Polylactic Acid Biopolymer Industrial Waste Management Techniques In Belize, Dennis J. Newby

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

In January 2020, the Government of Belize enacted an Implementation Strategy and Action Plan to phase-out single-use plastics and to transition to products like bioplastics. This work investigated the environmental effects of using alternative waste management techniques to manage polylactic acid biopolymer (PLA) waste by using life cycle assessment (LCA). The following treatment options were compared: landfill, landfill expansion, cogeneration, and anaerobic digestion. The landfill and landfill expansion processes both had a global warming potential of 0.01 kg of CO₂ eq. per kg of PLA waste managed compared to the cogeneration and anaerobic digestion processes -0.03 and -0.06 kg …

High Performance: Exploratory Study Into The High Performance Model And Qualitative Secondary Analysis Of Elite Sport Management In The United States, Jon Gregory Hill

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

This dissertation examines the area of high performance in elite sport through high performance professionals’ perspectives in the United States Olympic and Paralympic National Governing Bodies. The study’s purpose was to establish a shared meaning of the high performance sport management model by its elements in the athletic arena. Interviews with 16 high performance directors and managers were conducted to establish definitions, backgrounds, and anatomy of high performance in sport: high performance, high performance sport, high performance management, high performance model.

A qualitative secondary analysis was conducted to examine the high performance model in the U.S. and explore the job …

Exploring The Food Environment In Youth Recreation Facilities, Mallory Farris Brown

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Childhood obesity continues to be a worldwide problem and is associated with multiple poor health outcomes including diabetes, cancer, and hyperlipidemia. Youth who are overweight or obese also experience greater instances of depression, low self-esteem, and emotional and behavioral disorders. Given the negative impact of childhood obesity, there is a need to gain a clearer understanding of the issue by identifying causes and solutions. To curb the development and perpetuation of this disease, the root causes must be well-understood. The physical environment has often been described as contributing to childhood obesity, including schools, neighborhoods, and the home. Less known, however, …

The Role Of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor In Leukemia Trafficking, Shaw Powell

Theses and Dissertations--Medical Sciences

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a signaling protein involved in inducing and regulating endothelial cell proliferation and function (Duffy et al 2000). VEGF is also involved in cancer progression, as it induces vascular permeability and promotes angiogenesis to tumor laden areas, giving cancer cells critical oxygen and nutrients (Hoeppner et al.,2012. Studies indicate VEGF prevents lymphoblast apoptosis, which may contribute to leukemia formation and enable the proliferation of leukemic cells (Duffy et al 2000). Ongoing research seeks to further examine VEGF in leukemia, using a rag2:GFP-Myc expressing transgenic zebrafish as the animal model of T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (T-ALL). …

Human Regulatory T Cells Control Inflammation From Effector T Cells In Prediabetes, Rui Liu

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronic low-grade inflammatory disease. A T cell cytokine profile (Th17) from PBMCs can distinguish obese T2D from obese non-diabetes subjects. Individual T cell subsets interact with each other and the diverse subsets jointly determine overall inflammation. Cellular metabolism drives cytokine production of CD4⁺ T cells, and therefore contributes to inflammation in T2D. However, specific changes in metabolism and function of CD4⁺ T cells during the progression from lean healthy to obese and diabetic stages in people have not been clarified.

We hypothesize that human regulatory T cells (Treg) impact metabolism of effector …

Identification And Characterization Of Epitope Specific Immune Responses In Humans And Mice, David Henson

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality around the world causing approximately 14% of total disease burden. A major factor in the progression to major CVD within patients is immune activation, which led to the study of various immune products as potential biomarkers for the prediction of cardiovascular events, including antigen-specific antibodies and immune complexes. One focus of this biomarker research is IgG autoantibodies targeting apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I), and several studies of these antibodies have found an association with increased CVD events. Based on the encouraging results from these studies and previous research which has identified …

Use Of Microscale Hydrophobic Surface Features For Integration Of 3d Cell Culture Into Multi-Functional Microfluidic Devices, Soroosh Torabi

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

3D cell culture and microfluidics both represent powerful tools for replicating critical components of the cell microenvironment; however, challenges involved in integration of the two and compatibility with standard tissue culture protocols still represent a steep barrier to widespread adoption. Here we demonstrate the use of engineered surface roughness in the form of microfluidic channels to integrate 3D cell-laden hydrogels and microfluidic fluid delivery. When a liquid hydrogel precursor solution is pipetted onto a surface containing open microfluidic channels, the solid/liquid/air interface becomes pinned at sharp edges such that the hydrogel forms the “fourth wall” of the channels upon solidification. …

Additive Manufacturing In Personalized Medicine: Patient-Customized Solid Dose Medicines, And Patient-Customized Wound Care Device, Amir Najarzadeh

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Personalized Medicine - from a one-size fits all to a tailored approach is the future in pharmaceutical therapeutics and medical applications. The aim of this study is demonstrate additive manufacturing in two personalized medicine applications: 1. Patient- customized solid dose medicines, and 2. Patient-customized wound care device. The aim of the first application is to develop an inexpensive and accurate method to design and fabricate patient-customized tablets. Particularly this paper focuses on fabricating and dose controlling of patient-customized extended release prednisolone-poly(vinyle alcohole) PVA. Dry-Blending, Wet Granulation, Extrusion, Spherionization, Hot melt extrusion (HME) was adopted to produce drug loaded prednisolone-PVA filaments …

Comparison Of Implant-Retained Overdenture And Conventional Complete Denture In The Edentulous Mandible: A Survey Study To Measure Patients' Satisfaction And Quality Of Life In Dental School Clinical Environment, Ahmad Kutkut

Theses and Dissertations--Clinical and Translational Science

Patient satisfaction and quality of life are integral parts of assessing the quality of oral health care. Current aging population trends suggest a growing need to understand the effects of edentulism on oral health and quality of life. As the proportion of aged Americans expands, there will be an increased need to understand treatment options and patient communication strategies. In addition, as new treatment options and innovative technologies emerge, it will be essential to understand patients' concerns and identify best practices associated with denture treatments' individual fit and function. Advanced denture treatments can now be fabricated using CAD/CAM digital denture …

The Trust-Based Classroom: An Analysis Of Current Trends In Social And Emotional Learning And The Development Of A New Trust-Based Approach To Art Education, Ellen Prasse

Theses and Dissertations--Art and Visual Studies

Many current social and emotional learning (SEL) programs cite building trust as a key factor to an effective SEL program. Despite these references, however, they often lack an emphasis on teaching methods of building trust between students and their peers, the teacher, and the environment. Instead they focus on a specific aspect of teaching like the procedural practices of Responsive Classroom or communication and open-mindedness as in Open Circle. Explicitly building trust, however, could create an art classroom atmosphere conducive to high quality learning. This paper analyzes current trends in social and emotional learning and outlines the characteristics of the …

Genetic Mouse Models Of Liver Disease: Potential Roles Of Zhx2 (Afr1) And Afr2 In Damage And Regeneration, Courtney P. Turpin

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

The liver is the largest internal organ in mammals and responsible for carrying out various processes, including lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, detoxification of chemicals, and production of serum proteins. Liver damage, which can be caused by a variety of agents including viral infection, environmental toxins, alcohol and excessive dietary fats, can cause dysregulation of these critical functions, leading to worsening liver pathophysiology and impacting health. However, the liver has the remarkable ability to regenerate when damaged. Hepatocytes, which comprise a majority of liver cells, are relatively quiescent under healthy conditions. Upon injury, remaining hepatocytes can proliferate to recover from liver …

The Gestation Of Health: Environmental Insults, Behavioral Interventions, And Protective Mechanisms, Brittany Breon Rice

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Diabetes remains a leading cause of death nationwide despite pharmacological advances. Recent etiological investigations of the disease detail the role of perinatal exposure to environmental contaminants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), in enhancing disease susceptibility. Polychlorinated biphenyl 126, a coplanar PCB, elicits its toxic effects through the aryl-hydrocarbon receptor and the disruption of endocrine signaling. The goal of this dissertation was to focus on delineating the differences in the developmental windows of diabetes susceptibility respective to the timing of PCB126 exposure and to understand the influence of maternal exercise and nuclear-factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression in combating the negative …

Seeing Double With Cannabis: Heteroploid Populations In Bipolaris Gigantea, Causal Agent Of Bipolaris Leaf Spot, Desiree Szarka

Theses and Dissertations--Plant Pathology

Bipolaris leaf spot (BLS) disease emerged with the reintroduction of hemp as a crop in the United States following more than 60 years of prohibition. The causal agent was identified as Bipolaris gigantea (=Drechslera gigantea), a known minor pathogen of monocots which causes devastating disease on hemp. BLS has been confirmed throughout Kentucky and reported in 15 states. Morphology and growth characteristics of isolates from eight counties across Kentucky were similar with the exception of some isolates producing protoperithecial-like structures. Phylogenetic and whole genome analysis indicated that some isolates were haploid, containing a single allele at each gene …

An Assessment Of The Carrier State And A Novel Marker Of Leptospira And Abortion In Central Kentucky Horses, Gloria Louise Gellin

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Leptospirosis is a reemerging zoonotic infection of worldwide importance and affects all mammals. The bacterium is transmitted to animals and humans by urine, fetal membranes and body fluids. Leptospira shedding in the urine contaminates both soil and water, exposing both humans and animals to the bacterium. Leptospirosis in horses can cause abortion and is one of the etiologies of equine recurrent uveitis which can lead to blindness. Equine leptospiral abortion in Central Kentucky is primarily caused by serovar Pomona, with occasional cases attributed to serovar Grippotyphosa. There are a few reports in the literature attributing abortion to serovar Bratislava in …

Muscle Mass And Immune Function In The Senior Horse, Alisa Christina Herbst

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Senior horses (≥ 15 years) represent up to one-third of the global equine population, and the proportion of old horses (≥ 20 years) in the U.S. has been steadily increasing. Aging is associated with a loss of skeletal muscle mass in horses, and while age-related muscle loss is comparingly well characterized in humans, little is currently known concerning underlying mechanisms, adverse outcomes, or the prevalence of low muscle mass in senior horses. One factor proposed to play a role in the development of age-related muscle atrophy in humans is inflamm-aging, a low-grade inflammation that affects elderly people and that has …

Assessing The Use Of Lidar And Uav Technology For Monitoring Growing Alfalfa, Stuart Tucker Sheffield

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Alfalfa is a popularly grown crop because of its value as a nutritious feed source for livestock. The efficient production of an alfalfa crop relies on the monitoring of certain parameters, like height, quality, and yield. Traditionally, producers have used manual measurements of alfalfa plant height to estimate the nutritive quality and yield of a growing alfalfa crop. Manual measurements of plant height are often labor intensive and provide low resolution data that is not acceptable for full field scale assessment of growing alfalfa. The two studies presented in this thesis offer detailed insight into the rapid and accurate monitoring …

Modeling Energy Flows In Floating In-Pond Raceways Utilizing Solar Power Back-Up, Bo Smith

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

The In-pond Raceway (IPR) is a novel option for production aquaculture, depending on water moving devices to provide constant flow. Device failure may result in catastrophic fish loss, requiring power backup systems to mitigate risk in case of power outages. Because these systems must be dependable and many suitable locations are remote, off-grid solar photovoltaic (PV) systems with battery storage have been considered since they eliminate need for utility power. Such systems can be hard to size and expensive. This study modeled system requirements using an energy balance to determine whether systems could withstand varying loads based on climatological conditions. …

Procuring Produce In A Rural, Appalachian County: A Thematic Analysis Of Community Member Experiences, Caroline Blincoe

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

Rates of obesity and other health disparities are exceptionally high in rural Appalachian counties compared to the nation as a whole. One causal factor of these health disparities in Appalachian counties is the inequitable allocation of healthy food. Food insecurity and the local food environment are large drivers for obesity experienced by Martin County, Kentucky residents. Successful socioecological model (SEM) and policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) interventions have shown promising results in reducing obesity and enhancing food security in this population. Through the transcription of semi-structured focus group interviews, thematic analysis aimed to obtain perspectives on the local food system. …

Assessing Self-Perceived Nutrition-Related Lifestyle Behaviors And Knowledge Of University Music Students Following A Targeted Presentation, Gretchen Trumbo

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

Although proven that nutrition can impact physical health, limited research examines the relationship between nutrition-related lifestyle behaviors, nutrition knowledge, and the prevalence of injury in university music students. The objective of this study is to evaluate nutrition-related lifestyle behaviors and self-perceived nutrition knowledge of university music students before and after a targeted nutrition education session. A baseline Qualtrics survey was administered to undergraduate and graduate music students (18+ years) via the University of Kentucky School of Music Listserv to gather data related to demographics, anthropometrics, history of playing-related injury, nutrition knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. A nutrition education presentation, focused …

The Reality Behind The Forced Mass Sterilizations Of Indigenous Peruvian Women And Its Impact On The Society It Left Behind, Zoila Terrones

Student Works

No abstract provided.

Empowerment Pathways: A Mitigation Approach To Adolescent And Youth Racial Stress In Marginalized Populations, Lauren B. Robins, Megan Cannedy, Rachel Kerrigan, Brittany G. Suggs

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Racial unrest recently has been incessant. In response, this conceptual contribution explores a prevention-based program for African American adolescents and youth to aid in their navigation through ubiquitous racial unrest and persistent mental health adversities. This article provides a comprehensive literature review on racial injustice and presents information regarding race-based traumatic stressors and adverse mental health outcomes. The prevention-based program that was created in response to the apparent racial unrest among African American youth and adolescents is presented and explored. The goal of this conceptual article is to raise awareness of this issue, provide practical steps to combat racial injustice, …

Nonprofit Capacity To Manage Hurricane-Pandemic Threat: Local And National Perspectives On Resilience During Covid-19, Nicole S. Hutton, Steven W. Mumford, Marina Saitgalina, Juita-Elena (Wie) Yusuf, Joshua G. Behr, Rafael Diaz, John J. Kiefer

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

This paper examines nonprofits' capacity for responding to simultaneous hurricane-pandemic threat, addressing: (1) strategies nonprofits use to deliver services during the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) how natural hazards may affect nonprofit roles in emergency service delivery during a pandemic. Data come from a survey of New Orleans-based nonprofits demonstrating effects of pandemic on local nonprofit service delivery, and workshops with U.S. coastal community stakeholders exploring expectations for nonprofit roles in emergency operations nationwide. Nonprofits have applied resilient strategies including virtual operations, staff reductions, and funding diversification, but vulnerabilities remain. Findings guide a research agenda for building nonprofit and community resilience.

Broadening The Role Of Occupational Therapists Within The Icu Setting: An Occupation-Based Toolkit, Roxana Chirinos, Carly Derouin

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to create a quick intervention toolkit for occupational therapists treating clients in the intensive care unit (ICU) in order to increase occupation-based services, quality of care, and improve client outcomes. Additionally, this project hopes to enlighten occupational therapists who may experience burnout while providing services within such an intensive setting.

A Group-Protocol: Returning To Life Post Breast Cancer Treatment, Janice Finley, Ashley Timm

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The purpose of this project was to design a group protocol to assist breast cancer survivors living in the community to address unmet physical, cognitive, and psychosocial needs. There are more than 3.5 million breast cancer survivors within the United States today (American Cancer Society, n.d.). A cancer survivor's performance in meaningful occupations and roles need to be addressed as they learn to live with the long-term physical and psychosocial effects of treatments such as self-confidence and pain management (Burg et al., 2015; Kim, Kim, & Han, 2020). There is a lack of occupational therapy services for individuals diagnosed with …

Occupational Therapy And Primary Care: The Tools For Referral, Alexandra Grosser, Kelsey Tadman

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Individuals with chronic conditions receive the most primary care services and account for the highest annual healthcare spending with the poorest outcomes (Leland, Fogelberg, Halle, & Mroz, 2017). Primary care providers (PCP) often address acute symptom management due to inadequate time to explore underlying problems related to diagnoses due to time limitations and a shortage of PCPs. (Dahl-Popolizio, Manson, Muir & Rogers, 2016). It has been recommended that other disciplines are incorporated into primary care to increase holistic, client-centered care and to improve health outcomes. Occupational therapy has been identified as one discipline that is well suited to contribute to …

A Practitioner's Guide: Using The Cognitive Performance Test To Increase Independent Living Skills For Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities, Alycia Peacock, Grace Spanos

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Problem: Individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) have the desire to live as independently as possible (Gragoudas, 2014). There are a number of barriers that impact living independently including the ability to complete self-care tasks, money management, home management, and health management (Bond & Hurst, 2010). Other barriers reported for individuals with ID include relationships with caregivers, living alone, and vulnerability (Bond & Hurst, 2010). Research identifies that it is difficult to determine the amount of support needed to promote independence in individuals with ID (Francis & Reed, 2019). Occupational therapists (OTs) possess a unique skillset to assist clients with ID …