A Framework For Characterizing The Peripheral Immune Isonome Using Long-Read Single-Cell Rna Sequencing And Its Relevance To Neurological Disease, Patricia Hayes Doyle

Theses and Dissertations--Neuroscience

Long-read single-cell RNA sequencing provides an opportunity to understand human health and disease at isoform resolution, revealing cellular diversity and disease mechanisms difficult to resolve with bulk or short-read methodologies.

Using a modified PIPseq workflow and computational pipeline adapted for Oxford Nanopore (ONT) sequencing, we profiled isoform usage across immune cells, integrating marker expression and isoform discovery, generating the largest long-read single-cell dataset of human immune cells from a single individual to date. We identified non-canonical protein-coding variants of GZMB and CD3G enriched in unexpected cell types. We also discovered novel transcripts from CMC1 and LYAR with cell-type-specific signatures that …

Metabolism As A Regulator Of Sleep And Cortical Activity In Health And Alzheimer’S Disease, Nicholas J. Constantino

Theses and Dissertations--Neuroscience

Metabolic flexibility is essential for maintaining normal physiological function, enabling an organism to sense, flux, utilize, and switch fuel sources in response to changing energetic availability, demand, and cellular needs. Energetic demands are state-dependent, with wake and sleep exhibiting distinct metabolic profiles. Sleep is highly sensitive to changes in metabolism and requires metabolic flexibility to both transition into and maintain sleep stability. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is increasingly recognized as a disease of altered metabolism yet is often framed as a disease of energetic failure. We instead define AD as a disease of metabolic inflexibility, characterized not by insufficient energy availability, …

Environmental Predictors Of Human Lyme Disease Incidence Across Appalachian Counties In Kentucky, Virginia, And West Virginia, 2000-2019, Karlie D. Rennison

Theses and Dissertations--Epidemiology and Biostatistics

This ecological study examined county-level environmental, landscape, and host-related predictors of Lyme disease incidence across Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia from 2000-2019. Lyme disease is an emerging public health concern in the Appalachian region, where geographic expansion and shifting ecological conditions may influence disease risk.

Lyme disease case rates (per 10,000 population) were analyzed in relation to climate variables, land cover metrics, host density measures, and rurality using publicly available data sources. Descriptive and regression analyses were conducted to evaluate associations between candidate predictors and disease incidence.

Substantial geographic variation in Lyme disease incidence was observed, with higher case rates …

Design And Advancement Of Analytical Frameworks For In Vivo Single-Photon Calcium Imaging To Characterize Temporal- And Treatment-Dependent Neural Adaptations To Opioid Exposure And Withdrawal In The Medial Prefrontal Cortex, Alexia R. Alsum Dr.

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Despite the availability of several approved medications for opioid use disorder (OUD), it remains a significant public health concern characterized by persistent neurobiological adaptations that drive relapse and impede successful recovery. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a region critical for executive control and decision-making, undergoes pronounced functional changes during chronic opioid exposure and withdrawal, yet the cellular mechanisms underlying these adaptations remain poorly understood. This dissertation aims to investigate longitudinal alterations in mPFC neural activity across opioid exposure and withdrawal using in vivo single-photon calcium imaging and newly developed computational frameworks.

Following standard preprocessing to extract and normalize calcium traces, …

The Immune Hangover: Understanding The Influence Of Alcohol Use, Abstinence, And Post-Abstinence Drinking On Monocyte Plasticity, Madison B. Blanton

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Alcohol consumption is widespread in the United States, with 80% of individuals aged 12 and older reporting alcohol use and 1-in-4 engaging in risky drinking behaviors. Alcohol misuse heightens susceptibility to infections and delays wound healing, indicating a disrupted immune system. Previous studies show alcohol rewires immune cells, especially monocytes and macrophages, which play critical roles in tissue homeostasis and host defense.

Using a rhesus macaque model of ethanol self-administration, we demonstrate that after 6-months of drinking, monocytes exhibit decreased cytokine production and significant transcriptomic changes, indicating a hypo-inflammatory state. In contrast, 12-months of chronic alcohol use induces hyperinflammatory responses, …

Linking S‑Pillar Empirical Criteria With Boundary And Finite Element Models For Underground Stone Pillar Analysis, Benjamin Diddle

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

The objective of this thesis is to strengthen the relationship between empirically based stone pillar design methods and two numerical modeling techniques by calibrating boundary element and finite element models to the S‑Pillar empirical criteria and observed pillar behavior in underground stone mines. The first component of the research investigates the displacement‑discontinuity boundary element method implemented in LaModel, quantifying the influence of the lamination thickness and element size on stone pillar safety factor predictions. Results showed that optimal thickness depends on overburden modulus, while larger element sizes introduce significant SF differences from S-Pillar values once the grid size exceeds 5 …

Investigating The Potential Role Of Toxoplasma Gondii In The Development Of Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis, Brooklyn Nicole Shirah

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a neurologic disease of horses prevalent in the Americas, caused by the coccidian parasites Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi. Toxoplasma gondii is a related parasite that infects nearly all warm-blooded animals, including horses. Prior studies show conflicting results on whether T. gondii contributes to EPM, in part because no validated T. gondii serologic assay exists in horses. This study developed a recombinant TgSAG1 ELISA and confirmatory Western blot. These assays evaluated T. gondii seropositivity in 789 serum samples from healthy and neurologic horses across multiple geographic regions and examined 31 paired serum:CSF samples for …

Human Resource Policy And Practice In The American Regional Theatre: The Intersection Of The Actors’ Equity Association And The League Of Resident Theatres, Kathleen Holland

Theses and Dissertations--Arts Administration

Human resource management plays a critical yet understudied role in the American regional theatre, an industry characterized by project-based labor, mixed union and nonunion workforces, and deeply ingrained cultural norms that prioritize artistic production over worker well-being. This dissertation examines how institutional human resource policies intersect with the Actors’ Equity Association (AEA) collective bargaining agreement and the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), and the implications of these intersections for human resource practice in regional theatre organizations. While entertainment-industry unions predate the formalization of contemporary human resource management, little scholarship has examined how union agreements may shape or substitute for organizational …

Improving Evaluation Practices Of Community Arts Extension Agents: A Mixed-Methods Study Leveraging Theory Of Change And Open Systems Theory, Melissa G. Bond

Theses and Dissertations--Arts Administration

This dissertation examines how a structured evaluation training and subject-based evaluation tool can strengthen evaluation practices among Community Arts Extension professionals in Kentucky. Community Arts programs often support outcomes such as belonging, connection, skill development, and cultural engagement, yet those outcomes can be difficult to document within standardized public reporting systems. Guided by Theory of Change and Open Systems Theory, this mixed-methods study combines an environmental scan of FY2020–FY2025 Community Arts indicator records and agent-authored Success Stories with three survey waves administered before training, immediately after training, and approximately 60 days later.

Findings show that routine reporting captured substantial activity …

Molecular Mechanisms And Metabolic Consequences Of Glucocorticoid Resistance, Genesee J. Martinez

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Glucocorticoids are vital steroid hormones that govern metabolism, stress responses, and immune functions through intricate, tissue-specific mechanisms, both genomic and non-genomic. These hormones bind to the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), which then acts as a transcription factor to modulate gene expression. Chronic elevation of glucocorticoid levels may lead to glucocorticoid resistance, resulting in adiposity, inflammation, and insulin resistance, thereby adversely affecting multiple metabolic tissues. Whether produced endogenously or administered exogenously, excessive, chronic glucocorticoid concentrations impair glucocorticoid signaling. Although there are two primary isoforms of the receptor, GR⍺ and GRβ, only GR⍺ interacts with glucocorticoids.Through the research conducted in this dissertation, we …

Expanding The Role Of Muscle Stem Cell Fusion In Muscle Under Hypertrophic Stimulus, Jensen Goh Zhong Sheng

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

Muscle stem cells (MuSCs) are a unique stem cell population that can activate in response to both injury and growth stimuli. Studies on muscle regeneration have shown MuSC activation follows a uniform progression through proliferation, differentiation, and fusion. Therefore, to determine whether MuSC replication is a prerequisite for differentiation under hypertrophic stimulus, I used a lineage-tracking mouse model (Pax7^rtTA; TRE-H2B-GFP) to label MuSC nuclei and simultaneously tracked DNA synthesis via EdU incorporation. This dual-labeling approach allowed us to not only distinguish MuSC-derived nuclei but also demarcate which MuSC had proliferated prior to fusion. I then employed a mechanical …

A Tale Of Two Serpins: Pathologic And Protective Roles Of Agt And Pai-1 In Metabolic And Cardiovascular Disease, Alex C. Pettey

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

Metabolic and cardiovascular diseases are leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Conditions such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), aortic aneurysm, and cardiac fibrosis have limited pharmacological therapies, underscoring the need for deeper mechanistic investigations. Serine protease inhibitors (serpins) have been implicated in these pathologies and represent potential therapeutic targets. Despite structural homology, serpins regulate diverse physiological processes through both protease inhibition and non-inhibitory mechanisms. This dissertation examines the roles of two serpins, angiotensinogen (AGT) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), in preclinical models of metabolic and cardiovascular disease to identify novel mechanisms that may inform future therapeutic strategies. …

Investigation Into The A/Ss Of Cervical Cancer And Its Effects On Tumor Control Probability In Radiation Therapy, Cameron Thayer-Freeman

Theses and Dissertations--Radiation Medicine

The standard of care for locally advanced cervical cancer is chemoradiation, consisting of conventional external beam therapy (EBT) followed by a boost of high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy. These two radiation treatments will illicit different degrees of biological response depending on the tissue in question, and quantifying the overall effect the combined treatments will have require some form of biological modeling. The linear quadratic (LQ) model of cell survival is the most widely used radiobiological model in clinics across the nation.

It is quantified by the parameters a and ß, which model how radiation generates lethal damage in a population …

The Association Between Learned Helplessness And Future Outlook And The Mediating Effects Of Parental Support, Engagement, And Closeness, Allison N. Loosle

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

The present study examined the direct and indirect associations between learned helplessness and future outlook among emerging adults, with parental support, engagement, and closeness as potential mediating factors. Using data from 375 participants drawn from G3, Wave 4 of the Youth Development Study, two path analytic models were tested: one including a composite measure of learned helplessness and one examining its components (contingency, cognition, and behavior) individually. Results indicated that higher levels of learned helplessness were associated with a less positive future outlook. When separated, the cognition and behavior components were negatively associated with future outlook, whereas contingency was not …

Breaking The Cycle: Financial Abuse And Mental Health Outcomes Among Women Survivors Of Intimate Partner Violence Through The Abc-X Model Of Family Stress, Angel Martinez-Johnson`

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

The present study examined the relationship between financial abuse and mental health outcomes among women survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) with particular attention to the roles of perceived financial knowledge and resilience. Guided by the ABC-X Model of Family Stress, this study explored whether these perceived resources function as mediators in the association between financial abuse and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Findings indicated that financial abuse was significantly associated with increased psychological distress across all three outcomes. Although perceived financial knowledge and resilience were significantly related to certain mental health outcomes, analyses did not …

Fusarium Head Blight Of Hemp: A Destructive Disease Emerges On A New Host, Henry Smith

Theses and Dissertations--Plant Pathology

Hemp was reintroduced as a commercial crop in 2018 after a near 50-year production ban under the Controlled Substances Act. Since reintroduction, Kentucky has consistently ranked among the top five hemp producing states in the US. Surveys have shown that hemp is susceptible to a multitude of diseases that impact production. Among the most concerning diseases in Kentucky is Fusarium head blight (FHB). FHB is a major disease of cereals that is caused by various Fusarium species, predominately F. graminearum. FHB of hemp caused by F. graminearum was first reported in Kentucky in 2020. A survey of 25 different …

Managing Dietary Nonstructural Carbohydrates In Insulin Dysregulated Horses: Pasture, Long-Stem Forage, And Restrictive Grazing Strategies, Morgan J. Askins

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Insulin dysregulation (ID) is a complex endocrine disorder, impacting a large percentage of the equine population. ID is the defining characteristic of equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). Within the various classifications of EMS horses, the commonality is ID and their higher risk of laminitis. To mitigate insulin response and laminitis risk in ID horses, current management focuses on restricting pasture exposure and feeding low nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) rations. Minimal studies have evaluated how ID horses respond to pasture of various NSC, long-stem forages, and restrictive grazing strategies. Providing horse owners and managers with improved nutritional management recommendations for ID horses with …

Environmental Detection And Quantification Of Equid Alphaherpesviruses In Equine Facilities Using Air Sampling, Emma E. Hyde

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Equid alphaherpesvirus 1 and 4 (EHV-1/-4) circulate at equestrian facilities, contributing to outbreaks. Due to the complexities of the pathogen, including the limited predictability of reactivation from latency and the effects associated with secondary sites of viral replication, abortion, and neurologic disease, EHV infections are of utmost concern to the equine industry. Recent studies have highlighted the prevalence of the viruses in stabling areas at competitions, though little is known about this phenomenon in other high-traffic equine environments. This thesis presents two studies using air sampling surveillance methods to further explore the viral detection in other equine environments (veterinary facility …

Using Camera-Based Unmarked Spatial Capture-Recapture Modeling To Estimate Reintroduced Elk (Cervus Canadensis) Population Parameters And Distribution In Southeastern Kentucky, Claire Marie Muia

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

Estimation of population parameters is important for wildlife management decisions. Elk reintroduced to southeastern Kentucky experienced early irruptive population growth and are currently monitored using a statewide harvest-based statistical population reconstruction model (SPR) across the Kentucky Elk Restoration Zone (KERZ). Because the SPR model is spatially coarse and difficult to scale to the smaller management units comprising the KERZ, we conducted a spatially explicit capture-recapture study using a clustered camera-trapping array deployed for 10 weeks from June–August 2024 to estimate elk population parameters within Management Unit 4. Due to a lack of resights of GPS-marked elk, population parameters were estimated …

Understanding Knowledge And Perceptions Of The Beef Industry On A Land-Grant University Campus, Allison E. Reaves

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

A well-researched phenomenon in the agricultural industry is the effects of constant innovation coupled with an increasing divide between producer and consumer. This issue has been presented as especially prevalent within animal agriculture and the beef industry, a predominant concern considering Kentucky’s agricultural commodities. This study (n = 31) utilized a mixed-methods approach to understand the knowledge, perceptions, and behavior of beef consumers on a land-grant university campus. Methodologies included Python’s DeepFace emotion recognition, semi-structured interviews, and the JMALI agricultural literacy assessment. Findings revealed participants to be below expected agricultural literacy levels of high school graduates (M=11), with no …

From Floodplain To Floodplain: Analyzing Stream And Riparian Restoration Methodologies And Impacts, Noah P. Lane

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Stream restoration is a relatively new scientific field. Currently, there is not a definitive methodology for performing restorations that all professionals in industry and academia can agree upon. This has allowed for multiple ideologies to be developed and altered that vary by geographic location and the professional using them. In addition to the methodologies used, the publicly available design guidance published by state government organizations also varies by regulatory authority, method of analysis, ecoregion, and restoration objectives. In some cases, design guidance is replicated from a different geographical area and may not satisfy local needs or existing site conditions. Since …

A Quality Improvement Project: Nurse-Led Nutritional Support To Reduce Missed Chemotherapy Appointments, Eva Balboa

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Introduction/Background

Malnutrition affects approximately 43% of cancer patients nationally and is associated with missed chemotherapy appointments, treatment interruption, and poor clinical outcomes. At a 30-chair outpatient cancer center in South Texas, a retrospective chart review revealed that 45% of patients experienced malnutrition-related symptoms contributing to appointment disruptions. Despite evidence-based recommendations for routine nutritional screening and support, no standardized protocol existed at this site.

Objectives

 The purpose of this quality improvement project was to implement a nurse-led nutritional support protocol and evaluate its effectiveness in (1) reducing the missed chemotherapy appointment rate from 10% to 5%, (2) achieving 100% compliance with …

A Guideline For Underserved Adult Residents In Need Of Affordable Transportation Access To Healthcare, Tammie E. Walker

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Background

During the development of the 2022 Tarrant County Public Health Community Health Assessment, two gaps were identified that contribute to disparities: transportation and access to healthcare in areas of high need (Y. M. Wingate, Ed.D., Community Health Assessment Division Manager, Tarrant County Public Health, personal communication, June 20, 2025). As of 2017, 5.8 million individuals reported delaying medical care due to a lack of accessible transportation in the U.S. (Wolfe et al., 2020). The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) of 2022 reported that 5.9% of residents living in the West South-Central region, which includes Texas, found that, within the …

Cooktop Electrification In Santa Clara, Gigi Jones

Silicon Valley Power Sustainable Futures Program

The City of Santa Clara is well-positioned to accelerate electrification by increasing the adoption of electric cooktops, yet current uptake remains limited. This study combined survey data with a total of 226 responses and benchmarking to assess trends in adoption, identify barriers, and recommend targeted policy interventions that aligned with the City’s 2022 Climate Action Plan.

The most notable barriers identified were cooking preference and cost. Additional barriers included concerns about reliability and cookware compatibility. Over half of respondents were unaware of Silicon Valley Power’s existing cooktop rebate program, highlighting a critical gap in program visibility and outreach.

Based on …

End Matter

Comparative Civilizations Review

No abstract provided.

Extending Norbert Elias: Adjacency And The Dynamics Of Civilizations, Arthur Michelino

Comparative Civilizations Review

Civilizations have rarely been approached as systems of interdependence and strain. Most modern theories have oscillated between cyclical visions of rise and fall and static conceptions of blocs defined by cultural essence. Both perspectives have offered sweeping interpretations, but both also detached civilizations from the environments of pressure and interaction in which they have always existed. To reframe civilizations as relational processes requires both recognition of their internal dynamics and attention to the external conditions that compel their transformation.

An Exploration Of Vicarious Trauma In The Integrated Trauma Team, Victoria L. Hadix

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study aimed to explore the impacts of self-care, coping skills, and resilience on the perceptions of vicarious trauma by members of the trauma team in a small community hospital in the Northeastern United States, through the use of qualitative methodology and a semi-structured interview. The goal of this study was to gain an understanding of the mental health factors impacting health care professionals functioning in the fast-paced, demanding environment of the emergency room. Furthermore, the study explored health care professionals’ perceptions of the integrated trauma team and the relationships between individual and team-based characteristics. This study helped increase understanding …

“They Don't Care If I'M Here Or Not”: The Impact Of Exclusionary Discipline On Black Boys In Elementary Schools, Arielle Gulley

DSW Capstone Projects

Disproportionate and exclusionary school discipline practices continue to affect African American boys as early as elementary school, with significant implications for their mental health, academic engagement, and long-term educational trajectories. This capstone project examines how racially biased discipline contributes to disparities in belonging, emotional well-being, and student-teacher relationships, and advances the need to reframe discipline as a site of mental health intervention rather than punishment.

The systematic literature review synthesizes peer-reviewed research to examine the relationship between exclusionary discipline and mental health outcomes among African American boys in elementary settings, with particular attention to patterns emerging in early educational environments. …

Unseen To Unstoppable: Critically Redefining Care For Rural Women With Alcohol Use Disorders, Nicole Gerace

DSW Capstone Projects

Research reveals that rural women with alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are up to 90% less likely to seek treatment than men or urban women. This Doctor of Social Work capstone project brings together a systematic literature review (SLR), a conceptual paper, and a practice application paper to examine the clinical social work practice problem of rural women with AUDs underutilizing treatment. Collectively, these products investigate factors contributing to these disparities, identify gaps in care, and propose more equitable and responsive approaches to treatment for these women. This project began with an SLR (2020–2025) that investigated clinical treatment interventions that demonstrated …

Transnational Corporate Liability Through The Lens Of Interlegality, Jaye Ellis

Dalhousie Law Journal

Pressure is mounting on courts in Canada, as in other jurisdictions, to address harms generated within global supply chains. These entities have no formal legal personality, so attempts to trace lines of responsibility and liability within them require the development of innovative argumentative strategies. Among the challenges is the integration of a range of sources, including international law, international policy initiatives, and privately constituted standards to promote human and labour rights and environmental protection. Working with the concept of interlegality, I seek to develop approaches for navigating overlapping and intersecting legal orders, and for facilitating interactions among them. Of particular …