Digital Commons Network^™

From Cranes To Clinics: Genomic Epidemiology At The Human-Animal Interface, Sarah Shrum

Biology ETDs

Emerging infectious diseases represent a significant, increasing threat to human life, economic stability, and global security. The One Health framework, which promotes human health and wellness through the understanding that animal, environmental, and human health are interwoven, is critical to understanding pathogen emergence and transmission. This is underscored by the fact that roughly 60% of all human pathogens and 75% of emerging infectious disease are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted from animals to humans.

The work presented in this dissertation integrates genomic epidemiology, ecological analysis, and One Health Surveillance approaches to characterize cross-species circulation of opportunistic yeast pathogens (Candida …

The Formation Of Indian Health Services Within Imperial And Settler-Colonial Contexts, Jillian E. Grisel

American Studies ETDs

This dissertation examines the Indian Health Services as a Cold War biosecurity apparatus, showing how infectious disease was weaponized to dismantle treaty obligations, reorganize tribal lands into “service areas,” and reclassify Indigenous nations as surveilled populations. Against this carceral health economy, Indigenous nations refused. From the 1969 Alcatraz occupation to the 1976 Puyallup takeover of Cushman Indian Hospital, Native activists reclaimed health facilities as sovereign spaces, insisting that care is not a discretionary service but a treaty right grounded in land and kinship. Methodologically, I combine historical-legal analysis of congressional debates, Public Health Service reports, and IHS data with counter-archives …

Massive Upper Extremity Neurofibroma Treated With Limb-Sparing Debulking: A Case Report, Danielle Cummings, Tomas Holy, Nathan Morrell

Western Journal of Orthopaedics

Surgical management of neurofibromas in Neurofibromatosis type 1 (Von Recklinghausen’s disease), can be challenging because tumor size, location, hypervascularity, and tissue friability pose the risk for significant intraoperative and postoperative blood loss. Despite these risks, surgery is often necessary because of functional losses or cosmetic concerns. The authors present a 31-year-old woman with a massive neurofibroma on her right distal forearm, wrist, and hand, who ultimately underwent surgical resection because of functional impairment of her hand. She required postoperative hospitalization and blood transfusion for management of acute blood loss anemia. Because of concerns regarding blood loss and surgical morbidity, the …

Prosthetic Knee Joint Infection Caused By Gemella Morbillorum, Nataly Echevarria-Castro, Shaleen Duhra, Leonor Echevarria

Western Journal of Orthopaedics

Gemella morbillorum is a gram-positive coccus found in the gastrointestinal tract, and is an uncommon cause of human infections, including prosthetic joint infections (PJI). Reported risk factors include immunosuppression, recent gastrointestinal procedures, and poor dental hygiene. This report describes a case of knee PJI caused by G. morbillorum, likely due to hematogenous seeding following a colonoscopy three months earlier. The patient is a 70-year-old man with well-controlled diabetes mellitus who had undergone total knee arthroplasty three years prior. He presented with three weeks of left knee swelling. Synovial fluid culture revealed G. morbillorum. The patient was treated with debridement, antibiotics, …

The Incorporation Of Salivary Diagnostic Testing In Dental Hygiene Program Curriculum; A Pilot Study Using A Self-Reported Questionnaire, Carrie B. Palmer-Hawkins

Dental Hygiene ETDs

This study evaluated the incorporation of salivary diagnostic testing in dental hygiene program curricula. A recruitment email and survey link were sent to a convenience sample of 296 CODA-accredited program directors in the United States. Using a descriptive research approach, the survey gathered quantitative and qualitative data exploring directors’ perspectives on the role of salivary testing in dental hygiene education. Thirty-seven responses were gathered over three weeks, and 34 participants were included in the study, resulting in a response rate of 13%. Thirty-eight percent (n=13) reported incorporating salivary testing into their dental hygiene program curriculum through didactic or clinical coursework. …

Guillaume Dustan's Ethico-Politics Of The Body, Noah Mertz

Foreign Languages & Literatures ETDs

In this MA Thesis, I lay out a synthetic overview of polemical French writer Guillaume Dustan's (1965-2005) political philosophy. He is criticized first as irresponsible and dangerous for his defense of barebacking (sex without condoms) in the midst of the AIDS epidemic, and then, after his death, as a neoliberal/anarcho-capitalist for his focus on individual liberty. My overview touches on Dustan's Freudian belief that repression is the root of all social ills, his functional ethics of self-responsibility, the revaluation of heteronormative Judeo-Christian morality towards 'virtusex,' and his social contract that minimizes repression. Dustan’s goal is for you to autonomously subjectify …

Enhancing Diagnostic Precision Through Neutrosophic Degrees: A Hypothetical Framework For Managing Medical Uncertainty, A.A. Salama, Abdelnasser Mohamed, Huda E. Khalid, Ahmed Essa, Doaa E. Mossa

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Early Detection Of Epidemics Using Generalized Additive Models And Hidden Markov Models: A Neutrosophic Statistical Approach With Real-Time Health Data, Ammar Kuti Nasser

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

A Novel Approach For Neutrosophic Complete Graph And Neutrosophic Excellent Domination, Murugan Raji, Ponnaiah Tharaniya, Surapati Pramanik, G. Prabhu

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Neutrosophic Statistical Regression Models For Predicting The Incidence Of Nosocomial Infections In Post-Trauma Patients, Nairovys Gómez Martinez, Gerardo Ramos Serpa, Riber Fabian Donoso Noroña, Gloria Medina Naranjo

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

The rationale for predicting nosocomial infections in post-trauma patients is based upon the ability to assess all relevant and subjectivity factors effectively for each individual. This research is currently relevant to public health because nosocomial infections are one of the most stubborn factors plaguing patients and health facilities alike. Therefore, it is timely and appropriate to be able to predict accurate and generalizable findings—yet the current literature does not utilize a predictive approach that considers the uncertainty and imprecision when clinicians encounter such clinical data. Therefore, this dissertation aims to fill that gap with a statistical-neutrosophic regression model which inherently …

Assessing Viral Susceptibility In Tilapia Species Using Plithogenic Fuzzy Soft Set: A Multi-Expert Approach For Tilv, Raúl González Salas, Jhael Mikaela Gómez Ashqui, Marco Paúl Medina Valencia

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

This research assessed tilapia species susceptibility to Tilapia Lake Virus (TiLV) via a new plithogenic fuzzy soft set (CFS). This mathematical conception offers a holistic assessment via biological, environmental, and epidemiological attributes, merging unknown and variable data across multiple researching experts. Thus, the findings emerged from controlled and field assessed mortality, viral titers, and microenvironments of up to five species processed through the CFS model to determine vulnerability rankings. CFS revealed Oreochromis niloticus was the most susceptible to TiLV with red hybrids second and O. mossambicus most resistant. In addition, the CFS model revealed specific parameters, including temperature and population …

A Neutrosophic Causality Analysis (Nca) For Critical Success Factors Of Humanitarian Logistics Management During Disaster, Phi-Hung Nguyen, Lan-Anh Thi Nguyen, Thu-Hang Thi Do, Khanh-Phuong Hoang, Gia Khai Do, Thuy-Tien Thi Le, Hoai-Thu Nguyen

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Navigating The Challenges Of Global & National Uncertainty, The Global & National Security Policy Institute

LAII Events

Tuesday, August 26, 2025 | 08:00 am - 05:00 pm

Student Union Building Ballroom C

About:

The Global & National Security Policy Institute will gather the New Mexico security community for a symposium featuring practitioner and academic perspectives on the challenges of intelligence analysis, grand strategy, extended deterrence in Taiwan, the nuclear age, technology and advancement, and global cooperation for enhancing non-traditional security as well as poster presentations by GNSPI's Junior Research Fellows.

Notes:

This event is free and open to the public.

A Comparative Subnational Policy Analysis Of State Covid-19 Vaccine Policies And Application Of The Political Determinants Of Health Model, Demetrius Cianci Chapman

Nursing ETDs

A COMPARATIVE SUBNATIONAL POLICY ANALYSIS OF STATE COVID-19 VACCINE POLICIES AND APPLICATION OF THE POLITICAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH MODEL

By

Demetrius Cianci Chapman

Associate of Science Nursing, Jewish Hospital College of Nursing and Allied Health, 1998

Bachelor of Science of Nursing, Saint Louis University, 2000

Master of Public Health, Saint Louis University, 2004

Master of Science Nursing (Research), Saint Louis University, 2004

Doctor of Philosophy, Nursing, University of New Mexico, 2025

ABSTRACT

This study uses the political determinants of health (PDoH) framework to analyze state-level COVID-19 vaccine policies and their impact on population health. The PDoH model examines how structured …

A New Hybrid Deep Learning Method With Neutrosophic Sets For Social Media Sentiment Analysis Of The Covid-19 Vaccine,, Tasneem Abdelrahman, Mohamed El-Rashidy, Mohamed Marie

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Influences Of The Western Press On News Framing Of Global Events In Developing Countries: Examining Covid-19 And Climate Coverage In A Bangladeshi News Organization, Arif Md Tareque Habib

Communication ETDs

This study shows that a small number of Western news organizations (e.g., Reuters, The New York Times) may influence how local news organizations in developing countries frame global crises and that this influence may lead local news organizations to ignore locally relevant aspects of those crises. To test this thesis, two studies were conducted on the coverage of two crises -- COVID-19 and climate change -- by a news organization in Bangladesh, a developing country in South Asia. The news organization, www.bdnews24.com, serves both as a news agency or news supplier for local newspapers and an online newspaper for users. …

Ecoimmunology Of Dirty Physella Acuta Snails, Kevin Arthur Mcquirk

Biology ETDs

Research on Physella acuta, an invasive freshwater snail, reveals insights into its parasitology, fitness, and molecular biology. Morphological and molecular analyses revealed two distinct mitogenomic lineages, local (B) and invasive (A) strains of native P. acuta, both having comparable trematode infection rates, suggesting that the low infection rates observed from A in invaded regions result from "enemy release" rather than immune incompatibility. Fitness assessments showed that while lineages A and B performed similarly under laboratory conditions, rewilding experiments revealed significantly higher fitness in lineage A. Transcriptomic profiling supported these differences, with A snails showing greater immune-related gene expression and …

Exploration, Expansion, And Optimization Of Bacteriophage Virus-Like Particle Vaccines, Andzoa N. Jamus

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Bacteriophage virus-like particles are highly immunogenic, self-assembling platforms used for various vaccines. This work shows efforts to explore new vaccine candidates against Chlamydia trachomatis, targeting proteins that play critical roles in attachment and entry into the host cell, as well as in pathogenesis and bacteria proliferation. This work also shows the optimization of previously identified candidates, by investigating how altering routes of immunization can change the antibody profiles elicited, both systemically and locally. Finally, this work shows the establishment of various Chlamydia infection models in an effort to expand the ways in which vaccine efficacy can be investigated, particularly …

Immune Regulation In Fungal Airway Inflammation And Host Defense, Ruoning Wang

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lungs characterized by complex pathophysiological mechanisms and diverse endotypes, primarily categorized as T helper type 2 cell (Th2)-high and Th2-low asthma. Despite significant advances in understanding asthma pathogenesis, the mechanisms governing the pulmonary immune system’s response to external challenges have not been fully understood. To address these gaps, this comprehensive project was designed to investigate the interplay between fungal infections and specific CD4⁺ T cell populations in asthma. Our findings suggest that fungal infections can contribute to neutrophilic asthma by promoting the migration of platelet-myeloid aggregates into the lungs. We also …

Exploring Immune System Through Computational Modeling: A Comprehensive Study Of Lymph Nodes And Immune Response Scaling, Vaccine Efficacy, And Large-Scale Extreme First Passage Time, Jannatul Ferdous

Computer Science ETDs

The adaptive immune response is a complex defense mechanism that develops over time to recognize and eliminate pathogens with remarkable precision and durability. This dissertation investigates the dynamics, scaling, and efficiency of the adaptive immune response through a synthesis of computational modeling, mathematical analysis, and agent-based simulations. First, we analyze the topology of the lymphatic network and investigate the T cell search time to find the lymph node that is containing the matching dendritic cell. Second we show how the scaling of lymph node number and volume with body mass, leads to scale-invariant search times for T cells locating antigen-bearing …

Study Of The Effectiveness Of A Home-Based Pulmonary Therapy Program In Ecuadorian Older Adults With Prolonged Exposure To Biomass Smoke Based On Plithogenic Similarity Measure, Lisbeth Josefina Reales Chacón, Javier Patricio Heredia Jiménez, Lizbeth Geovanna Silva Guayasamín, Christian Andrés Silva Sarabia, María José López Pino, Javier Caiza Lema, Josselyn Gabriela Bonilla-Ayala

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

Biomass is a form of energy used primarily by people living in rural areas of developing countries. This type of energy is based on the combustion of elements such as wood. Exposure to biomass is linked to diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which is a major cause of global mortality. In this paper, we study a group of patients of 65 and over years of age exposed to biomass smoke for long periods in the Ecuadorian province of Cotopaxi. Specifically, we study the effectiveness of a home-based pulmonary rehabilitation program. Since there are different variables to measure, …

Application Of Interval Neutrosophic Logic Model For Diagnosis Of Cattle Disease, Lola Safarova, Dilnoz Muhamediyeva, Sokhibjan Muminov, Seyyed Ahmad Edalatpanah

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Physiological Regulation And Paths To Social Status In Chimpanzees, Megan F. Cole

Anthropology ETDs

In this dissertation, I leverage longitudinal comparative data from naturalistic chimpanzee populations to examine the evolutionary context for healthy aging and cooperative leadership. First, I use health data from semi-free-ranging chimpanzees living at African sanctuaries (2012-2023) to demonstrate that the effects of diet and exercise that promote healthy aging in humans are shared with chimpanzees. Semi-free-ranging chimpanzees exhibit a slower pace of biological aging compared to sedentary laboratory chimpanzees (Chapter 2). Sanctuary chimpanzees also have healthier inflammatory profiles, with no evidence of chronic inflammaging (Chapter 3). Second, I use hormonal and behavioral data from wild chimpanzees at Kanyawara (2005-2019) to …

Complexity, Coordination, And The Politics Of Global Health Emergencies: Institutions, Actors, And Responses, Jennifer M. Kerner

Political Science ETDs

This dissertation examines the politics of global health emergencies through three interconnected studies. First, it analyzes the declaration of Public Health Emergencies of International Concern (PHEICs), revealing that while World Health Organization (WHO) protocols influence decisions, political factors may also play a role. Second, a case study of the 2014 Ebola outbreak explores the complexities of international response coordination. It highlights the importance of established protocols, clear leadership, and effective communication, while also noting the challenges posed by resource constraints and inter-organizational dynamics. Third, the research investigates the impact of military involvement in global health emergencies. It reveals that military …

The Emotions Of Uncertainty: Science, Politics, And The Social Dynamics Of Decision Making, Alisa N. Rogers

Sociology ETDs

This dissertation examines how social and emotional factors influence attitudes toward science and decision making regarding science-based policy recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic. I examine boundary work practices among the public as they evaluate experts during the pandemic and the social sources of information people used to construct knowledge. Then I examine the social and emotional factors that participants indicated influenced their own attitude formation and decisions to act regarding public health recommendations during the pandemic. I find that emotions influence each element of the decision process: information gathering, information evaluation, attitude formation, and decisions to act. Affective commitment and …

Biomedical Sciences 2025 Apr Self-Study & Documents, Unm Academic Program Review

UNM Academic Program Review

UNM Biomedical Sciences APR self-study report, review team report, response report, and initial action plan for Spring 2025, fulfilling requirements of the Higher Learning Commission.

Contagion: An Introduction To Infectious Disease & New Mexico Health History, Abbie Weiser Olivas, Deirdre Caparoso, Claire Hannon, Amy Weig-Pickering

Projects

Traveling exhibit about New Mexico health history and infectious disease. This exhibit was created as part of a HSLIC seed funding grant that was awarded to Deirdre Caparoso, Amy Weig-Pickering, and Abbie Weiser Olivas. Access the HSLIC Traveling Exhibits LibGuide here: https://libguides.health.unm.edu/travelingexhibits. Exhibit concept, text, and image selection by Abbie Weiser Olivas. Design and graphics by Claire Hannon.

Predicting Customer Satisfaction Based On Neutrosophic Sets: Applied On Mobile Food Ordering Application, Walaa Elsanabary, Nouran M. Radwan

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

Customers’ satisfaction prediction is a vital process for all business organizations to draw new customers and maintain existing customers. One of the most efficient methods to predict customers' satisfaction is classifying customers' feedback. In the real world, customer’s feedback is ambiguous, confusing and inconsistent. This option can be stated in neutrosophic logic as indeterminacy membership, associated with truth and falsity membership. In this study, a classification model based on neutrosophic sets to handle the inconsistency of customer responses is presented. Also, significant factors that impact customers' satisfaction are defined. In order to show the procedures and the application of the …

Landlord Licensure: A Pathway To Improved Rental Housing In New Mexico, Stefanie N. Jock

New Mexico Law Review

Over a thousand different professions throughout the United States are subject to occupational regulations for the purpose of protecting public health, safety, and welfare. Yet, few professions are as crucial to public health, safety and welfare as the business that controls access to rental housing. The availability of rental housing is critical to the people of New Mexico due to the state’s high percentage of low-income households and the shortage of affordable housing units available in recent years. Thus, low-income renters in New Mexico are often left dealing with substandard housing conditions or paying a significant portion of their income …

Engaging Interdisciplinary Learners In A Social Determinants Of Health Course, Jonathan Eldredge

HSC Education Days

No abstract provided.