Digital Commons Network^™

Decompositions Of Total Causal Effect: A Natural Counterfactual Framework Assessing Mediation And Interaction, Xin Gao

Mathematics & Statistics ETDs

In this work, we developed ten-way decompositions of the total causal effect on continuous outcomes in the presence of two mediators that have mediation and interaction components. We considered a natural counterfactual interaction effect framework that facilitates the decomposition of the total casual effects of the exposure on the outcome attributable to the effects of mediators and their interaction effects with the exposure. We discussed the identification assumptions and provide empirical formulas for estimating the components of the ten-way decompositions. We also developed multiplicative total causal effect decompositions based on risk ratios for binary outcomes, hazard ratios and logarithm survival …

Measuring Language Development In Children With Down Syndrome Who Use Aac, Ji Sun Park

Speech and Hearing Sciences ETDs

Purpose: This study examined the inter-observer agreement (IOA) and within-observer agreement as well as the clinical potential of newly proposed measures that are designed to monitor language progress of children with Down syndrome who use AAC. Measures were explored based on the Graphic Symbol Utterance and Sentence Development Framework.

Method: Participants included 8 preschoolers with Down syndrome. Four graduate student observers coded 13 measures across 57 intervention sessions. Each session was coded by two observers for IOA, and all sessions were recoded for within-observer agreement. Statistical analyses were completed on utterance level and session level.

Results: Across all observers and …

Machine Learning Based Dynamic Power Dispatching And Smoothing Using Hybrid Energy Storage System For Renewable Energy Systems, Bhuvaneshwarr Ramalingam

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

The stochastic fluctuations from Renewable Energy Resources (RER) have a great influence on power quality and off-grid communities. A combination of the different storage systems is accessible for RER generation intermittency and to bring about finest smoothing operating cycle compared to sole Energy Storage System (ESS). Additionally, energy management in Hybrid Energy Storage System (HESS) creates an uncertainty during power smoothing operation. This research materializes, an intelligent mechanism for power smoothing and dispatch with the introduction of hybridized storage that can accommodate the unpredictable behavior of RER under dynamic load. A feed-forward neural network is proposed as a power smoothing …

Converting Parylene C Into A Thin Film Piezoelectric Material, Murali Manohar Duggina

Nanoscience and Microsystems ETDs

Thin-film piezoelectric materials are increasing in demand, but most materials are stiff ceramic materials. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is a common polymer piezoelectric material, but it has limitations such as it requires post-processing steps to promote appropriate β-phase and it has a low operating and Curie Temperature, which limits its use in traditional microfabrication processing. The toxicity of PZT makes it incompatible with biomedical applications. Therefore, there is a need to develop a new class of polymer piezoelectric films that are compatible with current microfabrication methods. Parylene C (PA-C) is a chemical vapor deposited semi-crystalline polymer material with a nonsymmetric polymer …

Pt-Containing Conjugated Polymers And Small Molecules For Bhj Photovoltaic Devices, Yunjeong Kwon

Chemistry and Chemical Biology ETDs

The current state of organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices involve series of small molecular or polymeric systems that can absorb light from the solar spectrum in concert with another material that acts as an acceptor material. Together these materials serve to generate and split bound excitation species then transport the separate charges to their respected electrode. Several limitations have restricted the widescale use of these materials. Since these devices have their genesis in organic materials the OPV devices inherit short exitonic lifetimes, narrow absorption window and a lack of precise control over the morphology. To overcome these limitations, additional molecular engineering …

Ms4 Swmpp 2021, National Technology & Engineering Solutions Of Sandia, Llc (Ntess), Department Of Energy (Doe)

Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit

Stormwater discharges from Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico (SNL/NM) are eligible for coverage under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit. This Stormwater Management Plan (SWMP) was prepared by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia (NTESS) for the Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Sandia Field Office (SFO), owner of SNL/NM, located in Albuquerque, NM.

Effect Of Degradation Environment And Relative Humidity On Fracture Of Cement, Patience L. Raby

Civil Engineering ETDs

Concrete serves in all forms of humidity conditions (arid climates to submerged conditions) and can be exposed to many different forms of degradation. To better understand the effects that degradation and humidity have on concrete as a composite, the effects on cement alone must first be better understood. This research aims to examine the significance of degradation (calcium leaching or sulfate attack), in addition to relative humidity, on cracking and fracture behavior of cement. Flexure and fracture tests were performed on cement exposed to varying periods of each form of degradation as well as various humidities. Samples were exposed to …

Evaluation Of Fine And Coarse Graded Asphalt Mixes, Md Mehedi Hasan

Civil Engineering ETDs

During the last 20 years, asphalt pavements were built in New Mexico (NM) and around the country using mostly Superpave coarse graded mixes as opposed to fine graded mixes. This is because coarse mix uses larger aggregates with good interlocking and requires less asphalt binder than a fine mix, while both mixes fulfill the Superpave criteria. Recently, it was observed nationally that the Superpave coarse graded mixes have good field rutting performances but poor cracking performances. It is hypothesized that fine graded mix can help improve pavement cracking performances. The idea is, the fine mixes would have less air voids …

The Efficacy Of Brief Attitudinal Familism And Body Image Interventions On Diet And Exercise Self-Monitoring Adherence In Hispanic/Latinx Women, Kelsey Nicole Serier

Psychology ETDs

Addressing health disparities in overweight/obesity is a key public health issue. Research supports the efficacy of behavioral weight loss (BWL) interventions, however, adherence to these interventions is often low, which negatively impacts outcomes. The efficacy of BWL interventions is consistently lower among communities of color. Thus, there is a strong need to design and test interventions that are culturally sensitive and address predictors of BWL adherence in diverse groups. Previous research suggests that for Hispanic/Latinx women with overweight/obesity, attitudinal familism (“family comes first”) and body dissatisfaction were informative in predicting BWL adherence. The current study builds on this previous research …

Of Mindfulness And Men: Mindfulness And Quality Of Life Of Distressed Prostate Cancer Survivors, Christopher G. Ford

Psychology ETDs

Many prostate cancer (PCa) survivors experience on-going distress that affects their quality of life (QOL). Psychosocial interventions designed to address such distress frequently include mindfulness components. To better characterize the relation between mindfulness and distress, an ethnically diverse sample (n = 120) of PCa survivors in New Mexico and New Jersey endorsing at least minimal distress completed a one-time survey. Greater mindfulness was related to less psychological distress (r = -.40) and better mental health-related QOL (r = .35). However, mindfulness explained little additional variance after controlling for relevant demographic, medical, and psychosocial variables. Other variables (e.g., social isolation and …

Facemask Use During High Intensity Interval Exercise In Temperate And Hot Environments., Andrew D. Wells, Zachary Fennel, Jeremy Ducharme, Abdulaziz Masoud, Jon Houck, Bryanne Bellovary, Michael Deyhle, Yu Yu Hsiao, Fabiano Amorim, Christine Mermier

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

BACKGROUNDː Facemask use has been recommended during physical activity to prevent spreading and contracting the virus that causes COVID-19. There have been concerns about negative physiological and perceptual effects of mask-wearing, especially during higher-intensity activities. Emerging research suggests there is a minimal impact of wearing a surgical mask on physiological responses across a wide array of exercise intensities and modalities. However, there are no published data regarding the impact of surgical mask use in hot or temperate environments during high intensity interval exercise (HIIE). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of surgical mask use during …

Directional Integrity And Landmark Anchoring Of The Head Direction Cell System In The Tgf344-Ad Rat Model Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Laura E. Berkowitz

Psychology ETDs

Spatial navigation and memory are impaired in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and are prominent behavioral markers of preclinical AD. The TgF344-AD rat model of AD exhibits similar behavioral and pathological features to humans and thus serves as an excellent model to investigate the mechanisms underlying spatial impairment in AD. Brain regions in the parahippocampal cortex contain spatially responsive pyramidal cells that support spatial navigation and memory including place cells, grid cells, and head direction cells. Furthermore, GABAergic interneurons in these regions support precise temporal organization of spike dynamics and may play a critical role in maintaining reliable …

Eeg Features Of Explore-Exploit Decision-Making In Alcohol Use Disorder, Ethan Campbell

Psychology ETDs

Little research has assessed explore-exploit behavior in addiction using drug cues and even fewer studies have measured the neural activity underlying these behaviors. The present study aims to explore brain mechanisms of disordered decision-making in alcohol use disorder (AUD) through electroencephalography (EEG) during performance of a novelty bandit task with alcohol imagery and using a validated computational model of explore-exploit dynamics. Individuals with AUD (n = 28) and age and sex-matched controls (n = 27) showed differences in choice behavior and showed differences in EEG activity as a function of exploratory behavior, chosen stimulus type, and explore-exploit computational …

Stronger Transition: Coping With Natural Disasters, And Health-Economic Investment For Adolescents In Developing Countries, Mengqi Liu

Economics ETDs

This dissertation investigates the period of adolescence as another important window for human capital development. The first chapter provides the introduction of my three research papers, highlighting the research motivation, goals, and contributions. The final chapter summarizes the conclusions and discusses the future research trajectory. The first paper examines the long-term health and socioeconomic implications of exposure to natural disasters during adolescence and childhood. In the second paper, I survey the current awareness of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV vaccine in Nepal and test the different indicators for HPV vaccination, precisely the mother’s intention to vaccinate their adolescent girls against …

Brief For The National Stripper Well Association As Amicus Curiae, L. Ruth Fawcett Tr. V. Oil Producers, Inc. Of Kansas, Joseph A. Schremmer, Charles C. Steincamp

Faculty Scholarship

In its briefings, the Class in this appeal, in spite of the evidence, evokes the myth of a great conspiracy between operators and marketers, and it advances a theory that threatens impermissible economic and underground waste of natural gas resources. The language of the parties' oil and gas leases, on the other hand, sets up bargained-for arrangement that enables the parties to share in the benefits of stripper gas production and promotes conservation of the state's natural gas reserves.

The Effect Of Repetition Tempo On Training Volume, Heart Rate, Blood Lactate, And Muscle Oxygenation When Time Under Tension Is Matched In Recreationally-Trained Lifters, Zachary A. Mang

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

It is commonly reported that resistance training (RT) with slower-repetition tempos leads to greater metabolic stress because they increase the time under tension (TUT) during sets of exercise. However, little information is available on the effect of different repetition tempos on blood lactate concentration, muscle oxygenation, and heart rate (HR) when TUT and proximity to concentric muscular failure are matched during lower-body RT. In a repeated-measures, cross- over design, 11 recreationally-trained females (n = 5) and males (n = 6) performed five sets of belt squat under the following conditions: Slow-repetition tempo (SLOW; 10 reps with 4:2 second tempo) and …

Perceptions Of Saudi Recently Graduated Unplaced Special Education Teachers Of Students With Intellectual Disability Toward Their Preparation, Marwan Alatawi

Special Education ETDs

The Saudi Ministry of Education and Saudi universities have taken significant steps toward meeting the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 by reviewing the performance of teacher preparation programs in Saudi universities to improve the quality of teacher preparation, including for those who teach students with intellectual disability (ID). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of recently graduated unplaced teachers (RGUTs) specializing in ID toward their preparation, and to identify how these programs can be continuously improved. Five themes emerged based on the analysis of their responses in the interviews: (a) the RGUTs’ motivations to become …

Literacy, Rhetoric, Tradition, And Truth In The Age Of Bede, Gerard A. Lavin Iii

English Language and Literature ETDs

Despite his own high level of literacy and education, the Venerable Bede (672/3–735) inhabited a world in which nearly all personal, social, educational, and political discourse was conducted orally. A thorough understanding of his works will require an understanding of this discourse, but attempts to apply broad theories of “orality” derived from other cultures to early medieval England have repeatedly foundered. This dissertation establishes a set of guiding principles to produce a more nuanced and localized model of discourse in Bede’s England and observes a variety of ways oral and literate forms of rhetoric were employed by political actors in …

Petrology And Geochemistry Of Evolved Achondrites: Planetesimal Mantles And Crusts, Zoltan Vaci

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Melting and differentiation are fundamental to early solar system evolution on planetary bodies that accreted enough material to heat up radioactively or through impacts and breach their solidi. Partially and fully melted material is present in the meteorite record in the form of primitive achondrites and achondrites, which are fragments of planetesimals that underwent heating events in the first few million years of solar system history. Although the vast majority of this material is mafic or ultramafic, new evolved samples, recovered in the last few decades, are pushing the petrologic and geochemical boundaries of planetesimal melting, differentiation, and crust formation. …

Sisters Supporting Sisters: Photovoice & Diabetes Discourse Among Church-Based Women In New Mexico, Nina Mock Cooper

Communication ETDs

Within the expansive literature on diabetes in other disciplines, the communication lens focuses on the biomedical perspective and emphasizes doctor-patient and patient-provider relations. While there are limited studies that focus on the psychosocial aspect of diabetes morbidity, there is a gap in the existing literature across disciplines on communication about diabetes using both qualitative and participatory methods that are church-based. Because diabetes disproportionately and adversely impacts communities of color that report high levels of religious influence, there is an dire need for more effective interventions to ameliorate this chronic illness that causes high levels of morbidity and mortality.

The Sisters …

Re/ Constructing Race And Racism Among Unionized Mexican Immigrants Through Vernacular Discourse, Jocelyn Gomez

Communication ETDs

This study explores the vernacular discourse of unionized Mexican immigrants living and working in Orange County in California. Given the current political climate and the historical roots of the construction of "race" in the United States, I explore how the current sociopolitical conditions of organized Latina/o affect their understanding of race and their experiences with racism. It is also important to address the everyday racism the Latina/o community faces that continue to marginalize them. This study focuses on the vernacular discourses on race and racism of organized working-class Latinas/os who are members of labor unions. Through intentional conversations about racial …

A Corpus-Based Investigation Of Phrasal Complexity In L1, L2 Phd Students, And Expert Writers In Education Field, Hani Albelihi

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

This study compared 11 noun modifiers, adopted from Biber et al.’s (2011) index, in the writing of English native speakers (NS) and non-native speakers (NNS) graduate students in Education field and compare them with the frequencies found in published writings. Also, it investigated how the language background influences NP complexity in academic writing. The findings showed compared to the expert writers, the student writers used different amounts of phrasal modifiers in their dissertations (e.g., premodifying nouns). Then, a Chi-square test and residual analysis were run to explore how language background influences the noun phrases. Four particular noun modifiers were influenced …

Immodest Immortality: Emperor Maximilian I'S Artistic Program And The Ambraser Heldenbuch, 1504-1519, Jessica Cochran

History ETDs

Maximilian I (r. 1493-1519) utilized various forms of artistic and literary media throughout his reign to control his public image after his death. This thesis focuses on a manuscript project that has historically received little scholarly attention. The Ambraser Heldenbuch, produced between 1504 and 1517, preserves German heroic epics, many of which would otherwise be lost today. The manuscript has been highly valued for its literary and linguistic significance, but this thesis argues that the entire project sheds light on Maximilian’s plan to immortalize not only his own reputation, but also that of his family. This thesis focuses on …

Mud Binds Mitotic Kinesins Non-Claret Disjunctional And Pavarotti In D. Melanogaster, Vincent Cutillas

Biology ETDs

The cytoskeleton is crucial to maintaining an even distribution of chromosomes and subsequently to divide the cell during every cell cycle. During mitosis, spindle structure and movement dictates how chromosomes will be separated and act as the sole mechanism for even distribution of these chromosomes. The cytoskeleton also remains a major cellular component during cytokinesis when the cell must cleave the membrane in order to form two resulting daughter cells. Both processes require an extensive use of the immobile structures of the cytoskeleton, such as microtubules (MTs), intermediate filaments, and microfilaments, but also the mobile units, which are the motor …

Multiple Baseline Interrupted Time Series: Describing Changes In New Mexico Medicaid Behavioral Health Home Patients’ Care, Jessica Reno

Mathematics & Statistics ETDs

In 2016, the CareLink New Mexico behavioral health homes program began enrolling Medicaid recipients with the goal of increasing care coordination, improving access to services, and decreasing long-term costs of care for adults with serious mental illness (SMI) and children with severe emotional disturbance (SED). To evaluate these aims, a retrospective interrupted time series study using Medicaid claims data was designed. First, a comparable subset of non-enrolled individuals was selected from the pool of Medicaid recipients with SMI or SED using propensity score matching. Then, segmented regression was applied to three outcomes: total Medicaid charges, number of outpatient behavioral health …

Disability Injustice: A Latino’S Creative Autoethnographic Testimonio On The Organizational Culture Of Higher Education, Leonel A. Diaz Jr.

Organization, Information and Learning Sciences ETDs

Using creative autoethnographic testimonio (CAT), a story is told about the injustices within the learning environment and work environment of higher education toward a person with disabilities: sleep apnea, learning disabilities, negative mental health. The author explores the health difficulties of addressing sleep deprivation while attending graduate school and working full-time as a professional. With sleep apnea impacting his health, his mental health declines. As his health declines, there is an increase in discrimination, hostility, oppression, bullying, and toxic masculinity. Initially, the medical system dismisses his declining health and refuses to look further into it. Once he receives medical care …

Main Concept, Sequencing, And Story Grammar (Mssg) Analyses Of The Cinderella Story In Latent Aphasia, Janet B. Adams

Speech and Hearing Sciences ETDs

Commonly used standardized tests, like the Western Aphasia Battery-Revised (WAB-R), are not sensitive to higher level discourse deficits, leading to certain individuals not meeting diagnostic criteria for aphasia. Consequently, individuals with aphasia are excluded from receiving potentially beneficial services and/or from being included in research. In a large sample of persons with stroke-induced aphasia, this study analyzed discourse samples using Main Concept, Sequencing, and Story Grammar (MSSG) Analyses to examine macrostructural discourse characteristics of persons with latent aphasia (PWLAs) compared to persons with no underlying brain injury (PNBIs) and persons classified as having anomic aphasia (PWAAs) by the WAB-R. A …

The Role Of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor In The Link Between Physical Activity And Psychosocial Recovery From Alcohol Use Disorder, Adam D. Wilson

Psychology ETDs

Objective: Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a common, chronically relapsing condition with substantial health and economic costs. United States federal agencies have put out calls in the last decade to expand the scientific evidence base for broad biopsychosocial recovery from AUD and other substance use disorders (SUD). The present study examined the role of physical activity and exercise in early recovery from AUD, with specific attention to changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) as a marker of neuroplasticity and a potential mechanism for instantiation of recovery-aligned behaviors. Method: Individuals in the first year of recovery from AUD were …

The Trauma, Substance Use, And Crime Connection: Characteristics And Recidivism Outcomes Of Adult Offenders, Kathryn F. Fokas

Psychology ETDs

Despite exceptionally high rates of trauma and substance use among incarcerated offenders, treatments remain limited in scope and availability within the criminal justice system. Identifying shared underlying mechanisms and potential gender differences could facilitate the development of interventions to target the vicious cycle of trauma, substance use, and crime. This study aimed to test a novel conceptualization of trauma, substance use, and criminal history as a composite risk factor for recidivism, including posttraumatic world assumptions as a hypothesized mediator and gender as a potential moderator. Participants were adult offenders from a community corrections program. Due to many institutional barriers and …

Factors Influencing Rural Women’S Physical Activity Behaviors: A Social Ecological Perspective, Karen Lynn Webb

Nursing ETDs

ABSTRACT

Chronic disease and poor mental health are disproportionally impacting adults living in rural America. Regular physical activity has been shown to promote overall well-being and prevent many chronic diseases. Yet, research shows that many rural adults do not engage in enough physical activity to meet the recommended levels put forth by the federal government. The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to explore and describe the experiences of physical activity as perceived by rural women in their own words. Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews of 20 women aged 25 to 34 living in McDowell County, West …