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The Effect Of Attachment Design And Aligner Material On The Efficiency Of Maxillary Canine Distalization In Premolar Extraction Cases, Najem Anbari

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: Clear Aligner Therapy (CAT) is regarded as a popular esthetic alternative to conventional orthodontic treatment with fixed labial appliances. The mechanism of action, force delivery and limitation of this treatment modality remain largely unknown despite its popularity, the high demand and the relatively long evolutionary track of clear aligners. There are only few studies that addressed the elements that influence the efficiency of clear aligners, namely, the attachment design and aligner materials. It is widely believed that clear aligners are not suitable for extraction cases due to their lack of control over the root movement.

Objectives: This in vitro …

Association Between Arthritis And Yoga Among Veterans, Anupreet Arora

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Yoga is a state of complete mindfulness and self-realization with an inwardly drawn focus, a state of mind – body integration in which there is a harmony between form and action. Yoga can help us treat a myriad of chronic health conditions like obesity, heart diseases, diabetes, depression, gastrointestinal problems, asthma, hypertension, chronic low back pain, and arthritis to name a few. Arthritis is a frequent, debilitating chronic disease which can cripple an individual if allowed to progress unchecked. In 2021, the prevalence of arthritis in USA was around 24% with a projection of 37% by 2030. Prevalence of arthritis …

Improving Nurse Self-Efficacy Regarding Depression Among Cardiovascular Disease Patients: An Education Intervention, Presten Beatty

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Depression is a principal cause of increased morbidity, mortality, and decreased quality of life for cardiovascular disease patients. Low levels of nurse confidence have been the outcomes of several studies and anecdotal reports regarding providing care for and approaching patients with acute and chronic illnesses in conjunction with behavioral and mental health issues. Current literature suggests that improving nursing education on the prevalence and impacts of depression improves nurse confidence. Depression screening tool education provided to nurses, with detailed disease information, empowers nurses in their attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors regarding patient depression. By improving depression screening rates among cardiovascular disease …

Commercial Sexual Exploitation: A Survey Of The Knowledge, Concerns, And Training Of Transit Personnel In Las Vegas, Nevada, Elena A. Bejinariu

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Transportation personnel, in particular bus drivers, encounter young people who are commercially sexually exploited frequently and throughout the course of their daily jobs. Given the frequency of this interaction, bus drivers are perceived to be the eyes and ears of the transportation industry, playing a key role in the identification and prevention of trafficking. To support national efforts in combating human trafficking, between September 1st, 2020 and June 15th, 2021, the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Southern Nevada trained all its existing employees and new hires on human trafficking dynamics and reporting protocols. These included legal definitions, victim characteristics, recruitment …

Zooarchaeological Analysis Of Subsistence Practices At The Lake Roberts Vista Site (La71877) Gila National Forest, New Mexico, Laura A. Benedict

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This work examines the faunal subsistence practices at Lake Roberts Vista, a small Mimbres pueblo with a pithouse component occupied during the Late Pithouse to Classic Mimbres periods (A.D. 550-1130). It is in the Sapillo Valley, a tributary to the Gila River in southwestern New Mexico. Inhabitants consumed mostly deer and rabbits throughout their occupation. Evidence suggests a decline in Artiodactyla resource abundance in later years based on a declining Artiodactyl Index and an increasing fragmentation rate of Artiodactyla bones. Inhabitants captured more cottontails than jackrabbits throughout their occupation.

Examining The Role Of Prosocial Tendencies And Social Anxiety In Hazardous Drinking Practices Among College Students, Helena M. Berlin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Over 40% of the United States (US) population aged 18 to 25 is enrolled at postsecondary institutions, and 31.4% of college students report risky alcohol use (i.e., binge drinking). Identifying risk and protective factors for this population is a public health priority. The primary objective of this study was to examine the additive and multiplicative relationship of prosocial tendencies and social anxiety on hazardous drinking (AUDIT scores). A secondary aim was to examine whether these relationships differed by participation in college organizations (Greekaffiliation, athletic participation, both, and neither). Cross-sectional data were collected from 9,196 college students (ages 18-25) from 12 …

A Quality Improvement Project To Improve Health Care Provider Self-Efficacy In Rural Primary Pediatric Care Clinics Through Training Intervention, Alison Borgsmiller

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

American Association of Pediatrics recommends screening for various developmental delays in children, but it does not explicitly recommend a tool for screening social and emotional development at well-child checks (WCCs). Therefore, provider self-efficacy (SE) is lacking, and screening rarely occurs. This quality improvement (QI) project sought to improve healthcare provider SE using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social-Emotional, Second Edition (ASQ:SE-2), an evidence-based practice screening tool for identifying such delays in children at 30–60-month WCC visits.At rural healthcare centers in San Luis Obispo, California, participants completed the Self-Efficacy Twelve Questionnaire prior to and 30 days following a training intervention. While …

Exodus Arena: Cashman Field And The (Re)Development Of Sports And Recreation In Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada, Ryan Browar

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Cashman Field is a minor league sport stadium one-mile north of the world famous “Fremont Street Experience” in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. Minor league sports stadiums are microcosms of their communities, and Cashman Field’s history is Las Vegas’s history. Although the city’s first permanent sports venue, the stadium endured numerous cycles of colonialism, stadium building, successful operation, neglect, decay, and abandonment. Now at the end of another cycle, Cashman Field is being forgotten as Las Vegas transitions into a major league sports town. Sports stadiums reveal the social, cultural, and economic factors that define twentieth-century American history, but Cashman Field’s …

Classroom Management Practices Appropriate To Children Of Military Families: A Case Study, Felicia Bucher

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this sociocultural study was to analyze the lived experiences of exemplary teachers who teach on a military base school. By teaching a lesser-known diverse group of students who are children of military families, the teachers in this study shared the sociocultural perspective of Vygotsky’s perezhivanie of the adjustment to how they approach classroom management and facilitate student learning despite the differences in teaching children of military families. The dissertation employed qualitative methodology using in-depth interviews with six teacher participants and a triangulation interview with the school principal. The findings are discussed in relation to classroom management strategies …

The Influence Of Volga Tatar Folk Music And Soviet Cultural Policies On The Orchestral Composers Of Kazan, Jane Katherine Brown

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

After a brief historical overview of Volga Tatar history and Soviet political and historical contexts, this document begins with a detailed description of Volga-Tatar folk musical characteristics, including probable influences as described, analyzed, and transcribed by twentieth and twenty-first century Volga Tatar scholars. In this description, the author attempts to give the preferential voice to Tatar perspectives, such as the early ethnographers and Tatar ethnomusicologists from Kazan State Conservatory, the officials from the Union of Composers of the Republic of Tatarstan, and of course, the composers themselves. The author’s detailed discussion of folk music elements and genres is then followed …

The Effects Of A Dedicated Education Unit On Nurse Retention And Turnover, Cherilyn Campbell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Despite the fast growth of healthcare jobs in the United States, there is a deficit in the nursing workforce. Literature has shown high nurse turnover within the first year as a new graduate nurse. Healthcare organizations will need to explore innovative ways to impact nursing retention and turnover to keep up with the growing demand. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project is to perform and evaluate a comprehensive review to determine the effect of a dedicated education unit (DEU) on nurse retention and turnover within an academic-practice partnership. Literature has shown the benefits of the DEU …

Measuring Social Studies Teacher Self-Efficacy: Development Of A Valid, Reliable, And Fair Social Studies Self-Efficacy Scale, Leona Calkins

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Social studies education provides unique opportunities for students to learn about the democratic process and, more importantly, how to engage in civic life to become active citizens. It is through meaningful social studies education that students are deliberately helped to understand the world, and are provided space to discuss, deliberate, and inquire about problems in the world, both past and present, and then learn how they can work to solve these problems (NCSS, 2013a; Parker, 2008). Considering the role of social studies education in helping develop active citizens, there has been a call for social studies teachers to provide instruction …

Exploring Teachers’ Beliefs And Practices On Mathematical Discourse For Diverse Students In Inclusive Classrooms, Gloria A. Carcoba Falomir

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The recent implementation of rigorous standards in mathematics education has required shifts in classroom practices. Standards-based instruction places large emphasis on students’ conceptual understanding, requiring them to demonstrate high cognitive levels of mastery of the content through communication of their mathematical reasoning. Teachers and students’ mathematical discursive practices in the classroom can lead to meaningful discussions that integrate students’ explanation, justification, and arguments of ideas or claims and understanding of the content. Research on teachers’ discursive practices has shown that (a) teacher talk tends to dominate classroom instruction and (b) classroom discourse lacks frequent opportunities for teacher-student and peer interactions. …

Family-Centered Psychosocial Care For Pediatric Oncology Patients, Jessica W. Casey

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Psychosocial conditions are prevalent in pediatric oncology patients (Kahalley et al., 2013). Family and social support are essential aspects of a patient's health care outcomes (Merck & McElfresh, 2019). Anxiety and depression are common in pediatric oncology patients due to trauma during treatment (Pao & Kazak, 2015). These patients also can have preexisting developmental or behavioral conditions before starting treatment. Treatment side effects can also cause cognitive and behavioral changes (Nixon, 2014b). Nurses should be knowledgeable and confident in their ability to care for patients' psychosocial health and development. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project is …

Radiomic Features To Predict Overall Survival Time For Patients With Glioblastoma Brain Tumors Based On Machine Learning And Deep Learning Methods, Lina Chato

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Machine Learning (ML) methods including Deep Learning (DL) Methods have been employed in the medical field to improve diagnosis process and patient’s prognosis outcomes. Glioblastoma multiforme is an extremely aggressive Glioma brain tumor that has a poor survival rate. Understanding the behavior of the Glioblastoma brain tumor is still uncertain and some factors are still unrecognized. In fact, the tumor behavior is important to decide a proper treatment plan and to improve a patient’s health. The aim of this dissertation is to develop a Computer-Aided-Diagnosis system (CADiag) based on ML/DL methods to automatically estimate the Overall Survival Time (OST) for …

Terrestrial Planet Formation In M-Dwarf And Binary Star Systems, Anna C. Childs

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

I examine circumbinary terrestrial planet formation in a gas free environment around various binary systems and terrestrial planet formation in a gaseous environment around M-dwarfs. While terrestrial cirumbinary planets have yet to be observed, this is likely due to observational bias. Motivated by recent observations of highly misaligned circumbinary gas disks, I perform a suite of n-body studies to understand the properties of terrestrial planets around various binary systems. In a polar alignment, a circumbinary disk is inclined by 90 degrees relative to the binary orbital plane. I find that terrestrial planet formation in a polar configuration may be as …

An Examination Of Interactions Of U.S. Players With Offshore Gambling Sites And Online Casino Reviews: Are They Offenders Or Victims?, Sinyong Choi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

While the recent liberal stance of the United States has facilitated the proliferation of legal online gambling venues, the ‘black market’ of online gambling remains prevalent. Illegal online gambling poses concerns for the legal market and risks for gambling addiction and consumer protection. Numerous law violations occur in this domain, which are produced by the interactions between players, gambling sites, and online casino reviews. Exploring the interactions of players with online gambling sites and online casino reviews is vital in enhancing our understanding of illegal online gambling activity and therefore allows us to develop preventive measures that can reduce the …

Examining The Attitudes Of Preservice Teachers Toward English Learners, Annie Chou

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The rapid growth of the K-12 English Learner (EL) student population in the United States raises concerns related to their learning and growth in schools. Teachers are central figures in their students’ achievement. The influence of teachers’ attitudes on student learning and development validates the need to examine these in research studies. What influences teachers’ attitudes is an important part of understanding teachers’ attitudes towards their EL students. Certain individual characteristics including teachers’ training, may be associated with their positive attitudes. Studies have shown that effective teacher preparation programs can change preservice teacher attitudes in general and specifically towards their …

Reducing Door-To-Balloon Time In Stemi Via Er Nurse Driven Protocol, Torrie Clontz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Over 605,000 patients will suffer an ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction in the United States each year. The gold-standard definitive treatment for this is percutaneous coronary angioplasty or the ballooning open and stenting of the blockage. The American Heart Association has set the evidence-based gold standard of 90-minutes from identification of blockage to reperfusion of heart muscle. In a health system in Las Vegas, NV, this goal is frequently missed due to lack of protocols in place to expedite patients towards definitive treatment. The purpose of this evidence-based practice change is to reduce STEMI patient morbidity and mortality via a nursing …

Built Environment, Land Use, And Crime: A Las Vegas Study, Stacey Lynn Clouse

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study examined land use and crime against persons and crime against property in Las Vegas, Nevada at varying spatial levels of analysis. Using crime data provided by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the Clark County Assessor’s office, results at the macro-level of analysis reveal that property crime rates concentrated on commercial, transportation, communication and utilities, and industrial land use, whereas violent crime concentrated at commercial, multi-residential, and civic, institutional, and recreational land use. Upon examining the subtypes of land use that generate or radiate more crime, property crime concentrated on transportation land use, class 1 resorts, and …

Teaching Beliefs And Teaching Practices: A Sequential Mixed Methods Study Of Post-Secondary Mathematics Faculty, Katlyn K. Cox

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This mixed methods study explored the relationship between collegiate math instructors’ reported teaching practices, teaching beliefs, and actual teaching practices. Instructors reported their own teaching practices by survey. Qualitative participants were purposively sampled from the quantitative survey results. These qualitative participants presented their teaching beliefs through an initial interview. Afterward, actual teaching practices were confirmed through classroom observations. Lastly, instructors completed reflective interviews to address findings in the previously collected data.Through the survey instrument, this study established common teaching practices of collegiate math instructors. The study identified that on average the post-secondary math instructors in this sample employed between 26 …

Revisiting The Smartphone And Learning Inventory (Sali): Perspectives Of Preservice Teachers, Bridget K. Daleiden

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The implications of the presence and usage of smartphone technology in learning contexts are not fully understood. Self-regulated learning (SRL) theory offers a theoretical framework in which smartphone use can be explored. Researchers have recently developed a measure of smartphone use while studying, the Smartphone and Learning Inventory (SALI) (Hartley et al., 2020b). The present study is an exploratory qualitative analysis designed to compare open-ended responses to the 3-factor structure of the SALI. A thematic analysis of open-ended responses from a sample of preservice teachers was conducted. The purpose of the current research is to explore themes that may represent …

Cost Of Attendance And Competitive Balance In The Ncaa Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, Michelle Calica Coyner

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) justifies its power and regulatory structure as necessary to promote competitive balance. Despite this, there is limited research on the efficacy of NCAA policies that were implemented with the intention of supporting more parity in Division I conferences. This study examined whether the 2015 cost of attendance (COA) policy was associated with competitive balance in various groups within the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. Through the lenses of the Matthew Effect and policy design theory, this study aimed to understand how NCAA policies may hurt or help inequality in college sport. Although not all …

Evaluating Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation To Reduce Opioid Cravings In Opioid Use Disorder, Cameron Duncan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is a multi-faceted, complex ailment affecting many individuals and their families across the globe. Currently, there are multiple interventions used in the treatment of OUD, many of which are designed to reduce cravings for opioids. Cravings for opioids are a strong predictor of relapse in the disorder. However, many of the interventions used in clinical practice have inherent risks including a potential for abuse and diversion. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is an outpatient procedure that may be effective in reducing cravings for opioids, thereby reducing relapse. Methods: This study employed a randomized, single-blind, experimental design …

Increasing Genetic Testing Rates To Improve Early Detection And Prevention Of Breast And Ovarian Cancer In Women, Makensey Beth Durrant

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Screening rates for cancer related genetic mutations are low in the primary care setting, despite evidence-based guidelines recommending screening in all patients who meet criteria. Genetic mutations, such as the breast cancer susceptibility 1 and 2 (BRCA1/2) gene mutations, drastically increase breast and ovarian cancer risk in patients. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) provide evidence-based guidelines on criteria for genetic testing in women at risk for breast and ovarian cancer related gene mutations. Primary care providers (PCPs), including advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), are at the front lines of preventative …

That Hidden Country: The Travels Of Jacob Singleton, A Novel, James Earp

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Thomas Jefferson believed, or wanted to believe, that mammoths foraged the grasslands of the continental American interior. This was not an uncommon belief among the learned in Jefferson’s time and place, so it is not altogether remarkable that Jefferson did charge Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, when they led the Corps of Discovery to the Oregon coast, with keeping an eye out for signs of the living mammoth. This novel attempts an aesthetically viable narrative synthesis of American myths in several layers, the top layer being, in the words of cultural critic Cintra Wilson, a ‘‘ripping yarn’’ in the traditions …

Decreasing Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections In The Critical Care Unit, Kimberly J. Foxworth

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) are a rising problem in the critical care setting in the United States. According to Flogren et al. (2007), "an estimated 248,000 bloodstream infections occur in hospitals across the United States each year, and a significant amount of these infections are associated with the use of a central venous catheter" (p.160). The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines a CLABSI as "recovery of a pathogen from blood culture (a single blood culture for organisms not commonly present on the skin and two or more blood cultures for organisms commonly present on the skin) …

The Effects Of Winds On Accretion Disks And Spectra Of X-Ray Binaries And Active Galactic Nuclei, Shalini Ganguly

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and X-ray binaries (XRBs) contain at their cores supermassive black holes (SMBH), and stellar mass black holes or neutron stars, respectively. These objects bind matter gravitationally, leading to the formation of accretion disks. The accretion of matter leads to efficient conversion of gravitational potential energy into radiation. When the force and/or energy imparted by this radiation on matter exceeds the attractive force due to the local gravitational field, it leads to the launching of matter in the form of outflows or winds. These outflows produce blueshifted (and occasionally redshifted) emission or absorption components in the spectra …

Improving Nurse Leaders’ Knowledge And Confidence In Transformational Leadership Skills In The Online Environment, Tanya Haight

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Leadership is critical to the success of most organizations, and the achievement of an organization's goals is largely dependent on the leaders' ability to engage, motivate, and influence their teams—often referred to as Transformational Leadership. This is especially true for healthcare organizations wherein the morbidity and mortality of patients may be affected by the quality of leadership. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person meetings transitioned to the online format without nurse leaders' formal training. Leaders cited this lack of orientation as impeding their ability to sustain an online-virtual transformational leadership presence with their teams. They reported varying degrees …

The Effects Of Executive Function Between Anxiety And Math Achievement In Adolescents, Mckenzie Hall

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Anxiety in Children can develop into pervasive disorders in adulthood if not treated. Research shows dysfunctional Executive Function (EF) and anxiety are both shown to have a negative impact on math achievement in children and adolescents (Trezise & Reeve, 2018; Kalaycioglu, 2015; Owens, Stevenson, Hadwin & Norgate, 2012). Chung, Weyandt, and Swentosky (2014) found biological and neuropsychological support for EF as a unitary and multifaceted processor for regulating our emotional states as well as our daily procedures. Anderson’s (2002) model of Executive Control System (ECS) allows the factors of EF to be examined using a developmental approach towards EF processes. …