Digital Commons Network^™

Proof Of Claim Form: John Doe 192b, Hall & Monagle, Llc

Proofs of Claims

No abstract provided.

Essays On Agricultural Water Pollution And Human Health, Na Lu

Economics ETDs

This dissertation mainly focuses on agricultural policies, water pollution and human health. Chapter.2 examines the causal impact of agricultural water pollution on individual health outcomes. The findings suggest that agricultural water pollution worsens health outcomes and these adverse health effects appear to be largely due to contaminated drinking water. Chapter.3 explores both of the intended wealth effect and unintended pollution effect on human health caused by China’s agricultural support polices. I find that although the income effect dominates on reducing the overall sickness, the pollution effect is more substantial on the diarrhea incidence and adult BMI. Income affects slightly higher …

Amaro E Piccante: The Production And Use Of Terroir In The Scandal Of Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oils, Daniel Gene Shattuck Ii

Anthropology ETDs

This dissertation explores the revalorization of Italian extra virgin olive oils after a food scare that revealed some oils to be inauthentic or adulterated. In the process of distinguishing products, producers and tasters looked toward terroir or the “taste of place” as proof of their declarations of authenticity and as a method for differentiating oils. However, in this attempt, they engaged with other pervasive tropes of difference including those that intersected with belonging, the local and global, and race. This dissertation argues that terroir is a material-semiotic object; that while it may be grounded in the materiality of oils is …

Beyond Spectator Sports: Scale Development And Validation For Mediated Sports Consumption, Min Jung Kim

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

One apparent trend impacting spectator sports is the shift in sport fans’ consumption opportunities, having now gained many alternative formats to access sporting events. Sport fans are allowed intentionally and constantly to move from platform to platform and access content on demand. These substitute platforms, including home television, online streaming, social networking, sports bars, and movie cinema, are considered mediated sports consumption, alternative outlets to actual physical attendance of sporting events. As the phenomenon of mediated sports consumption has become a predominant means of spectating sports consumption practice, it is more important than ever to identify and understand how mediated …

Assessment Of Particulate Matter Toxicity And Physicochemistry At The Claim 28 Uranium Mine Site In Blue Gap, Az, Jessica G.S. Begay

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Particulate matter (PM) inhalation is known to have adverse effects on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Community concerns in the southwestern US have been expressed in regions of extensive open-pit hard-rock (especially uranium) mining that windblown dusts may pose an excess health risk. To address these concerns, we have undertaken a campaign to detail: (1) the amount and composition of the PM_2.5 in the region, (2) meteorological characteristics, such as wind speed and direction, and (3) and immunological and physiological responses of mice after PM_2.5 exposures.

For toxicity studies, C57BL/6 and apolipoprotein E-null (ApoE^-/-, a vascular …

The Association Of Psychological Distress And Mental Health With English Language Acquisition Of Recently Resettled Refugees In The United States, Charlisa C. Christian

Sociology ETDs

Host country language proficiency among resettled refugees has been associated with better mental health; yet, in qualitative studies, refugees describe psychological distress acting as a barrier to their learning. To clarify varying results, this longitudinal study of refugees from Africa, the Middle East, and Afghanistan (n=290) examined language acquisition with positive mental health and psychological distress as distinct concepts on correlated unipolar dimensions (Keyes 2002; Rumbaut 1989). With multilevel modeling, initial English speaking ability was significantly related to increasing positive mental health over time, indicating host country language proficiency acts as a protective factor for refugees, and supporting the growing …

Synthesis & Characterization Of Polymer-Modified Calcium Silicate Hydrate For Wellbore Applications, Jeremy J. Starr

Civil Engineering ETDs

Calcium Silicate Hydrate (C-S-H) acts as the primary binding material that is mainly responsible for the strength and durability of concrete. C-S-H constitutes approximately 67% of hydrated ordinary Portland cement by volume. C-S-H forms with a range of stoichiometric formula dependent on many factors such as CaO/SiO₂ ratio. The continued rise of hydrocarbon exploration in the United States has developed the need for improved wellbore cementing materials. Binders with good bond strength to steel and rock interfaces, low shrinkage, and high cracking strength are sought by the oil and gas industry. The incorporation polymers and nano materials has evolved …

Software Design For Probabilistic Safety: Stochastic Reachability And Circadian Control, Joseph D. Gleason

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Stochastic reachability is an important verification tool that provides probabilistic assurances of safety in a variety of contexts. In engineered systems, safety may be synonymous with the ability of the system to avoid "bad" constraints on the state space, that constitute collision, departure from a flight envelope, or other undesirable phenomenon. In biomedical systems, assurance of safety (such as the mandate to ``do no harm'') are considerably complicated by the fact that there is a lack of physics-driven models, extensive signal processing is needed to capture the underlying state of the system, and the stochasticity inherent to the system may …

Chronic Environmental Exposure To Metal Mixtures In Tribal Populations And Potential Immune System Effects, Jennifer J. Ong

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Hardrock mining in the United States (US) has left a legacy of mixed metal mine waste sites. Wastes may contain multiple metals of health concern, including arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, and uranium, among others. Mining waste sites are disproportionately located on or contiguous to the watersheds of tribal lands. Due to proximity, and because of reliance on natural resources to maintain traditional diets and customs, Native American communities’ contact with multiple metals is often increased. Two impacted communities are the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST) and Navajo Nation. Both tribes have expressed concerns that metals in mine waste adversely affect …

The Development Of A Novel Experiment On Confined, Flattened Brazilian Disks To Correlate Damage And Permeability In Brittle Geo-Materials, Samuel H. Boyce

Civil Engineering ETDs

This research develops a novel experiment using flattened Brazilian disks under confining pressure with concurrent permeability measurements and acoustic emission monitoring. The purpose of this work is to correlate damage and permeability in brittle geo-materials. Two series of tests are performed on concrete and one series on tuff, under a range of confining stresses between 2.76 and 13.79 MPa. Tests were continued beyond peak stress conditions, capturing data in the post-peak region. The acoustic emission data (cumulative energy and counts) are used to identify damage thresholds and track the progression of microscopic damage. This quantified damage is then correlated to …

Biointerfacial Studies Of Nitrifying Biofilms On Physically And Chemically Modified Surfaces, Philip Marley Roveto

Civil Engineering ETDs

Interactions between bacteria and surfaces during the initiation of biofilm formation are complex phenomena with significant and wide-ranging implications for nutrient cycling, ecosystem and human health, and the remediation of anthropogenic pollutants. Nitrifying biofilms are currently used for ammonia removal in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) systems. As well-studied biofilms, they can serve as models towards understanding crucial aspects of biofilm engineering. The overall objective of this research was to better understand how variations in specific surface chemistries and topographical features affect nitrification rates and microbial populations in an effort to develop technologies for improved productivity. The experimental approach was to …

20191112_Hslic Welcomes Logan Shea, Unknown User

HSLIC Blog Post

No abstract provided.

Proof Of Claim Form: John Doe 190b, Hall & Monagle, Llc

Proofs of Claims

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids In Blood Pressure Regulation And Secondhand Smoke-Induced Vascular Dysfunction, Emily Anna Wheeler

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) may lower cardiovascular disease risk by reducing blood pressure (BP). We hypothesized that fat-1 transgenic mice, which convert n-6 PUFAs to n-3 PUFAs, would have improved vascular function in BP regulation and following secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure, compared to wild type (WT) mice.

BP was recorded in mice fed an n-6 PUFA, or standard chow diet. On the n-6 PUFA diet fat-1 mice had a lower mean arterial pressure and a greater decrease in diastolic BP when treated with an ACE inhibitor, compared to WT mice. No differences were observed on the chow diet. …

Proof Of Claim Form: John Doe 188b, Hall & Monagle, Llc

Proofs of Claims

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Infant Temperament On Maternal Sensitivity In Preterm Infants, Suzanne Vaccaro

Psychology ETDs

Infants who experience sensitive caregiving are at lower risk for numerous adverse outcomes. This is especially true for infants born preterm, leading them to be more susceptible to risks associated with poorer quality caregiving. Some research suggests that preterm and full term infants differ on in temperament, which may contribute to findings that caregivers of preterm infants are often found to display less sensitive responding to their infants. To investigate the associations between term status, infant temperament, and maternal behavior, videotaped play interactions and a measure of temperament, the Infant Behavior Questionnaire were coded for samples of preterm and full …

Speech Characteristics Of Professional Fighters, Sofiya Krasilshchikova, Amy Neel

Shared Knowledge Conference

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a degenerative neurological disease that affects 7% of people who have had at least one instance of a moderate to severe concussion. There are multiple populations that have an increased risk of developing this disorder including military veterans who have been exposed to blast damage, victims of domestic violence, and athletes who participate in events that expose them to repeated head trauma. This project examines the speech characteristics of one specific group of athletes that includes professional fighters: boxers and mixed martial artists. The population that was examined for this thesis are the participants in …

Student-Athlete Experience: A Study Of Time Demands Among Student-Athletes And Their Non-Athlete Peers, Charles Provencio, Yan Gioseffi, Allison Brooke Smith

Shared Knowledge Conference

The purpose of this study was to examine time demands of student-athletes and non-athletes to determine if there was a significant difference between the two groups. Data were collected from students at a Division I university using a Student Activity Log (SAL). Data was collected using the SAL to show how much time was spent doing various activities, including Academic, Athletic, Work, Social, Sleep and Other. Data was analysed using a Mann-Whitney U Test to determine significant differences in the time expenditures between student-athletes and non-athletes. Results indicated that there was a significant difference in the time demands between student-athletes …

Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agent: An Economic Analysis, Colin Sleeper, Luisa Dominguez, Kate Cartwright, Brent Wagner, David Van Der Goes

Shared Knowledge Conference

Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agent: An Economic Analysis Colin Sleeper1, Luisa Dominguez2, Kate Cartwright, PhD, MPH3,4, PhD4, Brent Wagner, MD5,6, David van der Goes1,4 , 1Department of Economics, University of New Mexico 2University of Texas at El Paso, 3School of Public Administration, University of New Mexico, 4 Combined BA/MD Program, University of New Mexico, 5The Kidney Institute of New Mexico and Department of Medicine, 6University of New Mexico Health Science Center Abstract: Gadolinium enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a staple of contemporary diagnostic medicine (Leyba & Wagner 2019). Despite the uncertainty associated with their use, gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) are used …

Managing Teacher/Coach Role Conflict, Christopher Mellor, Karen Gaudreault

Shared Knowledge Conference

Teacher education programs place a great deal of emphasis on proper pedagogy and the effectiveness of a teacher. However, if novice teachers are unable to identify, process, and confront socialization issues then there is a significant chance that reality shock and washout will set-in. Physical education teacher education curriculum needs to place importance on socialization issues and proper pedagogy, because one without the other decreases the chances that pre-service teachers will have a holistic view of the process of teaching. Physical educators are often asked to coach because of the perceived similarities between physical education and coaching. Teacher/coach role conflict …

Queer Critical Theory: A Key To Equity For Latinx Lgbtq+ Students In High School, Damon R. Carbajal

Shared Knowledge Conference

Students living at multiple marginalized identities often struggle most in the K-12 public school system. This is especially true for LGBTQ+ Latinx students in the state of New Mexico where the system often suppresses opportunities for these students to thrive. A key to reversing this suppression is through understanding the lived experiences of students who live at the intersection of being LGBTQ+ and Latinx. To understand these experiences fuller, the question, what is the social experience of male Latinx LGBTQ+ students in high school and how do these social aspects affect their academic achievement, is explored. Due to the lack …

The Relationship Between Access To Health Insurance And Obesity, Eunice Amoah

Shared Knowledge Conference

Obesity is a global epidemic that is spreading at a faster rate in developed and developing countries. This paper investigates the relationship between access to health insurance and obesity after controlling for physical inactivity, poverty, sleep and binge drinking. The main hypothesis is that a higher access to health care will decrease the probability of obesity in the U.S. I examined data on unhealthy lifestyles and access to health insurance in 2016 collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the CDC Foundation as a part of the 500 Cities project. This …

Listening And Learning From New Mexico "Communities Of Practice" To Shape And Inform Behavioral And Mental Health Research And Practice, Emily Guerra, Magdalena Avila, Lorenda Belone, Kiran Katira, Shixi Zhao

Shared Knowledge Conference

The University of New Mexico Transdisciplinary Research, Equity and Engagement (TREE) Center is focused on the improvement of behavioral health disparities with socioeconomically disadvantaged and underserved rural populations within the state of New Mexico, primarily with American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) and Latino populations. The Community Engagement and Dissemination Core (CEDC) within the TREE Center plays an integral role in developing transdisciplinary intervention science capacity. This is done through the creation of an information and dissemination infrastructure to improve how evidence-based science is collaboratively disseminated through mechanisms and channels that align with New Mexico communities. A major focus of the CEDC's …

Novel Methods For Measuring Drought Stress Of Crops In The Field, Kaitlyn Read, Patrick Hudson, Philip Miller, David Hanson

Shared Knowledge Conference

There is currently no available method for land managers to directly and non-destructively measure the water status of plants in the field. Water status of a plant effects plant growth and function and contributes to end-of-season crop yield. We have developed wearable, minimally invasive microneedle sensors that can be precisely placed in leaves of crops, to be used as electrodes for electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). EIS measures the passive electrical properties (magnitude and phase shift of impedance) of the leaf. EIS can be used to model biologic tissue as an electrical circuit, where ions in the intra- and extracellular fluid …

Multi-Systemic Heart, Kidney, And Liver Disease Induced By Gadolinium-Based Contrast Treatment, Joshua Deaguero, G. Patricia Escobar, Xochitil Trejo, Tamara Howard, Adrian Brearly, Brent Wagner

Shared Knowledge Conference

Introduction: Gadolinium-based contrast agents have revolutionized clinical imaging. Conversely, there is growing concern of the overall safety of these agents. Once administered there is long-term retention of gadolinium in tissues. The long-term biologic impact of gadolinium retention is if monumental concern to patients and drug-regulating administrations. Methods: Our research team was the first to establish a rodent model of iatrogenic systemic fibrosis using chimeric mice. Wild-type C57/BL6 mice were randomized by sex and weight into contrast treatment (2.5 mmol/kg intraperitoneally, 20 doses over 4 weeks) or untreated groups. Ultrasound (Vevo 3100, FujiFilm VisualSonics) was performed several days-post final contrast treatment. …

Machine Learning And System Dynamics Modeling For Study Of Health Care Transition, Lisamarie Turk, Christine Kasper

Shared Knowledge Conference

Study Purpose: This study is designed for exploration of patterns and systems associated with health care transition (HCT) for adolescents and emerging adults (AEA) with special health care needs (SHCN) (hereinafter referred to as AEA-SHCN). Background/Relevance: HCT for AEA-SHCN is generally defined as "transfer of adolescents and young adults with chronic physical and medical conditions from child-centered to adult-oriented health care systems." It is a complex public health problem directly affecting, annually, an estimated 4 million children and families in the United States. Ineffective HCT further impacts broader society, as evidenced in high and rising public health care costs attributable …

Sex-Specific Survival And Tumor Mutational Burden In Early Stage Melanoma, Matthew Schwartz, Li Luo, Sara Niedbalski, Arshi Arora, Ronglai Shen, Marianne Berwick

Shared Knowledge Conference

Introduction Tumor mutational burden (TMB) is a promising biomarker of clinical response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in metastatic cancers, and melanoma-specific survival. There are also significant gender-specific differences in TMB with men having consistently higher TMB than women. This relationship is provocative given the well-documented female melanoma survival advantage, and has not been investigated in early-stage primary tumors naïve to treatment. Approach Here we present preliminary findings on sex, survival, and tumor mutational burden from Stages II and III primary melanoma tumors, none of which have received immunotherapy using the MSK IMPACT™ next generation sequencing assay. Our team evaluated survival …

Pt181-Qß Vaccine Reduces Pathological Tau And Rescues Cognitive Deficits In A Mouse Model Of Tauopathy, Nicole Maphis, Julianne Peabody, Erin Crossey, Shanya Jiang, Fadi Jamaleddin Ahmad, Maria Alvarez, Amanda Yaney, Yirong Yang, Laurel Sillerud, Colin Wilson, Reed Selwyn, Jonathan L. Brigman, Kiran Bhaskar

Shared Knowledge Conference

Alzheimer's disease (AD), which currently affects 5.7 million people in the US, is clinically characterized by progressive memory decline. Since aging is a primary risk factor, and we are all getting older, this number is expected to triple to nearly 16 million, signaling a troubling health crisis. Tau, a protein in the brain, which normally provides support within neurons changes during the course of AD into pathological tau (pTau). pTau then accumulates as insoluble tangles within neurons, causing cell death, brain atrophy, and memory impairment. In the current study, we have developed a vaccine using a virus-like particle (VLP) platform …

Oral Development And Breastfeeding: An Assessment Of The Lactation Care Provider Approach, Robin Gatlin

Shared Knowledge Conference

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess lactation care provider's perception, attitude and behavior on the relationship between breastfeeding and oral development; including oral malocclusion, breathing patterns, tethered oral tissues and dental caries. Methods: A survey was created through REDCap. The survey was disseminated to members of The United States Lactation Consultant Association. The survey contained multiple-choice questions and asked the lactation care providers about their training, patient discussions and interactions, and perceptions. Descriptive analysis was used to evaluate each question. Results: A total of 12 members participated in the survey. Of that, 11 were International Board Certified …

Semmes-Weinstein Sensory Testing At The Fingertip: Should 2.83 Be The Norm?, Samantha Specht, Kaitlyn P. Casaus, Elizabeth I. Madrid, Michelle W. Randall

Shared Knowledge Conference

The Semmes-Weinstein monofilament test (SWM) is an objective test of sensation that is commonly used to identify sensory impairments in the hand. In traditional SWM testing, one out of three positive responses to the 2.83 mm monofilament indicates "normal" sensation, while a positive response to only the 3.61 mm monofilament indicates "diminished" sensation. Studies have found a significant variability in sensibility across subjects, which questions the validity of the 2.83 monofilament as normal. Objective: To determine if male and female subjects aged 25 and older with no history of sensory symptoms or known neurologic conditions would feel the 2.83 (normal) …