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Births in the Mountain West, 2023
No full textThis fact sheet details data from a National Vital Statistics report on the number of births within the Mountain West in 2023. This report, offered through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), includes data on the race/ethnic demographics of mothers of American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian, Black, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, white, and Hispanic descent. This fact sheet explores birth data for the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah, by the mother’s place of residence
Financial inducements in gambling marketing: An information disclosure proposal to inform gamblers of their true economic value
No full textFinancial inducements such as free bets are frequently-used gambling marketing offers which temporarily improve a gambler’s usual pattern of risk and potential return. Previous research has shown that there are up to 15 distinct types of financial inducements in common use, and that gamblers frequently misunderstand inducements’ play-through requirements and other complex terms and conditions. The Australian government has therefore recently banned play-through requirements for inducements shown to new customers, and the Great British regulator the Gambling Commission has recently announced a maximum play-through requirement of 10 times. The present work describes an alternative and yet potentially complementary approach based on disclosing financial inducements’ true economic value to gamblers. This approach can be motivated by the fact that financial inducements are not intrinsically harmful, and an understanding of their value has been exploited for profit by some gamblers via techniques called “bonus hunting” and “matched betting”. Disclosure-based approaches can be designed to reflect the average losses implied by any play-through requirements, as well as any other terms and conditions which affect their economic value. Disclosure-based approaches for protecting consumers from the potential harms of financial inducements should be subject to further research and policy consideration
Reframing Information Seeking in the Age of Generative AI: A Critical and Humanistic Approach
No full textInformation-seeking has long been the subject of theoretical modeling, often drawing from cognitive, behavioral, computational, and even evolutionary perspectives to explain how individuals navigate, filter, and utilize information. Several dominant frameworks—Carol Kuhlthau’s Information Search Process, Marcia Bates’ Berrypicking Model, Peter Pirolli & Stuart Card’s Information Foraging Theory, Kiyohiko Nakamura’s Information Criteria framework, and Ian Ruthven’s Information Shaping Theory —have provided structured ways of understanding how people interact with information environments. However, while these frameworks offer valuable insights, they often operate within mechanistic or efficiency-driven paradigms, which risk overlooking the complex, embodied, and socioculturally situated nature of human information behaviors. These efficiency-oriented models, while useful in certain contexts, do not sufficiently account for the deeply affective, iterative, and socially embedded nature of information-seeking. A more humanistic and queer approach to AI literacy resists the assumption that information retrieval is purely rational or goal-directed, instead emphasizing the ways in which knowledge production is relational, contingent, and shaped by power. Queer theory provides a productive lens for interrogating the normative assumptions embedded in traditional information-seeking frameworks, particularly their optimizationist paradigms and their tendency to privilege dominant epistemologies. By conceptualizing AI literacy through a queer lens, this paper advocates for an approach that foregrounds uncertainty, performativity, and embodied subjectivity—principles that are vital in an era where AI systems increasingly mediate access to and interpretation of knowledge
Developing an Evidence-Based Continuing Education Program for Physical Therapists Working with Individuals with Down Syndrome
No full textDespite the abundance of resources available for physical therapists (PTs) treating children with Ds, the resources are limited for PTs working with teens and adults. This suggests that this population is underserved within the healthcare community. This project aimed to bridge this knowledge gap by developing a comprehensive continuing education program for physical therapists, focused on the treatment and care of teens and adults with Ds. This education program will give physical therapists a resource for treating teens and adults with Ds, an under-resourced population. Two modules focusing on musculoskeletal (MSK)/gait and communication strategies were developed, and then pilot tested by 10 physical therapy students at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). The results of our quality assessment survey indicated a strong positive reception, with high ratings for ease of access, usability, and engagement. However, specific areas for improvement were identified to enhance the modules\u27 effectiveness and user experience. The feedback was utilized to refine and enhance the modules before their final release. Future research and expansion of this project will include additional modules and further pilot testing to promote the comprehensive care and treatment of individuals with Ds by physical therapists
The Role of Chronobiology in Sleep, Physical Activity, and Stress Responses: Implications for Health and Performance
No full textIntroduction: Chronobiology, the study of internal biological rhythms, provides essential insights into how synchronization with these rhythms influences physiological processes, including sleep, metabolism, inflammation, and cognitive function. The modern lifestyle often disrupts these natural rhythms, resulting in circadian misalignment, which has been linked to impaired health outcomes such as increased inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolic dysregulation. While much attention has been given to chronotype, the individual preference for activity timing, and its impacts on health and performance, less is known about how chronotypical alignment influences physiological and psychological responses in specific occupational contexts or everyday life. This dissertation aims to address these gaps by comprehensively examining the role of chronobiology in modulating physiological and behavioral responses to sleep disruption, physical activity, and occupational stressors, with particular attention to wildland firefighting.Methods: Three interconnected studies were conducted to explore the impact of chronotype, social jetlag (misalignment between biological and social clocks), and exercise timing on inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers, sleep quality, physical activity, and mental health outcomes. In the first study, the effects of acute sleep deprivation were investigated on inflammatory and oxidative stress responses during simulated wildland firefighting scenarios in male participants. Biomarkers were assessed at baseline, immediately post-exercise, and during recovery. The second study monitored wildland firefighters over a two-week critical training period, analyzing how chronotype and social jetlag influenced inflammatory biomarkers, body composition, and recovery patterns. Chronotype and social jetlag were assessed using validated questionnaires, while physiological biomarkers were measured using blood samples collected pre- and post-training. The final study investigated the effects of aligning habitual exercise timing with chronotype in a general adult population. Physical activity levels, sleep quality, and mental health parameters were evaluated using questionnaires and statistical analyses to compare chronotypically aligned versus misaligned exercise groups. Results: The studies collectively demonstrated that circadian alignment affects physiological and psychological responses to stressors and exercise. Specifically, the acute sleep deprivation study revealed heightened inflammatory and oxidative stress responses during simulated wildland firefighting, exacerbated by sleep loss. In wildland firefighters, misalignment between chronotype and training schedules impacted inflammatory biomarkers, suggesting greater susceptibility to stress-induced physiological disruptions among those experiencing higher social jetlag. Additionally, the third study showed that chronotype-aligned exercise notably improved mental health outcomes compared to those with misaligned exercise schedules. Conclusions: This dissertation provides compelling evidence that aligning daily activities, especially physical exercise, with individual circadian preferences can optimize health, enhance performance, and improve overall quality of life. These findings highlight the critical importance of considering chronotype and circadian rhythms in occupational health and general public health interventions. Future research should further explore chronic interventions and their potential benefits in mitigating the negative effects of circadian misalignment and sleep disruption on health and performance outcomes
Patterns in Antibiotic Susceptibility Before and After COVID-19
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic led to a surge in antibiotic use, despite the viral nature of the disease. This widespread and often unnecessary use of antibiotics poses a serious threat on global health by accelerating the development of antibiotic resistance. Healthcare professionals utilize strategies, including Antibiotic Stewardship Programs (ASPs) and the use of antibiograms to mitigate the growing threat of antibiotic resistance. Antibiograms are tools used in healthcare settings to summarize and track bacterial susceptibility to various antibiotics. They provide clinicians critical information to guide selection of effective antibiotic treatment and monitor resistance trends overtime. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established ASPs to optimize antibiotic use, enhance patient outcomes, and curb the rise of drug-resistant infections. However, the COVID-19 pandemic placed strain on healthcare systems complicating the implementation and maintenance of effective ASPs. This study seeks to determine whether antibiotic resistance significantly increased during the pandemic by analyzing and comparing susceptibility rates from pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods using publicly available antibiograms from 2019 (pre-pandemic) and 2022 (post-pandemic). Specifically, we will examine changes in susceptibility rates from commonly used antibiotics and commonly prescribed antibiotics against frequently reported bacterial organisms
Climate Change and Hydropower Development Impacts in the Lower Mekong Basin
No full textThe Mekong River Basin is vital to East and Southeast Asia, supporting over 60 million people and sustaining critical ecological systems. However, the basin faces dual threats from climate change and hydropower development, jeopardizing its ecological balance, hydrological patterns, and resource reliability. This research focuses on the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB), where aggressive hydropower expansion and climate variability have intensified concerns about sustainable water management. The study is divided into three interconnected parts. Part I examines spatial and temporal precipitation patterns in the Chi-Mun Basin (CMB) and Lower Mekong River (LMR) from 1950 to 2008, using linear regression and Mann-Kendall analyses. Results reveal consistent precipitation trends, offering insights into climate variability. Part II integrates the China Meteorological Assimilation Driving Datasets for the Soil and Water Assessment Tool model (CMADS) to address the limitations of spatiotemporal meteorological data for simulating streamflow in the CMB and enhance hydrological modeling reliability. Part III evaluates the cumulative effects of the developments of hydropower infrastructures on the Mekong River in the LMB across various climate change scenarios, employing the SWAT model for analysis. Projections include baseline, near-future (2031–2050), and far-future (2061–2080) conditions of climate change under the average greenhouse gas emission level of (RCP 4.5) and a high greenhouse gas emission scenario of RCP 8.5.In the Chi-Mun Basin, precipitation trends exhibited slight decreases without significant patterns, suggesting localized climatic variations throughout the CMB. Employing CMADS datasets, SWAT simulations yielded dependable findings that align with observed data, facilitating hydrological modeling in ungauged basins. Future climate change projections of RCPs 4.5 and 8.5 indicate an increase in streamflow of up to 40.59% and a rise in sediment concentration of up to 50.44%, both of which are exacerbated by hydropower operations. The results emphasize the necessity for customized management strategies, sophisticated hydrological modeling, and thorough scenario analysis to handle changing climate and hydropower infrastructure development issues in the LMB. The research provides critical insights into hydrological trends and informs sustainable basin management, emphasizing the critical need for addressing the interconnected challenges of climate change and hydropower development
The Role of Two Group I WRKY Transcription Factors and Their Interaction Protein in Plant Development and Responses to Environmental Cues
No full textDrought stress remains a major limitation to global crop productivity, necessitating a deeper understanding of plant stress responses for effective bioengineering strategies. WRKY transcription factors play pivotal roles in abiotic stress regulation, yet their specific contributions to drought tolerance remain insufficiently characterized. In this study, we employed a multidisciplinary approach encompassing stem cell research, genetic analysis, genome editing, transcriptomics, hyperspectral photometer imaging, artificial intelligence-backed stomata imaging, and physiological assessments using the LI-COR Photosynthesis System to investigate drought tolerance and development mechanisms. A double knockout of two WRKY genes resulted in early senescence, suggesting their roles in balancing growth and stress responses. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of wildtype and mutant plants under drought conditions revealed significant upregulation of an R3H-domain protein in the WRKY double knockout, indicating a potential downstream regulatory link. Functional characterization of R3H knockouts demonstrated increased drought sensitivity, implicating this protein as a key modulator of stress tolerance. Furthermore, one of the WRKY proteins was found to interact with an NHL (NDR1/HIN1-like) protein, a class of stress-associated proteins implicated in membrane integrity and signaling. Hyperspectral imaging and AI-powered stomatal imaging enabled detailed physiological profiling, providing novel insights into the phenotypic consequences of these genetic modifications. Comprehensive physiological assays, including photosystem II efficiency, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, and LI-COR-based gas exchange measurements, further elucidated the distinct physiological signatures associated with these mutations. This integrative study advances our understanding of the WRKY-R3H-NHL network in drought stress regulation and plant development, and contributes valuable genetic resources for engineering drought-resilient crops to enhance food security in the face of climate change
Qualitative Analysis of the Influence of Military Culture on the Resocialization of Combat Veterans
No full textThe researcher conducted in-depth interviews with 25 combat-experienced Veterans of the Global War on Terror who fit an operational definition of successful resocialization. How do successfully resocialized combat Veterans compare with combat Veterans who became involved with the criminal justice system? Utilizing a snowball method to identify each participant, the most significant finding from these interviews was that two factors seem to differentiate the civilian and military group styles the most, which were the overwhelming importance of purpose and tribe in the lives of combat Veterans. This confirmed the hypothesis that the most significant difference between the civilian and military cultures is the group style.All the Veterans interviewed for this study said that they drastically reduced their alcohol consumption after their active-duty service ended, compared to increased consumption reported by a comparison group of combat Veteran criminal defendants. Veterans who left the military over the age of 25 experienced smoother transitions than those who entered and left the military at younger ages. A logic model of Veteran crime is proposed that warrants further research to verify or nullify the theory. This study preliminarily found support for the theory that poverty and cultural misalignment are the primary drivers of crime within the Veteran community. At the philosophical level, this study challenges the ethics of war itself. The best possible way to address resocialization of combat Veterans is to avoid creating combat Veterans in the first place
Stronger Together: A Mixed-Methods Examination of Identity, Efficacy, And Emotions in Young Adults’ Collective Action
No full textYoung adults are increasingly engaging in collective action for social change, yet we lack a clear understanding of the factors driving their participation in social movements. This mixed-methods study uses a social psychological framework to examine key quantitative factors related to young adults’ intentions to engage in collective action for racial justice, as well as their reasoning around their involvement. A survey of 373 racially and ethnically diverse young adults (18-35 years old) assessed the impact of racial justice ally identity, emotions (anger and contempt), and dimensions of efficacy on action intentions. Path analysis revealed that young adults’ identification as allies or supporters for racial justice and anger significantly contributed to greater normative action intentions (e.g., donating, signing petitions), while stronger ally identity and lower political efficacy was significantly associated with greater willingness to engage in non-normative actions (e.g., disruptive protest). Participants also described their prior experiences with collective action and responded to open-ended questions about their motivations or barriers to participation. Thematic analysis identified five core themes: action motivated by a belief in the effectiveness of collective action and expressing solidarity and shared values and inaction themes focused on participation barriers, ambivalence, or low perceived efficacy and a psychological distancing from social movements (i.e., disidentification). Multinomial logistic regression showed that prior experience significantly predicted action-oriented themes, while stronger nonnormative intentions decreased the likelihood of the disidentification theme. These findings shed light on diverse pathways through which young adults engage in various social change actions and underscore the importance of building efficacy among young aspiring allies without prior collective action experience