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  A Correlated Many-Electron Approach to Singlet Fission

  Mazumdar, Sumitendra; Chesler, Moshe Raphael Nechemiah; Monti, Oliver LA; Stafford, Charles; Zhang, Shufeng; Sandhu, Arvinder (The University of Arizona., 2026)

  π−conjugated organic systems present numerous opportunities for exploration of fundamental physics due to the prevalent role of electron correlations in the optoelectronic properties of these systems, as well as potentially being useful for many technological applications. In particular, they may serve as strong candidates for harnessing singlet fission (SF), a spin-allowed photophysical process in which a single incident photon excites the material to the dipole-allowed spin singlet state which then undergoes internal conversion to a pair of triplet excitons bound into a state of total spin 0. These triplets may in principle then dissociate and each contribute an electron-hole (e-h) pair to the resulting photocurrent that can be used in a solar cell, thereby doubling the output of charge carriers generated upon initial photoexcitation in comparison with traditional technologies. Thus, SF represents one possible avenue for surpassing current fundamental solar cell efficiency limits and poses significant promise for addressing outstanding challenges in renewable energy. Complete description and understanding of SF relies on characterization of the triplet pair intermediate state, an inherently multiparticle excited state, as well as potentially charge transfer (CT) states that have been theorized to mediate the SF process. From a theoretical perspective, this requires the use of correlated electronic structure models to properly capture the quantum many-body nature of these excited states. We present results of such calculations based on multireference configuration interaction (CI) techniques applied to the many-body Pariser-Parr-Pople (PPP) model for a series of SF candidate systems based on dimers of acene monomers linked by bridge molecules. Through comprehensive analysis of the excited states relevant for SF and linear and transient absorption spectra, we develop a theory of triplet pair generation in these compounds and present conclusive evidence that this process is mediated by CT states whose specific form depends sensitively on seemingly minute changes to the molecular structures. Comparison of the calculated ground and excited state absorption spectra with experimental results based on transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy enables direct mapping of the calculated optoelectronic properties of these compounds to measured SF dynamics such as the time to generate the triplet pair. Our results thus establish the central role of CT in the SF process and may inform future searches for potential SF candidate systems.
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  Enhancing Neurocritical Care Nursing Competency: An Educational Intervention of FOUR Score

  DeBoe, Joseph C.; Matelis, Shayna Elizabeth; Bartlett, Courtney; Sparks, John R. (The University of Arizona., 2026)

  Background: Mechanical ventilation is critical for Neurocritical Care Unit (NCCU) patients. Weaning poses significant challenges due to unique neurological considerations in traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) (Battaglini et al., 2021). Variability in weaning practices stems from inconsistent knowledge and application of key assessments, notably the Full Outline of UnResponsiveness Score (FOUR Score) (Roquilly, 2013). Bedside nurses play a central role in neurological monitoring; their competency in these assessments is crucial for standardizing care and enhancing outcomes (Battaglini et al., 2021). Purpose: This quality improvement project evaluated an evidence-based educational intervention on the FOUR Score for new graduate NCCU nurses (<1 year experience). The primary objective was to increase nurses’ knowledge and confidence in neurological assessment, supporting future practice improvements and standardizing care delivery. Methods: This intervention employed an evidence-based educational video on the FOUR Score for new graduate nurses. All participants completed pre-intervention surveys assessing baseline knowledge and confidence. Following the educational video, post-intervention surveys were administered immediately. Quantitative analysis compared pre- and post-intervention results using appropriate statistical methods. Results: Twenty-one new graduate nurses participated. Knowledge scores improved significantly from pre-intervention (M=4.81, SD=1.54) to post-intervention (M=9.10, SD=1.09), representing an 89.2% improvement (mean increase 4.29 points, 95% CI: 3.76-4.81), t(20)=17.18, p<0.001, with very large effect size (Cohen’s d=3.21). Self improved substantially across all domains, with overall confidence increasing from median 2.0 to 4.0 (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, p<0.001, r=0.90). Conclusions: This brief, multimodal educational intervention significantly enhanced new graduate neurocritical care nurses’ knowledge and confidence in performing FOUR Score assessments. The very large effect sizes suggest that video-based education combined with point-of-care reference tools represent an effective, scalable strategy for building competency in complex neurological assessments among nurses new to specialty practice.
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  A Qualitative Study of Parental Empowerment and Satisfaction Following IEP Meetings

  Yoon, Jina; Moe, Samantha; Kirkpatrick, Jennifer; Meyer, Lauren (The University of Arizona., 2026)

  This qualitative narrative inquiry study examined how parents of children receiving special education services experienced empowerment during the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process and how these experiences related to parental satisfaction. Guided by empowerment theory, semi-structured interviews were conducted with four parents to explore the roles of participation, control, and critical awareness. Findings indicated that empowerment did not stem from the IEP system itself; rather, parents developed empowerment through their own persistence, questioning, and reflection as they navigated unclear procedures and inconsistent communication. While one participant described a collaborative process, others reported feeling excluded or presented with predetermined decisions. Parents with greater educational or professional backgrounds demonstrated higher critical awareness, contributing to differing levels of empowerment. Overall satisfaction was closely tied to how included, informed, and influential parents felt. Results underscored the need for schools and school-based teams to adopt transparent, culturally responsive practices that promote equitable parent participation.
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  Vegetation Cover Assessments and Management Applications Using Multiscale Remote Sensing Across the Santa Rita Experimental Range

  Van Leeuwen, Willem J.; Marsh, Stuart E.; van der Leeuw, Elisabeth; Archer, Steven R.; Smith, William K. (The University of Arizona., 2026)

  Remote sensing (RS) and Geographic Information Systems (GISs) provide significant opportunities for monitoring and managing natural resources across various temporal, spectral, and spatial resolutions. RS and GIS are increasingly used to collect and analyze data, monitor various aspects of the environment, and are being leveraged in decision-making throughout the fields of conservation and range-management. RS and GIS are used to compare changes in land cover over time, and track landscape health by measuring vegetation green-up and dieback, fragmentation of landscapes, and human encroachment. There is a critical need for natural resource managers to understand the expanding capabilities of image sources, analysis techniques, and on-site validation methods. As a result, understanding how to work with RS and GIS and applying the technology to existing management methods in order to understand state of lands is becoming increasingly necessary. In this 8-year research study, I began by understanding (by way of conversations, participating in field and site visits, and reviewing existing literature) the techniques current natural resource managers use to manage lands they are responsible for. I then explored several RS and GIS novel methods developed to measure the state of lands managed. I further compared and contrasted field, RS and GIS methods, and various RS and GIS applications used to measure vegetative cover over a period of time (an important environmental indicator). My research has corroborated the importance of leveraging RS and GIS technologies to aid in vegetation cover assessments and inform natural resource management activities. RS and GIS data, analysis and techniques to inform state and transition models (STMs) are presented in Appendix A. We found that remote sensing products mapped vegetative states that closely coincided with fieldwork results, including areas that were missed during the field mapping and areas that were classified as another vegetative state in the remote sensing analysis. The fine spatial resolution aerial and drone imagery, however was not able to detect if grass was native or non-native (for future study). Remote sensing is able to cover larger areas with an encompassing view - areas that are often missed in fieldwork. Comparison of field to RS and GIS methods are explored in Appendix B. Knowing the extent to which these field and remotely sensed perspectives might differ is important to land managers interpreting vegetation dynamics. We found that aerial and satellite data were strongly correlated with bare ground and grass with a less strong correlation occurring for woody cover. Both the aerial and satellite data are positively correlated with transect woody cover measurements on < 1.21 hectare sites, but weakly correlated or not at all for > 60.70 hectare sites. Interpreting ground cover, for example, tree and shrub cover among the different methods is significant for rangeland ecosystems. The importance of validating the ability of Landsat and Sentinel sensors to detect the pattern and extent of shrub cover in an arid landscape when grasses were senescent and shrubs were still green, leveraging a 15 cm multispectral 2023 aerial image are explored in Appendix C. We determined that both Landsat and Sentinel satellite data were moderately correlated to the aerial image. Further analysis showed that Sentinel and Landsat shrub cover estimates were also moderately correlated to shrub percentages from The Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP) application. Users of these tools, data, and applications should be aware of the constraints and limitations to quantify shrub cover.
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  Measuring Pulse Degradation in Noble Liquid Calorimeters at High Ionization Rates

  Rutherfoord, John; Braimah, Billie Elizabeth; Cheu, Elliott; Johns, Kenneth; Varnes, Erich; Visscher, Koen (The University of Arizona., 2026)

  The ATLAS detector, located at the CERN laboratory in Geneva, Switzerland, is one of two “discovery experiments” at the energy frontier of particle physics. It is composed of a set of detector elements which measure the products of the proton-proton collisions happening in the center of the ATLAS detector. The colliding protons are provided by CERN’s accelerator complex, the chief accelerator being the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The LHC is preparing for an upgrade which will increase the rate of collisions taking place at the center of the ATLAS detector by almost an order of magnitude. This will force parts of the detector to operate outside their design specifications. The operation of the ATLAS Liquid Argon Forward Calorimeter (FCal), the part of the ATLASdetector which experiences the highest amount of radiation, will be particularly affected by the increased rate of collisions. The high-radiation environment will cause the FCal electrodes to enter a space-charge limited regime where positive argon ions build up in the liquid argon gap, causing the energy signal measured by the FCal electronics to be degraded in amplitude and distorted in shape. This signal must be corrected in order for FCal data to be useful in future operation of the ATLAS detector. We have designed and constructed an experiment to investigate this problem by using a strong beta emitter sealed inside an FCal electrode to artificially induce positive argon ion buildup in the liquid argon gap. We replicated the high energy events in ATLAS that the calorimeter is designed to study by using a 180-GeV positron test beam to create electromagnetic particle showers in the liquid argon, each of which generated large ionization pulses in the FCal electrode. We compared the degraded and distorted signals from the artificially irradiated FCal electrode with normal signals from a control FCal electrode. We measured and analyzed each of the signal pulses and used the results to characterize the space-charge effect, which will enable the development of software corrections that can be applied to the distorted pulses in order to recover as much of the undistorted energy signal as possible. These types of corrections can be applied in a broader sense to the ATLAS liquid argon calorimeters in order to extend their life as the collision rate at the LHC increases.
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  Chronic Opioid Exposure and Peripheral Respiratory Outcomes

  Vanderah, Todd W.; Largent-Milnes, Tally M.; Kamau-Devers, Wanjiru; Daines, Cori L.; Ledford, Julie G.; Streicher, John (The University of Arizona., 2026)

  In these studies, the hypothesis that chronic opioid exposure promotes peripheral respiratory adverse health outcomes was tested. The first set of clinical studies explored prenatal opioid exposure (POE) and pulmonary outcomes in offspring. The second set of preclinical studies investigated the effects of chronic opioid exposure on airway remodeling, inflammation, pulmonary edema, and lung function, in an adult mouse model. Although we did not use an animal model of POE, our findings that POE influenced respiratory outcomes longitudinally into childhood, inspired preclinical studies for investigation of respiratory disease in a rodent model of chronic opioid exposure. We started with a seven-day model of chronic opioid exposure in mice since it is a widely used protocol for evaluation of physiological opioid dependence. Our first aim was to investigate whether in utero opioid exposure promoted the development of adverse respiratory outcomes within the first five years of childhood. Bioinformatic methods were used to query the 165 million record PearlDiver-Mariner patient database records for adverse respiratory diagnoses after POE. POE significantly impacted the risk for negative respiratory outcomes within the first five years of life, most notably amongst full-term births, although preterm births were also affected. POE resulted in tachypnea and respiratory distress in both groups. Full-term births were at an increased risk for bronchiolitis and apnea, whereas preterm births were at an increased risk for asthma. Full-term infants exposed to prenatal opioids were diagnosed with respiratory outcomes at earlier ages than their unexposed counterparts and appeared more like preterm infants. These data suggest careful monitoring of full-term infants with a history of POE for respiratory outcomes in early life. Findings from the patient database studies inspired additional preclinical studies that had advantages over limitations from the patient data. For example, we were not able to distinguish the effects of individual opioids in our PearlDiver study. With our preclinical mouse model of chronic opioid exposure, we were able to individually study the effects of fentanyl, morphine, and oxycodone separately. We studied the outcomes of pulmonary inflammation, airway remodeling edema, and lung function. Chronic opioid exposure increased inflammation in females, but not general factors associated with tissue remodeling. We observed increased tissue remodeling factor expression in males, but not inflammation. Our model of chronic opioid exposure did not result in pulmonary edema. Indeed, chronic morphine exposure decreased pulmonary vascular permeability in males and females. Chronic fentanyl and oxycodone did not significantly affect pulmonary vascular permeability. Thus, our model of chronic opioid exposure promoted lung inflammation and tissue remodeling in a sex and drug dependent manner but does not directly promote pulmonary edema. Lastly, chronic opioid exposure induced heterogenous changes in lung function in alignment with phenotypes of lung disease. Together, these findings suggest that chronic opioid exposure adversely impacts respiratory health both in developing lungs and in mature lungs. These studies can be used to add to the evidence to search for non-opioid therapies and to guide clinicians to monitor their opioid-prescribed patients for respiratory health outcomes.
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  "Nothing Without Labor:" The Work(ings) of Whiteness in a Child-Saving Institution

  Cruz, Cindy; Roth-Gordon, Jennifer; McLachlan, Mary; Smith, William L. (The University of Arizona., 2026)

  The United States has a long and troubling history of child-saving– a term used here to describe the interworking institutions, policies, practices, and individual efforts aimed at uplifting economically and racially marginalized youth. Centering on Cunningham Academy, a child-saving institution with deep historical roots in the rural community of Cedar Grove, this ethnographic dissertation examines how child-saving persists in the present as an enduring racial project. Drawing on ethnographic and archival data, this study traces how child-saving narratives and practices mobilize longstanding eugenic logics which reinforce the traditional family ideal, secure white benevolence as moral authority, justify state intervention into the lives of families marked as deficient, and continually (re)produce child-saving as good and necessary work. Although framed as rehabilitative and protective, these interventions routinely translate difference into deviance through heightened surveillance and racialized constructions of dependency and delinquency. Across four analytic chapters and three youth-centered ethnographic interludes, the dissertation shows how these dynamics take shape in the everyday routines, decisions, and classifications that organize life at Cunningham Academy. Taken together, the findings demonstrate that child-saving endures not because it consistently serves youth well, but because it remains politically and culturally legible within broader structures of white supremacy, naturalizing control as care, casting governance as benevolence, and sustaining racial hierarchies even as youth continue to imagine lives beyond the frame of being “saved.”
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  Corpus-Based Pedagogy in Undergraduate L2 Writing Courses: Effectiveness, Engagement and Instructors’ Understanding

  Staples, Shelley; Wang, Hui; Tardy, Christine; Reinhardt, Jonathon (The University of Arizona., 2025)

  Corpus-based pedagogy, or data-driven learning (DDL), aims to use large collections of real-world language examples to support students in analyzing language patterns and variations in authentic contexts, guiding them to inductively discover target language features, and develop their language awareness and knowledge (Friginal, 2018; O’Keeffe & McCarthy, 2010; Poole, 2022; Reppen, 2010). Recent studies found that corpus-based pedagogy has been increasingly adopted in writing education across different areas (Boulton & Cobb, 2017; Boulton & Vyatkina, 2021; Chen & Flowerdew, 2018). While professional and published-text corpora have been widely applied in corpus-based writing courses, the value of learner corpora is often overlooked in current writing instruction, despite the fact that they can provide more accessible and non-threatening texts that better align with genres students are expected to write (Seidlhofer, 2002). The three studies of the dissertation are centered around implementing corpus-based activities created using a learner corpus Corpus & Repository of Writing (Crow) (Staples & Dilger, 2018-), to enhance L2 students’ writing skills in first-year writing courses. Employing both quantitative and qualitative methods, students’ drafts, surveys from both students and instructors, semi-structured interviews, and teacher reflections were collected and analyzed. Article one explores the effectiveness of integrating texts and data derived from the learner corpus Crow in teaching evaluative language (evaluative adjectives and modal verbs) in an academic writing project. To make corpus-based pedagogy more engaging for students, Article two extends to integrating game elements, introducing a series of gamified corpus-based materials and investigating the students’ and instructors’ perceptions as well as addressing the benefits of gamifying corpus-based materials in their L2 writing classes. Finally, Article three examines non-corpus specialist instructors’ understanding and perceptions of corpus-based pedagogy before, during, and after implementing ready-to-use corpus-based materials in their own teaching contexts. Together, the three articles highlight the effectiveness of using learner corpus-based materials in teaching evaluative language, introducing practical strategies for increasing student engagement in corpus-based writing courses, and exploring non-corpus specialist instructors’ evolving understanding of corpus-based pedagogy throughout their first implementation. The dissertation contributes to addressing the pedagogical applications of learner corpora and offers insights for designing effective, engaging, and accessible corpus-based activities for L2 writing contexts.
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  Secure Millimeter Wave Communications for Next Generation Networks

  Lasoz, Loukas; Li, Ming; Li, Jingcheng; Bash, Boulat; Cao, Siyang (The University of Arizona., 2026)

  Next-generation (NextG) wireless networks will realize a new communication paradigm characterized by high spectral, energy, and cost efficiency, ultra-high data rates, ultra-low latency, dense connectivity, and advanced physical sensing. These advancements will foster a wide range of emerging applications, including Industry 5.0, connected autonomous vehicles, collaborative robotics, and augmented reality. To meet these ambitious targets, new advancements in all layers of wireless networks are necessary. Millimeter-wave (mmWave) communications and integrated and sensing (ISAC) systems stand out as keyenabling technologies at the physical layer. Despite the performance promises, the new capabilities pose novel security concerns which are the main focus of this dissertation. The first security challenge stems from the fundamental requirement for beam management in mmWave communications due to the directional nature of mmWave transmissions. Compared with omnidirectional systems, directional transmissions require continuous beam alignment and tracking. We investigate security vulnerabilities in beam management functions and demonstrate the feasibility of various beam stealing and denial-of-service attacks. We counter such attacks using non-malleable properties of the physical propagation environment, which allow detecting adversarial interference in beam management functions. We further investigate attacks against Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) systems, where the dual use of waveforms for communication and sensing creates an expanded attack surface. We demonstrate that ISAC is susceptible to sophisticated sensing attacks, including target spoofing and target elimination, which can deceive the system into perceiving ghost targets or hiding real ones. As a countermeasure, we develop a moving target defense that randomizes key waveform parameters, thus making it difficult to launch effective online attacks. The introduced waveform randomization does not disrupt the communication function of ISAC, and remains compliant with relevant standards. As an alternative way to defend against active attacks, we advance radio frequency fingerprinting (RFF) identification and device distinction methods for the mmWave frequencies. The main idea is to detect unauthorized signal injections based on the intrinsic hardware imperfections imprinted on radio signals. We propose and train new deep learning networks that generalize the mmWave channel and isolate the the hardware variations for the purposes of device classification and device distinction. Finally, We utilize the secure primitives developed at the physical layer to bridge the gap between physical and digital trust in cyber-physical systems. We propose novel ISAC-enabled cyber-physical trust binding protocols for connected autonomous vehicles.
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  Social Determinants of Health Education in a Rural Primary Care Clinic

  Lindstrom-Mette, Ambur M.; Draper, Reanna; Newton, Tarnia; Kenneally, Maria (The University of Arizona., 2026)

  Background: Social Determinants of Health (SDH) are non-medical factors that significantly influence health outcomes and lead to health disparities. These determinants, such as inadequate housing, lack of transportation, food insecurity, and unsafe environments, limit individuals’ ability to access healthcare and manage chronic conditions effectively (Bechtel et al., 2022; Martinez-Alfonso et al., 2025). The Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN) screening tool, recommended by CMS, evaluates five domains: housing instability, food insecurity, transportation, utility needs, and safety (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [CMS], n.d.-a). This quality improvement project was conducted at a rural primary care clinic in northern Arizona, serving a population of 66,021, with a median household income about half the state’s average and a poverty rate more than double the state average at 29.8% (United States Census Bureau, 2020). Before this project, the clinic did not routinely assess patients for adverse social determinants, presenting an opportunity to enhance patient care.Purpose: The project aimed to educate staff on the use of the HRSN screening tool and assess baseline knowledge, confidence, and awareness of local resources related to SDH. Methods: Staff completed pre- and post-intervention surveys, using a Likert scale to rate their understanding of SDH, knowledge of local resources, and confidence in conducting SDH screening in the clinic. Results: Survey data indicated that SDH screening is feasible and appropriate for this setting. Staff recognized the importance of SDH on health outcomes and expressed growing confidence in implementing the screening. However, they requested more support and education on available community resources and how each clinic role can participate in connecting patients to these resources. Conclusions: SDH screening is suitable for implementation at the clinic. Ongoing education on community resources and broader staff involvement are needed to optimize screening and patient support. Future efforts should include multidisciplinary collaboration and continuous evaluation of resource awareness.
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  Increasing Nurse Knowledge of Adolescent Sexual Assault Survivors for Sane

  Gallagher, Shawn P.; Meehleib, Michael Anthony; Bouchard, Lindsay A.; Edmund, Sara J. (The University of Arizona., 2025)

  Background: Adolescents who experience sexual assault often face heightened emotional distress, barriers to disclosure, and increased risk for long-term psychological harm. Despite their critical role, many SANEs lack formal education in developmentally appropriate, trauma-informed communication strategies for this population. Without adequate training, SANEs may struggle to foster trust, obtain accurate disclosures, and deliver survivor-centered care. Research highlights the need for specialized educational interventions that prepare forensic nurses to meet the complex needs of adolescent SA survivors. Purpose: The purpose of this research project was to evaluate the effectiveness of an evidence-based educational intervention on improving Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners’ (SANEs) knowledge and confidence when caring for adolescent survivors of sexual assault (SA). The study aimed to address a gap in adolescent-specific forensic nursing education by developing and testing a targeted training module. Methods: This project employed a one-group, pretest–posttest design to evaluate changes in SANE nurses’ knowledge and self-reported confidence when caring for adolescent sexual assault survivors. Thirteen SANEs affiliated with the Arizona Chapter of the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) participated in a 20-minute Zoom-delivered educational presentation focused on adolescent-specific communication and trauma-informed care. Participants completed demographic, pretest, and posttest surveys using a 5-point Likert scale. Pre- and post-intervention scores were analyzed using descriptive statistics, a Shapiro–Wilk normality test, and a paired samples t-test. Results: All 13 participants completed both the pretest and posttest surveys. Years of nursing or healthcare experience varied across all experience categories. The mean pretest score was 13.54, and the mean posttest score was 13.77, reflecting a slight increase following the intervention. The Shapiro–Wilk test indicated that difference scores were normally distributed (W = 0.954, p = 0.658), supporting the use of parametric analysis. Results of the paired samples t-test showed no statistically significant difference between pre- and post-intervention scores (t(12) = –0.507, p = 0.62). Conclusions: Although the brief educational intervention did not result in statistically significant score changes, the slight increase in posttest mean scores and item-level variations suggest heightened awareness of adolescent-specific considerations among participants. These findings support the need for continued development and expansion of adolescent-focused SANE education to strengthen trauma-informed communication skills and enhance clinical preparedness when caring for adolescent sexual assault survivors.
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  Improving Staff Outcomes Through Trauma Informed Care: A Quality Improvement Project

  Velo, Jamie; Muriuki, Winnie; Young, Janay; Robinson, Kristen (The University of Arizona., 2026)

  Background: Trauma-informed care (TIC) has emerged as a critical framework in healthcarefacilities where many patients present with complex trauma histories. Within psychiatric facilities, the need for TIC is especially important due to the prevalence of trauma-related conditions. This need becomes even more urgent in inpatient psychiatric units, where patients often require intensive care and compassionate support. Despite increasing recognition of TIC’s importance, it remains lacking in many psychiatric facilities, contributing to staff burnout, compassion fatigue, and subpar patient care. Research has shown that trauma can significantly impact emotional regulation, cognitive function, and long-term mental health outcomes, making it essential for staff to recognize trauma-related behaviors and implement sensitive and supportive interventions. Purpose: The purpose of this DNP project was to design, implement, and evaluate a TIC training program for staff in an inpatient adult psychiatric unit. Guided by the TIC framework, the goal was to increase staff knowledge, confidence, and intent to apply TIC strategies in clinical practice. Methods: This DNP project used a quantitative pre- and post-intervention design to assess the impact of TIC training on psychiatric inpatient staff. The intervention, a single 30–40 minute in-person session was delivered to 10 direct care staff consisting of registered nurses (Rns), behavioral health technicians (BHTs), peer support specialists, and supervisors at a 15-bed unit within Community Bridges (CBI), a behavioral health organization in Mesa, Arizona. Pre- and post-training surveys evaluated staff confidence and intent using Likert-scale items, while knowledge was assessed using multiple-choice questions. Open-ended post-survey questions explored common ideas and recurring patterns related to how staff anticipated applying TIC principles in their roles. The project was guided by the TIC framework and the PDSA (Plan-Do-Study-Act) cycle implementation model. Data were analyzed using unpaired t-tests. Results: A total of 16 staff members consented to participate in the TIC quality improvement project, with 12 completing the pre-training survey and 10 completing the post-training survey. Participants represented both day and night shifts with varied years of experience. Quantitative results showed that the post-training group reported higher levels of confidence, intent, and knowledge compared to the pre-training group. Qualitative responses reflected themes of awareness, empathy, and self-reflection. Conclusions: The project demonstrated that brief TIC education can promote reflection and awareness among psychiatric staff. The findings highlight the importance of continued training, clear communication, and leadership support to sustain trauma-informed practices. Ongoing evaluation and stronger assessment tools are needed to better identify learning gaps and ensure that TIC principles are consistently applied in clinical care.
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  Evaluating the Effectiveness of Ketamine Therapy on Depressive Symptoms in Veterans: A Program Evaluation

  Young, Janay R.; Limon, Sonia Rebecca; Sparks, John; Torres, Daniela A. (The University of Arizona., 2025)

  Background: Veterans experience disproportionately high rates of depression and comorbid PTSD, often with treatment resistance (Nitcher et al., 2019). Rapid-acting interventions such as racemic ketamine have demonstrated clinically meaningful reductions in depressive symptoms in controlled and real-world studies (Liu et al., 2024).Purpose: Evaluated changes in depressive symptoms among veterans completing a standard six-session ketamine program in a private outpatient clinic, using pre- and post-treatment PHQ-9 total and item-level scores. Methods: Retrospective review of PHQ-9 total and item-level scores in adult veterans who completed six ketamine treatments (IV or IM) between January 1 and August 31, 2025, with PHQ-9s obtained ≤7 days pre-treatment and ≤7 days after the sixth session. Primary outcome: change in PHQ-9 total; secondary: item-level change trends. Results: Among 20 veterans (mean age = 53.5 years; 65% male), mean PHQ-9 scores decreased from 17.0 (SD = 5.76) at baseline to 12.5 (SD = 6.99) post-treatment, a mean change of −4.5 points (95% CI [−6.68, −2.32]; p = .0007; Cohen’s d = −0.91). Overall, 35% achieved clinical response (≥50% reduction in PHQ-9), 10% met criteria for remission (PHQ-9 < 5), and 45% experienced a ≥5-point improvement. Item-level analyses showed significant reductions in anhedonia, depressed mood, sleep disturbance, fatigue, concentration difficulties, and psychomotor symptoms, with a non-significant but clinically relevant reduction in suicidal ideation (PHQ-9 Item 9 endorsement from 30% to 20%). Conclusions: Completion of a six-session ketamine program in this community clinic was associated with statistically and clinically meaningful reductions in depressive symptoms among veterans, with improvement across multiple symptom domains and a numerical decrease in suicidal ideation. These preliminary findings support ketamine therapy as a promising, measurement-based intervention for veterans with moderate to severe depressive symptoms and highlight the value of ongoing program evaluation to optimize real-world implementation.
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  Adolescent Development of Amygdalo-prefrontal Circuit Microstructure and Its Role in Prosocial Behavior of Rhesus Macaques

  Gothard, Katalin; Cowen, Stephen; Bowrie, Archer; Fuglevand, Andrew; Wohlgemuth, Mel (The University of Arizona., 2026)

  Adolescence is marked by profound physical and hormonal development, reorganization of the brain, and corresponding changes in behavior. In primates, adolescence is a lengthy process that allows the development of skills to navigate complex hierarchical societies that determine access to resources such as food, shelter, and mates. One such skill is the ability to use an other-oriented reference frame for decision making, leading to more prosocial choices; those that benefit others. The emergence of adult-like prosocial behavior depends on successful remodeling of amygdalo-frontal circuits that support the integration of social and reward related information. The goal of this study is to capture these behavioral and neural changes longitudinally and determine their relationship to each other and to development of the body in rhesus macaque monkeys. To measure prosocial behavior, we longitudinally measured the performance of six male adolescent rhesus monkeys (ages 22-72 months) on a social reward allocation task in which they chose between rewarding only themselves or themselves and a pair-bonded partner in one trial type (self-oriented); and between rewarding only their partner or dispensing a reward into a container both participants can see but cannot access (other-oriented). On the same monkeys, we obtained monthly morphological and endocrine measurements. While age alone was an insufficient predictor of behavior, an increase in prosocial behavior (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, p < 0.05) was found at the onset of puberty, identified in each monkey as the first age where testosterone levels increased by greater than 0.5 ng/mL. We also periodically acquired diffusion-weighted MRI images and explored the relationships between development and diffusion metrics in the amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), uncinate fasciculus (UF), and cingulum. We found changes in diffusion metrics of the amygdala, OFC, and ACC that could be indicative of synaptic pruning that were significantly predicted by age and estradiol, but this development was not homogenous throughout amygdala nuclei (t-test, p < 0.05). We also found changes in the cingulum that could be indicative of increased myelination that were significantly predicted by age and estradiol (t-test, p < 0.05). Unexpectedly, changes in diffusion metrics in the UF suggest both decreasing and increasing myelination or tract integrity significantly predicted by age or testosterone, respectively (t-test, p < 0.05). Finally, we selected models of self- and other-oriented behavior predicted by subsets of structural features in all areas by comparing the AIC and BIC of nested models. We determined that behavior in the self-oriented trials was best predicted by the amygdala, cingulum, and ACC; while behavior in the other-oriented trials was best predicted by the amygdala, cingulum, ACC, UF, and OFC. Our findings indicate that development in the amygdala-cingulum-ACC circuit is involved in both types of prosocial behavior, but that other-oriented behavior may also involve the amygdala-UF-OFC circuit. We also find that the behavioral development predicted by microstructure in these circuits may be most prominent early in adolescence in monkeys. The results also underscore that while age is a useful predictor of adolescent development, endocrine status is an important predictor of both behavioral and neural development.
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  MODERN DAY SLAVERY: IDENTIFYING HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIMS IN AN URGENT CARE SETTING

  Lindstrom-Mette, Ambur M.; Tesnow, Shannon; Newton, Tarnia; Louica, Romedrude (The University of Arizona., 2025)

  Background: It is estimated that 27 million people are exploited for labor, services, and commercial sex globally each year (Oliviera et al., 2024). Forced labor generates an estimated $236 billion US dollars each year (ILO, 2024). In Alaska, 30% of our homeless young adults identify as having been, or are, victims of trafficking (Stremple, 2024). Education for providers and health care staff is lacking when it comes to identifying trafficking victims. Data shows that 63% of surveyed health care providers have not had training in human trafficking (Oliviera et al., 2024). Purpose: The purpose of this DNP Project was to increase the ability for a trafficking victim to be recognized in an urgent care setting. An opportunity exists to improve outcomes by providing fast and easy education to providers and health care staff. Methods: The participants for this project consisted of male and female medical assistants, registered nurses, nurse practitioners and other providers, laboratory technicians and administrative staff of an urgent care office. Recruitment was done via word-of-mouth where a flier was presented, and participation was optional. Results: The total number of participants was 13 (n = 13). All participants (100%) completed the pretest and posttest. Where a p value of 0.05 is considered significant, the combined data showed an overall p value of 0.034, which is considered statistically significant. Conclusion: The pre and posttest gave undoubtable insight that education did improve knowledge and confidence in the health care workers by simply watching a four-minute educational video.
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  Theoretical Modeling and Flight Experiments on Glider Dynamics in Non-Uniform Winds

  Shkarayev, Sergey; Bouskela, Adrien Francois Edmond; Thanga, Jekan; Butcher, Eric; Krokhmal, Pavlo (The University of Arizona., 2025)

  Long endurance flight is challenged by the limited energy resources carried on-board fixed wing aircraft, especially in unmanned aerial vehicles. Nature provides an elegant solution in the form of birds, which have been observed traveling long distances at minimal energy cost. They fly repeating climbs and dives in regions of high wind shears. This is known as dynamic soaring and can lead to extensive increase in flight range or accumulation of kinetic energy.Most existing theoretical and experimental studies of soaring have focused on static soaring, including fully implementing the technique in autonomous flight systems. However, it doesn’t fully harness the available atmospheric energy, for this dynamic soaring needs to be included. Review of existing publications in confirmed that knowledge in this field is still lacking, especially regarding the energetics between an unsteady atmosphere and a glider flying along fundamental paths. Instead, most authors have explored complex optimal path solutions. The present work partially repeats these results while expanding them to various environments such as Mars and Earth’s high atmosphere, two regions wherein flight similarity is found to be feasible. Then, incremental analysis of a glider exposed to a sudden change in wind magnitude is presented, finding that resulting changes in the orientation of aerodynamic forces can cause energy gains from unsteady atmospheres. Subsequent analysis along fundamental circular paths yielded simplified dynamic soaring maneuvers where kinetic energy can be accumulated, stored, and released in a slingshot like manner. Finally, existing optimal dynamic soaring models are expanded by considering the wind as a random variable. Leading to new stochastic models for optimal dynamic soaring, with solutions and analysis of risk that better represents flight in the naturally unsteady and uncertain wind shear regions.
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  Alteration of Wingtip Vortices using Wingtip Jets on Fixed Wings and Rotating Blades

  Shkarayev, Sergey; Footohi, Parisa Fatemeh; Wygnanski, Israel; Hanquist, Kyle; Thanga, Jekan (The University of Arizona., 2025)

  This dissertation presents a comprehensive experimental investigation into the dynamicsof wingtip vortices and the application of spanwise blowing jets as a method for active flow control on both fixed-wing and rotor blade systems. Wingtip vortices are a natural three-dimensional phenomenon of finite wings that reduces aerodynamic performance and create hazardous wakes. In the case of rotorcraft, the blade wake can be particular detrimental in the form of Blade Vortex Interactions (BVI). This work investigates the impact of wingtip jets on the aerodynamic performance and flow around both a small aspect ratio wing and a rotor. Wind tunnel experiments are conducted on a NACA 0012 fixed-wing model with jet slots at the wingtip, downstream of a built-in settling chamber. Force balance measurements determine the impact of active flow control on aerodynamic loads, while Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) data are acquired at three chordwise locations to characterize the flow around the wingtip. The results demonstrate that the addition of wingtip jets increases both overall lift and drag, with the effects being more pronounced at lower freestream velocities for a given jet supply pressure ratio. PIV analysis reveals that the jets fundamentally alter the flow field, displacing the primary wingtip vortex and inducing a more complex flow field with secondary counter-rotating vortices. This outward movement of the primary vortex, combined with a reversal of the spanwise flow, directly correlates with the increased lift observed in the force balance experiments. Wingtip jet effects on the wingtip vortex are also investigated on a rotor with two blades. The rotor is set with a 12-degree blade angle of attack and a 6-degree disk tilt relative to a Reyonlds number of 2.45 × 10^4 based on chord length. PIV data acquired at four azimuthal blade positions confirm that, similar to the fixed-wing model, the jets displace the blade tip vortex and reverse the spanwise flow. The comparative analysis reveals that the jets are most effective at low Re, which are experienced by the retreating blade due to a reduced relative freestream velocity, where flow separation is a major concern. The application was less effective on the advancing blade, where the presence of BVI remains an issue.
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  Improving Advance Care Planning in Rural Primary Care Through Provider Education Initiatives

  Kenneally, Maria; McFee, Jennifer Anne; Stickney, Remington; Bechtold, Karina (The University of Arizona., 2025)

  Background: Advance care planning (ACP) is a highly beneficial healthcare tool that helps align patients' values with future healthcare decisions; yet, it remains underutilized in rural primary care. Factors such as limited provider time, insufficient training, and access barriers contribute to low ACP discussion rates, particularly in communities like Benson, Arizona, which has a high proportion of older adults, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to enhance primary care providers’ and medical staff knowledge, confidence, and use of ACP through targeted education and communication tools, to increase ACP discussion frequency in a rural primary care setting. Methods: Providers and medical staff completed an educational module on ACP topics. Following the educational module, providers and medical staff completed a post-pre (retrospective) survey to measure knowledge, confidence, and attitudes regarding ACP. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, with results displayed through graphs to visualize trends. Results: All participants (n=6) reported increased knowledge of ACP and related documentation. Most (n = 5, 83%) indicated greater comfort initiating ACP discussions, and all reported improved awareness of available resources and an intention to increase ACP conversations in their clinical practice. Conclusions: A brief, evidence-based ACP education session effectively improved provider knowledge, confidence, and intent to engage in ACP in a rural primary care setting. Integrating ACP education into ongoing training and electronic health record workflows can promote sustainability and support alignment with national quality and population health goals.
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  Microstructure Analytics of Powder Metallurgy Ni-Base Superalloy RR1073 Through Thermomechanical Processing

  Tin, Sammy; Arciniaga, Luis Fernando; Thome, Pascal; Wessman, Andrew E.; Latypov, Marat (The University of Arizona., 2025)

  The use of electron backscatter diffraction coupled with X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy has been combined to create a quantitative data collection approach called Microstructure Analytics. This approach has allowed for the assessment of the changes occurring in the microstructure of an advanced polycrystalline, powder metallurgy Ni-base superalloy, RR1073, through numerous thermomechanical processes. This has led to a deeper understanding of the changes that occur in this alloy at a quantitative level not seen prior. A much deeper fundamental understanding of the microstructural features that evolve from the various thermomechanical processes were rationalized and explained using fundamental materials science and physical metallurgy concepts and mechanisms. These physically based metrics obtained from this approach have provided insightful understanding to the changes that could be implemented in the thermomechanical processing of this alloy to create desired unimodal grain size distributions and mechanical properties. Systematic tracking of the quantitative microstructure metrics to steps in the powder metallurgy process as far back as the hot isostatic pressed process all the way to solutioned heat treatment have been characterized. This insightful methodology has provided new knowledge to the superalloy community regarding microstructure evolution in polycrystalline powder metallurgy alloys that have been needed to begin to realize improvements in the microstructure that will potentially lead to increased service temperatures of aero engines and a means to track microstructures in a systematic quantitative manner.
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  Nudges’ Acceptability and Use to Improve Nurses’ Compliance With Personal Protective Equipment

  Rainbow, Jessica; Rishel, Cindy; Arnold, Melanie Kay; Wilson, Amanda M. (The University of Arizona., 2025)

  Nurses’ adherence to infection prevention guidelines is crucial for reducing healthcare-associated infections and ensuring patient safety. However, non-compliance remains prevalent within healthcare settings. Nudge interventions, based on behavioral economics, have emerged as a promising approach to subtly influence decision-making without coercion. This dissertation explored the perceived acceptability and utility of nudge interventions among nurses, focusing on their potential to enhance adherence to the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). This study used a qualitative descriptive approach, guided by the Health Belief Model, to investigate nurses' perception of infection risk, the efficacy of infection prevention and control guidelines, and various nudge strategies as part of their professional roles. By understanding theseinterventions' acceptability and practical utility, this research aimed to provide insights into the design and implementation of effective nudge strategies that respect professional autonomy while improving adherence to infection prevention practices. Fourteen registered nurses working in acute care settings with at least 1 year of direct care experience were recruited purposively. Semi-structured interviews were conducted via Zoom, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic content analysis. This study found that nurses generally accepted nudges, especially when they were integrated into the workflow and supported clinical priorities. Visual and environmental cues were viewed as helpful when salient and proximal to the clinical workflow, but their effectiveness diminished when they became overly familiar, or when organizational support for PPE use was uncertain. Nurses used a variety of heuristics and situational judgments to rationalize PPE omissions, especially during perceived low-risk or time-pressured situations. Repeated exceptions and other modifying factors contributed to gradual erosion of adherence. These findings indicate that nudges may improve PPE adherence when they are salient, contextually appropriate, and supported by organizational norms. Nudges could interrupt automatic behaviors briefly but were limited in their ability to counter rationalizations when competing priorities were present. The study highlights the importance of designing behaviorally informed interventions that fit into the clinical workflow, remain salient, and are congruent with clinical judgment. The findings will inform future interventions intended to promote adherence to infection control measures in healthcare environments.

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