Digital Commons Network^™

Cultured Ex Vivo Human Brain Tissue Maintains Cell-Type Transcriptional Identities, J P Mcginnis, Sai Mallannagari, Maria Camila Guevara, Joshua Ortiz-Guzman, Benjamin D W Belfort, Suyang Bao, Snigdha Srivastava, Maria Morkas, Emily Ji, Kalman A Katlowitz, Angela Addison, Evelyne K Tantry, Carrie A Mohila, Melissa M Blessing, Nisha Gadgil, Samuel G Mcclugage, David F Bauer, William E Whitehead, Guillermo Aldave, Omar Tanweer, Naser Jaleel, Ali Jalali, Akash J Patel, Sameer A Sheth, Howard L Weiner, Shankar Gopinath, Ganesh Rao, Akdes Serin Harmanci, Daniel Curry, Benjamin R Arenkiel

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

There is growing recognition of the need for human-based models of the nervous system and its diseases. Studies have investigated the electrophysiological properties of neurons in ex vivo human brain tissue, but the maintenance of other cell types remains unclear. We therefore used single-nucleus RNA sequencing of six patient samples to determine how well various cell types maintain their transcriptional identities over two weeks in organotypic slice culture (day 0, with 83 501 nuclei, and day 14, with 45 738). For each patient sample (two pediatric temporal lobectomies, one adult frontal cortex, two glioblastomas, and one medulloblastoma), we generated correlations …

The Role Of Participant–Clinician Relationality And Intervention Source In A Violence Reduction Trial: A Qualitative Study, Paul Leslie Simpson, Freya Stephenson, Patricia Morgan, Emaediong I. Akpanekpo, Jocelyn Jones, Peter William Schofield, Lee Knight, Tony Butler

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Violence and domestic violence are global public health problems with prevention programs showing limited effectiveness. The form of delivery of such programs can influence their utility yet delivery characteristics are often poorly described. We analysed interviews with clinicians (n = 5) and participants (n = 12) involved in ReINVEST, a violence reduction clinical trial, to identify key elements of delivery. Three themes were identified: (1) clinician accessibility; (2) clinicians as participant advocates; and (3) humane care, reflecting participant–clinician ‘relationality’ as a central component of program delivery. We propose that this relationality is more likely to emerge in interventions delivered independently …

Plasma Aβ42/40 Predicts Progression From Aβ-Amyloid Negative To Positive Pet Scans, Azadeh Feizpour, Vincent Doré, Pierrick Bourgeat, James D. Doecke, Rodrigo Canovas, Simon M. Laws, Tenielle Porter, Kun Huang, Christopher Fowler, Ralph N. Martins, Paul Maruff, Hamid R. Sohrabi, Michael W. Weiner, John C. Morris, Tammie L.S. Benzinger, Suzanne E. Schindler, Randall J. Bateman, Yan Li, Ovod Vitaliy, Larry Ward, Jurgen Mejan-Fripp, Colin L. Masters, Victor L. Villemagne, Christopher C. Rowe

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background The agreement between plasma Aβ42/40 and Aβ positron emission tomography (PET) is approximately 75 %, with ∼85 % of discrepancies due to positive plasma but negative PET results. It is unclear whether this reflects Aβ changes in plasma before PET-detectable. Objectives To assess the influence of Aβ42/40 positivity on risk of progression to Aβ PET positivity, and feasibility of using plasma Aβ42/40 tests to enrich a primary prevention trial. Design A prospective longitudinal cohort study. Setting Participants of Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle study (AIBL), Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), and Open Access Series of Imaging Studies 3 (OASIS3). …

The Paradoxical Effects Of Emerging Mining Technologies On Psychosocial Work Factors: An Integrated Framework And Research Agenda, Keyao Li, Mengting (Rachel) Xia, Tim Bentley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

As industries strive for healthier, safer, and more productive workplaces, a comprehensive understanding of psychosocial work factors is essential for sustainable improvement. In the context of digital transformation, automation and emerging technologies have led to mixed health and safety outcomes. However, how emerging technologies are reshaping work and organisational structures and driving varied effects, remains unclear. This uncertainty provides little guidance for practitioners and researchers on systematically integrating new technologies to optimise health and safety. This paper argues that a deeper understanding of how the evolving technological landscape affects psychosocial work factors is essential for bridging this research gap. Focusing …

Two Strategies To Improve Stability In A Precision-Based Task: Insights From The Badminton Short Serve, Yochi Iino, Jodie Cochrane Wilkie, Senshi Fukashiro, Shinsuke Yoshioka, Shayne Vial

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The badminton short serve is a highly precise task requiring accurate control of racquet face orientation, which directly influences shuttlecock trajectory and limits an opponent's ability to attack. Previous studies on motor redundancy have emphasized covariation among elemental variables as the primary mechanism for stabilizing performance. However, when the sensitivities of elemental variables differ, performance can also be stabilized by unevenly distributing individual variances without altering correlation — an approach that has received limited attention. This study investigated whether elite players use both the correlation strategy and the uneven variance strategy to stabilize racquet face angles during the short serve. …

Music-Based Smart Digital Interventions For Health : A Scoping Review, Jin Hyung Lee, Juri Yun

Journal of Urban Culture Research

This scoping review systematically maps and synthesizes empirical research on smart, digital technology-delivered music interventions for health. Following Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines, a comprehensive search of six electronic databases yielded 30 included studies spanning four clinical domains: psychological and mental health, neurological and motor rehabilitation, aging and cognitive care, and acute care and symptom management. Studies employed four primary technology categories: mobile applications, artificial intelligence and machine learning systems, wearable biosensors, and alternative interface platforms. Findings demonstrate that smart digital music interventions are broadly feasible and acceptable, with preliminary efficacy across diverse populations. The field …

Critical Participatory Action Research For Revitalizing Local Music And Performing Arts In The Post-Pandemic Transition Of Salaya, Nantida Chandransu, Chanokchakul Surasi

Journal of Urban Culture Research

This study employs Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR) to examine the adaptive revitalization of local music and performing arts in Salaya's post-pandemic transition. Through the Collaborative Cultural Action Network (CCAN – comprising artists, academics, administrators, and citizens – the research facilitates a collaborative ecosystem for cultural asset co-creation. Implementation operates across two levels: strategic management of intersubjective agreements, and artistic creativity via a dual-track strategy. This strategy combines active conservation of phleng lae, phleng ruea, lakhon chatri, likay, and trae wong with creative deconstruction, specifically the luk thung song “Yu Yen Pen Suk Na Salaya” and the Kanlapaphruek project. Findings …

Analyzing The Transformation Of Urban Open Spaces In The Historical Process With Cultural Codes : The Case Of Konya Kültürpark, Ayse Tuzun Guner, Fatih Semerci, Suheyla Buyuksahin

Journal of Urban Culture Research

Urban spaces undergo significant physical and social transformations in response to changes in socio-cultural structures. In this process, the functions and meanings of public space are redefined. Urban open spaces, as key components of public space, provide important insights into social structure and cultural dynamics. This study examines Konya Kültürpark, located near the historical city center, through three main periods: pre-Republican, Republican, and post-Republican. The transformation of Kültürpark as an urban open space was analyzed through a literature review and interpreted using cultural codes. Cultural function diagrams were produced to represent spatial use, and a comparative analysis was conducted across …

Developing A Sustainability Framework For Enhancing Public Art Projects In Nigeria Toward Urban Regeneration, Peter Oluwagbenga Odewole, Olanrewaju Timothy Dada

Journal of Urban Culture Research

This study examines the role of public art towards urban regeneration, cultural preservation, and socio-economic development, addressing critical challenges in the Nigerian public art sector. It adopts a qualitative research design based on literature review, and Eisenhardt’s theory-building approach, drawing on secondary data to generate insights from case-based analysis. Two contemporary Nigerian public art initiatives were examined using within-case and cross-case thematic analysis. The study integrates placemaking, cultural economics, social capital, place attachment, and regulatory theories to develop a sustainability framework for enhancing public art practice and administration in Nigeria. The study’s findings indicate that sustainable public art interventions for …

Governance, Smart Urbanism & Urban Resilience In The Western Balkans : Comparative Insights From Prishtina, Tirana, And Podgorica, Binak Beqaj, Shqiprim Ahmeti

Journal of Urban Culture Research

The imperative for urban resilience is intensifying globally, yet its application in the transitional context of the Western Balkans remains underexplored. Cities in this region, such as Prishtina, Tirana, and Podgorica, navigate post-conflict recovery, rapid urbanization, socio-economic pressures, and escalating climate threats. While smart technologies and sustainable urban development paradigms offer promising pathways to resilience, their effectiveness is contingent upon robust governance and supportive institutional frameworks, which are often fragmented in these environments. A comprehensive approach is therefore essential for sustainable urban development in the region. This study aims to critically analyze the factors shaping urban resilience in the Western …

Creative Urban Care For Older Adults In Thailand : Drama Therapy And An Innovative Expressive Arts Framework For Better Urban Ageing, Dovrat Harel, Nisara Jaroenkajornkij, Bussakorn Binson, Meytal Fogel Simhony

Journal of Urban Culture Research

This article examines drama therapy with older adults across three institutional contexts in Thailand: Chulalongkorn Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society; Kwong Siew Foundation Hospital; and Sawangkanives Housing, Thai Red Cross Society. Drawing on a practice-based qualitative study involving 60 older adults, facilitator observations, semi-structured interviews, reflective writings, and institutional descriptions, the article explores how drama therapy was adapted across medical, chronic-care, and senior residential settings. The findings suggest that drama therapy supported memory sharing, emotional expression, social connection, belonging, and quality of life among participants. The article argues that drama therapy should be understood not merely as entertainment or supplementary …

Mental Health Professionals’ Perspectives On Essential Elements Of Telehealth Family Psychoeducation For Major Depressive Disorder: An Exploratory Study, Obumneke Obieche, Jing Yu Tan, Sita Sharma, Daniel Bressington, Tao Wang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Family-inclusive interventions, such as family psychoeducation (FPE), improve outcomes in major depressive disorder (MDD), particularly when tailored to the needs of individuals with MDD, their families, and carers. This study explored mental health professionals’ (MHPs) perspectives on the essential elements of telehealth FPE for MDD, including patients’ and their families’ informational and support needs. An exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted as part of the Supportive Program for Advancing Recovery, Knowledge, and Empowerment in Depression (SPARKED) research project, using an online questionnaire targeting MHPs within a regional area of Australia. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and quantitative and qualitative content analysis, …

Quantifying The Fatal And Non-Fatal Burden Of Disease Associated With Child Growth Failure, 2000–2023: A Systematic Analysis From The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2023, Gbd 2023 Child Growth Failure Collaborators, Amanuel Gebremedhin

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Child growth failure (CGF), which includes underweight, wasting, and stunting, is among the factors most strongly associated with mortality and morbidity in children younger than 5 years worldwide. Poor height and bodyweight gain arise from a variety of biological and sociodemographic factors and are associated with increased vulnerability to infectious diseases. We used data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2023 to estimate CGF prevalence, the risk of infectious diseases associated with CGF, and the disease mortality, morbidity, and overall burden associated with CGF.

Methods: In this analysis we estimated the all-cause and …

Implementing Climate Remedies, Camila Bustos

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

Climate change litigation has emerged as a powerful tool for addressing the climate crisis, particularly in the face of executive and legislative inaction. Across jurisdictions, courts have issued landmark decisions mandating stronger mitigation targets and recognizing rights-based claims against governments and corporations. While recent scholarship has examined the trends, legal theories, and broader effects of this relatively new phenomenon, it has primarily focused on bringing and winning legal challenges. Less attention has been paid to a crucial phase: the implementation and enforcement of judicial rulings. A deeper understanding of how climate remedies are implemented can provide valuable insights for climate …

Chesapeake Bay Water Clarity: Challenges And Successes, Jessica S. Turner, Carl T. Friedrichs, David B. Parrish, Kelsey A. Fall

OES Faculty Publications

The Chesapeake Bay is a large estuarine system spanning multiple jurisdictions and serves as a model for estuarine health worldwide. Historically, nutrient loading degraded water quality, prompting the need for regulation. Water clarity, one component of water quality, is vital for benthic communities and serves as a key indicator of overall ecosystem health. Here, physical resuspension and salinity gradients, nutrient and sediment inputs, production of organic detritus by phytoplankton, and benthic communities all interact to drive clarity patterns, with high spatial variability. Trends over the last 50 years show improvement, though with a temporary increase in organic detritus in response …

Unintended Consequences Of Estuarine Management Within The Trajectory Of Recovery: Examples From The Chesapeake Bay, Jessica S. Turner, Fei Da, Molly M. Mitchell

OES Faculty Publications

Estuaries are vital ecosystems that support biodiversity, human populations, and economic activities such as fisheries, aquaculture, and tourism. Managing estuarine systems often involves interventions to regulate sediment and nutrient inputs with the goal of improving water quality, and subsequently the economic values of the estuary. However, these management strategies can produce unintended consequences. The Chesapeake Bay is an estuary recovering from eutrophication which provides clear case studies for these patterns. In the Chesapeake Bay, decreased sediment inputs, resulting from shoreline stabilization and watershed modifications, can impair marsh resilience to sea level rise and disrupt sediment-light-algal interactions affecting water clarity. Likewise, …

Microplastics Suppress Copepod Grazing Of The Harmful Algal Bloom-Forming Dinoflagellate, Alexandrium Catenella, Megan Ladds, Christopher Gobler

OES Faculty Publications

While harmful algal blooms (HABs) are prominent occurrences in coastal zones where microplastic concentrations are maximal, the manner in which microplastics may influence food webs and HABs is poorly understood. This study explored how polystyrene microplastics affected copepod grazing of the saxitoxin-synthesizing harmful dinoflagellate, Alexandrium catenella, as well as a non-toxic dinoflagellate, Gymnodinium aureolum. Experiments were performed using multiple densities of microplastics (250 – 10,000 mL^–¹) of differing sizes (4 and 10 µm), as well as multiple densities of microalgae in microplates. The addition of 10 µm microplastics at densities of 1000 – 10,000 beads mL^{– …}

Brain Death Versus Circulatory Death: How Functional Warm Ischemia And Cold Storage Impact Myocardial Membrane Repair In Human Donor Hearts, Shiyi Li, Rishav Bhattacharya, Abdussalam E Elsenousi, Katherine V Nordick, Adel M Hassan, Syed B Peer, Camila Hochman-Mendez, Todd K Rosengart, Kenneth K Liao, Nandan K Mondal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This study compares myocardial injury responses in human donor hearts from donation after brain death (DBD) and donation after circulatory death (DCD), with a focus on myocardial membrane integrity, pyroptosis, and damage. Unlike DCD hearts, which are exposed to varying durations of functional warm ischemic time (fWIT), DBD hearts, which are never subjected to warm ischemia, served as controls. A total of 24 human hearts were procured, consisting of 6 from the DBD group and 18 from the DCD group. All procured hearts were placed in cold normal saline and stored for up to 6 h. Left ventricular biopsies were …

Pathways To Prosperity: How Tourism Industry Training Reduces Poverty, Panpan Sun, Songshan Huang, Ghialy Yap, Zhibin Lin, Lei Zhao

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study investigates the effects of tourism industry training (TIT) on poverty alleviation, considering both direct and indirect pathways. Integrating labour mobility theory, human capital theory, and the tourism-led growth (TLG) hypothesis, we propose a new theoretical framework. Based on panel data from 29 Chinese provinces between 2000 and 2019, the empirical results show that TIT has a significant negative effect on poverty level, depth, and severity, with a larger direct impact than the indirect effect through tourism development. We also find significant regional differences in the impact of TIT on poverty reduction, with TIT having a more substantial impact …

Gelatinous Zooplankton As Indicators In The Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, John Terenzini, Laura J. Falkenberg, Sanae Chiba, Matthew Faith, Robert Puschendorf, Abigail Mcquatters-Gollop

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Global biodiversity frameworks require robust, representative indicators to effectively track progress towards conservation targets. Spatial and temporal gaps in global marine biodiversity datasets, however, and a limited number of marine biodiversity indicators, limit our ability to effectively manage marine ecosystems. Despite the ecological and socio-economic significance of marine ecosystems, they remain underrepresented in current indicator suites, particularly in the recently adopted Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). Gelatinous zooplankton (GZ), a key yet often overlooked component of marine ecosystems, have the potential to strengthen biodiversity assessments through their responsiveness to environmental change and impacts on several contributions of the ocean to …

Three Christmas Island Land Crabs Do Not Alter Extracellular Magnesium In Response To Acute Reduced Temperature, Katie N.G. Thiessen, Helena C. Reinardy, John I. Spicer, Lucy M. Turner

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Magnesium is essential to numerous biological processes in many species. Including protecting intracellular pH and ATP concentrations during temperature and anoxia stress. Extracellular [Mg²⁺] is tightly regulated in many, but not all crustaceans. There is evidence that extracellular [Mg²⁺] content may be open to environmental influence such as temperature. The alteration of extracellular [Mg²⁺] in decapod crustaceans in response to temperature has been proposed, with individuals exposed to low temperature often displaying an increase in extracellular [Mg²⁺]. However, data, supporting or refuting this hypothesis, are sparse and drawn mainly from temperate and …

Sexual Dysfunction In Women With Endometriosis In A Low-Middle-Income Country, Edna Chacha, Charles Muteshi, Felix Oindi, Elsie Wandera

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Background Endometriosis affects up to 10% of reproductive-age women and significantly impairs quality of life including sexual function, intimate relationships, fertility, and psychological wellbeing. While its impact has been extensively studied in Western populations, there is limited Sub-Saharan African data exploring how the disease affects female sexual health and distress. This study aimed to assess sexual function and sexual distress among women with endometriosis at a tertiary hospital in Kenya.

Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 108 women aged 18 to 49 with confirmed endometriosis from January to June 2022. The study used validated self-administered questionnaires: Female Sexual Function …

Surgical Interventions For Treating Vesicovaginal Fistula In Women, Yoshiyuki Okada, Tomomi Matsushita, Takeshi Hasegawa, Hisashi Noma, Erika Ota, Bob Achila, Yasukuni Yoshimura

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Objectives This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows:

To assess the benefits and harms of surgical interventions for treating vesicovaginal fistula in women.

17Β Estradiol Protection Against Medium-Change Neurotoxicity In Organotypic Hippocampal Slice Cultures, Autumn B. Stage

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Medium change neurotoxicity can disrupt glutamate homeostasis and promote excitotoxic neuronal injury through excessive NMDA receptor activation. 17β estradiol (E2) has demonstrated neuroprotective effects in models of neuronal injury and may regulate glutamatergic signaling through metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR2/3). This study investigated whether E2 protects against medium change associated neurotoxicity in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures whether responses differed by sex or hippocampal region. Hippocampal slices from postnatal day 8 male and female Sprague Dawley rats were maintained in culture and exposed to 1, 10, or 100 nM E2 for 24 hours following a five day recovery period. Propidium iodide (PI) …

Effects Of Emerald Ash Borer Specific Gene Silencing Using Rna Interference On Soil Communities, Faith S. Boa

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The emerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) is an invasive wood- boring beetle from Asia that primarily feeds on ash trees (Fraxinus spp.). Since its invasion of North America, EAB threatens the functional extinction of ash with damages and management costs projected to reach $900 million by 2054. Current management strategies have been insufficient to prevent EAB’s spread, highlighting the need to advance innovative approaches like RNAi, which has demonstrated efficacy against EAB in laboratory and greenhouse trials. Double-stranded RNA targeting heat shock 70-kDa protein (hsp) induces EAB mortality, systematically disperses and persists in …