The kynurenine pathway (KP) is a biosynthetic pathway for the catabolism of tryptophan, the amino acid precursor to serotonin. The KP has been linked to neuroinflammation, as inflammatory agents upregulate an early enzyme in the pathway (Davis & Liu, 2015; Wang et al., 2009). In addition, the metabolite quinolinic acid (QA) has been found to induce tau phosphorylation and excess glutamate release, inducing further neuroinflammation (Guillemin, 2012; Rahman et al., 2009). However, in the presence of 2-amino-3-carboxymuconate-6-semialdehyde decarboxylase (ACMSD), the KP shifts away from QA production towards that of picolinic acid (PA), a metabolite with antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Our lab has previously shown that overexpressing ACMSD via adeno-associated virus (AAV) delivery in the alpha-synuclein (α -syn) model of Parkinson's disease (PD) animal model exhibits neuroprotective effects by preventing the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and limiting motor impairments caused by nigrostriatal denervation. Based on these findings, we predicted that ACMSD would provide neuroprotective effects in the P301S tauopathy model of neurodegenerative disease, a mouse model of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Specifically, we hypothesized that ACMSD would ameliorate behavioral deficits, including those related to cognitive and emotional processing. We also predicted that ACMSD overexpression would prevent histological indices of pathology, including the expression of hyperphosphorylated tau, gliosis, and neurodegeneration. As previous findings in the literature have denoted sex differences in pathological outcomes of the P301S mouse model (Sun et al., 2020) with males showing more pronounced behavioral deficits and increased hyperphosphorylated tau than females, we hypothesized that ACMSD would show a higher degree of neuroprotection in male P301S mice. P301S and litter/age-matched wild-type controls underwent stereotaxic surgery at two months of age prior to pathological onset to deliver either an AAV-dHS-ACMSD or AAV-dHS-GFP (control) to the dorsal hippocampus. Prior to euthanasia, the mice underwent the Barnes maze test to assess cognitive function focusing on learning and memory recall. Analysis of this assay revealed that male P301S mice treated with ACMSD displayed a trend toward shorter latency in locating the escape hatch during the Barnes Maze test than untreated males, albeit not significant, suggesting a potential enhancement in spatial learning. At eight and a half months, the mice were killed, and their brains harvested. The tissue underwent immunohistochemistry staining for a marker of hyperphosphorylated tau (AT8), markers of gliosis (Iba1 and GFAP), and the pan-neuronal marker (HuC/D) to quantify pathological indices. Preliminary histological analyses show decreased immunoreactivity of AT8 in the hippocampus of P301S mice injected with ACMSD, compared to those injected with GFP control, indicating potential neuroprotective effects by limiting the amount of hyperphosphorylated tau.

Sphaera Somnium is a 360 degree audiovisual installation that serves as a gateway for individuals to step into a realm filled with speculative spaces, where immersive techniques encourage the human senses to explore uncharted territories. Within Sphaera Somnium, we aim to demonstrate how new spatial media can enrich user experiences and offer glimpses into alternate perspectives. By seamlessly blending audio and visuals, this immersive journey is meant to evoke dreamlike, multi-sensory sensations. The project also offers accessibility to realities that would typically require significant time, expense, and transportation to access. This accessibility not only breaks down physical barriers but also levels the playing field on the cost of experience, making it available to a wider audience regardless of geographical location or financial means. By providing a platform for individuals to engage with these speculative environments, we hope to foster a deeper understanding of our relationship with technology, perception, and the world around us. As participants are transported into these immersive realms, they are encouraged to contemplate the emerging uses of new technologies and how they shape our understanding of reality.

Using existing research on refugee populations in Mexico, theory of change models were created to model a potential early childhood development program for refugee children ages 0-5 in Mexico. The populations taken into consideration were refugees in Mexico from other Latin American countries, refugees migrating through Mexico towards the northern border, and refugees who had crossed/were crossing the border into the United States.

Background: In Navajo (Diné) populations, the two main forms of medicine that people use include traditional Diné medicine and Western medicine. Traditional medicine can be understood primarily through the concept of maintaining Hózhó or “balance”, while Western medicine is defined through the use of scientific evidence-based techniques and research. The reasons and barriers to using each form of medicine respectively are varied depending on aspects such as accessibility, familiarity, trust, or cost. Overall, there is a current lack of community viewpoints in regards to past examples of the intersection between traditional and Western medicine. This thesis examines reasons behind why Diné individuals use traditional Diné medicine and Western medicine respectively, and their viewpoints on the potential intersection. Methods: An anonymous online survey was distributed via snowball sampling from November 2023 to February 2024 after obtaining ASU IRB approval. It consisted of questions focused on demographics, use of traditional medicine, use of Western medicine, and opinion on the intersection between traditional and Western medicine. Statistical analysis and emerging themes were then performed and noted respectively. Results: There were a total of 15 responses to the online survey. A majority of participants previously used traditional medicine (80%), while all had previously used Western medicine (100%). There was a similar level of satisfaction and perceived efficiency for each, averages ranging from 3.8 to 4.0 respectively on a scale of 1 to 5. Many respondents used traditional medicine for more cultural and spiritual/mental health reasons, while many used Western medicine for more physical health reasons. Cost was the main barrier for each. Participants showed overall positive receptibility to potential intersections, but there was some hesitance in regards to scenarios where Western providers recommended traditional medicine use. Conclusion: Many reasons and barriers behind participant use of traditional and Western medicine were reflective of what was found in the literature review. The overall frequency of use, satisfaction, and efficiency can be further understood by a majority of participants living outside the Navajo Nation for long periods of time. The use of traditional medicine also made participants feel more connected to their culture, which can also contribute to the high levels of satisfaction/efficiency for traditional medicine. Interestingly, cost was found to be the primary barrier of each, which indicates room for growth in both respective fields to increase patient use. There was overall positive receptiveness to a possible intersection for delivery methods of medicine which indicates an overall desire to maintain Hózhó and holistic health, however the type of questions and recommendations made by respective providers needs to be done with care. This type of intersection should continue to be explored through community driven discussion and creativity in future studies.

What does self love look like when visualized? What does self hate look like when visualized? What is the frustration one experiences when introspecting, and how can that be represented in art? Complex matters of identity such as this often involve an ambiguous, non-linear approach to self understanding, making the medium of animation particularly apt for this exploration. This film aims to observe feelings of self-dysphoria and the surges of discomfort and acceptance that come with them.

This thesis project explores the extent to which elected education officials, specifically school board members, with a background in education make policy decisions differently than those who do not have a background in education. This line of questioning began with a project completed in a class I took in the fall semester of 2023 - Innovations in School Democracy, where students chose a critical issue in the education sphere and situated it within the context of civic education. The critical issue I addressed at the time was the significant number of individuals in “high-ranking” positions in the education field who do not appear to have a background in anything education-related, outside of their own schooling. The issue lies with the fact that these individuals are making large scale policy decisions that impact all students, teachers, parents, and school faculty members within their district without having any research or practice-based educational foundation or experience to draw upon for their decision making. For the purpose of this thesis, I expanded this phenomenon beyond the realm of civic education by performing a comparative analysis of elected education official decision-making between school boards that have members with educational backgrounds and those who don’t, in addition to analyzing the stances and policies of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The goal of this analysis is to see how, or if, decisions differ and to what extent those decisions appear to be driven by current political ideologies versus educational research and best practices. I hypothesize that elected education officials who have a background in education will make decisions that are more student- and educator-focused and have fewer indicators of a specific partisan political ideology. Conversely, I hypothesize the opposite for decision-making by officials without an education background, where I expect to find more evidence of influential partisan political ideology. In order to determine if a decision-making gap exists, I examined school board websites and pulled district-related news articles in order to cross-analyze the verbiage on specific political buzzwords or phrases that could be clearly linked to a political party’s ideology or stance on public schooling matters and policies. I performed a similar search through the campaign platform and current Arizona Education System biographical page for Superintendent Tom Horne. To begin this investigation, thirty school districts in the state of Arizona were selected for preliminary research - ten small districts, ten medium-size districts, and ten large districts. Through the use of school district websites and the biographies of school board members, I determined which school boards had individuals with a background in education and which did not. From there, two school boards from each district size category were selected for examination - one board categorized as having a strong educational background presence and one board that either had very minimal presence, or none at all. From this research, I intended to present preliminary findings about the extent to which differences in policy-making decisions relate to school board member education background and experience, as well as the degree to which explicit partisan politicization appears to influence such decisions. Upon completion of this limited research, my findings ended up deriving more directly from the mission and vision statements of school districts and school boards, though policy decisions were still loosely analyzed through district media articles. However, my research on Superintendent Horne lent itself well to answer all three of my proposed research questions.