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  Unveiling Sources of Resilience and Social Support Dimensions: Honoring Mexican Immigrant Experiences and their Migration Journeys in a Borderlands Community Based Participatory Project

  Barnett, Melissa A.; Vasquez, Maria Belinda; Perez-Brena, Norma; Crocker, Rebecca; Wilkinson-Lee, Ada (The University of Arizona., 2024)

  For decades, migration from Mexico to the U.S. has been a persistent phenomenon. Immigrants of Mexican origin often report experiences of discrimination, violence, and racism, describing these as a dehumanization of their human rights (Sabo et al., 2014). Research indicates that immigrants’ experiences often involve trauma and lack of basic resources, leading to significant physical and mental health consequences, including life-threatening risks, stress, and depression (Philbin & Ayón, 2016; Salas et al., 2013). These risks and economic hardships can lead to psychological distress, such as depressive symptoms, especially in low-income communities (Masarik & Conger, 2017). As a result, a better understanding of potential resources of resilience and social support for immigrants from Mexican origins in the borderlands is essential.In this dissertation, the three projects aim to better understand the sources of resilience and social support available to immigrants residing in the Southwestern region of the nation as they face challenges. The knowledge gained from this dissertation will inform future research, practice, and policy on immigrant well-being, especially among parents. The purpose is to inform better strategies to boost mental health, ultimately increasing resilience processes and social support networks among historically marginalized immigrant populations. Employing a community-based participatory research approach and a culturally responsive perspective, this dissertation outlines the essential components for exploring, identifying, and evaluating resources that serve immigrant families in the Arizona border region in the post-pandemic era. Keywords: immigration, resilience, social support, evaluation, families, CBPR.
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  The Role of Dopamine on Inhibition in the Mouse Retina

  Eggers, Erika; Maley, Timothy David; Fuglevand, Andrew; Fregosi, Ralph (The University of Arizona., 2024)

  One truly remarkable feature of the retina is its ability to adapt to a wide range of lightintensities over the span of minutes. The retina is a sensory organ that must be sensitive in low light conditions while also being able to maintain a high degree of resolution of its outputs during large amounts of input. While several mechanisms likely mediate this phenomenon, one source of regulation is in the neuromodulator dopamine. Dopamine is a known neuromodulator in the central nervous system and binds to one of five dopamine receptors, three of which are located in the mouse retina. Dopamine is produced by a subset of amacrine cells known as the dopaminergic amacrine cells. The release of dopamine in the retina is thought to be a gradual secretion throughout the day, dependent on increasing light levels. The subsequent binding of dopamine to one of its receptors mediates differential modulatory effects depending on the receptor subtype and the cell type targeted. Much of the work involved in measuring the effects of dopamine in the retina has involved perfusing dopamine or applying dopamine like agonists and antagonists that are specific to D1, D2, or D4 receptors. However, these receptors each reside on multiple cell types and even subtypes. The role of this work is to determine how dopamine modulates neural signaling at specific connections by utilizing a technique known as optogenetics to isolate inhibitory circuitry in the retina and determine if dopamine is modulating circuitry directly. Electrophysiological measurements of single neurons and light-evoked potentials across the retina are used to determine the direction and scale of such modulation. Understanding the role of dopamine in modulating neural signals in the retina is important for understanding how vision is processed throughout changing light conditions. Additionally, as the most peripheral part of the central nervous system, the retina gives important insight into the modulatory capacities of dopamine in the rest of the brain. This may be particularly important in the study of some diseases such as Parkinson’s and diabetes, demonstrating early homeostatic shifts in dopamine mediated neurocircuitry.
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  The Optical Truss Interferometer: A Convenient Solution for Picometer Sensitivity in the LISA Telescopes and Beyond

  Guzman, Felipe; Jersey, Kylan; Sanjuan, Jose; Wilson, Dalziel; Jones, Ronald J. (The University of Arizona., 2024)

  The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is a planned space-based gravitational wave detector whose purpose is to observe the gravitational spectrum between 0.1 mHz - 1 Hz. The detector is formed by three spacecraft, each separated by 2.5 million km in a heliocentric orbit trailing behind the Earth. Each spacecraft is equipped with two telescopes that expand outgoing laser beams and compress a small fraction of large incoming beams from the other two spacecraft. These laser relays form the basis of the interferometry that will measure fluctuations in the distance between free-flying test masses aboard each spacecraft with a sensitivity goal of 10 pm/√Hz. Dimensional changes in the telescopes will contribute directly to the optical path of the interferometers, leading to a 1 pm/√Hz stability requirement for each telescope. The optical truss interferometer (OTI) is a contingent subsystem proposed for the LISA telescopes to aid in the verification of a 1 pm/√Hz optical path length stability. By mounting compact fiber-coupled units to the telescope structure to form Fabry-Perot cavities whose baselines are proportional to the telescope length, the dimensional stability of each cavity can be monitored with heterodyne readout methods. We have designed and developed prototype OTI units to demonstrate the capability of measuring stable structures, such as the LISA telescope, with a 1 pm/√Hz sensitivity using a set of freely mountable fiber-injected cavities. This dissertation will detail the design, development, and proof-of-concept for the optical truss interferometer as a powerful ``plug and play'' solution for the LISA telescope and ground testing of prototype stable structures.
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  Teacher Efficacy and Impacts of Justice Centered Inclusive Settings on Multiply Marginalized and Underrepresented Preschool Students

  Mruczek, Cynthia; Barker, Maria; Gonzalez, Taucia; Bertrand, Melanie (The University of Arizona., 2024)

  Within educational systems across the nation, traditionally marginalized and multiply marginalized and underrepresented (MMU) groups, composed of students of color, students with dis/abilities, students living in poverty and/or emergent bilinguals, continue to be excluded and segregated, perpetuating discriminatory practices both inside and outside of school spaces. Inclusive systems however, provide a more equitable and higher quality education for all children and are instrumental in shifting discriminatory attitudes beyond classroom walls. Preschools provide the first context where children interact with the world and people outside their homes. They are prime spaces to develop social relationships and a sense of belonging rooted in seeing the value of diversity. When students of diverse abilities, backgrounds and ethnicities play, socialize and learn together, respect and understanding grow. The interplay of race, language, ability, class, and age are examined through the long history of educational reform policies that have targeted MMU students with less than impactful results. One possible way forward may lie in supporting educator recognition of dysconscious racism and dysconscious ableism and actively shifting deficit based perceptions through justice centered and inclusive educational settings. An underlying theme of this discussion is how fostering teacher efficacy for social justice and knowledge of Dis/Crit Classroom Ecology and its four components of Dis/Crit Resistance, Curriculum, Pedagogy and Solidarity can engender equitable educational outcomes concerning opportunity gaps, identification of special services and exclusionary discipline practices.Key Terms: Multiply Marginalized and Underrepresented (MMU), early childhood, inclusion, dysconscious racism, dysconscious ableism, Dis/Crit Classroom Ecology, Social Cognitive Theory, teacher efficacy
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  Sparsity-Aware Hardware-Software Co-design of Spiking Neural Network Accelerators

  Adegbija, Tosiron; Aliyev, Ilkin; Tandon, Ravi; Salehi, Soheil (The University of Arizona., 2024)

  Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs) are bio-inspired event-driven alternatives to Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), offering the potential for energy-efficient artificial intelligence (AI) in resource-constrained edge devices. Sparsity, the concept of activating only a small fraction of neurons at any given time, is a fundamental principle that plays a crucial role in achieving energy and computational efficiency in SNNs. However, current studies exploiting sparsity often lack thorough design space analysis, overlooking the potential workload imbalances caused by irregular sparse patterns across different tasks. Furthermore, existing Sparse Matrix-Dense Matrix multiplication (SpMM) kernels, widely used in ANNs, are sub-optimal for SNNs due to their unique multiplication-free property, necessitating the development of specialized hardware acceleration techniques. This dissertation makes two major contributions. The first contribution explores the factors that shape sparsity in SNNs and their impact on performance. We systematically investigate the effects of key training hyperparameters such as Surrogate Gradient (SG), neuronal parameters, and low-bit quantization, across diverse workloads. Our findings reveal novel insights into how these factors contribute to sparsity and provide guidance for optimizing SNN efficiency. We demonstrate a novel approach to SNN hardware-software co-design: by selecting surrogate functions that inherently induce lower firing rates, we can significantly reduce energy consumption without sacrificing accuracy. Secondly, we propose novel hardware designs to explicitly exploit sparsity in SNN accelerators, aiming to maximize energy efficiency and computational throughput. We propose a sparse design that employs a priority encoder for spike train compression and implements output-product (OP) tiling to achieve balanced workload parallelization. Building on this, we further propose a hybrid hardware design that seamlessly integrates this sparse core with a dense core. The hybrid approach is particularly well-suited for direct-coded SNNs, which directly process input samples without the need for an explicit encoding scheme, thus exhibiting varying degrees of sparsity across different layers. We rigorously evaluate our work through extensive simulations and FPGA-based prototyping, demonstrating the potential of our proposed approach to achieve significant efficiency gains in SNN accelerators compared to the state-of-the-art, all without compromising accuracy.
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  Seamless Coupling of Peridynamics with Finite Element Method for the Simulation of Material Failure and Damage

  Madenci, Erdogan; Anicode, Sundaram Vinod Kumar; Madenci, Erdogan; Zhupanska, Olesya; Brio, Moysey; Silling, Stewart (The University of Arizona., 2024)

  Peridynamic (PD) theory, based on the concept of material point interactions over a finite distance through long-range forces, results in the integral form of the equation of motion. It offers a uniform mathematical framework suitable for analyzing the mechanics of diverse systems, from discrete entities to continuous or discontinuous media. This feature allows for damage nucleation at multiple, unspecified sites and its propagation along complex, unguided paths. The finite element method (FEM) accurately predicts material deformation using existing constitutive models while incorporating specific fracture criteria for damage propagation. However, these criteria rely on local stress and strain fields and are significantly influenced by mesh size, limiting their accuracy. Additionally, predicting damage can be cumbersome due to undefined displacement derivatives at discontinuities. Although PD theory is highly effective for failure prediction, it incurs higher computational costs compared to FEM due to its nonlocal nature. Therefore, integrating PD with FEM to capitalize on their respective advantages is a key motivation. Coupling PD and FEM presents challenges due to the nonlocal nature of PD with volume constraints and the local nature of FEM with surface constraints. This study introduces a framework for conducting single- and dual-horizon bond-based (BB), ordinary state-based (OSB), and non-ordinary state-based (NOSB) PD analysis within ANSYS, utilizing its native MATRIX27 elements. Traditional PD models assume a single horizon, leading to spurious wave reflections and ghost forces in non-uniform meshes. The dual horizon PD concept allows for non-uniform discretization. The coupling approach uses the weak form of PD governing equations, integrating PD and FE regions by sharing the same nodes along their interface without overlap or constraint conditions. The PD domain is divided into three regions to ensure equilibrium equations are satisfied and to impose boundary conditions directly, eliminating the need for a fictitious layer. Failure mechanisms are introduced gradually with dynamic updates to MATRIX27 element coefficients. This study also introduces the coupling of BB, OSB, and NOSB PD models with traditional FE elements in ANSYS for structures with initial strain, considering a known temperature profile and capturing the effect of thermal strain on the coupled PD-FE model's response. Finally, it introduces the PD-FE coupling methodology to model structural response in the presence of geometric and material nonlinearity. The solution to the governing equations is achieved through implicit solution methods. The accuracy of this approach is validated by comparing it with results from finite element analysis in scenarios without failure for quasi-static and dynamic analysis. The comparisons indicate excellent agreement under plane stress and plane strain assumptions, including quasi-static and dynamic loading conditions.
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  Resilience for Trauma and Adverse Events Among Firefighter First Responders

  Williams, Deborah K.; Turley, Rebecca; Bouchard, Lindsay A.; Marks, Michael W. (The University of Arizona., 2024)

  Purpose: This quality improvement project’s purpose was to educate firefighter first responders at Rural Metro Fire Department on resiliency practices to increase understanding of resiliency and the likelihood of adopting resiliency practices to better cope with memories of adverse events while on duty to reduce PTSD.Background: Firefighters’ repeated exposure to high-stress situations can lead to symptoms of PTSD. Existing research suggests firefighters with resiliency skills cope with chronic exposure to trauma and adverse events and have decreased symptoms of PTSD, compared to first responders who do not. Methods: Firefighter crew members with the Rural Metro Fire Department volunteered to participate in this quality improvement project. Participants were given a 15-minute PowerPoint educational discussion, a post-retrospective survey in paper printed form, and a resiliency information handout to keep. Results: Five firefighter participants completed the post-retrospective survey. Based on the data, there was an increase in firefighter’s knowledge and intent to use resilience practices plus an improvement in understanding and comfort in using resilience skills. Also, data shows firefighter participants felt this quality improvement resilience education would be beneficial for firefighters’ mental health. Conclusions: This quality improvement project suggests alternative interventions for PTSD among firefighter first responders beneficial to improving resilience skills for this population. Utilizing resilience as a belief allows first responders to acknowledge their stressors, advocate for their own mental health, and influence a support system of first responders.
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  Repression in Conflict-Affected States: The Role of United Nations Peace Operations

  Braithwaite, Jessica M.; Bruens, Alexander; Arnon, Daniel; Campbell, Susanna; Ryckman, Kirssa C. (The University of Arizona., 2024)

  Since the inception of the United Nations, peace operations have been employed to respond to wars, political violence, and fragile political contexts. For the first 42 years, from 1948 to 1990, these consisted of enforcement peacekeeping operations and small-footprint individual representatives of United Nations components, or Good Offices Engagements. Since 1990, special political missions have filled a gap between these intervention options. These missions consist of international and domestic personnel in the field, tasked with mandates ranging from human rights monitoring to election observation to security sector reform. As the United Nations moves away from peacekeeping, political missions are increasingly replacing engagements around the world. However, the literature on peace operations has lagged behind. In this dissertation, I addresses the gap by engaging with recent work on political missions and identifying how longstanding peacekeeping literature applies to political missions. Further, we know little about the impact of these political missions on important outcomes, like violent state repression. In Chapter 3, I find that political missions and peacekeeping are determined especially by domestic factors, and this is particularly true for sequencing between mission types -- replacement of peacekeeping with political missions is significantly driven by the length of United Nations engagement in host countries. In Chapter 4, I find tentative evidence that political missions can reduce the severity and incidence of government-perpetrated killings, like peacekeeping. Political missions seem to operate in somewhat different environments from peacekeeping, which then impacts their ability to constrain state use of violence against civilians. In Chapter 5, I build on some existing work to define nonviolent repression and locate it within the concept of positive peace in conflict-affected states; I identify how peacekeeping operations and political missions differently affect the severity of this repression, finding that peacekeeping is effective at improving conditions for civil society but political missions have unclear effects. These chapters especially contribute to the literature on United Nations peace operations by applying lessons from the existing literature on peacekeeping to political missions; these chapters add to work on repression by discussing nonviolent repressive tactics and developing a principal-agent framework around constraints on repressive agents. The findings about similar violent repression reducing effects of political missions as peacekeeping is a positive, but the minimal effect on nonviolent repression highlights an area that the UN and academics should consider more closely moving forward.
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  Remote Sensing of Aboveground Vegetation Structure, Biomass, and Water Content Across Spatial and Temporal Scales

  Smith, William K.; Moore, David J.P.; Devine, Charles John; Babst, Flurin; Behrangi, Ali (The University of Arizona., 2024)

  Vegetation plays a critical role in the interaction of terrestrial carbon, water, energy, and nutrient cycles at the Earth's surface, influencing global biospheric-atmospheric exchanges of carbon and water and regulating the climate system. However, natural and human-induced disturbances are increasingly affecting ecosystems, leading to reduced carbon storage by vegetation. Satellite remote sensing is used for spatiotemporal estimation of key vegetation variables such as structure, aboveground biomass (AGB), and vegetation water content (VWC), but coarse pixel resolution poses challenges for accurate calibration and validation of these estimates. In this dissertation, I explored novel remote sensing technologies and techniques to improve structure, AGB, and VWC estimation across multiple spatial and temporal scales. I incorporated environmental disturbance factors to benchmark the temporal sensitivity of these estimates to large-scale biomass change and to evaluate their accuracy in quantifying disturbance-driven biomass loss. Appendix A focused on enriching annual AGB estimates in North American arctic-boreal ecosystems using integrated of microwave and optical-multispectral satellite observations. This approach enhanced spatial AGB across the region and improved detection of biomass loss driven by large-scale wildfires. Appendix B explored the application of close-range photogrammetry and derived ultra-high spatial resolution 3D models for extracting structural plant information, improving biomass quantification, and assessing the impacts of physical disturbance for three morphologically distinct dryland shrub species. We found that the model integrating canopy area and mean shrub height yielded the most accurate species-agnostic AGB estimate, and adequately captured biomass loss driven by physical disturbance. Appendix C evaluated tower-level microwave reflectance and its relationship with eddy covariance flux measurements, vegetation greenness, soil moisture, and satellite microwave observations in a semi-arid grassland ecosystem during the summer 2021 growing season. While correlations were generally strong during the greening phase of the growing season, they were considerably weaker during the browning phase. We concluded this was driven by the temporal lag of tower-level microwave reflectance and attributed this to its high sensitivity to late-season residual vegetation moisture. Collectively, these findings advance understanding of remote sensing applications and techniques to improve capabilities for spatial estimation and temporal monitoring of vegetation properties which are central to global carbon and water cycles.
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  Reintubation in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit: Lessons Learned

  Torabi, Sarah; Bello, Olu; Henker, Richard; Reed, James (The University of Arizona., 2023)

  Purpose: The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to present anesthesia providers about the reintubation rates in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) at a facility in southern Texas. Included in this presentation, based on current literature, were risk factors that contribute to reintubation and ways to assess appropriate measures for extubating patients under general anesthesia. Background: Reintubation in the PACU is a traumatizing experience for patients, families, and PACU nurses. This event can ultimately result in morbidity and mortality if not recognized early (Liu et al., 2021). These events lead to increased costs for both the hospital and the patient. By identifying the root cause of why reintubation occurs, it is imperative to reinforce this information to anesthesia providers resulting in improved anesthesia management. Methods: Lippitt’s Theory of Change, which is based on bringing in an external change agent to put a plan in place to make changes, guided this DNP project. An educational presentation followed by a post-pre survey (20 questions) was designed to assess anesthesia providers knowledge of patients at risk of reintubation, and to evaluate their current practice. A 60-day post-presentation survey assessed if they have made any changes to their practice. Results: There were 18 participants who filled out the survey after the educational presentation. The areas of improvement from pre to post included: identification of risk factors for age and gender, increased knowledge about incidence of postoperative residual paralysis, how to perform a negative inspiratory force test and how to test for a cuff leak. A 60-day survey was distributed to assess any changes in practice after the presentation. There were 11 participants who submitted their survey in which 6 (54.5%) providers have changed their practice to include neuromuscular blockade assessment with a nerve stimulator. The remaining 5 (45.5%) participants have not changed their practice. Conclusions: It was noted that there was a 0.8% (3/367) reintubation rate in a 3-month period at the project site, which is low compared to national rates. This educational presentation improved knowledge regarding reintubation risks and possible causes. The 60-day survey resulted in a positive change in practice with assessing and documenting neuromuscular blockade.
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  Reimagining Prison Education: Incarcerated Individuals' Reflections on Education, Themselves, and the Digital World

  Castek, Jill; Pruitt, Samantha; Orozco, Richard; Smith, William (The University of Arizona., 2024)

  This descriptive action research study uses Transformative Learning Theory as a lens to view incarcerated education from the perspective of incarcerated individuals (I/Is). Data was collected from 19 participants using individual and focus group semi-structured interviews. The data analysis captured the voices and viewpoints of I/Is regarding education and learning, along with their reflections on themselves as they participated in prison education programs. The research process yielded a description of detailed affordances and constraints of the prison education system. Given that I/Is are not allowed access to the open Internet in any setting while in prison, this study examined I/Is impressions of the digital world and documented their knowledge, misconceptions, and fears about it. Data analysis captured the learners’ desire to learn digital literacies to support job searching, information seeking, communication, health management, and other necessities managed entirely online. By examining I/Is’ identities and navigation through prison education using a persona analysis, this research identified three persona types that detail how I/Is navigate prison education programs. A deeper dive into the persona analysis revealed how the design of education programs can motivate learning and lead to the evolution of I/Is’ future goals for themselves. The thematic analysis offered nine themes and a nine-part action plan with specific recommendations drawn from the research. In line with action research, these action plans will be shared with the community college that oversees the education programming along with prison leadership where data was collected to advocate for and encourage critical reflection and transformative change.
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  Racial Discrimination, Individual Resources, and Coping Among Latinx Adolescents: A Longitudinal and Within-Person Analysis

  Zeiders, Katharine; Sarsar, Evelyn Danilova; O'Connor, Mary-Frances; Orozco, Richard; Perez-Brena, Norma (The University of Arizona., 2024)

  Utilizing a two-study approach, this dissertation provided an integrative understanding of the longitudinal and day-to-day effects of racial discrimination, examined the various contexts in which Latinx youth encounter racial discrimination, and recognized the nuanced factors that moderate the impact of racial discrimination on various facets of health. Study 1 explored the prevalence of experiences of racial discrimination within online contexts among Latinx adolescents, examined the concurrent and longitudinal relations between online racial discrimination and mental health outcomes, and examined the protective role of ERI affirmation and self-compassion on the relations between online racial discrimination and mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Study 2 explored the prevalence of the day-to-day post-pandemic experiences of racial discrimination and coping strategies among Latinx adolescents, examined the within-person relationship between racial discrimination and diurnal cortisol, and the interactive effect of coping on the relations between racial discrimination and diurnal cortisol slope. Together, both studies provided evidence that racial discrimination experiences are common and multifaceted, being encountered by Latinx youth online and within offline daily contexts. Digital contexts, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, have emerged as another environment where youth encounter and observe racial discrimination with real-life consequences. Youth also exhibit aspects of resilience and utilize a range of resources to overcome experiences of racial discrimination – offering distinct perspectives on how adolescents overcome experiences of racial discrimination by drawing upon cultural identity, aspects of self, and coping strategies. This work also shows that racial discrimination remains a threat to Latinx adolescents’ health. Racism-related stress during adolescence has been evidenced to have psychological and physiological implications.
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  Prediction of Maximum Solar Energy Harvest Considering Year-Round Sky Coverage Conditions and Integrating Shading Effect for Fixed PV Panels

  Li, Peiwen; Gwesha, Ammar Omar; Guzman, Roberto; Wu, Xiaoyi; Hao, Qing (The University of Arizona., 2024)

  The installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels is growing globally as the international community transitions from fossil fuel energy to clean and sustainable resources such as solar energy, wind energy, hydropower, and bioenergy. Among various renewable energy technologies, the capacity of power generation using solar PV has expanded dramatically in recent years. In an attempt to maximize the irradiance on PV panels of various inclinations and orientations, this dissertation implements the Sunray-Energy Algorithm (SEA), a tool developed to estimate the maximum solar energy incident on photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, optimal tilt angles, and orientations under various sky coverage conditions and shading effects.One study investigated the impact of adjusting solar panel tilt angles on energy capture in Tucson, Arizona, over a decade, focusing on worst-case sky cover scenarios. A sunray vector analysis and energy calculation model with six-minute intervals reveal that a fixed tilt of approximately 32° due south results in an annual energy harvest of 2297 kWh/m². Seasonal adjustments—0° in summer, 17.5° in spring, 45° in fall, and 57.5° in winter—can further increase energy capture by 4.28% (two-season), 7.06% (four-season), and 8.42% (monthly) compared to a fixed tilt at local latitude SEA has been further enhanced to determine optimal tilt angles and the corresponding maximum solar energy harvest for solar panels across various orientations, utilizing 21 years of real cloud-cover data for Tucson and 10 years for Sydney, rather than worst-case sky cover scenarios. The model conducts calculations every five minutes when solar elevation angles exceed 5°, recommending tilt angles aligned with local latitude for yearly adjustments and specific angles for biannual and seasonal optimizations. Vertical PV installations are also analyzed, showing potential energy savings of approximately 1160.58 kWh/m²/year in Tucson and 1105.98 kWh/m²/year in Sydney. Applied to a 6 MW solar plant at The University of Arizona Tech Park, SEA projects annual energy yields between 2206.36 kWh/m² and 2407.40 kWh/m². Economic analysis reveals a payback period of 6.78 to 7.63 years and LCoE values of $33.08/MWh to $44.05/MWh. Sensitivity analysis identifies capacity factor and installation cost per watt as key influencers on LCoE, emphasizing the importance of strategic decisions regarding Operations and Maintenance (O&M) costs. Python code is developed to improve the SEA performance to account for inter-row shading effects and cost-effectiveness of PV solar fields. By optimizing inter-row spacing and implementing both fixed and dynamic tilt adjustments, the study identifies a 1-meter spacing as optimal for balancing energy capture and shading losses. Monthly tilt angle adjustments enhance annual energy harvest by approximately 8.5% compared to a fixed tilt of 32° in Tucson, AZ. Using the LM-BFGS optimization algorithm to minimize LCoE as an objective function, the findings identify key parameters that result in an optimized LCoE of approximately $11.20 per MWh. The study highlights the importance of minimizing installation and operational costs, as well as managing land expenses.
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  Personalized Multimodal MRI-Guided Theta Burst Brain Stimulation for Effective Memory Enhancement in Mild Cognitive Impairment

  Chou, Ying-Hui; Liu, Yilin; Chen, Nan-kuei; Andrews-Hanna, Jessica (The University of Arizona., 2024)

  This dissertation examines the utility of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) in enhancing intervention strategies for mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The research begins by exploring the foundations of TMS and its potential to alter disease progression through neuroplastic mechanisms. It highlights how advancements in neuroimaging significantly improve the specificity of TMS interventions, supporting its application in cognitive enhancement for AD and MCI patients. A significant focus is placed on the evaluation of sensitive cognitive outcome assessments (COAs) that can detect early pathological changes before clinical symptoms become evident. The study particularly emphasizes the role of the Face-Name Associative Memory Exam (FNAME) in identifying subtle cognitive deviations across the MCI spectrum. Through comprehensive analyses, this work demonstrates how functional and structural connectivity influence associative memory, revealing potential biomarkers for early AD intervention(Chen et al., 2022). Further investigations assess the reliability of different rTMS targeting strategies, illustrating that Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI)-guided methods provide more consistent outcomes than those guided by resting-state fMRI. This underscores the critical importance of precision in personalizing rTMS therapy to enhance treatment efficacy. Additionally, the responsiveness of rTMS in older adults is explored, with a particular emphasis on the predictive value of baseline functional connectivity within the sensorimotor cortex. This approach highlights the inter-individual variability in TMS effects and the potential for tailored therapeutic strategies based on individual neurophysiological profiles. The dissertation concludes with a synthesis of findings and a discussion of future directions for rTMS research in the management of neurodegenerative diseases. It advocates for the standardization of protocols and the integration of rTMS with other treatment modalities to maximize therapeutic outcomes. The collective insights from this research contribute to a deeper understanding of the neurophysiological underpinnings of cognitive decline and the innovative ways TMS can be employed to mitigate its progression
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  Newton Slopes of Specializations

  Cais, Bryden R.; Lewis, Daniel; Haessig, Douglas; Hong, Serin; Xue, Hang (The University of Arizona., 2024)

  In this thesis we study the Newton polygons associated to modules obtained from étale Zp-towers of curves. Fix a smooth, projective and connected curve X0 over an algebraically closed field of characteristic p > 0. By a Zp-tower {Xn}n≥0, we mean a tower of finite Galois covers ··· → X2 → X1 → X0 with Gal(Xn/X0) ≃ Z/p^nZ. Such a tower is étale if the covering {Xn}n≥0 is globally unramified. We provide concrete descriptions of the slopes of the Newton polygons of the modules obtained by specialization at points on the p-adic unit disk. We see that for n sufficiently large, if we assume the existence of a cyclic vector, then the p-adic Newton polygon can almost be read off from the vG-adic Newton polygon. We discuss circumstances under which cyclic vectors are guaranteed to exist. This contributes to Daqing Wan’s program on the behavior of p-adic slopes along Zp-towers, initiated in [DWX16].
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  Neural Signatures in the Motor Cortex and their Relation to Parkinson’s Disease, Dyskinetic Movements, and Sub-Anesthetic Ketamine

  Cowen, Stephen L.; Vishwanath, Abhilasha; Falk, Torsten; Fuglevand, Andrew (The University of Arizona., 2024)

  The motor network plays a critical role in the control and selection of movements. Loss of dopaminergic neurons, as in neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s disease (PD), significantly alters the electrophysiological features throughout the motor network specifically in the cortico-striato-thalamic loop. The results of these dysfunctional changes are the cardinal motor symptoms of PD which slows and impairs voluntary motor control. Levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID), which is a common side effect of dopamine replacement therapy with levodopa (L-DOPA) for PD, causes debilitating uncontrolled, involuntary, and excessive movements because of further and opposing alterations to the cortico-striato-thalamic loop. Unfortunately, the treatment options for PD and LID are limited and not effective in almost half of the patients. Sub-anesthetic ketamine has emerged as a potential treatment for LID and induces significant electrophysiological changes that disrupt motor symptoms and neural signatures of PD and LID. However, the functional nature of these neurophysiological features during these states, like beta and finely-tuned gamma oscillations, ketamine-induced gamma activity, aberrant changes in motor cortex neurons firing patterns and ensemble state changes, are not well understood. This thesis provides insight into the role of motor cortex and dorsomedial striatum neural activity at the intersection of PD, LID and sub-anesthetic ketamine from neural recordings of >3500 individual neurons and local-field potential activity in preclinical rodent models. Investigation into the relationship between motor cortex activity and dyskinetic movements revealed a significant decoupling of motor cortex neurons and local-field activity from movement speed. Overall, this data highlighted the role of motor cortex in mediating inhibition of competing movements as functional decoupling of motor cortex activity may allow for aberrant movements to emerge in downstream motor circuits leading to involuntary movements seen in LID. This decoupling of motor cortex activity was partially rescued with sub-anesthetic ketamine. Additionally, the pathological oscillatory feature of LID, finely-tuned gamma, was disrupted by sub-anesthetic ketamine accompanied by reduction in dyskinetic behaviors. Analysis of the motor cortex neural populations during sub-anesthetic ketamine during LID showed that ketamine decreased state similarity specifically in the dopamine depleted condition. This is the first study to show changes in state and cell-pair interactions under ketamine in dopamine depleted and LID states, where ketamine introduced a larger magnitude and deviant cell-pair alterations selective to these states. Moreover, ketamine-induced gamma activity in the dopamine depleted condition showed higher power and more focal gamma frequency range in the lesioned and intact hemispheres of the dopamine lesioned animals. Together, these findings provide insight into ketamine’s mechanisms of action which is influenced to a certain extent by the underlying neural state.
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  Multimodal Literacy for Learning: Opening Multiple Pathways to Learning in a Middle School French Language Classroom

  Klimanova, Liudmila; Sanlyn, Buxner; Rendes, Christopher; Brochin, Carol; Durand, Sybil (The University of Arizona., 2024)

  Learning a second language is a complex task. Adopting the innovative use of a multimodal literacies approach provides young second language (L2) learners with expanded opportunities to immerse themselves in the target language. This study explored how participants utilized their multimodal literacies along with the level of investment participants displayed while learning French. This study examined four case studies, three participants and their classroom teacher, through a cross case analysis to highlight the application of multimodal literacies and assessment of assets to complete tasks, along with why participants displayed varying degrees of investment in a language learning classroom. Findings revealed that young L2 learners of French utilized their multimodal literacies in different ways to learn language with investment depending on the level of language immersion, complexity of tasks, and whether or not the tasks stimulated engagement. Participants utilized the personalized learning that multimodal literacies provide, but only if the right environment for multimodal learning is created. Multimodal environments require specific ingredients needed to optimize learning while also providing an element of built-in self assessment that is encouraged through authentic learning. Future implications include varying degrees of learning investment based on modal delivery and activity choices along with incorporating multimodal literacies into pre-service teacher education. Analyzing the language learning context of the three participants and their classroom teacher through the lens of the multimodal literacies framework has better informed perceptions of how this approach can expand language learning to be engaging, productive, immersive and conducive to lifelong learning.
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  Millimeter Wave Studies of Biogenic Elements in the Interstellar Medium

  Ziurys, Lucy M.; Koelemay, Lilia; Brown, Michael F.; Schwartz, Steven D.; Zega, Thomas J. (The University of Arizona., 2024)

  The unique conditions within the circumstellar envelopes (CSEs) of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars facilitate the formation of radical species and other complex molecules. While some of these molecules are destroyed within the envelope, their remnants contribute to the broader molecular lifecycle. Molecules containing the NCHOPS elements, those essential for life, are of particular interest in astrochemistry. This work presents millimeter-wave observations of CSEs and molecular clouds conducted using the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO) 12-m and Submillimeter Telescope (SMT) to identify new interstellar molecules containing NCHOPS and other astrochemically relevant elements, as well as to examine elemental abundance gradients. Phosphorus monoxide (PO) was identified for the first time in the star-forming region Orion-KL through analysis of a 3 mm spectral line survey obtained with the ARO 12-m. By examining the line profile and LSR velocity of PO, the molecule was localized to the Plateau region of Orion-KL, providing additional evidence that shock chemistry plays a role in the formation of phosphorus molecules. Additionally, 3, 2, and 1 mm spectral line surveys were conducted towards the carbon-rich envelope of the AGB star IRC+10216 using both the 12-m and SMT telescopes. These sensitive surveys allowed for the detection of very weak rotational lines, leading to the identification of two new interstellar molecules: SiP, a phosphorus-bearing radical, and FeC, the first metal carbide (in the chemist’s sense) detected in the interstellar medium. Both molecules were found in shell distributions within the envelope of IRC+10216, with formation mechanisms likely tied to shock chemistry. To explore the molecular content of the Outer Galaxy, observations were conducted towards Galactic Edge Clouds using the ARO 12-m and IRAM 30-m telescopes. PO and PN were identified in the Edge Cloud WB89-621, located 22.6 kiloparsecs (kpc) from the Galactic Center. This discovery represents the furthest detection of phosphorus in the Galaxy and confirms the presence of all NCHOPS elements in the Outer Galaxy. Furthermore, c-C3H2 was identified in 20 Edge Clouds with galactocentric distances ranging from 12.9 to 23.5 kpc, and nitric oxide (NO) was identified in 16 of these sources. The abundances of c-C3H2 and NO appear to remain constant with respect to galactocentric distances, suggesting a more widespread distribution of these molecules than previously believed and lending further support to the extension of the Galactic Habitable Zone into the Outer Galaxy.
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  Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (Mbct) for Adults With ADHD: A Psychoeducational Intervention

  Bouchard, Lindsay A.; Twiss, Jeffrey R.; Edmund, Sara; Velo, Jamie (The University of Arizona., 2024)

  Purpose: This quality improvement (QI) project evaluated the effectiveness of an educational intervention to enhance adult ADHD patients’ understanding and acceptance of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) as an augmentative treatment. The goal was to encourage participants to pursue an MBCT referral from their provider. This initiative was guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Background: Adult ADHD is commonly treated with pharmacotherapy; however, comprehensive symptom management often benefits from a multimodal approach. MBCT offers significant potential advantages but remains underutilized, primarily due to limited patient awareness and acceptance. This project utilized TPB to identify cognitive and behavioral factors influencing MBCT adoption. Methods:The project utilized a pre- and post-intervention survey design. The practice owner at the implementation site invited her 25 adult ADHD patients to participate in the project; five responded, and four completed the process for a 16% response rate. Participants viewed a brief educational video explaining MBCT’s principles, benefits for ADHD management, and integration with existing treatments. The TPB framework shaped survey questions assessing changes in attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control regarding MBCT. Results: The intervention increased participants' willingness to discuss MBCT with healthcare providers, with mean willingness scores rising from 3.0 to 4.25. While MBCT knowledge improved, the change was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Participant feedback highlighted the video's effectiveness in clarifying MBCT's role in ADHD management, positively affecting attitudes and perceived control over treatment decisions, and aligning with TPB constructs. Conclusions: This QI project demonstrates the TPB's utility in designing educational interventions that effectively influence patient intentions and behaviors toward augmentative treatments like MBCT. Although changes in awareness did not reach statistical significance, the increased readiness to engage with MBCT underscores the success of targeted educational interventions in modifying patient attitudes and enhancing treatment engagement. Future initiatives should broaden the intervention's scope, diversify educational methods, and implement longitudinal studies to assess the sustained impact on patient outcomes further, thereby optimizing MBCT’s integration into adult ADHD management.
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  Looking Towards Digital Equity and Inclusion: Exploring Perspectives and Barriers in School Districts

  Castek, Jill; Sanderson, Christopher; Orozco, Richard; Smith, William (The University of Arizona., 2024)

  In our increasingly digitized society, where technology use is ubiquitous, nearly all activities require access to and proficiency using digital tools. Proficient internet use may lead to the pursuit of higher education, launching a fulfilling career, or part of habits and healthy lifestyles where education is lifelong and life-wide. This study documented two school districts’ progress toward digital equity and inclusion. Promoting digital equity and inclusion in schools are important and complex issues that are not yet fully understood. Given federal legislation such as the National Educational Technology Plan and competitive grants tied to the Digital Equity Act, school districts and community based organizations are faced with developing and executing plans that consider the needs of vulnerable families, students, and communities. Through collaboration with school district personnel and openly discussing digital equity as a critical issue facing school districts nationwide, this research explored how two school districts are thinking about their digital equity and inclusion needs across their schools. Completed surveys captured multiple perspectives collected across the two school districts. Participants included district administrators, school principals, classroom teachers, and parents. Semi-structured interviews captured personal experiences from participants about digital equity and inclusion. Multiple barriers to digital equity and inclusion for students in schools, were documented in both surveys and interviews. Through a thematic analysis of the data collected, the study’s findings indicate a lack of coordinated efforts across schools within a district and classrooms, despite acknowledging the significance of digital equity. Through the analysis of data, the study yielded themes, cross-cutting concepts, and suggested actions aimed at lasting transformative change.

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