Digital Commons Network^™

Topical Analysis Of Nuclear Experts' Perceptions Of Publics, Nuclear Energy, And Sustainable Futures, Hannah K. Patenaude, Emma Frances Bloomfield

Communication Studies Faculty Research

Nuclear energy experts consider commercial power from fission to be a strong contender to help mitigate the increasing effects of climate change, in part due to its low-to-no carbon emissions. Nevertheless, nuclear energy’s history, including meltdowns such as Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima, and dumping in sacred Indigenous land such as Yucca Mountain, raises important concerns in public deliberation over nuclear power. These communicative dynamics are crucial to study because they inform larger conversations in communication scholarship about the role of experts in scientific controversies and the complicated nature of public trust in and engagement with science. Thus, this …

Do People With Low Back Pain Walk Differently? A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Jo Armour Smith, Heidi Stabbert, Jennifer J. Bagwell, Hsiang-Ling Teng, Vernie Wade, Szu-Ping Lee

Physical Therapy Faculty Research

Background

The biomechanics of the trunk and lower limbs during walking and running gait are frequently assessed in individuals with low back pain (LBP). Despite substantial research, it is still unclear whether consistent and generalizable changes in walking or running gait occur in association with LBP. The purpose of this systematic review was to identify whether there are differences in biomechanics during walking and running gait in individuals with acute and persistent LBP compared with back-healthy controls.

Methods

A search was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, and PsycINFO in June 2019 and was repeated in December 2020. Studies were included …

What Tourists Want, A Sustainable Paradise, Catherine Linnes, Jerome Agrusa, Giulio Ronzoni, Joseph Lema

Hospitality Faculty Research

The increasing complexity of tourism and sustainability offers opportunities and challenges among diverse stakeholder perspectives. The need for sustainable and nature-based approaches exists throughout the growing body of literature from among a number of dimensions and measures. One of the overarching goals of the paper is to examine whether tourists will choose a destination or hotel that is actively working to improve the environment while examining how Hawaii’s tourism is nature-based as well as other measures of sustainability while enjoying a slice of paradise in the Hawaiian Islands. This study explores tourism sustainability concerns in Hawaii, such as the influence …

Brain And Spinal Cord Adaptations Associated With Patellofemoral Pain: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Kai-Yu Ho, Jing Nong Liang, Savanna Budge, Austin Madriaga, Kara Meske, Derrick Nguyenton

Physical Therapy Faculty Research

Objective: To evaluate the evidence for altered cortical and spinal cord functions in individuals with patellofemoral pain (PFP).

Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search of databases to appraise and analyze the studies published prior to December 10, 2021 that examined spinal reflex excitability measured using Hoffmann reflex (H-reflex) amplitudes, corticospinal excitability measured using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-elicited motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes, motor threshold (MT), or stimulus-response (SR) curves, cortical reorganization assessed using TMS cortical mapping or structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or functional changes of the brain assessed using functional MRI (fMRI) in individuals with PFP.

Results: Eight studies …

Diabetes: Risk Factor And Translational Therapeutic Implications For Alzheimer's Disease, Jeffrey Cummings, Andrew Ortiz, Janelle Castellino, Jefferson Kinney

Integrated Health Sciences Faculty Research

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) commonly co-occur. T2DM increases the risk for AD by approximately twofold. Animal models provide one means of interrogating the relationship of T2DM to AD and investigating brain insulin resistance in the pathophysiology of AD. Animal models show that persistent hyperglycaemia results in chronic low-grade inflammation that may contribute to the development of neuroinflammation and accelerate the pathobiology of AD. Epidemiological studies suggest that patients with T2DM who received treatment with specific anti-diabetic agents have a decreased risk for the occurrence of AD and all-cause dementia. Agents such as metformin ameliorate T2DM …

Separating Non-Linear Optical Signals Of A Sample From High Harmonic Radiation In A Soft X-Ray Free Electron Laser, Toshihide Sumi, Masafumi Horio, Tomoaki Senoo, Tetsuya Wada, Yuki Tsujikawa, Xiaoni Zhang, Paul Manset, Mihoko Araki, Yasuyuki Hirata, Walter S. Drisdell, John W. Freeland, Angelique Amadno, Michael Zuerch, Yuya Kubota, Shigeki Owada, Kensuke Tono, Makina Yabashi, Craig P. Schwartz, Iwao Matsuda

Nevada Extreme Conditions Laboratory Faculty Research

Second harmonic generation (SHG) is a unique non-linear optical effect that can be used to investigate chemical states of molecules at surfaces/interfaces. By the use of soft X-rays, SHG gains element selectivity through the inner-core excitation resonance. However, it is challenging to observe SHG signals separately from the second-order light generated from the undulator. Here, we report a new ellipsometry method for soft X-ray SHG to suppress the contribution of second-harmonic radiation from the light source. Through measurements of a GaAs(100) crystal, we demonstrate that pure SHG signals can be obtained for the horizontally polarized component. The present method is …

Premier: The Magazine Of The Unlv Harrah College Of Hospitality, Matt Jacob, Angela Ramsey, Caitlyn Lopez, Stowe Shoemaker, Maggie Hausbeck, Alexandra Liebman

Premier: The Magazine of the UNLV Harrah Hotel College

Of the countless hospitality programs around the world, why does the Harrah College of Hospitality consistently rank at the top? I believe the college's excellence stems from our ability to leverage our strengths with those of our partners to do great things. It's that simple.

This approach has certainly been in play as we've navigated the difficulties of the past two years. We've worked with our friends in industry and academia to bolster our internship and mentorship programs, research, and interdisciplinary projects, all with the intent of expanding the knowledge base of the hospitality discipline and building a pipeline of …

Dirtiest Cities In The Mountain West, 2021, Olivia K. Cheche, Kristian Thymianos, William E. Brown Jr., Caitlin J. Saladino

Environment

This fact sheet presents rankings of the dirtiest cities in the Mountain West, as originally reported by LawnStarter in “2021’s Dirtiest Cities in the U.S.” The original report examines various measures for 200 major U.S. cities. Twenty-five Mountain West cities are included in the original report and are showcased here.

Arsenic Mineral In Volcanic Tuff, A Source Of Arsenic Anomaly In Groundwater: City Of Chihuahua, Mexico, Minghua Ren, José A. Rodríguez-Pineda, Philip Goodell

Geoscience Faculty Research

Arsenic is a naturally occurring trace element that causes many health effects when present in drinking water. Elevated arsenic concentrations in water are often attributed to nearby felsic volcanic sequences; however, the specific rock units to which the groundwater anomalies can be accredited are rarely identified. The groundwater from wells around the city of Chihuahua, Mexico, contains high arsenic content. Arsenic in groundwater increases toward the base rock containing Tertiary volcanic rocks. Through detailed scanning electron microscope (SEM) and electron microprobe (EMP) work, arsenic minerals are identified in the cavities of the Tertiary volcanic tuff from the northeast part of …

Subthreshold Vibration Influences Standing Balance But Has Unclear Impact On Somatosensation In Persons With Transtibial Amputations, Zachary S. Meade, Aaron D. Likens, Jenny A. Kent, Kota Z. Takahashi, Shane R. Wurdeman, Adam L. Jacobsen, Manuel E. Hernandez, Nick Stergiou

Physical Therapy Faculty Research

Stochastic resonance has been successfully used to improve human movement when using subthreshold vibration. Recent work has shown promise in improving mobility in individuals with unilateral lower limb amputations. Furthering this work, we present an investigation of two different signal structures in the use of stochastic resonance to improve mobility in individuals with unilateral lower limb amputations. Cutaneous somatosensation and standing balance measures using spatial and temporal analysis were assessed. There were no differences in the somatosensation measures, but differences in the temporal characteristics of the standing measures were seen with the various vibration structures when compared to no vibration, …

Women's Political Participation In Nevada, Brenda Cruz Gomez, Aika Dietz

Research Briefs

Nevada leads the nation with the first female-majority state legislatiure.

Women's Safety In Nevada, Tsion Mekonnen, Aika Dietz

Research Briefs

43.8% of Nevadan women experience domestic violence in their lifetime (2020).

Women's Research Institute Of Nevada Newsletter, Women's Research Institute Of Nevada

Newsletters

Director's Message: After two years of juggling remote work and loss of daily contact, we are happy to be back in our offices with a busy spring schedule ahead.

Development Of The Seqcode: A Proposed Nomenclatural Code For Uncultivated Prokaryotes With Dna Sequences As Type, William B. Whitman, Maria Chuvochina, Brian P. Hedlund, Philip Hugenholtz, Konstantinos T. Konstantinidis, Alison E. Murray, Marike Palmer, Donovan H. Parks, Alexander J. Probst, Anna-Louise Reysenbach, Luis M. Rodriguez-R, Ramon Rossello-Mora, Iain Sutcliffe, Stephanus N. Venter

Life Sciences Faculty Research

Over the last fifteen years, genomics has become fully integrated into prokaryotic systematics. The genomes of most type strains have been sequenced, genome sequence similarity is widely used for delineation of species, and phylogenomic methods are commonly used for classification of higher taxonomic ranks. Additionally, environmental genomics has revealed a vast diversity of as-yetuncultivated taxa. In response to these developments, a new code of nomenclature, the Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes Described from Sequence Data (SeqCode), has been developed over the last two years to allow naming of Archaea and Bacteria using DNA sequences as the nomenclatural types. The SeqCode …

Perspectives Of Orthodontists Of The Diagnosis, Prevention, And Management Of White Spot Lesions: A Qualitative Study, Salwa Taibah, Neamat Hassan Abubakr Hassan, Hassan Ziada

Dental Medicine Faculty Research

Aims: Several factors influence the development of white spot lesions (WSLs), and one of these is fixed orthodontic appliances. This study aims to evaluate the awareness, preventive strategies, and management of WSLs among a group of Orthodontists. Materials and Methods: A qualitative methodology was applied; four focus groups made up a purposive sample from Orthodontists with various training backgrounds while working within the same healthcare services. Results: Three main themes emerged: awareness and ability to diagnose WSLs, perceived influences on the development of WSLs, and prevention and management strategies and barriers to care delivery. All focus groups agreed that there …

Additive-Assisted Optimization In Morphology And Optoelectronic Properties Of Inorganic Mixed Sn-Pb Halide Perovskites, Rubaiya Murshed, Shubhra Bansal

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research

Halide perovskite solar cells (HPSCs) are promising photovoltaic materials due to their excellent optoelectronic properties, low cost, and high efficiency. Here, we demonstrate atmospheric solution processing and stability of cesium tin-lead triiodide (CsSnPbI3) thin films for solar cell applications. The effect of additives, such as pyrazine and guanidinium thiocyanate (GuaSCN), on bandgap, film morphology, structure, and stability is investigated. Our results indicate the formation of a wide bandgap (>2 eV) structure with a mixed phase of tin oxide (SnO2) and Cs(Sn, Pb)I3. The addition of pyrazine decreases the intensity of SnO2 peaks, but the bandgap does not change much. …

Librarians Attending Non-Librarian Conferences: Benefits And Preparing To Attend, Amanda Nevius, Kathryn Houk, Erica Brody, Xan Goodman, Roy Brown, Christine Andresen

Library Faculty Research

This experience-based opinion piece, authored by a diverse team of librarians, will empower readers to attend non-librarian conferences by acknowledging the benefits and challenges of doing so, along with advice for overcoming these challenges and making the most of this professional development and advocacy opportunity. A review of the literature provides background and support for Part 1, which discusses the benefits of attending non-librarian conferences, organized into the categories of broadening horizons and advocacy. In Part 2 we give advice for preparation for attending and overcoming challenges. We present Part 2 organized into the following themes: 1) Acquiring time, money, …

Hyperrationality And Rhetorical Constellations In Digital Climate Change Denial: A Multi-Methodological Analysis Of The Discourse Of Watts Up With That, Denise Tillery, Emma Frances Bloomfield

English Faculty Research

Using a multi-methodological approach, we analyze member comments in Watts Up With That (WUWT), a climate skeptical Facebook group. Quantitative topic modeling revealed that members claim hyperrationality to undermine climate science. Science-based terms were often connected to other topics, such as immigration and LGBTQ+ rights, creating rhetorical constellations that shifted rhetoric from technical spaces into political and ideological ones. These findings have implications for dealing with the challenge of misinformation’s circulation on social media.

Gestational Exposure To Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers And Social Skills And Problem Behaviors In Adolescents: The Home Study, Kim Hartley, Melinda C. Macdougall, Brandon Terrizzi, Yingying Xu, Kim M. Cecil, Aimin Chen, Joseph M. Braun, Bruce P. Lanphear, Nicholas C. Newman, Ann M. Vuong, Andreas Sjödin, Kimberly Yolton

Epidemiology & Biostatistics Faculty Research

Background: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are persistent environmental pollutants used as flame retardants. Gestational PBDE exposure has been associated with a variety of behavior problems in children, but little is known about its impact into adolescence, particularly on social skills, which are important for achieving social competence, establishing identity, and forming lasting relationships. Objective: We investigated associations between gestational exposure to PBDEs and social skills and problem behaviors in early adolescence in a longitudinal pregnancy and birth cohort in Cincinnati, Ohio (recruited 2003–2006). Methods: We measured maternal serum concentrations of five PBDE congeners during gestation. At age 12, we measured …

Evaluating Approaches To Improve Written English Language Learners In Civil Engineering, David James

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Summary of class content and pedagogy, observed results of Common English writing problems observed in UNLV BS Civil Engineering CEE. 498 Senior Design class, and interventions for the next time the class is offered

Automated Grading Tools For Compter Programming, Ed Jorgensen

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

This teaching practice addresses automated grading tools for computer programming assignments. Similar tools are in use at UNLV for other disciplines (e.g., TurnItIn). This is the first use of automation specifically for grading computer programs. This tool was initially applied to first and second programming courses (CS 135, 10 sections and CS 202, 8 sections) in Fall 2021.

Patient Engagement In Cosmetic Designing Of Prostheses: Current Practice And Potential Outcome Benefits, Szu-Ping Lee, Cailin Mitchell, Kenneth Repayo, Matthew Tillitt, Collin Weber, Lung-Chang Chien, Chris Doerger

Physical Therapy Faculty Research

Background: Making a prosthesis for an individual with limb loss is a highly personalized process. A currently unexplored area is whether there are tangible benefits in greater patient engagement during the cosmetic designing of their prostheses. We examined the current clinical practice of engaging patients in prosthetic cosmetic designing and identified factors associated with patient outcomes.

Methods: One hundred and four prosthetists and 28 prosthesis users were surveyed in this cross-sectional study. The question- naires covered aspects of prosthetic prescription and fabrication, users’ perceived level of engagement, and self-reported outcomes.

Regression analyses were used to examine the associations between patients’ …

The Desert Southwest: Population Growth 2010-2020, Kelliann Beavers, Joshua Padilla, Katie M. Gilbertson, William E. Brown Jr.

Demography

In 2021 the United States Census Bureau identified the Desert Southwest as one of the fastest growing regions in the country. The Desert Southwest encompasses portions of five states (Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas) including forty counties and ten metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). Using data from the Census Bureau, this fact sheet showcases population growth within Desert Southwest counties and metropolitan statistical areas from 2010 to 2020.

On The Estimation Of Cross-Firm Productivity Spillovers With An Application To Fdi, Emir Malikov, Shunan Zhao

Molasky Family Department of Economics and Real Estate Faculty Research

We develop a novel methodology for the proxy variable identification of firm productivity in the presence of productivity-modifying learning and spillovers which facilitates a unified "internally consistent" analysis of the spillover effects between firms. Contrary to the popular two-step empirical approach, ours does not postulate contradictory assumptions about firm productivity across the estimation steps. Instead, we explicitly accommodate crosssectional dependence in productivity induced by spillovers which facilitates identification of both the productivity and spillover effects therein simultaneously. We apply our model to study cross-firm spillovers in China’s electric machinery manufacturing, with a particular focus on productivity effects of inbound FDI.

Creating A Common Language: How Solution Focused Brief Therapy Reflects Current Principles Of Change And Common Factors, Beverley Kort, Adam Froerer, Cecil Walker

Translated Abstracts

تدوین یک زبان مشترک: چگونه درمان فشرده راه‌حل محور اصول فعلی تغییر و عوامل مشترک را نشان می‌دهد.

عوامل مشترک و مکانیزم‌های تغییر در بسیاری از رشته‌ها و زمینه‌ها بررسی شده‌اند. این مطالعه عوامل مشترک برای درمان فشرده راه‌حل محور را از طریق تحلیل محتوای اصلاح شده‌ی شیوه‌ی فشرده (Brief) به کار می‌گیرد. هفت موضوع با عوامل مشترک شناسایی شده برای درمان فشرده راه‌حل محور به کار گرفته شد. این مطالعه با توجه به نحوه‌ی گسترش این روش، عوامل مشترک درمان فشرده راه‌حل محور مبتنی بر شواهد را بررسی می‌کند و پیشنهاداتی برای اجرا و به کارگیری عوامل مشترک ارائه …

Narratives Of Distinctiveness Or Similarity And Connection - A Response To Korman, De Jong And Jordan’S Steve De Shazer’S Theory Development, Guy Shennan

Translated Abstracts

روایت‌ از تفاوت‌‌ها، شباهت‌ها و ارتباط

پاسخی به توسعه‌ی نظریه‌ی کورمان، دی یونگ و استیو دی شیزرِ جوردان

در سال 2020 مجله‌ی شیوه‌های راه‌حل محور مقاله‌ای با عنوان توسعه‌ی نظری استیو دی شیزر منتشر کرد. این پژوهش به عنوان کاری تخصصی از دی شیزر مورد بررسی قرار گرفت که محققان آن را به 4 گروه تقسیم‌بندی کردند. در این مقاله 6 قاعده‌ی کلی شناسایی شد که آن‌ها معتقدند اساس تفکر دی شیزر می‌باشد. در تفسیر آن‌ها در ورای این شش اصل، نکات قابل تاملی درباره‌ی متمایز بودنSFBT وجود دارد که محققان مشتاق هستند آن‌ها را با توجه به ابعاد اساسی‌شان …

Solution-Focused Chronic Pain Self-Management Education: A Pilot Study, Jay E. Valusek

Translated Abstracts

موزش مدیریت فردی راه‌حل محور در دردهای مزمن: مطالعه‌ی آزمایشی

تقریباً از هر سه نفر بالغ در ایالات متحده یک نفر دچار بیماری مزمن است. به همین دلیل، اخیراً ایالات متحده یک استراتژی ملی برای درد ارائه کرده است که شامل آموزش تکنیک‌های مدیریت فردی فعال بیماران می‌باشد. برای ارزیابی اثر بخشی برنامه‌ی مدیریت راه‌حل محور درد مزمن (برنامه‌ی جدید آموزش روانی سرپایی مبتنی بر درمان فشرده راه‌حل محور) یک مطالعه‌ی آزمایشی در لانگمونت، کلورادو انجام شد. 5 ارزیابی براساس گزارش‌های فردی اجرایی شد. با توجه به تعداد کم نمونه‌ها (12 نفر) تنها درصد تغییرات حداقلی برای پیگیری این موارد …

Solution-Focused Zone Of Proximal Development: A Vygotskyan Contribution To Solution-Focused Therapy, Stephanie Freeman

Translated Abstracts

اثر راه‌حل محور در پیشرفت رو به جلو: سهم ویگوتسکیان برای درمان راه‌حل محور

این مقاله‌ی نظری به دنبال بررسی امکان اصول ترکیبی درمان راه‌حل محور با نظریه‌ی یادگیری و توسعه از طریق نظریه‌ی روان‌شناس معروف لئو ویگوتسکی است. تفکر این روان‌شناس منجر به توسعه‌ی نظریه‌ی فعالیت فرهنگی - تاریخی شد. شباهت‌ها و موارد تکمیلی بین این سنت‌ها نیاز به توجه بیشتری دارد. علاوه بر این SFT به عنوان یک روش در حال تحول دائمی و غربال شدن است و اصول فلسفی و نظری آن تا حدی پراکنده است. بنابراین، در این مقاله تلاش شده است که حوزه‌ی نظری و …

The Validation Of Solution Building Inventory In The Turkish Population, ÜmüT Arslan, Sinan Okur, Sara Smock Jordan

Translated Abstracts

تعیین اعتبار فهرست‌سازی راه‌حل‌ها در جمعیت ترک زبان

این مطالعه با هدف تطبیق فهرست‌سازی راه‌حل در ترک زبانان و بررسی ویژگی‌های روان‌سنجی آن انجام شده است. گروه مطالعه شده شامل 278 نفر (195 زن و 83 مرد) با میانگین سنی 18-23 سال بود. فهرست‌سازی راه‌حل ، مقیاس امید ذاتی و مقیاس تاثیر مثبت و منفی به عنوان ابزارهای اندازه‌گیری استفاده شدند. نتایج تحلیل عامل اکتشافی، تناسب داده‌ها با تحلیل عوامل و ساختار دو عامله را نشان داد که 49.38% از واریانس کل می‌باشد. یافته‌های تحلیل‌ عامل تاکیدی نشان داد که این مدل با ساختار دو بعدی 11 آیتمی این مقیاس، …

Creating A Common Language: How Solution Focused Brief Therapy Reflects Current Principles Of Change And Common Factors, Beverley Kort, Adam Froerer, Cecil Walker

Translated Abstracts

Les facteurs communs et les mécanismes de changement ont été étudiés dans de nombreuses disciplines et dans de nombreux domaines. Cette étude applique les facteurs communs à la thérapie brève orientée vers les solutions (SFBT) par le biais d'une analyse de contenu modifiée du manuel de pratique BRIEFER. Sept thèmes de facteurs communs sont identifiés et appliqués à la SFBT. L'étude se termine par une considération de la façon dont cette approche des facteurs communs élargit la preuve de l'efficacité de la SFBT et fait des suggestions pour la mise en œuvre et l'application de cette approche des facteurs communs.