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 …

All Of Us: Using Big Data To Study Factors Affecting Health And Health Impacts ​, Deborah Rhue, Todd Quinn, Lori D. Sloane, Karl Benedict

Posters and Presentations

The NIH All of Us Research Program brings together health and associated survey data on over 750,000 diverse Americans. UNM and UNM HSC researchers and students can use the All of Us data and analysis platform to address public health and biomedical research questions. Learn more about the All of Us Research Program. We will provide information about the different data sets and tiers of access available, the onboarding required, and available training options.

Mindful Parenting And Harsh Parenting: The Indirect Role Of Maternal Stress, Heidi M. Sanders

Individual, Family, and Community Education ETDs

This study explored associations between maternal mindful parenting (i.e., mindful discipline, being in the moment with the child), maternal parental stress, and harsh parenting (i.e., physical and psychological harsh parenting) in early childhood. A sample of 172 mothers of young children in New Mexico completed questionnaires assessing perceived parental stress, use of harsh parenting, and mindful parenting. Results of the path model analysis demonstrated that being mindful in the moment with the child was directly, negatively associated with physical harsh parenting and also negatively associated with perceived stress. Mindful discipline was directly, negatively associated with both psychological aggression and perceived …

Narratives Of Exile: Themes Of Displacement In Seghers, Duras, And Elio, Erin Consla

Foreign Languages & Literatures ETDs

This thesis examines identity, memory, and displacement in the exile narratives of Anna Seghers, Marguerite Duras, and María Luisa Elío. I argue that identity post-exile can be conceptualized as a continuous process of becoming, marked by a kaleidoscope of past, present, and future. Several aesthetic maneuvers such as the use of elements of form, memories of childhood, and palimpsest are shared by the chosen narratives, resulting in similar negotiations with identity. Through analysis of the authors' aesthetic focalizations, it becomes clear that their binary subject positions are modulated by the liminality and contradictions inherent in identity creation after exile. The …

The Descent Of Anolis: Assemblages, Convergence, And Ecomorphological Evolution, Christopher G. Anderson

Biology ETDs

The evolutionary outcomes we observe in modern organisms, particularly associations between phenotypes and environments, have been and remain an invaluable tool in interpreting the biological phenomena that shape our world. In the following chapters, I leverage a comprehensive phylogenetic and morphological dataset for 351 species comprising a diverse group of arboreal lizards, the Anolis clade, to explore how communities and morphologies evolve. First, I characterized patterns among coexisting lineages of Anolis to reveal a general pattern of phylogenetic relatedness among lineages comprising assemblages and identify differences attributable to a biogeographic variable. Then I examined the morphological consequences associated with the …

Investigating Software Application Use In Secondary Physical Education, Sean Fullerton

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

The first study explored secondary physical education teachers’ acceptance and use of a supplemental software application, PLT4M (“Plat-form”). The study was an exploratory cross-sectional mixed methods study guided by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. Quantitative results showed that performance expectancy, attitude toward use, and price value significantly predicted PE teachers’ behavior intention to use PLT4M. Qualitative data revealed the following themes regarding teachers’ use: (1) differentiation and modifications; (2) accessibility; (3) limitations and challenges. The second study was a descriptive case study design that applied Activity Theory to examine how one high school PE program uses …

Electrodeposition Of Gadolinium Metal Thin Films For Neutron Phase Contrast Imaging, Mary Louise Gucik

Chemical and Biological Engineering ETDs

A rare earth metal, gadolinium has unique magnetic properties and the largest neutron absorption cross section making it highly sought after in emerging technology. However, unlike most metals, it is difficult to work with and lacks a damascene process. When incorporated into alloys, gadolinium’s properties are muted and the film thickness must increase to account for the low concentration. Gadolinium metal films have been deposited successfully through sputter coating, but these films have density deficiencies and are limited to line-of-sight substrates. In this work, the deposition of gadolinium metal thin films was investigated for use on complex geometries via electrophoretic …

Color On Canvas In Black Britain And Black Germany, Marisa J. Pickett

History ETDs

Using the artwork and poetry of Black artist-activists Lubaina Himid, Keith Piper, May Ayim, and Raja Lubinetzki, a connection was found between the increasingly anti-immigrant rhetoric of conservative politicians of the 1980s and the self-identification and belonging of non-white communities within the countries of Great Britain and Germany. By linking the produced artwork with the direct political initiatives of the time, we are able to draw parallels between the experiences of two diasporic communities, Black Britain and Black Germany, through artists and their work. Artwork can be seen as a medium through which to engage with the audience on a …

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 …

Positioning Disability In Wilderness Space, Rebecca Hobart

Geography ETDs

This thesis examines the social construction of the disabled body in recreational wilderness space. A political ecology framework guides the research questions: What are the actual or perceived barriers to participation for differently abled hikers in wilderness recreational spaces, and how do these challenges manifest in long-distance hiking spaces? In situating Foucault’s theories of the body as shaped by power relations, this thesis asserts wilderness spaces to be privileged based on power conceptualized in normative notions of ability. 44 participants who self-identified as wilderness recreationalists with a disability and/or chronic health illness completed this study’s mixed-method questionnaire. Themes around practices, …

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 …

Building Queer Families: Supports And Barriers, Annie Bright

Individual, Family, and Community Education ETDs

A qualitative study was conducted with six participants who identify as Queer and/or Lesbian investigating supports and barriers to family building using Assisted Human Reproduction. Semi-structured interviews were conducted allowing participants to share their experiences and self-identify the significant supports and barriers in their process. Interviews were transcribed and coded using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis identifying three supports and four barriers. Results demonstrated that all participants identified their community and/or their Queer community and their partner and/or family as key supports and two-thirds of participants identified as a support their own background or knowledge. All participants described the high cost or …

Dialogue Journals In Assessment Of Student Writing, Brigid Elise Ovitt

Special Education ETDs

Because writing is complex and draws upon so many psychological and cognitive processes, learning to write is even more challenging for students with disabilities than it is for typically developing students. Nonetheless, writing research in the field of education and special education lags behind that of many other academic subjects. The body of research that does exist, indicates that affective factors (attitude toward writing, evaluation of self as writer, enjoyment of writing) impacts students’ writing achievement. This paper proposes a multiple baseline across settings study to determine whether including a response journal element as part of classroom writing assessment writing …

Holistic Health & Healing Arts 2024 Taos Self-Study, Academic Program Review

UNM Academic Program Review

UNM Taos Holistic Health & Healing Arts self-study report for Spring 2024.

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 …

Integration Between Bioinformatics Algorithms And Neutrosophic Theory, Romany M. Farag, Mahmoud Y. Shams, Dalia A. Aldawody, Huda E. Khalid, Hazem M. El-Bakry, Ahmed A. Salama

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

This paper presents a neutrosophic inference model for bioinformatics. The model is used to develop a system for accurate comparisons of human nucleic acids, where the new nucleic acid is compared to a database of old nucleic acids. The comparisons are analyzed in terms of accuracy, certainty, uncertainty, neutrality, and bias. The proposed system achieves good results and provides a reliable standard for future comparisons. It highlights the potential of neutrosophic inference models in bioinformatics applications. Data mining and bioinformatics play a crucial role in computational biology, with applications in scientific research and industrial development. Biological analysts rely on specialized …

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 Physiological And Perceptual Responses To Continuous- And Interval-Based High-Intensity Functional Training, Jessica Smith

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

The purpose of this study was to compare the acute physiological and perceptual responses to rest intervals during high-intensity functional training (HIFT) using a “rounds for time” (RFT) and an “every minute on the minute” (EMOM) design. Two studies were conducted in twelve trained and nine untrained individuals who performed two HIFT trials (EMOM and RFT). Blood lactate, oxygen consumption, heart rate, and rating of perceived exertion were significantly higher for the RFT compared to the EMOM. There was no difference between the EMOM and RFT for muscle damage responses. Lastly, there was no difference between the EMOM and RFT …

Molecular Mechanism Regulating The Fate And Function Of The Drosophila Sleep-Wake Circuit, Ethan Cato Wilson, Mubarak Hussain Syed

Brain & Behavioral Health Research Day

Post-bachelor research showing the evaluation of IGF2 mRNA-binding protein expression in adult Drosophila type II neural stem cells in the development of the sleep-wake circuit within the dorsal fan shape body. The genetic silencing of Imp on Chromosome III is sufficient to reduce the amount of sleep-wake neurons expression.

Funding: This research was supported by the National Science Foundation, the Sloan Foundation, and the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

Ascl1 Regulates Astrocyte And Oligodendrocyte Cell Fate, Proliferation, And Migration In The Dorsal Cortex, Luis E. Paez-Beltran, Bianca L. Myers, Milindu Liyanapathirana, Haojie Chen, Estrella Villicana, Tou Yia Vue

Brain & Behavioral Health Research Day

Crucial questions in developmental neuroscience are how a common progenitor gives rise to different cell types and how development changes over time. This study explores both questions by examining how ASCL1 regulates the cell fate, migration, and proliferation of glial progenitors and how they give rise to different progeny at different stages. Understanding the mechanisms of neurodevelopment not only increases our understanding of fundamental biology but allows us to comprehend pathologies that share similar mechanisms.

Dissecting The Functional Impairment Of Wild-Type P53 In Human Glioblastoma, Leopoldo A. García-Montaño, Yamhilette Licon Munoz, Frank Martinez, Kandee Gallegos, Huining Kang, Sara G.M Piccirillo

Brain & Behavioral Health Research Day

Glioblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor in adults. In contrast to several cancers, where the tumor suppressor gene TP53 is altered, most glioblastoma patients retain a non-mutant TP53 gene. However, the survival of these patients is similar to that of mutant patients, suggesting that p53 is nonfunctional. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed data from The Cancer Genome Atlas, identified potential regulators of p53, and we will test their function in patient-derived cells.

Circvopp1: A Potentially New Regulator Of Long-Term Immune Dysfunction In The Peripheral And Central Nervous System Arising From Prenatal Alcohol Exposure, Ariana N. Pritha, Andrea A. Pasmay, Michaela Dell'orco, Joshua J. Sanchez, Jacob E. Sanchez, Suzy Davies, Daniel D. Savage, Nikolaos Mellios, Erin D. Milligan, Shahani Noor

Brain & Behavioral Health Research Day

Research indicates prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) increases the risk of heightened touch sensitivity after minor nerve injury due to inflammation. We explored how non-coding circular RNAs (circRNAs) may influence this. Using rat models, we found 18 circRNAs significantly altered by PAE. These circRNAs regulate genes related to immune responses, including the NF-κB pathway, crucial in inflammation. One circRNA, circVopp1, potentially affects NF-κB activity. Further study may identify circVopp1 as a biomarker for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and a target for treatment.

FUNDING: This work was supported by T34 GM145428, R01 AA025967, R21 AA023051, T32-AA014127, P50 AA022534 and R01AA029694

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 …

Investigating The Structural Ensemble And Dynamic Interactions Of Protein Interacting With C-Kinase 1 (Pick1) Using Computational Tools, Amy E. Stevens

Chemistry and Chemical Biology ETDs

Protein Interacting with C Kinase-1 (PICK1) is a scaffolding protein that offers a promising solution to support individuals suffering from substance use disorders. While many efforts have been put towards identifying small-molecule drugs with the potential to target PICK1 and ultimately support individuals suffering from the effects of substance use disorders, all efforts have so far fallen short. The purpose of this work is to use computational tools to assist the design of a small-molecule inhibitor of PICK1 while also advancing the knowledge of its biological functions. This work provides information that is currently missing the field by (1) revealing …

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.

Measurement Of The Effectiveness Of An Educational Program Inspired By Indigenous Knowledge For Forest Management, Applied To Forest Engineering Students At The National University Of Central Peru, Using The Neutrosophic 2-Tuple Linguistic Method, Melina Lisbet, Rubén Gelacio Caballero Salas, Milciades Aníbal Baltazar Ruiz, Carlos Eduardo Caballero Salas, Guillermo Ayllon Pinchi, Rolando Carlos Canteño Gavino, Keneth Reategui Del Aguila, Wilmer Ortega Chávez

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

The “guide to Asháninka knowledge for forest management” is a document prepared by aca demics and scientists from the National University of Central Peru (NUCP) in the Faculty of Forestry Engineering, which includes the knowledge of this indigenous people about forest nature. Despite being ancestral knowledge, we believe that it can serve as a complement to the scientific study of the subject since it is based on knowledge accumulated over centuries of experience. The main purpose of this article is to determine the influence of the “Ashaninka knowledge guide for forest management” on the learning level of NUCP Forest Engineering …

Modeling Influenced Criteria In Classifiers' Imbalanced Challenges Based On Trss Bolstered By The Vague Nature Of Neutrosophic Theory, Ibrahim El-Henawy, Shrouk El-Amir, Mona Mohamed, Florentin Smarandache

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

Because of the advancements in technology, classification learning has become an essential activity in today's environment. Unfortunately, through the classification process, we noticed that the classifiers are unable to deal with the imbalanced data, which indicates there are many more instances (majority instances) in one class than in another. Identifying an appropriate classifier among the various candidates is a time-consuming and complex effort. Improper selection can hinder the classification model's ability to provide the right outcomes. Also, this operation requires preference among a set of alternatives by a set of criteria. Hence, multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) methodology is the appropriate …

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

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Arsenic Exposure Is Associated With Alterations To Multiple Red Blood Cell Parameters Among Adults In Rural Bangladesh, Sebastian Medina, Qian-Yun Zhang, Fredine T. Lauer, Laura V. Santos-Medina, Pam Factor-Litvak, Tariqul Islam, Mahbubul Eunus, Mizanour Rahman, Mohammad Nasir Uddin, Ke Jian Liu, Faruque Parvez

Pathology Research and Scholarship

Chronic arsenic exposures are associated with multiple hematologic disturbances, including anemia. The goal of this study was to evaluate associations between arsenic exposures and hematological parameters among men and women who are chronically exposed to elevated levels of arsenic from drinking water. Hematologic analyses were performed on blood collected from 755 participants (45% male and 54% female) in the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS) cohort, Bangladesh. Herein, we used linear regression models to estimate associations between red blood cell (RBC) parameters (i.e., RBC counts, hematocrit (HCT), hemoglobin (Hgb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and mean …