Digital Commons Network^™

Evolution In Complex Systems: A Computational Prespective, Andisheh Dadashi

Computer Science ETDs

As we are entering the era of multi-omic datasets, it is increasingly evident that the complexities of natural systems exceed the capabilities of current computational methodologies. My dissertation research aims to reduce this gap by using computational frameworks to investigate the evolution of complex systems. I apply a model of metabolic networks to predict human embryonic metabolism during peri-implantation (Chapter I), offering insights into the foundations of early human development. This dissertation further examines the basis of the phenotypic evolution of polygenic traits when subjected to directional (Chapter II) and temporally varying environmental shifts (Chapter III), revealing the roles of …

Prefrontal Medial Cortex Dendritic Complexity Alteration Following Prenatal Alcohol Exposure And Placental Insufficiency, Zarena M. Dominguez, Suzy Davies, Roberto N. Almeida Mancero, Daniel D. Savage, Jessie R. Maxwell

2024 Pediatric Research Forum Session

Executive functioning is the ability to control and coordinate abilities and behaviors, but prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) negatively impacts these functions. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is a crucial brain region that plays an essential role in higher level functioning such as motivation, long-term memory, and sociability. The effects of PAE have been shown to alter the fetal blood flow in utero, which results in placental insufficiency (PI). PI has negative impacts on fetal development and neurodevelopmental outcomes. There has been little research on the effects of the combination of PAE and PI. We aimed to further investigate the impact …

Native American Women Leadership In Higher Education, Monica J. Etsitty Dorame

Organization, Information and Learning Sciences ETDs

This qualitative study explored leadership in higher education through the perspectives of six Native American women faculty at a southwest university. The study utilized a Diné informed conceptual framework incorporating the Diné Philosophy of education, the Diné philosophy of life (Są’áh Naagháí Bik'eh Hózhóón - SNBH), and the Diné ceremonial basket. The research examined how Native women faculty perceived leadership, their identity as leaders in higher education, their leadership in the community, and how their background and context influenced their perception of leadership. Further, it explored their roles within academic and community settings. The study employed narrative inquiry and thematic …

The Effect Of Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation In Markers Of Gut Permeability And Gastrointestinal Discomfort After Exercise In The Heat, Suzana Andrade De Oliveira

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Exercise performed under heat stress conditions is associated with an increase in gut permeability, commonly known as "leaky gut.". Recent studies suggest that sodium bicarbonate ingestion (NaHCO3) before exercise in the heat may offer ergogenic benefits. However, NaHCO3 is known to induce gastrointestinal discomfort (GI) and potentially exacerbate gut permeability. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of NaHCO3 on markers of gut permeability and gastrointestinal discomfort after prolonged physical exercise in a hot environment. To test this, we analyzed markers of intestinal permeability and injury pre and post exercise under heat stress comparing a NaHCO3 group to a placebo group. …

The Effects Of Acute And Chronic Ethanol Exposure On Mouse Spontaneous Spatial Behaviors, Tia Donaldson

Psychology ETDs

Within the open field, rodents spontaneously explore their surroundings by alternating between stops (absence of movement) and progressions (locomotion between locations). Few studies have examined how alcohol influences the organization of these spatial behaviors; therefore, we evaluated the effects of acute single-dose and binge-like alcohol exposure on spontaneous open-field behaviors. In Experiment 1, adults received a single injection of ethanol and explored a dark environment for 30 minutes. We found that mice assessed immediately after the injection exhibited reductions in locomotion and spontaneous behavior, while those tested 30 minutes later only exhibited suppressed locomotion. In Experiment 2, adolescent/adult mice received …

The Role Of Spreading Depolarizations In Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries, Natalie J. Pinkowski

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) often lead to acute symptoms like disorientation and discoordination, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Although most patients recover quickly from a single mTBI, repeated injuries can be debilitating. After an mTBI, a neurometabolic cascade produces metabolic burden and vulnerability. Spreading depolarizations (SDs) have been observed after mTBIs. Here we investigated SDs’ role in short-term motor behavioral deficits post-mTBI. We hypothesized that SDs contribute to the deficits, and exacerbated symptoms after repeated mTBIs. To test this, we used acute motor behavioral tests and long-term behavioral and cognitive tests after initiating SDs by mTBI, chemical, or …

Hsc Connects Newsletter - April 5, 2024, Unm Hsc Communications

HSC Connects Newsletters

Weekly newsletter of the UNM Health Sciences Center.

Formulation, Characterization, And In Vivo Immunogenicity Evaluation Of Heat-Stabilized Dissolvable Polymeric Microneedles, Aidan Lane Leyba

Biomedical Engineering ETDs

Since its introduction, vaccination has improved health outcomes tremendously. However, modern vaccination efforts are still difficult to implement, particularly in developing countries with warm climates. This includes complex and expensive cold-chain management of vaccines to maintain stability, a lack of medical personnel to administer parental vaccines, and needle phobia. As an alternative, dissolvable microneedles have recently been studied for their simple and painless application. In this thesis, I present a novel manufacturing process for polymer-based dissolvable microneedles, loaded with virus-like particles vaccines conjugated to TRIO or Sialokinin peptides to target malaria and arboviruses, respectively. We have performed multiple characterization studies …

In Vivo Tissue Distribution Of Polystyrene Or Mixed Polymer Microspheres And Metabolomic Analysis After Oral Exposure In Mice, Marcus M. Garcia, Aaron S. Romero, Seth D. Merkley, Jewel L. Meyer-Hagen, Charles Forbes, Eliane El Hayek, David P. Sciezka, Rachel Templeton, Jorge Gonzalez-Estrella, Yan Jin, Haiwei Gu, Angelica Benavidez, Russell P. Hunter, Selita Lucas, Guy Herbert, Kyle Joohyung Kim, Julia Yue Cui, Rama R. Gullapalli, Julie G. In, Matthew J. Campen, Eliseo F. Castillo

Pathology Research and Scholarship

BACKGROUND: Global plastic use has consistently increased over the past century with several different types of plastics now being produced. Much of these plastics end up in oceans or landfills leading to a substantial accumulation of plastics in the environment. Plastic debris slowly degrades into microplastics (MPs) that can ultimately be inhaled or ingested by both animals and humans. A growing body of evidence indicates that MPs can cross the gut barrier and enter into the lymphatic and systemic circulation leading to accumulation in tissues such as the lungs, liver, kidney, and brain. The impacts of mixed MPs exposure on …

Analysis Of Neutrosophic Set, Julia Set In Aircraft Crash, M.N. Bharathi, G. Jayalalitha

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

A neutrosophic fuzzy set that generalizes the classical set is represented by a closed interval [0,1]. Let us generalize the fuzzy set to the Neutrosophic set, which is defined as three membership functions between interval]-0,1+ [. This paper examines the bird collision problem within a more grounded Neutrosophic framework. The collision between the bird and the aircraft is represented in the Neutrosophic domain as a stationary point because it occurs at a distance too great for any other auditory signal to discern. Numerous methods exist for solving the airplane problem, including a Julia set in complex numbers. Bird collisions resulting …

Heat Mitigation Impacts Of Agriculture, Greenspace, And Riparian Forest In Albuquerque, New Mexico, Brennan Davis

Water Resources Professional Project Reports

Albuquerque, New Mexico, alongside the larger American desert Southwest, is already living the reality of climate change – temperatures have risen faster than the global average and, left unchecked, will continue to rise at an ever-increasing pace (NOAA 2022, Garfin et al. 2014). Alongside this disproportionate warming, the Southwest has experienced worsening drought which further stresses an already arid system (White et al. 2023, Dunbar et al. 2022). At the intersection of these changes lie a myriad of interrelated consequences for both ecosystems and communities. The urban heat island effect is one of many such consequences and is responsible for …

Inhaled Microbiomics: Targeted Delivery Of Prebiotics And Antibiotics In Patients With Cystic Fibrosis, David Arran Mcchesney, Seth M. Daly, Patricia Marshik, Pavan Muttil

Pharmaceutical Sciences ETDs

Adults with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) are a unique and expanding patient population in the context of massive progress in disease screening and treatment. However, exacerbations remain a significant complication of the disease associated with its decline. CF pathophysiology promotes chronic respiratory bacterial infections, which are implicated in exacerbations. An important finding in research surrounding the respiratory microbiome has correlated the loss of diversity being with a worse prognosis in chronic lung diseases. We developed an aerosol formulation towards supporting the existing, diverse respiratory microbiome. Our formulation of prebiotics with and without antibiotics was designed to fit within the complex, multistep, …

The Impact Of Maternal Alcohol Consumption Patterns On Behavioral Outcomes In Offspring, Abbey Rose Myrick, Diane Jimenez, Belkis Jaquez, C Fernando Valenzuela, David N. Linsenbardt

Brain & Behavioral Health Research Day

Alcohol is a known teratogen, a substance capable of changing the neurodevelopmental outcomes of a fetus. We demonstrate an interaction between the rate, timing, and quantity of maternal alcohol consumption on the behavior of offspring in mice. Specifically, we found a correlation between these maternal drinking patterns and sex-specific changes in motor function and body weight gain. This study provides a precise tracking and analysis method for rodent maternal drinking characteristics and fetal neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Third Trimester Equivalent Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Leads To Impaired Contextual Conditioning Paralleled By Blunted Activity Of The Anteroventral Thalamus, Mitchell Morningstar, David Linsenbardt, Katalina Lopez, Fernando Valenzuela

Brain & Behavioral Health Research Day

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders result in a variety of learning and memory deficits. In this original study, we examined learning deficits between a third trimester equivalent alcohol exposure (TTAE) mouse model and their saline control counterparts. Additionally, we assessed the functional connectivity between 100+ brain regions using a marker of neural activity, cFOS. Overall, TTAE mice showed deficits in learning and differential network activation.

The Critical Role Of Cntn1 In Myelination Of White Matter Tracts During Brain Development, Haojie Chen, Luis E. Paez-Beltran, Tou Yia Vue

Brain & Behavioral Health Research Day

Contactin-1 (CNTN1), a cell adhesion and cell surface molecule, has been shown to be important for brain development. CNTN1 is suggested to be required for neuronal development and formation of myelin that protects the neurons. When CNTN1 is absent during development, it is lethal for the animal. The objective of this experiment is to elucidate the role of CNTN1 during brain development and myelination.

Funding: This research was supported by R01NS121660, UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center Support Grant NCI P30CA118100, and Taconic-Cyagen Custom Animal Model Awards.

The Effects Of Moderate Prenatal Alcohol Exposure On Performance In Hippocampal-Dependent Spatial Memory And Anxiety Tasks By Adult Male And Female Rats, Gabriela Acosta, Jack Madden, Ariyana Lacour, Suzy Davies, Jeremy Hogeveen, Daniel D. Savage, Nathan Pentkowski, Benjamin Clark

Brain & Behavioral Health Research Day

Moderate prenatal alcohol exposure (mPAE; ~60-80 mg/dL) has been found to result in structural alterations to the hippocampus. Although many studies have shown that mPAE impairs performance on hippocampal-dependent tasks, few studies have compared behavior across male and female mPAE rats. Thus, the present study was aimed at comparing performance by male and female mPAE rats in tests of spatial memory and anxiety. Overall, mPAE didn't significantly affect spatial tasks but decreased anxiety-like behaviors.

This research was supported by R01 AA029700 and P50 AA022534.

Effects Of Third Trimester Alcohol Exposure (Ttae) On Oligodendrocyte Development In The Mouse Brain, Estrella Villicana, Luis E. Paez-Beltran, Bianca L. Myers, C Fernando Valenzuela, Tou Yia Vue

Brain & Behavioral Health Research Day

Background: Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (PAE) occurs when an expecting mother consumes alcohol at any stages of pregnancy. PAE will lead to children to develop fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs), which are a group of conditions that can include a wide range of behavior problems, cognitive impairments and distinctive physical features. Oligodendrocyte Precursor cells (OPCs) are glial cells and they’re responsible for generating oligodendrocytes which myelinate neuronal axons to allow proper conduction of action potentials. Decrease myelination in the brain is a prominent feature of PAE both studies in humans and animal models. We hypothesize that third trimester pups exposed to …

Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (Pae) And Mild Adolescent Stress Induce Vulnerability To Mild Adult Stress In Mice, Justine Zimmerly, Anette Fernandez-Oropeza, Melody S. Sun, Clara J. Tomicek, Erik J. Balmer, Noah A. Castro, Shahani Noor, Andrea A. Pasmay, Ariana N. Pritha, Carlos F. Valenzuela, Daniel D. Savage, Erin D. Milligan

Brain & Behavioral Health Research Day

This work presents the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) on the development of anxiety-like behaviors in adult mice following mild stressors. Models of mild stress in adolescence and adulthood were utilized to unmask aberrant neuroimmune actions and subsequent development of anxiety-like behaviors in adult PAE offspring. The results indicate that PAE induces maladaptive stress responses mediated by neuroinflammatory processes in different brain regions.

Investigating Anticipation For Alcohol In Mice Elicited By Cues Predicting Its Availability, Seth David, Dominic Furlano, Monserrat Orozco, David N. Linsebardt

Brain & Behavioral Health Research Day

Non-expert summary:

Excessive alcohol consumption leads to premature deaths and high societal costs, often exacerbated by relapses triggered by alcohol-associated cues. This study employed a mouse model of binge alcohol drinking to investigate if such cues elicit anticipatory behavior. We found that over time, all mice became responsive to cues irrespective of fluid provided. Surprisingly, control males spent more time near their sipper than other groups during cues, despite only ethanol mice exhibiting craving-associated drinking patterns.

Abstract:

Background: Excessive alcohol consumption contributes to approximately 140,000 deaths and $249 billion dollars in societal costs each year. This is due in …

Neuron Specific Gene Family Members Nsg1 & Nsg2 Differentially Affect Long-Term Potentiation, Learning And Memory, Antonio D. Serrano Rodriguez, Amber Zimmerman, Sandy Wilson, David Linsebardt, Jonathan Brigman, Jason Weick

Brain & Behavioral Health Research Day

Non-Expert Summary:

The neuron-specific gene family (NSG1-3) plays crucial roles in regulating the movement and processing of key proteins within neurons, particularly those involved in Alzheimer's disease and synaptic strength regulation. While NSG1 is known for its importance in proper synaptic function, NSG2's role is less understood. Surprisingly, deleting NSG2 selectively enhanced learning and memory, contrary to predictions. Electrophysiology experiments revealed NSG1 and NSG2 have opposite effects on synaptic plasticity, shedding light on their distinct molecular mechanisms.

Funding:

5R01NS116051-04

Eeg Acquisition Methods During The First Year Of Life: Unm Pilot Of Healthy Brain And Child Development Study (Hbcd), Alexandria Wiesel, Lidia Enriquez Marquez, Lawrence Leeman, Ludmila N. Bakhireva, James F. Cavanagh

Brain & Behavioral Health Research Day

Background:

The HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) is the largest multi-site longitudinal prospective study in the US. The national cohort is composed of local pregnant persons and children who continue with HBCD for 5+ years. HBCD seeks to examine brain and child development amongst substance and environmental exposures, social, cultural, and genetic influences.

Methods:

Repeated electroencephalography (EEG) assessments are performed throughout HBCD, starting at Visit 3 (3-9 months). EEG signals and corresponding stimuli are analyzed to measure event-related potentials (ERPs). EEG acquisition includes 4 age-adjusted tasks recorded via MagstimEGI 128 channel net, EKG lead, and Net Station Acquisition. Video …

Neuroplasticity In The Dentate Gyrus: A Multimethod Investigation On Hippocampal Ltp Following Prenatal Alcohol Exposure, Monica Goncalves-Garcia

Psychology ETDs

Studies have demonstrated alcohol-related deficits in LTP associated with histaminergic and glutamatergic impairments. The histaminergic H3R inverse agonist ABT-239 has shown promise in reversing these deficits. The present study focuses on another H3R inverse agonist, SAR-152594, and its impact on LTP deficits following moderate PAE. The findings reveal that systemic administration of 1 mg/kg of SAR-152594 reverses deficits in potentiation fEPSPs in adult male rats exposed to moderate PAE. Time-frequency analyses of evoked responses indicate PAE-related reductions in power during the fEPSP and increased power during later components of evoked responses, both reversed by SAR-152594. These results provide further evidence …

Study Of The Relationship Among Economic Variables In Cattle Production In A Region Of Peru, Based On Plithogenic Statistics, Ketty Marilú Moscoso-Paucarchuco, Michael Raiser Vásquez-Ramírez, Humberto Rafael Yupanqui-Villanueva, Wilfredo Fernando Yupanqui-Villanueva, Omar Arturo Vivanco-Nuñez, Manuel Michael Beraún-Espíritu, Rafael Jesús Fernández-Jaime, Edgar Gutiérrez-Gómez

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

This paper is an in-depth study that starts from a preliminary one, where we surveyed 141 ranchers from the town of Coto-Coto in Peru to obtain as much information as possible about the relationship between two economic variables, Activity Cost and Financial Management. Furthermore, we study the correlation of the first one of them with three other economic vari ables. To do this, we process the survey data using logical operators with the support of the plithogenic statistics theory. These results given in the form of plithogenic values are logically aggregated and were converted to crisp values and studied through …

Neutrosophy Transcends Binary Oppositions In Mythology And Folklore, Florentin Smarandache

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

This article is a brief foray into the intricate realm of mythological and folkloric composite entities. Our analysis posits that these hybrid and superhybrid creatures serve as compelling evidence that the human psyche consistently transcends binary oppositions as in neutrosophy. Across diverse cultures and epochs, the human mind exhibits a propensity for nuanced and neutrosophic vantage points, defying simplistic categorizations. Additionally, we make some remarks pertaining to the subject matter, and open up a few less conventional questions.

Neutrosophic Sets And Systems, Vol. 65,2024, Florentin Smarandache, Mohamed Abdel-Basset, Said Broumi

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Moderate Prenatal Alcohol Exposure On Navigation In A Delayed Non- Match-To-Place Spatial Alternation Task By Adult Male And Female Rats, Gabriela Acosta

Psychology ETDs

Prenatal alcohol exposure has been found to alter brain regions involved in spatial memory. Previous studies have shown that moderate PAE (mPAE; ~30-120 mg/dL) impairs spatial memory in male rats and damages the limbic-thalamus and hippocampus. Recent work has shown that visual discrimination memory is impaired after mPAE in a sex-specific manner such that female mice exhibit greater deficits after 15sec delay. It is unclear whether similar-sex-specific deficits would be observed in a spatial memory task or in a rat model of mPAE. Thus, the present study tests the hypothesis that mPAE would produce sex-specific deficits in a delayed non-match-to-place …

Accelerated Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation Modulates Microglial Activation In The Thalamus: Preliminary Data, Karen Luo, Binh Nguyen, Sarah Ward, Tessa Olmstead, Hans Van Der Horn, Christopher Abbott, Andrei Vakhtin, Davin K. Quinn

Brain & Behavioral Health Research Day

Late-life depression (LLD) is associated with elevated inflammatory markers, suggesting a possible mechanistic role and targets for treatment. We recruited 10 patients with late-life depression to receive 45 treatments of iTBS. Each participant underwent diffusion magnetic resonance spectroscopy (dMRS), an experimental sequence that detects changes in microglial activation. Preliminary results showed that iTBS may modulate inflammation through change of microglia conformation in the thalamus. Further work is needed to confirm findings.

Stochastic Terrorism, Speech Incantations And Federal Tax Exemption, Darryll K. Jones

New Mexico Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Historical Development Of The Concept Of Forced Labor And The Open Boundaries Of Its Definition Today, Christopher M. Roberts

New Mexico Law Review

This article considers the steps taken on the international level in the 1920s and 30s to define the terms through which freedom and unfreedom in the context of labor might be understood, the manner in which understandings of forced labor have subsequently evolved, and the parameters and potentials of the concept today. The first section explores the history of the 1926 Slavery Convention; the nature of coercive labor in colonized states in the inter-war period; the drafting processes and coverage of the 1930 Forced Labour Convention; the Convention’s accompanying recommendations; and subsequent developments in the legal definition of forced labor. …

Determination Of The Degree Of Relationship Between Activity Cost And Financial Management In Beef Cattle Production In A Region Of Peru, Based On Indeterminate Likert Scale And Neutrosophic Similarity, Michael Raiser Vásquez-Ramírez, Ketty Marilú Moscoso-Paucarchuco

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

Activity Cost and Financial Management are two variables of vital importance in livestock production. This paper aims to measure the relationship existing between these two variables within the production of beef cattle in the Coto-Coto Chilca Livestock Fair in Peru. To do this, we selected 141 ranchers from the area to give their opinions regarding the behavior of these two variables. The data were represented with the help of an Indeterminate Likert Scale, to capture the uncertainty and indeter minacy of the respondents' opinion. Survey results were compared for the two variables using a measure of neutrosophic simi larities. Neutrosophic …