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Articles 1441 - 1470 of 8643

Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

An Analysis Of The Clear Horizons Program In Perry County, Kentucky On Smoking Cessation, Julia Kollitz Jan 2023

An Analysis Of The Clear Horizons Program In Perry County, Kentucky On Smoking Cessation, Julia Kollitz

Lewis Honors College Thesis Collection

Perry County is an Appalachian county located in southeastern Kentucky. The population is 28,473 people (United States Census Bureau, 2020). It is a predominately white community, with 95.9% of people falling in this category, which is higher than the national percentage of 75.8% (United States Census Bureau, 2020). Being a rural county, this community uses few news sources, with the primary outlet being WYMT Eastern Kentucky News. This news outlet is a subset of CBS (WYMT, 2023). When comparing statewide and nationwide data, Perry County does consistently worse. They have a high school graduation rate that is lower than the …


Exploring The Therapy Experiences Of Latinx Individuals Working With Non-Latinx Therapists, Edith Del Moral Jan 2023

Exploring The Therapy Experiences Of Latinx Individuals Working With Non-Latinx Therapists, Edith Del Moral

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

Latinos are the largest minoritized ethnic group in the United States. Despite having a population of 62.1 million Latinos in the United States, the representation of Latinx therapists remains low. Therefore, the chance for Latinx individuals and families to receive mental health services from a Latinx therapist is very low. This phenomenological study examines the experiences of six Latinx individuals who worked with non-Latinx therapists. The resulting themes included therapist client match, awareness, respect for boundaries, and genuineness. These themes informed by the personal stories of people who have gone through the therapeutic process will aid professionals in the field …


Ideal Body Weight And Body Fat Percentage Predict Relative Energy Deficiency In Sport (Red-S) Scores In Collegiate Athletes, Emily Norman Jan 2023

Ideal Body Weight And Body Fat Percentage Predict Relative Energy Deficiency In Sport (Red-S) Scores In Collegiate Athletes, Emily Norman

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

Background: Low energy availability (LEA) is the underlying cause of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) which negatively affects athletes' physiological function, health, and performance. RED-S results from inadequate dietary intake to support energy expenditure for daily living, growth, and optimal performance. It occurs in both male and female athletes, with or without disordered eating. However, screening and diagnosis in athletes can be difficult. Objective: This study aims to identify strong predictors of RED-S and assess its prevalence in collegiate male and female athletes. Methods: A total of 270 NCAA athlete test points from mixed sports were evaluated for RED-S …


Contraception And Healthcare Utilization By Reproductive-Age Women Who Use Drugs In Rural Communities: A Cross-Sectional Survey., Ximena A. Levander, Canyon A. Foot, Sara L. Magnusson, Ryan R. Cook, Jerel M. Ezell, Judith Feinberg, Vivian F. Go, Kathryn E. Lancaster, Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar, Gordon S. Smith, Ryan P. Westergaard, April M. Young, Judith I. Tsui, P. Todd Korthuis Jan 2023

Contraception And Healthcare Utilization By Reproductive-Age Women Who Use Drugs In Rural Communities: A Cross-Sectional Survey., Ximena A. Levander, Canyon A. Foot, Sara L. Magnusson, Ryan R. Cook, Jerel M. Ezell, Judith Feinberg, Vivian F. Go, Kathryn E. Lancaster, Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar, Gordon S. Smith, Ryan P. Westergaard, April M. Young, Judith I. Tsui, P. Todd Korthuis

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Women who use drugs (WWUD) have low rates of contraceptive use and high rates of unintended pregnancy. Drug use is common among women in rural U.S. communities, with limited data on how they utilize reproductive, substance use disorder (SUD), and healthcare services.

OBJECTIVE: We determined contraceptive use prevalence among WWUD in rural communities then compared estimates to women from similar rural areas. We investigated characteristics of those using contraceptives, and associations between contraceptive use and SUD treatment, healthcare utilization, and substance use.

DESIGN: Rural Opioids Initiative (ROI) - cross-sectional survey using respondent-driven sampling (RDS) involving eight rural U.S. regions …


Milk Thistle Supplementation And Exercise To Influence Bilirubin And Body Weight Outcomes, Don Arthur Matutina Jan 2023

Milk Thistle Supplementation And Exercise To Influence Bilirubin And Body Weight Outcomes, Don Arthur Matutina

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

Background: Traditional obesity treatment is ineffective as rates are still on the rise, thus necessitating novel treatments. Plasma bilirubin, once thought as only a clinical marker of liver disease, is now considered an important hormone, correlated with better outcomes within certain metabolic disease states such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. This is largely due to bilirubin’s role in promoting fatty acid oxidation via its interaction with PPARα and its antioxidant capacities to reduce lipid peroxidation. Possible methods of mildly increasing plasma bilirubin may provide a novel obesity treatment. Objective: To evaluate if Silmarin supplementation via milk thistle, exercise, or a …


Redefining Paternalistic Practices In Women’S Health: How Dysfunctional Trust Relationships Impact Medical Autonomy Of Female Patients In The Contemporary Clinical Setting, Lauren K. O'Dell Jan 2023

Redefining Paternalistic Practices In Women’S Health: How Dysfunctional Trust Relationships Impact Medical Autonomy Of Female Patients In The Contemporary Clinical Setting, Lauren K. O'Dell

Theses and Dissertations--Philosophy

Utilizing Trudy Govier’s (1997) conception of social trust, this dissertation will provide a framework for understanding trust in healthcare relationships and highlight some of the ways that unequal power distribution and dependency, poorly defined roles, and institutions complicate trust between women and their providers. This framework will also explain how distrust, especially prejudicial distrust, leads to paternalistic attitudes on the part of providers. Paternalism limits patient autonomy because medical autonomy is constitutively relational. This means that insofar as distrust causes paternalism, it also damages autonomy. Through negative outcomes, this lack of autonomy can cause patients to distrust healthcare, which can …


Maternal Occupation And Pediatric Brain Cancer In Kentucky, Mary Begley Jan 2023

Maternal Occupation And Pediatric Brain Cancer In Kentucky, Mary Begley

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

Pediatric brain cancer is a rare and potentially deadly diagnosis that affects children in Kentucky at a higher incidence than those nationally. Limited exposures in children early in life to warrant the development and progression of brain cancer point to the role parental exposures experienced in the period prior to conception and throughout pregnancy may play in its development. Many of these exposures may be experienced through occupation. Data on a subset of pediatric brain cancer cases in Kentucky was compared to all cases diagnosed in the state from 1995 to 2019. Survey data of the study sample was collected …


Cardinal's Blues: Implementation Of A School-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program For Jefferson County Public Schools In Louisville, Kentucky, Loui Chang Jan 2023

Cardinal's Blues: Implementation Of A School-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program For Jefferson County Public Schools In Louisville, Kentucky, Loui Chang

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

With the increasing rate of adolescent depression and anxiety1 2, developing mental health interventions is necessary. Many adolescents’ times spent in schools increased compared to 20 years ago5, which makes school-based intervention programs suitable for reaching adolescent population effectively. Though there are numerous treatment providers available in Jefferson County, Kentucky, the school-based prevention programs addressing adolescent’s negative mental health outcomes have never been implemented. The Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development developed a program called the Blues Program24. The Blues Program provides an adapted version of group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy sessions to train and educate adolescents coping skills and cognitive restructuring24. …


Substance Use And Trauma Among Adult Education Students In The United States, Brittany Miller-Roenigk, Michael Awad, Maria C. Crouch, Derrick M. Gordon Jan 2023

Substance Use And Trauma Among Adult Education Students In The United States, Brittany Miller-Roenigk, Michael Awad, Maria C. Crouch, Derrick M. Gordon

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

Adult basic education (ABE) programs in the United States serve millions of students annually to help them achieve high school equivalency, English proficiency, and other skills. These skills are necessary for upward mobility and competitiveness in the labor market, which is important for ABE students who are disproportionately affected by racial/ethnic disparities and poverty. Among learners who are not in ABE programs, substance use and trauma affect student outcomes. Similar research is limited among ABE students. Understanding the influence of these factors among ABE students can better inform interventions. The current study, grounded in Stress and Coping Theory, examined rates, …


Restorative Landscapes And Their Potential Application To The University Of Kentucky Campus, Felix Lowery Jan 2023

Restorative Landscapes And Their Potential Application To The University Of Kentucky Campus, Felix Lowery

Gaines Fellow Senior Theses

Exposure to natural environments has been shown to have significant positive impacts on both mood and attention, as well as the potential to decrease stress and other negative emotions. Hospitals and other healthcare settings have been on the forefront of implementing spaces designed with the intent of improving mental health. However, this is not the only setting in which restorative landscapes are needed. Implementing restorative landscapes on college campuses would be an innovative way for colleges to address their students’ mental health needs. The objective of this thesis is to understand what aspects of a natural landscape promote cognitive restoration, …


Cross-Tailoring Integrative Alcohol And Risky Sexual Behavior Feedback For College Students: Protocol For A Hybrid Type 1 Effectiveness-Implementation Trial, Anne E. Ray, Eun-Young Mun, Melissa A. Lewis, Dana M. Litt, Jerod L. Stapleton, Lin Tan, David B. Buller, Zhengyang Zhou, Heather M. Bush, Seth Himelhoch Jan 2023

Cross-Tailoring Integrative Alcohol And Risky Sexual Behavior Feedback For College Students: Protocol For A Hybrid Type 1 Effectiveness-Implementation Trial, Anne E. Ray, Eun-Young Mun, Melissa A. Lewis, Dana M. Litt, Jerod L. Stapleton, Lin Tan, David B. Buller, Zhengyang Zhou, Heather M. Bush, Seth Himelhoch

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Background: Underage drinking and related risky sexual behavior (RSB) are major public health concerns on United States college campuses. Although technology-delivered personalized feedback interventions (PFIs) are considered a best practice for individual-level campus alcohol prevention, there is room for improving the effectiveness of this approach with regard to alcohol-related RSB.

Objective: The aims of this study are to (1) evaluate the impact of a brief PFI that integrates content on alcohol use and RSB and is adapted to include a novel cross-tailored dynamic feedback (CDF) component for at-risk first-year college students and (2) identify implementation factors critical to the CDF’s …


Effect Of Reflex And Mechanical Decreases In Skin Perfusion On Thermal- And Agonist-Induced Eccrine Sweating In Humans, Kristen Metzler-Wilson, Milie M. Fang, Kenan Alibegovic, James W. Daggett, Seetharam C. Narra, Robert P. Dazé, Olivia G. Miller, Thad E. Wilson Jan 2023

Effect Of Reflex And Mechanical Decreases In Skin Perfusion On Thermal- And Agonist-Induced Eccrine Sweating In Humans, Kristen Metzler-Wilson, Milie M. Fang, Kenan Alibegovic, James W. Daggett, Seetharam C. Narra, Robert P. Dazé, Olivia G. Miller, Thad E. Wilson

UK CARES Faculty Publications

In humans, skin blood flux (SkBF) and eccrine sweating are tightly coupled, suggesting common neural control and regulation. This study was designed to separate these two sympathetic nervous system end-organ responses via nonadrenergic SkBF- decreasing mechanical perturbations during heightened sudomotor drive. We induced sweating physiologically via whole body heat stress using a high-density tube-lined suit (protocol 1; 2 women, 4 men), and pharmacologically via forearm intradermal microdialysis of two steady-state doses of a cholinergic agonist, pilocarpine (protocol 2; 4 women, 3 men). During sweating induction, we decreased SkBF via three mechanical perturbations: arm and leg dependency to engage the cutaneous …


Massachusetts Prevalence Of Opioid Use Disorder Estimation Revisited: Comparing A Bayesian Approach To Standard Capture-Recapture Methods, Jianing Wang, Nathan Doogan, Katherine L. Thompson, Dana Bernson, Daniel Feaster, Jennifer Villani, Redonna Chandler, Laura F. White, David Kline, Joshua A. Barocas Jan 2023

Massachusetts Prevalence Of Opioid Use Disorder Estimation Revisited: Comparing A Bayesian Approach To Standard Capture-Recapture Methods, Jianing Wang, Nathan Doogan, Katherine L. Thompson, Dana Bernson, Daniel Feaster, Jennifer Villani, Redonna Chandler, Laura F. White, David Kline, Joshua A. Barocas

Statistics Faculty Publications

Background: The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) estimated the prevalence of opioid use disorder (OUD) among the civilian, noninstitutionalized people aged 12 years or older in Massachusetts as 1.2% between 2015 and 2017. Accurate estimation of the prevalence of OUD is critical to the success of treatment and resource planning. Various indirect estimation approaches have been used but are subject to data availability and infrastructure-related issues.

Methods: We used 2015 data from the Massachusetts Public Health Data Warehouse (PHD) to compare the results of two approaches to estimating OUD prevalence in the Massachusetts population. First, we used …


Cannabinoid Poisoning-Related Emergency Department Visits And Inpatient Hospitalizations In Kentucky, 2017 To 2019, Stevie C. Britch, Sharon L. Walsh, Rachel Vickers-Smith, Shanna Babalonis, Svetla Slavova Jan 2023

Cannabinoid Poisoning-Related Emergency Department Visits And Inpatient Hospitalizations In Kentucky, 2017 To 2019, Stevie C. Britch, Sharon L. Walsh, Rachel Vickers-Smith, Shanna Babalonis, Svetla Slavova

Center on Drug and Alcohol Research Faculty Publications

Background and objectives: Cannabis is the most used federally illicit substance. Due to widespread medicinal use and state-level legalization, public perceptions of cannabis have shifted toward the assumption that cannabis is safe. However, cannabinoids can cause adverse medical complications that may lead people to seek treatment. This study characterized cannabinoid poisoning-related medical encounters, poisoning involving cannabinoids and other psychoactive substances, and cannabinoid poisoning-related cardiac complications. Methods: Administrative billing data for emergency department visits and inpatient hospitalizations in acute care facilities with a discharge date from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019 were used to characterize cannabinoid poisoning events in …


Food Insecurity On College Campuses: Addressing The Issue Through A Student-Centered Perspective, Thomas Ard Jan 2023

Food Insecurity On College Campuses: Addressing The Issue Through A Student-Centered Perspective, Thomas Ard

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Research indicates food insecurity (FI) has become a consistent challenge for college students. However, more is needed regarding the students' lived experiences of food insecurity following the COVID-19 pandemic. Universities play a vital role in assisting students with food insecurity through food assistance programs, on-campus resources, and financial help, which impacts their physiological needs and academic performance. A better understanding of what influences students' perceptions and decisions about whether to engage in these resources is essential.

This dissertation's purpose was to explore how college students living with food insecurity experience engaging in food assistance programs (FAP). The study used a …


Association Of Notch3 With Elastic Fiber Dispersion In The Infrarenal Abdominal Aorta Of Cynomolgus Monkeys, Sohei Ito, Naofumi Amioka, Michael K. Franklin, Pengjun Wang, Ching-Ling Liang, Yuriko Katsumata, Lei Cai, Ryan E. Temel, Alan Daugherty, Hong S. Lu, Hisashi Sawada Jan 2023

Association Of Notch3 With Elastic Fiber Dispersion In The Infrarenal Abdominal Aorta Of Cynomolgus Monkeys, Sohei Ito, Naofumi Amioka, Michael K. Franklin, Pengjun Wang, Ching-Ling Liang, Yuriko Katsumata, Lei Cai, Ryan E. Temel, Alan Daugherty, Hong S. Lu, Hisashi Sawada

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The regional heterogeneity of vascular components and transcriptomes is an important determinant of aortic biology. This notion has been explored in multiple mouse studies. In the present study, we examined the regional heterogeneity of aortas in nonhuman primates.

METHODS: Aortic samples were harvested from the ascending, descending thoracic, suprarenal, and infrarenal regions of young control monkeys and adult monkeys with high fructose consumption for 3 years. The regional heterogeneity of aortic structure and transcriptomes was examined by histological and bulk RNA sequencing analyses, respectively.

RESULTS: Immunostaining of CD31 and αSMA (alpha-smooth muscle actin) revealed that endothelial and smooth muscle …


Predictors And Outcomes Of Acute Pulmonary Embolism In Covid-19; Insights From Us National Covid Cohort Collaborative, Muhammad H. Gul, Zin Mar Htun, Vinicio De Jesus Perez, Muhammad Suleman, Samiullah Arshad, Muhammad Imran, Mahender Vyasabattu, Jeremy P. Wood, Michael I. Anstead, Peter E. Morris Jan 2023

Predictors And Outcomes Of Acute Pulmonary Embolism In Covid-19; Insights From Us National Covid Cohort Collaborative, Muhammad H. Gul, Zin Mar Htun, Vinicio De Jesus Perez, Muhammad Suleman, Samiullah Arshad, Muhammad Imran, Mahender Vyasabattu, Jeremy P. Wood, Michael I. Anstead, Peter E. Morris

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

Objectives To investigate whether COVID-19 patients with pulmonary embolism had higher mortality and assess the utility of d-dimer in predicting acute pulmonary embolism.

Patients and methods Using the National Collaborative COVID-19 retrospective cohort, a cohort of hospitalized COVID-19 patients was studied to compare 90-day mortality and intubation outcomes in patients with and without pulmonary embolism in a multivariable cox regression analysis. The secondary measured outcomes in 1:4 propensity score-matched analysis included length of stay, chest pain incidence, heart rate, history of pulmonary embolism or DVT, and admission laboratory parameters.

Results Among 31,500 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 1117 (3.5%) patients were diagnosed …


Relative Adrenal Insufficiency Is A Risk Factor And Endotype Of Sepsis - A Proof-Of- Concept Study To Support A Precision Medicine Approach To Guide Glucocorticoid Therapy For Sepsis, Chia-Hua Wu, Ling Guo, Dan Hao, Qian Wang, Xiang Ye, Misa Ito, Bin Huang, Chieko Mineo, Philip W. Shaul, Xiang-An Li Jan 2023

Relative Adrenal Insufficiency Is A Risk Factor And Endotype Of Sepsis - A Proof-Of- Concept Study To Support A Precision Medicine Approach To Guide Glucocorticoid Therapy For Sepsis, Chia-Hua Wu, Ling Guo, Dan Hao, Qian Wang, Xiang Ye, Misa Ito, Bin Huang, Chieko Mineo, Philip W. Shaul, Xiang-An Li

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

Introduction: 25-60% of septic patients experience relative adrenal insufficiency (RAI) and glucocorticoid (GC) is frequently used in septic patients. However, the efficacy of GC therapy and whether GC therapy should be based on the status of RAI are highly controversial. Our poor understanding about the pathogenesis of RAI and a lack of RAI animal model present significant barriers to address these critical issues.

Methods: Scavenger receptor BI (SR-BI) regulates stress-induced GC (iGC) production in response to stress. We generated SF1CreSR-BIfl/fl mice and utilized the mice as a RAI model to elucidate the pathogenesis of RAI and GC therapy in sepsis. …


Microglia Proliferation Underlies Synaptic Dysfunction In The Prefrontal Cortex: Implications For The Pathogenesis Of Hiv-1- Associated Neurocognitive And Affective Alterations, Hailong Li, Kristen A. Mclaurin, Charles F. Mactutus, Rosemarie M. Booze Jan 2023

Microglia Proliferation Underlies Synaptic Dysfunction In The Prefrontal Cortex: Implications For The Pathogenesis Of Hiv-1- Associated Neurocognitive And Affective Alterations, Hailong Li, Kristen A. Mclaurin, Charles F. Mactutus, Rosemarie M. Booze

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

Microglia, which are productively infected by HIV-1, are critical for brain development and maturation, as well as synaptic plasticity. The pathophysiology of HIV-infected microglia and their role in the pathogenesis of HIV-1-associated neurocognitive and affective alterations, however, remains understudied. Three complementary aims were undertaken to critically address this knowledge gap. First, the expression of HIV-1 mRNA in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of postmortem HIV-1 seropositive individuals with HAND was investigated. Utilization of a combined RNAscope multiplex fluorescent and immunostaining assay revealed prominent HIV-1 mRNA in microglia of postmortem HIV-1 seropositive individuals with HAND. Second, measures of microglia proliferation and neuronal …


Creating Change In Pediatric Health Disparities: Utilizing Systemsbased Thinking To Overcome Disparities Affecting Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes In Kentucky, Sydney Speed Jan 2023

Creating Change In Pediatric Health Disparities: Utilizing Systemsbased Thinking To Overcome Disparities Affecting Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes In Kentucky, Sydney Speed

Lewis Honors College Thesis Collection

Healthcare disparities are perpetuated and upheld for patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in rural and underserved urban areas of Kentucky. By adopting systems-based thinking, we can identify areas of the healthcare system to change to eliminate these disparities. Namely, key leverage points of this system include distribution and utilization of resources, finances and the movement of money, and communication pathways. To address the disparities surrounding pediatric T1D in Kentucky, a state-wide medical event called Kentucky Diabetes Family Day (KDFD) was hosted. The focus of this event was to lessen the effects of these specific healthcare disparities by altering key …


Evaluation Of Academic Detailing To Educate Clinicians Regarding Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention: A Pilot Study, Nicholas C. Newman, Jacqueline M. Knapke, Rachael Kiniyalocts, John Belt, Erin N. Haynes Jan 2023

Evaluation Of Academic Detailing To Educate Clinicians Regarding Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention: A Pilot Study, Nicholas C. Newman, Jacqueline M. Knapke, Rachael Kiniyalocts, John Belt, Erin N. Haynes

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Context: Environmental exposures are associated with approximately 19% of disease globally, and exposure to neurotoxic chemicals is estimated to cost the United States $50 billion per year. Despite calls from the Institute of Medicine to increase training for clinicians regarding environmental health since the 1990s, there is still little instruction in environmental health for clinicians. This leaves gaps in knowledge that need to be bridged through outreach and education to practicing clinicians. Academic detailing (AD) is an educational intervention associated with improved prescribing practices in healthcare professionals but has not been applied to preventive or environmental health. Childhood lead exposure …


Evaluating Trends In K-12 Teachers’ Well-Being And Career Plans Throuhgout The Covid-19 Pandemic, Madeline Dunfee Jan 2023

Evaluating Trends In K-12 Teachers’ Well-Being And Career Plans Throuhgout The Covid-19 Pandemic, Madeline Dunfee

Theses and Dissertations--Epidemiology and Biostatistics

The COVID-19 pandemic has had far reaching effects on school communities, which will continue to affect the teaching profession for years to come. As K-12 teachers worked to meet the educational, social, emotional and health needs of students and families, their personal well-being was taxed. It is critical to understand the experiences of K-12 teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic and to leverage this understanding to develop effective strategies for supporting K-12 teachers in the future. This research leveraged data from the School Staff Health and Wellness Study to examine teachers’ well-being and career outlook during the COVID-19 pandemic. The central …


Examining A Blood Biomarker Approach To Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption, Samantha Ford Jan 2023

Examining A Blood Biomarker Approach To Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption, Samantha Ford

Theses and Dissertations--Medical Sciences

Blood-brain barrier disruption has been identified to associate with the pathogenesis several neurological diseases such as dementia [1, 2], multiple sclerosis[3, 4], acute or chronic cerebral ischemia[5], brain trauma[5], meningitis[5], encephalitis[5], stroke[6], and seizures[7]. Being able to effectively identify blood-brain barrier disruption is limited in methodology. The current standard is using a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) albumin to serum albumin index, which requires the use of a lumbar puncture. A novel method of identifying blood-brain barrier disruption utilizing blood biomarkers is proposed in this study. Participants in this study had previously collected blood and CSF samples, which were analyzed to compare …


Manipulation Of Components Of The Renin Angiotensin System In Renal Proximal Tubules Fails To Alter Atherosclerosis In Hypercholesterolemic Mice, Masayoshi Kukida, Naofumi Amioka, Dien Ye, Hui Chen, Jessica J. Moorleghen, Ching-Ling Liang, Deborah A. Howatt, Yuriko Katsumata, Motoko Yanagita, Hisashi Sawada, Alan Daugherty, Hong S. Lu Jan 2023

Manipulation Of Components Of The Renin Angiotensin System In Renal Proximal Tubules Fails To Alter Atherosclerosis In Hypercholesterolemic Mice, Masayoshi Kukida, Naofumi Amioka, Dien Ye, Hui Chen, Jessica J. Moorleghen, Ching-Ling Liang, Deborah A. Howatt, Yuriko Katsumata, Motoko Yanagita, Hisashi Sawada, Alan Daugherty, Hong S. Lu

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

Background and objective: Whole body manipulation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) consistently exerts profound effects on experimental atherosclerosis development. A deficit in the literature has been a lack of attention to the effects of sex. Also, based on data with gene-deleted mice, the site of RAS activity that influences lesion formation is at an unknown distant location. Since angiotensin (AngII) concentrations are high in kidney and the major components of the RAS are present in renal proximal tubule cells (PTCs), this study evaluated the role of the RAS in PTCs in atherosclerosis development.

Methods and results: Mice with an LDL …


Organizational Access Points And Substance Use Disorder Treatment Utilization Among Black Women: A Longitudinal Cohort Study, Sugy Choi, Amanda Bunting, Talia Nadel, Charles J. Neighbors, Carrie B. Oser Jan 2023

Organizational Access Points And Substance Use Disorder Treatment Utilization Among Black Women: A Longitudinal Cohort Study, Sugy Choi, Amanda Bunting, Talia Nadel, Charles J. Neighbors, Carrie B. Oser

Sociology Faculty Publications

Introduction Health and social service organizations, including the emergency department (ED) and public assistance programs, constitute a social safety net that may serve as an “access point” for substance use treatment utilization. Racialization of substance use disorder (SUD) and gender disparities in access to treatment contribute to differences in health and social service utilization, including substance use treatment for Black women. We therefore explored the role of various access points in facilitating the use of substance use treatment among Black women with substance use and involvement in the criminal justice system.

Methods We used data from the Black Women in …


Intentions To Seek Mental Health Services Among Arabs In The United States: The Effect Of A Tailored Web-Based Educational Video, Ohoud Alosais Jan 2023

Intentions To Seek Mental Health Services Among Arabs In The United States: The Effect Of A Tailored Web-Based Educational Video, Ohoud Alosais

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

Arabs in the United States (U.S.) are exposed to different stressors that place them at high risk of developing adverse mental health outcomes. Compared to other minority groups, Arabs in the U.S. have reported significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression. Researchers have found disparities between the need for mental health services (MHS) and actual utilization among Arabs in the U.S. Understanding the intrapersonal factors involved in MHS’ help-seeking behavior among Arabs in the U.S. is essential to reduce the burdens caused by untreated mental health disorders in this population. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was to enhance our …


Macrophage Polarization Status Impacts Nanoceria Cellular Distribution But Not Its Biotransformation Or Ferritin Effects, Uschi M. Graham, Alan K. Dozier, David James Feola, Michael T. Tseng, Robert Yokel Jan 2023

Macrophage Polarization Status Impacts Nanoceria Cellular Distribution But Not Its Biotransformation Or Ferritin Effects, Uschi M. Graham, Alan K. Dozier, David James Feola, Michael T. Tseng, Robert Yokel

Nanobiotechnology Center Faculty Publications

The innate immune system is the first line of defense against external threats through the initiation and regulation of inflammation. Macrophage differentiation into functional pheno- types influences the fate of nanomaterials taken up by these immune cells. High-resolution electron microscopy was used to investigate the uptake, distribution, and biotransformation of nanoceria in human and murine M1 and M2 macrophages in unprecedented detail. We found that M1 and M2 macrophages internalize nanoceria differently. M1-type macrophages predominantly sequester nanoceria near the plasma membrane, whereas nanoceria are more uniformly distributed throughout M2 macrophage cytoplasm. In contrast, both macrophage phenotypes show identical nanoceria biotransformation …


Impact Of Insurance Payer On Stage At Diagnosis Of Prostate Cancer, Hunter M. Stiff Jan 2023

Impact Of Insurance Payer On Stage At Diagnosis Of Prostate Cancer, Hunter M. Stiff

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

Objectives: Prostate cancer (CaP) is the most common site of cancer in men in the United States and is very treatable when diagnosed in localized and regional stages. While there are widely available forms of screening that can detect CaP in its early stages, factors that can affect healthcare access such as health insurance, race, and Appalachian residency have been linked with differences in rates of distant-stage CaP diagnosis. This study aimed to explore the relationships between health insurance, race, Appalachian residency, and late-stage CaP diagnosis in the state of Kentucky.

Methods: A sample of 26,622 men from the state …


Hmgb2 Regulates The Differentiation And Stemness Of Exhausted Cd8+ T Cells During Chronic Viral Infection And Cancer, Emily N. Neubert, Julia M. Derogatis, Sloan A. Lewis, Karla M. Viramontes, Pedro Ortega, Monique L. Henriquez, Rémi Buisson, Ilhem Messaoudi, Roberto Tinoco Jan 2023

Hmgb2 Regulates The Differentiation And Stemness Of Exhausted Cd8+ T Cells During Chronic Viral Infection And Cancer, Emily N. Neubert, Julia M. Derogatis, Sloan A. Lewis, Karla M. Viramontes, Pedro Ortega, Monique L. Henriquez, Rémi Buisson, Ilhem Messaoudi, Roberto Tinoco

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Chronic infections and cancers evade the host immune system through mechanisms that induce T cell exhaustion. The heterogeneity within the exhausted CD8+ T cell pool has revealed the importance of stem-like progenitor (Tpex) and terminal (Tex) exhausted T cells, although the mechanisms underlying their development are not fully known. Here we report High Mobility Group Box 2 (HMGB2) protein expression is upregulated and sustained in exhausted CD8+ T cells, and HMGB2 expression is critical for their differentiation. Through epigenetic and transcriptional programming, we identify HMGB2 as a cell-intrinsic regulator of the differentiation and maintenance of Tpex cells during …


A Mor Antagonist With High Potency And Antagonist Efficacy Among Diastereomeric C9-Alkyl-Substituted N-Phenethyl-5-(3-Hydroxy)Phenylmorphans, Dana R. Chambers, Agnieszka Sulima, Dan Luo, Thomas E. Prisinzano, Arthur E. Jacobson, Kenner C. Rice Jan 2023

A Mor Antagonist With High Potency And Antagonist Efficacy Among Diastereomeric C9-Alkyl-Substituted N-Phenethyl-5-(3-Hydroxy)Phenylmorphans, Dana R. Chambers, Agnieszka Sulima, Dan Luo, Thomas E. Prisinzano, Arthur E. Jacobson, Kenner C. Rice

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

The 5-(3-hydroxy)phenylmorphan structural class of compounds are unlike the classical morphinans, 4,5-epoxymorphinans, and 6,7-benzomorphans, in that they have an equatorially oriented aromatic ring rather than the axial orientation of that ring found in the classical opioids. This modified and simplified opioid-like structure has been shown to retain antinociceptive activity, depending on its stereochemistry and substituents, and some of them have been found to be much more potent than morphine. A simple C9-hydroxy-5-(3-hydroxy)phenylmorphan enantiomer was found to be about 500 times more potent than morphine in vivo. We have previously examined C9-alkenyl and hydroxyalkyl substituents in the N-phenethyl-5-(3-hydroxy)phenylmorphan class of compounds. …