Digital Commons Network^™

Laterality In The Power Five And Group Of Five Conferences In Women's College Softball, Jon C. Nachtigal

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Females in sport are under-represented in data and analysis when compared to their male counterparts. This disparity also applies to women’s softball in comparison to men’s baseball. To help fill this gap, this study evaluated the extent and impact of laterality in women’s college softball’s Power Five and Group of Five conferences from 2015-2017.

This study focused on the extent of a left-sided lateral preference in women’s college softball, possible interactions between throwing hand and batting preference, to what extent the platoon effect exists in the sport, and the extent of positional bias in the sport. As one of the …

Developing Droplet Based 3d Cell Culture Methods To Enable Investigations Of The Chemical Tumor Microenvironment, Jacqueline A. De Lora

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Adaptation of cancer cells to changes in the biochemical microenvironment in an expanding tumor mass is a crucial aspect of malignant progression, tumor metabolism, and drug efficacy. In vitro, it is challenging to mimic the evolution of biochemical gradients and the cellular heterogeneity that characterizes cancer tissues found in vivo. It is well accepted that more realistic and controllable in vitro 3D model systems are required to improve the overall cancer research paradigm and thus improve on the translation of results, but multidisciplinary approaches are needed for these advances. This work develops such approaches and demonstrates that new droplet-based cell-encapsulation …

Providing Water For A Forgotten People: A Waterline Assessment Of The Former Bennett Freeze Area, Nikki Rae Tulley

Water Resources Professional Project Reports

The Bennett Freeze was established in 1966 and imposed for 40 years on 1.5 million acres of land within the boundaries of the Western Agency of the Navajo Nation. Bennett Freeze came as a result of the Navajo-Hopi Land Dispute. The “freeze” halted all construction, development, and improvements made to enhance the quality of life within the boundaries of the Bennett Freeze area. Public works were included in the restrictions created by the freeze, which effectively denied residents access to basic sanitation facilities. There are approximately 2,685+ homes (~20,000 residents) within the Former Bennett Freeze Area (FBFA) without access to …

A Real-Time Data Monitoring Prototype Protocol To Advance Environmental Management Through A Citizen Science Approach– A Case Study In Nepal, Corinne Fox

Water Resources Professional Project Reports

The lack of environmental monitoring data has restricted the efficiency of proper environmental management in the developing world. Although monitoring technologies have been touted for their potential to advance environmental understanding and management, there are very few examples of practical applications where this has been accomplished in the developing world. Due to the positive influx of urbanization and tourism in Siddharthanagar, South Nepal, the Nepal Study Center (NSC) from the University of New Mexico (UNM) teamed up with the poly-tech college Pratiman-Neema Health Institute (PNMHI) to address future environmental changes through a citizen science approach, known as the Danda River …

Regulations Of Pathogenic Cd4+ T Helper Lymphocytes In Inflammatory Diseases, Handong Zheng

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

In this comprehensive project, three interrelated studies with distinct foci were employed to understand the regulations of specific CD4⁺ T helper cell population in inflammatory diseases.

Pathogenic TH17 cells play an essential role in the initiation and development of both human multiple sclerosis (MS) and animal experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Nevertheless, the underlying mechanism by which the pathogenicity of TH17 cells is controlled in the autoimmune neuro-inflammation remains unclear. In aim 1, we revealed that lumican (Lum), an extracellular matrix (ECM) protein, negatively regulates encephalitic TH17 cell responses. Our findings highlighted a TH17 cell-intrinsic effect of Lum in suppressing …

Studying Egfr Signaling Through Single Molecule Imaging And Computational Modeling, Emanuel Salazar Cavazos

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Signaling through the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) plays an important role in both physiological and cancer-related processes. In this work, single-molecule microscopy measurements and computational modeling were closely integrated to better understand the mechanisms that regulate EGFR signaling. Technical improvements were made over the previously described Single-Molecule Pull-down (SiMPull) assay to facilitate direct detection of the phosphorylation state of thousands of individual receptors, and thereby estimate both the fraction of receptors phosphorylated at specific tyrosine residues and the frequency of multisite phosphorylation. These improvements enabled the first direct detection of multisite phosphorylation on full-length Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR), …

Systematics And Diversification Of The Pantropical Avian Order Coraciiformes, Jenna Merle Mccullough

Biology ETDs

How and why species diversify is a central theme of evolutionary biology. Species-rich, morphologically diverse, pantropical clades provide rare opportunities to explore questions about drivers of diversification in the tropics. Here, we present the first complete species tree of Coraciiformes (6 families, ~177 species of kingfishers, motmots, bee-eaters, and allies), produced with thousands of ultraconserved elements. We recovered a well-supported tree which shows that there are two clades within Coraciiformes: 1) bee-eaters sister to rollers + ground- rollers and 2) todies sister to motmots + kingfishers. We estimated the biogeographical history of the group, explored bill shape evolution with a …

If You Experience Sexual Harassment You Must Report It... Right?, Alejandra M. Rosales

Intersections: Critical Issues in Education

No abstract provided.

Neurocognitive Markers Of Cognitive Control In Schizophrenia And Functional Outcomes, Sephira Ryman

Psychology ETDs

Impaired cognitive function results in decreased objective quality of life and community functioning in schizophrenia, resulting in the largest indirect costs from the disease. Disrupted proactive cognitive control, a form of early selection and active goal maintenance, is hypothesized to underlie the broad cognitive deficits observed in patients with schizophrenia. The current study utilized novel electrophysiological (EEG) analytic approach to examine proactive and reactive cognitive control deficits in schizophrenia patients. Behavioral results highlight that patients exhibited a general reduction in reaction time across two multisensory cognitive control tasks, with selective deficits on proactive conditions relative to reactive conditions. The relative …

Rodent Responses To Drought In The Southwestern United States: Resource Utilization Strategies And Effects To Keystone Resources, Charles L. Hayes Iv

Biology ETDs

The role of abiotic and biotic factors in regulating community and population dynamics is a central question of ecological inquiry. In the southwestern United States, the North American monsoon supplies vital pulses of moisture to Sonoran desert, arid grassland, and montane communities. I evaluated abiotic limitation in prairie and montane populations of Gunnison’s prairie dog (Cynomys gunnisoni) using stable isotope analysis to quantify foraging niche widths. Niche widths declined under periods of drought stress. Prairie dogs in montane habitats exhibited seasonal shifts in dietary niche width during favorable growth periods for more nutritious plants using the C_{3 …}

Schistosomiasis In The Wild: A Transcriptomics Perspective On Field-Derived Biomphalaria Pfeifferi And Schistosoma Mansoni, And Their Interactions, Sarah K. Buddenborg

Biology ETDs

Schistosomiasis, caused by trematodes in the genus Schistosoma, is a widespread neglected tropical disease with the species S. mansoni infecting over 100 million people. We aimed to better understand the snail host and parasite responses during intramolluscan stages of infection by performing dual RNA-Seq on field-collected snails with natural infections from western Kenya. We collected uninfected Biomphalaria pfeifferi, B. pfeifferi with a patent cercariae-producing S. mansoni infection, and B. pfeifferi exposed to field-collected S. mansoni at 1 and 3d (days post infection).

We first created a high-quality B. pfeifferi transcriptome to identify the snail response to S. mansoni infection. …

Linking Climate Change And Mortality In Piñon-Juniper Woodlands, From Leaf To Ecosystem, Amanda I. Liebrecht

Biology ETDs

As global climate changes, the Southwestern US is predicted to experience more frequent and intense drought events. Extreme droughts can drive decreases in both physiological and ecosystem function, and can result in widespread tree mortality. Piñon-juniper (PJ) woodlands are a prevalent ecosystem in the region, co-dominated by two tree species, piñon (Pinus edulis) and juniper (Juniperus monosperma). Drought-induced piñon mortality has occurred over the past few decades, coinciding with outbreaks of a piñon-specific bark beetle. Piñon and juniper have different hydraulic strategies (isohydry and anisohydry, respectively) that should affect the way each species responds to drought. …

Understanding Patterns Of Diversity And Evolution In Mainland Anolis Lizards, Levi Gray

Biology ETDs

Patterns of organismal diversity and evolution are often difficult to interpret with a high level of confidence. The number of mechanisms and processes that contribute to shaping patterns of diversity is extensive and is reflected in the many methods researchers have used to infer causation. Taxonomic groups that are well-studied can offer more precise interpretation of pattern and process due to the considerable amount of research addressing ecology, natural history, and behavior of the organisms.

In this dissertation, I explore patterns of phylogenetic and phenotypic variation in Anolis lizards (anoles) by testing hypotheses that could have led to the observed …

How A Brownfield Redevelopment Planning Effort In Gallup Resulted In A New Regulation For Vapor Intrusion In New Mexico, Michelle G. Hunter

Water Resources Professional Project Reports

The Puerco River basin has, within its confines, one small city, Gallup, New Mexico. Gallup is located within close proximity to the Navajo Nation, and many Navajo Nation members live and work in Gallup and need affordable housing. A local Gallup non-profit proposed a multi-family housing development on a long-vacant, and blighted property in the middle of downtown Gallup. After several environmental assessment investigations, the developer discovered significant groundwater contamination, from an adjacent dry cleaner, that had the potential to migrate into the indoor air at the future housing facility. A series of brownfield assessment, planning, and cleanup efforts resulted …

Factors That Determine Spreading Depolarization Propagation In Brain Slices, Linday Selters

Biomedical Engineering ETDs

In the US alone, more than 750,000 people had a stroke in 2017, more than 1.7 million reported a traumatic brain injury, and more than 9 million suffered from migraines with aura. While all three of these neurological conditions have vastly different causes and possible outcomes they all have a common phenomenon occurring within the brain. A wave that slowly propagates through grey matter, hitting neurons with a large burst of energy, opening them up to a flood of ions and silencing them for an extended period of time. These waves are known as spreading depolarizations (SD). Within well-nourished tissue, …

Prevalence Of Artemisinin Resistance Associated Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms In Kenyan Isolates, Elizabeth M. Glenn

Biology ETDs

Malaria has had an unspeakable toll on human economy and wellbeing. Every year, there are approximately 212 million malaria infections caused by Plasmodium falciparum leading to 429,000 deaths, the vast majority of which occur in sub-Saharan Africa where the parasite is endemic. Decades of widespread use, and probable misuse, of antimalarial drugs has created extraordinary selective pressure on the parasite and made many formerly effective drugs ineffective. Currently, artemisinin and artemisinin derivatives are the most effective treatment available but resistance to dihydroartemisinin (DHA), the active ingredient, is emerging. Continued monitoring for genetic mutations linked with resistance is vital to global …

Evaluating The Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor As A Target For Pharmacologic Activity Of Repurposed Drugs, Teofilo Borunda Duque

Pharmaceutical Sciences ETDs

The discovery of new pharmacologic targets is important for the advancement of pharmacotherapy and identification of new indications for current drugs. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a physiologic sensor of both chemical environmental pollutants and ligands of natural origin. Given the broad spectrum of ligands that activate the AHR and its relationship with toxicology, the AHR is not thought to be a traditional target for pharmacotherapy. However, multiple studies have shown potential for the AHR as a novel pharmacologic target Therefore, identifying less toxic agents that modulate the AHR may elucidate mechanisms for pharmacological targeting of the AHR. The …

Seasonal Shifts In C3 And C4 Resource Use By A Small Mammal Community Under Changing Precipitation Regimes, Alaina D. Pershall

Biology ETDs

In light of climate change and projections of increasing temperatures and aridity in the North American southwest, it is essential to understand how consumer populations will respond to changes in the resource landscape. Rainfall varies in timing and intensity and therefore the timing, proportion, phenology, and abundance of C₃ and C₄ plant resources vary seasonally and annually. Here we examine rodent resource use in the Chihuahuan desert and focus on two distinct precipitation pulses in this system, where spring C₃ plants increase production in response to winter rains and C₄ plants respond to summer monsoons. We …

Using D13c, D15n, And D2h To Better Understand The Ecology Of Green Sea Turtles, Laura Pagès Barceló

Biology ETDs

Many green sea turtle populations are slowly recuperating from a recent severe decline due to anthropogenic factors including human consumption and mortality related to the fishing industry. Despite being charismatic animals that have been extensively studied, there is still a limited understanding of their feeding strategies and diet plasticity. This research explores the use of hydrogen isotopes in marine ecosystems to better understand green sea turtle ecology. This study is presented in two chapters: I first examined the trophic discrimination factor (D²H_NET) for hydrogen isotope (d²H) as a tool to correct hydrogen isotope data …

Evaluating The Effects Of Catastrophic Wildfire On Water Quality, Whole-Stream Metabolism And Fish Communities, Justin K. Reale

Biology ETDs

This dissertation investigated the initial and multi-year effects of a catastrophic wildfire (Las Conchas fire in 2011) on adjacent and downstream aquatic ecosystems in comparison to pre-fire conditions. Specifically, the research looked at 1) multi-year water quality responses along the river continuum using data collected before, immediately after and for multiple years post-fire, 2) differential water quality and whole-stream metabolism responses of paired headwater catchments over multiple years after disturbance, and 3) fish communities at two sites on a larger river downstream of the extensive region impacted by the catastrophic wildfire.Overall, the research in this dissertation highlights the importance of …

Moderate Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Impairs Performance In An Object-Place-Paired-Associate Task, Lilliana May Sanchez

Psychology ETDs

Memory impairments, including spatial and object processing, are often observed in individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Much attention has been directed towards the hippocampus, which displays significant alterations after moderate prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). In the present study, we tested a moderate PAE rat model in an object-place-paired-associate (OPPA) task, previously shown to require hippocampal processing. The OPPA task was composed of training rats to discriminate between an identical pair of objects presented in 180° opposite arms of a radial arm maze. Animals were given a total of 10 trials per day over 14 consecutive days of training and …

An Update And Analysis Of The Corrales Bosque Preserve Vegetation Map, Brett Feldhahn

Water Resources Professional Project Reports

An updated vegetation map of the Corrales Bosque Preserve in Corrales, New Mexico was developed for this project using Hink and Ohmart community-structure survey protocol and vegetation classifications. The vegetation composition was analyzed and compared to the Middle Rio Grande Conservation Action Plan (MRG-CAP) rating criteria for dynamic mosaic vegetation, also known as the Dynamic Patch Mosaic (DPM). The DPM attribute indicates the mix of vegetation community types—the vegetation mosaic—that facilitates the best outcome for ecosystem resilience and biodiversity in the bosque. The updated vegetation community-structure types were used to classify each polygon into general vegetation types per the MRG-CAP, …

Bank Erosion Control: Rio Pueblo De Taos, Noelani Eba-Jah-Mi Villa

Water Resources Professional Project Reports

Bank failure can occur from multiple reasons including geotechnical failure, failure from hydraulic forces, or a combination of both. Hydraulic failure is driven by a lack of vegetation, high boundary velocities, and toe scour. Erosion from hydraulic forces is often related to flow velocities or direction (Baird, 2005). Large-scale bank erosion is initiated by failure of bank materials at the base or toe of the outer bank (Sclafani, 2011). The Taos Pueblo are concerned with channel migration which has caused bank failure of the Rio Pueblo along Pueblo Canyon Road leading to the sacred Blue Lake. The objective of this …

Mental Models And Neutrosophic Cognitive Maps (Modelos Mentales Y Mapas Cognitivos Neutrosóficos), Maykel Leyva-Vazquez, Rebeca Escobar-Jara, Florentin Smarandache

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

In this work, elements related to mental models elicitation and analysis are addressed through causal models. Issues related to the need to include indeterminacy in causal relationships through neutrophic cognitive maps are discussed. A proposal for static analysis in neutrosophic cognitive maps is presented. The following activities are included in the proposal: Calculate, measures of centrality, Classify nodes, De-neutrosification, and Ranking nodes. As future works, the incorporation of new metrics of centrality in neutrosophic cognitive maps is proposed. The inclusion of scenario analysis to the proposal is another area of future work.

2018 Annual Report, Christopher C. Witt

Annual Reports

In 2018, the Museum of Southwestern Biology (MSB) has continued to improve its profile and impacts, both on the University of New Mexico campus and in the international scientific community. Its collections serve as scientific infrastructure that enhances research, teaching, community service, and public outreach. The MSB is part of the UNM Department of Biology, and the missions of the MSB and the Department are synergistic. MSB houses extensive and rapidly growing collections representing biodiversity of world, primarily from the last halfcentury. MSB has outstanding collections from New Mexico and western North America, but it also has substantial holdings from …