Digital Commons Network^™

Sybil Defense Using Efficient Resource Burning, Diksha Gupta

Computer Science ETDs

In 1993, Dwork and Naor proposed using computational puzzles, a resource burning mechanism, to combat spam email. In the ensuing three decades, resource burning has broadened to include communication capacity, computer memory, and human effort. It has become a well-established tool in distributed security. Due to the cost attached to utilizing resource burning mechanism, these have not been popularized in domains apart from cryptocurrency.

In this dissertation, we design efficient resource burning based Sybil defense techniques for permissionless systems. As a first step, we identify existing resource burning mechanisms in literature in Chapter 2. Additionally, we enumerate numerous open problems …

Microstructural Constraints On The Nebular And Asteroidal Histories Of Calcium-Aluminum-Rich Inclusions From Cv3 Chondrites, Shaofan Che

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

The petrology and mineralogy of calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs) from CV3 carbonaceous chondrites have been investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The goal of this dissertation is twofold: (1) to gain new insights into the nebular processes, such as vapor-solid reactions, accretion, transport, that are responsible for the formation of non-igneous CAIs, and (2) to better understand the role of fluid in the secondary alteration of CAIs on the CV3 chondrite parent body. This work represents the first systematic microstructural study of CAIs from CV3 chondrites.

Chapter 2 presents the microstructural observations of primary mineralogies of fine-grained, spinel-rich inclusions (FGIs) from …

Intelligent Networks For High Performance Computing, William Whitney Schonbein

Computer Science ETDs

There exists a resurgence of interest in `smart' network interfaces that can operate on data as it flows through a network. However, while smart capabilities have been expanding, what they can do for high-performance computing (HPC) is not well-understood. In this work, we advance our understanding of the capabilities and contributions of smart network interfaces to HPC. First, we show current offloaded message demultiplexing can mitigate (but not eliminate) overheads incurred by multithreaded communication. Second, we demonstrate current offloaded capabilities can be leveraged to provide Turing complete program execution on the interface. We elaborate with a framework for offloading arbitrary …

Mexican Americans' Perspectives On "Borderline Diabetes" In Amarillo, Texas, Priscella Pena-Correa

Nursing ETDs

The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning of and experiences living with “borderline diabetes” among Mexican American adults residing in or around Amarillo, Texas. Sixteen Mexican Americans who self-identified as having “borderline diabetes” participated. Research questions focused on how participants understood the condition, self-care practices, and recommendations for improving prediabetes healthcare and education. An interpretive description approach was used to analyze data from phone interviews. Principal findings revolved around issues of disclosure vs. secrecy, information seeking, and challenges or “struggle” to change lifestyle, particularly diet. Self-care was managed in a relational way with support of family, friends, …

Towards Understanding Power Grid Resilience To Early-Time (E1) High-Altitude Electromagnetic Pulses, Rodrigo Elias Llanes

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Fast transient electromagnetic disturbances can occur in the atmosphere from natural occurrences such as lightning and solar flares as well as those from manmade events such as that associated with a nuclear bomb detonation. These radiated signals couple into the transmission lines and components within the electric power grid. This has prompted an increased interest in grid resilience to the Early-Time (E1) High-Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP). Three activities were conducted which further grid resilience research. First, power substations in the United States were assessed to develop accurate layouts to be used in radiated transmission line coupling studies. Second, three pre-existing …

Dissecting Regulation Mechanism Of Interdomain Electron Transfer In Nitric Oxide Synthases, Huayu Zheng

Chemistry and Chemical Biology ETDs

Nitric oxide (NO) is generated by one of the three isoforms of mammalian NO synthases (NOSs), neuronal, endothelial and inducible NOS (nNOS, eNOS, and iNOS, respectively). Dysregulated NOS is implicated in pathologies of numerous severe diseases including Alzheimer and Parkinson’s diseases. Molecular mechanisms of NOS regulation, once fully understood, are potentially key targets for development of selective new pharmaceuticals for treating these diseases that currently lack effective treatments.

Despite recent developments, there are significant gaps in current understanding of the regulation mechanism of the FMN-heme interdomain electron transfer (IET), an essential step in NOS, by its key regulators such as …

Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Alters Transcriptional Expression Of Stress And Tlr4-Related Immune Signaling Factors In The Brain Following Early Life Stress, Chaselyn D. Ruffaner-Hanson

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Background: Depression and anxiety disorders, believed to be caused by stress-related neuropeptides and pro-inflammatory molecules in the brain, are prevalent comorbidities of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD).

Methods: Brain tissue was collected following a 4-hour maternal separation stress during the early postnatal period, postnatal days 10 and 12, from mice subjected to 1^st and 2^nd trimester prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE).

Hypothesis: We hypothesized that PAE leads to glucocorticoid receptor insensitivity, stress molecule overexpression, and potentiated toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) pathway inflammatory responses in the brain following early life stress.

Results: PAE and stress increased mRNA expression of TLR4 …

Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis As A Potential Therapeutic Target In Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, Kymberly Cheyanne Gustus

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

This dissertation aims to determine if adult hippocampal neurogenesis is a potential therapeutic target in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). Adult hippocampal neurogenesis plays important and unique roles in certain aspects of learning, memory, and mood (Anacker & Hen, 2017). Individuals with FASDs often demonstrate dysregulation in these arenas (Lewis et al., 2015; Temple, Cook, Unsworth, Rajani, & Mela, 2019). Previous work in our lab using a mouse model of prenatal alcohol exposure demonstrated impairment in enrichment-mediated adult hippocampal neurogenesis (Irene Y. Choi, Andrea M. Allan, & Lee Anna Cunningham, 2005; K. Kajimoto, A. Allan, & L. A. Cunningham, 2013). …

Copper Electrodeposition In Full Wafer Thickness Through-Silicon Vias, Rebecca P. Schmitt

Chemical and Biological Engineering ETDs

Through-silicon vias (TSVs) are a key interconnect technology for advanced packaging of microelectronic devices, and full wafer thickness TSVs are required for certain microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) applications. In this work, electrolytes containing copper sulfate, an acid, chloride, and Tetronic 701 suppressor were implemented for Cu filling of high aspect ratio (10:1), full wafer thickness TSVs. For each electrolyte system, rotating disk electrode voltammetry was used to identify a voltage range for bottom-up Cu filling in the TSVs. Die level feature filling was performed using voltage ramping, which moved active deposition through the vias to yield void-free Cu features. During voltage-controlled …

Role Of The Acid Sensing Ion Channel 1a In The Systemic Circulation, Selina M. Garcia

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Acid-sensing ion channel 1a (ASIC1a) is a non-selective cation channel that is expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells. However, little is known about the contribution of ASIC1a to vascular reactivity and cardiovascular homeostasis. We have previously shown that ASIC1a contributes to pulmonary vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) Ca²⁺ entry and vasoconstriction as well as chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension. However, a role of ASIC1a in the systemic circulation is unclear. Previous reports have shown that ASIC1a is expressed in femoral and cerebral arteries, however, these studies suggest that ASIC1a contributes to vascular reactivity through neuronal regulation rather than vascular. Therefore, …

Hepatitis C Virus Care Cascade In Persons Experiencing Homelessness In The United States In The Era Of Direct-Acting Antiviral Agents: A Scoping Review, Aubrey Del Rosario

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Background: The Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) care cascade has been well characterized in the general United States population and other subpopulations. However, information is limited on care cascade outcomes in persons experiencing homelessness now that highly effective medications offer the potential for cure.

Objectives: The main objective of this study is to map the available evidence on HCV care cascade outcomes in homeless and marginally housed cohorts in the United States in the era of direct-acting antiviral agents. Primary and secondary outcomes of interest include linkage to care and sustained virologic response. Exploratory outcomes include other care cascade …

The Role Of Anti-Inflammatory Cytokine Interleukin-10 (Il-10) In Tauopathies, Lea L. Weston

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Tauopathies are neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, that are associated with pathological accumulation of the microtubule associated protein tau (MAPT, or tau) (Lee et al., 2001). Abnormal hyperphosphorylated tau (pTau) strongly correlate with cognitive impairment (Nelson et al., 2012). Neuroinflammation is also associated with tauopathies (Gerhard et al., 2006b; Edison et al., 2008) and is implicated in driving tau pathology (Yoshiyama et al., 2007, Maphis et al., 2015b). Therefore, it is compelling to understand the role of anti-inflammatory cytokines in limiting neuroinflammation and tau pathology. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a well-established anti-inflammatory cytokine with roles in limiting inflammation in the central …

The First-Year Experiences Of Students In Remedial Classes At A Research University: Implications For Retention And Support, Therese Baca-Radler

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

As more institutions of higher education adopt non-selective admissions processes, an increasing number of students from underrepresented populations are placed into developmental intervention courses as an added requirement to their educational paths based on standardized test scores alone. This study interviewed students who had these requirements imposed upon them and sought to understand their thoughts and feelings about that placement and how it impacted their transition from high school to college and their first-year college success. As students described their prior experiences in formal academic settings, they emphasized the benefits of family support in building their self-directed learning skills and …

Numerical Evaluation Of Effective Thermal Response Of Heterogeneous Materials, Kevin W. Irick

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

Heterogeneity in materials leads to increased complication of physics, at the level or scale where heterogeneity exists, making analysis and material behavior predictions more difficult. As a result of the intricate descriptions or understanding of the physics required to determine the behavior of a heterogenous material or system, practitioners frequently prefer the use of effective properties or responses. This body of work is dedicated to performing computational analyses on the thermal behavior of heterogeneous materials and evaluating the corresponding analyses using formal verification approaches. Custom finite element method code was used for solving the heat equation in a variety of …

Solar Insolation Micro-Forecasts Using Longwave Infrared Sensors And Artificial Intelligence, Anthony R. Menicucci

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

Solar Insolation Micro-Forecasts (SIMF) are used by Independent Service Operators (ISOs) and other grid operators to maintain constant and stable electrical grid frequency, voltage, power factor and waveform across their transmission infrastructure. Intermittent, thick, dense and typically cumulus clouds negatively impact the electrical grid by quickly turning on and off power production from large solar photovoltaic (PV) fields, causing grid stability problems between generation and load. Forecasting insolation values over large PV fields allows operators the chance to anticipate and proactively implement mitigation strategies like engaging spinning reserve from gas turbines, deploying generators, buying power in the spot market, and …

Parental Choice Of Charter Schools For Middle School Students With Disabilities, Oluwole Ilesanmi

Special Education ETDs

For many decades, traditional public schools were the dominant public schools available for educating students, including those with disabilities. However, in the current climate of school choice, parents can now choose from a variety of educational options for their children. This study sought to explore the reasons parents of students with disabilities enrolled their children in charter schools. Research questions addressed the reasons parents considered when enrolling their children with disabilities in charter schools, as well as their degree of satisfaction and experiences after enrollment in charter schools. A total of 108 parents of sixth-eighth grade middle school students with …

Monitoring The Low Frequency Radio Transient Sky With The Long Wavelength Array, Savin Shynu Varghese

Physics & Astronomy ETDs

Transient searches in radio astronomy have discovered some of the most extreme astrophysical phenomena in our universe. This has enabled us to study the physics of these explosive and dynamic sources. Most of the transient searches over the past 70 years have been at frequencies higher than 100 MHz leaving the transient sky below 100 MHz unexplored. The Long Wavelength Array (LWA) telescope offers an excellent opportunity to study the transient sky below 100 MHz with its wide field of view, high sensitivity and fast imaging at shorter timescales. This dissertation presents the transient searches carried out using the all-sky …

Mesh Networking And Security Applications In Lora Ad-Hoc Networks, Derek Heeger

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

The Internet of Things (IoT) has rapidly expanded into consumer and industrial applications driving the need for secure and energy efficient communications suitable for battery powered devices. Common IoT protocols developed for these applications include SigFox, Narrow-Band IoT, and Long Range (LoRa). LoRa is an energy efficient long-range communication method enabled by advanced modulation schemes. This research enables new capabilities in LoRa ad-hoc networks allowing for innovative IoT sensors that were previously infeasible due to energy constraints. This is achieved by investigating adaptive data rate (ADR) techniques, enabling reliable and secure remote firmware updates, improving LoRa authentication, and implementing a …

Circuit Topology Estimation In An Adaptive Protection Platform, Daniel Ruiz

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Modern electric power systems, power system protections and controls have experienced a significant change, thanks to the introduction of new technologies, such as microprocessors, GPS, communication, etc. These technologies brought an increased amount of measured-data and information flow on power grids. Adaptive protection systems have been introduced to increase the reliability, selectivity, and sensitivity of the traditional protection systems. An adaptive protection system highly relies on the communication system infrastructure to identify the latest status of power grid (e.g., circuit topology or generation level of distributed energy resources). However, when the communication links to some of the equipment are outaged …

Cognitive Radios For Self-Aware And Spectrum-Agile Communications Over Wideband Spectrum, Mohamed A. Aref

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

In this dissertation, we introduce a novel cognitive engine design for intelligent, self-aware and spectrum-agile communications. The targeted cognitive radio (CR) has sensing and learning abilities that incorporate advanced signal processing and machine/deep learning (ML/DL) techniques. It can operate over a heterogeneous wideband spectrum that is much wider than the ones proposed in the literature, most likely covering several hundreds of MHz. It has the ability to detect existing signals in the surrounding RF environment and identify their origins. Furthermore, it cognitively uses channel selection, transmit power control and interference cancellation to adapt its communications mode in response to observed …

Drought, Farmers, And Mental Health, Elizabeth Mckitrick

Climate Change and Public Health Preparedness

No abstract provided.

New Mexico In Depth Interviews Vinay Harpalani: Complexity Of Colorism, Vinay Harpalani, Claudia Silva

Faculty Scholarship

“Our discourse on race in this country has largely been framed around black or white,” said University of New Mexico civil rights law professor Vinay Harpalani.

But assumptions about varying shades of skin color can, for example, lead someone who is Indian, like himself, to be mistaken as Hispanic, he said.

Academics who’ve studied racial discrimination say discrimination based on a person’s skin-tone exists across many racial and ethnic groups and generally manifests as a systematic preference for lighter skin over darker skin.

Harpalani explains it can be the other way around in some instances, such as the bullying Clark …

Virtual And In Vitro Antiviral Screening Revive Therapeutic Drugs For Covid-19, Giovanni Bocci, Steven B. Bradfute, Chunyan Ye, Matthew J. Garcia, Jyothi Parvathareddy, Walter Reichard, Surekha Surendranathan, Shruti Bansal, Cristian G. Bologa, Douglas J. Perkins, Colleen B. Jonsson, Tudor I. Oprea, Larry A. Sklar

Pathology Research and Scholarship

The urgent need for a cure for early phase COVID-19 infected patients critically underlines drug repositioning strategies able to efficiently identify new and reliable treatments by merging computational, experimental, and pharmacokinetic expertise. Here we report new potential therapeutics for COVID-19 identified with a combined virtual and experimental screening strategy and selected among already approved drugs. We used hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), one of the most studied drugs in current clinical trials, as a reference template to screen for structural similarity against a library of almost 4000 approved drugs. The top-ranked drugs, based on structural similarity to HCQ, were selected for in vitro …

Niche Dynamics Of The Felid Guild Following The Pleistocene Megafaunal Extinction, Nicholas A. Freymueller

Biology ETDs

The loss of large carnivores is fundamentally restructuring modern mammal communities. However, large carnivore removal is not exclusively a modern trend. The Pleistocene Megafaunal Extinction (PME) resulted in a near-eradication of hyper-carnivorous felids such as saber-toothed cats. However, it is unclear if smaller surviving meso-felids began to infill this ecological vacuum post-PME. I apply Ecological Niche Modeling (ENM) to test evaluate whether surviving felids filled in vacant niches post-extinction, and hypothesize that they ought to have shown increased niche-overlap patterns with mega-felids post-extinction. I model species’ fundamental niches using a multi-temporal approach, and develop a novel test to model realized …

Impact Of Cd82 Expression On Acute Myeloid Leukemia Chemosensitivity And Quiescence, Muskan Floren

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) patients respond favorably to induction chemotherapy, however, long-term outcomes remain poor due to a high rate of chemoresistance and bone marrow minimal residual disease. To improve long-term patient outcomes, it’s critical to identify regulators of chemotherapy resistance in AML and develop therapies that are directed towards bone marrow resident AML cells. In Chapter 2, we uncover the impact of CD82 expression in AML response to chemotherapeutic treatment and the contribution of Protein Kinase C α (PKCα) and β1 integrin signaling in promoting p38 MAPK activation to support CD82-mediated AML cell survival. In Chapter 3, we …

Kob-4 Interviews Josh Kastenberg: Mother Wants Answers After Son Found Dead In New Mexico Jail, Joshua Kastenberg, Tommy Lopez

Faculty Scholarship

In the court file, there’s no explanation of why he wasn’t simply let go. Legal experts say judges need to give that explanation.

"You have to explain, if you’re a judge, to the defendant why it is that you’re assessing them money," said former judge and UNM professor Joshua Kastenberg.

Archuleta had a long record, and Kastenberg believes that’s a big factor in the judge setting bail.

"You want judges to be able to exercise their discretion, but without a ruling, we don’t know what this particular judge had in his or her thought processes," he said.

He says the …

Understanding The Role Of Atom Trapping In The Evolution Of Hydrocarbon Transformation Catalyst Morphology, Griffin Alexander Canning

Chemistry and Chemical Biology ETDs

Converting alkanes to other, more chemically and economically valuable molecules requires catalysts that can survive elevated temperatures and highly reducing environments. These environments can cause many metal-nanoparticle based catalysts to sinter rapidly, causing a loss of activity. They must also tolerate the coke formation, as well, since coke can restrict access to active sites by gas phase molecules, thus lowering catalytic activity. While there are routes to improve both the sinter and coke resistance of catalysts, an alternative strategy is to develop a protocol for regenerating the activity of the catalyst in question when coke formation or sintering becomes problematic. …

University Of New Mexico Board Of Regents Minutes For December 9, 2020, University Of New Mexico Board Of Regents

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Climate Change: Increased Potential For Fire Disaster In Taos, New Mexico, Matthew F. Vigil

Climate Change and Public Health Preparedness

No abstract provided.

Charter School Autonomy In An Era Of Standards-Based Reforms, Karen M. Phillips

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

This study examined the impact of standards-based prescribed reforms on the capacity of charter schools to maintain autonomy needed for innovation and to meet school-specific goals and missions. Charter schools are constructed on the concept of autonomy and innovation while standards-based reform initiatives are based on concepts of prescriptive accountability and standardization.

Utilizing qualitative research case study methodology, I selected three case study charter schools located in northern New Mexico and conducted semi-structured interviews with leaders and teachers from the schools in addition to reviewing document artifacts. I developed a conceptual framework of three interconnected elements of autonomy – Regulation, …