Digital Commons Network^™

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. …

Adaptive Theatre Techniques For Use In Autism Behavioral Intervention, Tyler Hastings

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study explores effective techniques for teaching a person with autism behavioral and social skills, and shares research that suggests adaptive theatre techniques are a supportive option for people with autism. By utilizing scholarly research, the goal of this study is to: identify, analyze, and evaluate successful techniques for teaching students with autism, and prove that adaptive theatrical techniques are an effective resource for teaching people with autism behavioral and social skills. There are many successful techniques available when teaching an individual with autism. I plan to examine traditional techniques when teaching individuals with autism, analyze the many benefits that …

The Dissolution And Recovery Of Critical Materials (Li2co3 And Uf6) From Ionic Liquid, Cassara Higgins

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Lithium and uranium are critical materials in both the energy industry and for national security. Lithium is necessary for the next generation of batteries and 6Li is valuable for the production of tritium necessary for both fusion energy and to maintain our nuclear stockpiles. Uranium is a fuel source or precursor fuel source for commercially operating nuclear fission power. The monitoring of uranium hexafluoride (UF6) enrichment at foreign facilities is important for the monitoring of nuclear safeguards and enforcement of non-proliferation treaties. Recovery methods for lithium at the end of life of batteries are necessary to ensure abundance of the …

A Survey Of The Br´Ezis-Nirenberg Problem And Related Theorems, Edward Huynh

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Nonlinear elliptic partial differential equations on bounded domains arise in several different areas of mathematics that include geometry, mathematical physics, and the calculus of variations. The Br ́ezis-Nirenberg problem is concerned with a boundary-value problem that is intimately connected to the existence of positive solutions of the Yamabe problem, of non-minimal solutions to Yang-Mills functionals, and of extremal functions to several important inequalities. Results on existence and uniqueness have been obtained in cases when the exponent is sub-critical, but such results have not been obtained when the exponent is critical due to a lack of compactness. The earliest results obtained …

Miocene Ichnofaunas And Mammalian Communities In The Great Basin Region, Nevada And California, Annmarie R. Jones

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this dissertation is to document and interpret three new ichnofaunas and two fossil assemblages from the Neogene of Nevada and California. Ichnofossils are important for understanding behavior and geographical range of animals in the distant past and are key to locating and preserving sensitive material for future studies. I examined ichnofauna at three localities: two within the Mio-Pliocene Muddy Creek Formation of Nevada, and one within the Miocene China Ranch Beds of California. My research focuses primarily on (1) camelid and ursid ichnotaxa and how these new localities help in understanding the evolutionary history of these taxa …

Modeling And Analysis Of Subcellular Protein Localization In Hyper-Dimensional Fluorescent Microscopy Images Using Deep Learning Methods, Yang Jiao

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Hyper-dimensional images are informative and become increasingly common in biomedical research. However, the machine learning methods of studying and processing the hyper-dimensional images are underdeveloped. Most of the methods only model the mapping functions between input and output by focusing on the spatial relationship, whereas neglect the temporal and causal relationships. In many cases, the spatial, temporal, and causal relationships are correlated and become a relationship complex. Therefore, only modeling the spatial relationship may result in inaccurate mapping function modeling and lead to undesired output. Despite the importance, there are multiple challenges on modeling the relationship complex, including the model …

A Cautionary Tale From Nevada's Desert-People Before Company: A Case Study On Economic Development Approaches In Nevada, Ryann P.S. Juden

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This project utilized a mixed methods research design consisting of a case study of Nevada to explain the state’s reliance on company-based government incentives to attract new businesses to the state. Additionally, the project applied a comparative analysis of Brazil’s and Tennessee’s use of company-based government incentives, and a more detailed comparative analysis of Virginia’s people-based government incentive approach to economic development incentives to explore policy alternatives available to decision makers. This project used the historical institutionalism approach to show how policymakers have certain institutionally dominated predispositions impacting policy outcomes leading to a path dependency where rational choice theory’s credit …

Policing Sin City: The Creation And Impact Of The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, 1973-1985, Richard Kim

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis examines the creation of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department in 1973 and its impact on the War on Crime. The first chapter examines the significance of race and policing in Las Vegas from the early twentieth century until the consolidation of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and Las Vegas Police Department in 1973. Chapter 2 then analyzes how the federal government’s so-called War on Crime played out at the local and state level in Nevada from 1973 to 1985. The thesis argues that this period witnessed a punitive turn in policing that had long-term consequences for Las …

First-Day Expositional Interviews, Iterative Training, And Participant Skill In Descriptive Experience Sampling, Cody Michio Kaneshiro

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Descriptive experience sampling (DES) is a method of describing inner experience (i.e., directly apprehended thoughts, feelings, sensations, etc.). DES includes “iterative” sequences of random, natural-environment, beeper-driven sampling of inner experiences followed by an expositional interview that seeks to apprehend and describe those inner experiences in high-fidelity. DES investigators claim that these iterative sequences increase the participant’s DES skills. The present study tests that claim by investigating whether participants demonstrate higher skills in their very-last-sample interviews than they exhibited in their own very-first-sample interviews. The very-last-sample and very-first-sample interviews of six participants were quantitatively and qualitatively examined. We found that participants …

Quality Of Care: A Business Case For Us Hospitals, Iwimbong Kum Ghabowen

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act present some threats and opportunities to many hospitals across the USA. Under the Value-Based Purchasing Program, acute care hospitals' rewards are tied to incentive payments for the quality of care provided in the inpatient hospital. In the last 20 years, growing research has examined the effects of the quality of care on the financial performance of hospitals. There is a gap in the literature, particularly exploring the relationship between quality and hospital financial performance using national samples. This dissertation investigates the association between patients' experience of care, 30-day readmission rates, and case-mix-index (CMI) …

Historical Patterns Of Regional, Residential, And Socioeconomic Inequities In The Utilization Of Maternal Health Care In Tanzania, East Africa, Neema Langa

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The United Republic of Tanzania (URT) has been experiencing alarming maternal and neonatal mortality rates. While these deaths have decreased over time, they fall short of the World Health Organization's (WHO) standards. Due to their strong associations, understanding maternal healthcare utilization (MHC) is critical for improving our understanding of existing maternal and neonatal mortality patterns. Existing research, primarily focusing on antenatal care (ANC), indicates that utilization of maternal health care (MHC) has steadily increased since 1990. However, very little attention has been paid to period-based changes in other MHC measures (e.g., postnatal care) and how those changes vary across socioeconomic …

Stigma Towards Sex Workers In The Clinical Setting: Sixteen Guidelines For Therapists To Improve Their Practice And Provide Ethical Mental Health Services To Sex Workers, Alessandra Lanti

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study qualitatively investigates therapists’ attitudes toward their clients who work in the sex industry and assesses sex workers’ perception of these attitudes in therapy. Two separate surveys are used to assess attitudes. One is distributed to mental health professionals, and it uses clinical vignettes to evaluate the approaches used in therapy where the variable of “profession” is manipulated. The second survey is distributed to sex workers to evaluate their experiences in therapy. Then, indicators of persistent attitudes in the narrative responses are identified, organized into groups, and surveys are compared. Results suggest that participants in the survey distributed to …

Investigation Of Swimming Physiology And Swimming Kinematics While Wearing Different Triathlon Wetsuit Styles At Submaximal Front Crawl Swimming In Recreational Population, Boram Lim

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Triathlon wetsuits are commonly used due to the potential benefits in swimming performance and thermoregulation. Triathletes may select different wetsuit styles depending on many factors such as temperature regulation, swimming technique, body type, and training purpose. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence for how different wetsuit styles affect physiological responses and swimming kinematics during submaximal swimming intensity. Therefore, this studyaimed to investigate the physiological responses and swimming kinematics during submaximal intensity front crawl swimming while wearing different wetsuit styles. Fourteen participants (n=6 male, n=8 female; all recreational triathletes or swimmers) completed a swimming graded exercise test (GXT) wearing …

A Multiple Case Study: Exploration Of The Writing Instruction Practices Of Veteran High School English Teachers, Victoria Lindemann

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The gift of literacy can be the greatest equalizer in a society or used as a weapon to marginalize. As writing instructors, it should be our job to help our students find their voice – to give voice to the voiceless (Friere, 1970). More research must uncover the influences beyond the classroom and how those influences inform veteran teachers’ decisions about their writing practices and instructional designs, specifically on how teachers engage students in writing. It is the writing of our thoughts and ideas that shares a piece of ourselves with the world around us.This study explored how experienced English …

Effects Of Distributed Energy Resources On The Bulk Electric System, Stryder Loveday

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The traditional power grid was designed with a centralized resource distribution in mind, with a relatively small number of large power generation facilities supplying the vast majority of load. With recent efforts to further diversify the power grid as well as an increased interest in renewable energy sources, there has been an unprecedented amount of new DistributedEnergy Resources (DERs) added to the grid within the last decade. This often heavily influences the local demand where these resources are installed, often causing power to flow in ways not anticipated by the original design of the grid. This thesis reviews the potential …

Carbon Fiber Coil Spring Characterization And Manufacturing, Cooper Madrazo

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Helical coil springs are used in many mechanical design applications including industrial machines, devices, and vehicle suspension systems. It is desirable to minimize the weight of vehicle suspension systems as this can improve performance and handling. Most vehicle suspension coil springs are made from solid steel alloys or other metallic materials. Significant weight savings could be achieved if the metallic material were replaced by high performance fiber reinforced polymer composites. However, the coil spring geometry is a difficult manufacturing challenge for composite materials. The goal of this thesis was to investigate efficient and low-cost manufacturing methods to produce light-weight polymer …

Revisiting The Chemistry Of Uranium And Rhenium Fluorides: Implication To Fuel Cycle And Nuclear Forensics Science, James Amos-Aimé Louis-Jean

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Fluorine plays a major role in the nuclear industry where F2(g) and HF(g) are critical to the preparation of UF6 and UF4. These materials are prepared for uranium enrichment to increase the isotopic concentration of 235U. During separation efforts, the isotope 99Tc (a high yield fission product, 6.1% from 235U) is extracted along with uranium and can be converted to binary technetium fluorides (i.e., TcF4, TcF6) during re-enrichment of used uranium material. This provides a route for 99Tc to reenter the reactor environment and affect the nuclear properties of fuel pellets made with reprocessed uranium. The objective of this work …

Time-Of-Day And Chronotype Dependent Effects Of Exercise On Migraine Load In People With Chronic Migraines: A Cross-Over Randomized Clinical Trial, Elias M. Malek

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Migraines are the most common cause of chronic pain. Effective, non-pharmacological strategies to reduce migraine load are needed. Exercise is an effective strategy, but it is unclear how exercise timing and temporal preference (chronotype) factors modulate the laudatory effects of exercise. Purpose: Determine the effects of; 1) time-of-day of exercise, and 2) exercise synchrony with one’s chronotype, on migraine load. Methods: Participants were 13 sedentary individuals with 8+ migraines/month (age = 30 ± 11 yrs, 167 ± 6 cm, 86 ± 28 kg). Participants were categorized into morning-/evening-types based on the Morning/Eveningness Questionnaire and instructed to complete 1 month of …

Exploring Gen Z Nursing Students’ Experience And Emotional Processing In Simulation: A Grounded Theory Study, Wendy Matthew

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Simulation is an integral teaching methodology used within current nursing curricula. The goal of simulation is to promote learning, develop clinical judgment and reasoning, and ultimately improve patient care. However, some factors can disrupt the goals of the simulation learning experience. Students may experience uncomfortable emotional responses, such as anxiety, during simulation events, which impairs students' thinking processes leading to decreased learning, poor performance, an inability to assess knowledge, and potentially prohibits the transfer of knowledge to practice. Over 90% of the general Generation Z (Gen Z) population report uncomfortable emotions such as stress and anxiety. Simulation is used in …

Is Dietary Teaching Via Telehealth Effective In Lowering Hgba1c In Adult Patients With Prediabetes Or Type 2 Diabetes?, Mia Mccallum-Crawford

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are two common conditions diagnosed in the primary care setting. Both conditions benefit from a healthy lifestyle, managing blood sugar levels, and getting diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES). Within the past two decades, the healthcare community in the US has witnessed a substantial rise in diabetes among adults. Overall, the self-management of diabetes continues to worsen nationally. The purpose of this project is to improve patients’ self-management of both Prediabetes and T2DM through nutrition and show how nutritional counseling via telehealth provided by a nurse practitioner can improve HgbA1C values over 3 …

The Nursing Leader’S Role In Decreasing Implicit Rationing By Improving The Nursing Work Environment, Allison Mchugh

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Despite all the literature about missed care and its contributing factors, it is prevalent in most hospitals worldwide. Missed care is the result of care that is implicitly rationed. For this paper, implicit rationing is defined as how nurses decide what care is delivered based on the present work environment. Many factors influence implicit rationing. One such factor is the work environment. The association between the nursing work environment and implicit rationing is well described in the literature. The nursing leader is in a formal position responsible for patient outcomes and the nursing practice environment. Therefore, it is important to …

The Impact Of Collaboration Outcomes In Rape Crisis Centers, Robin J. Mendoza

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Sexual violence is a health and human service issue that touches a multitude of individuals, organizations, and communities. Collaboration is essential to achieving desired outcomes to prevent or intervene in sexual violence. Rape crisis centers depend on cooperation and communication with other health and human service organizations to achieve common goals of reducing sexual violence. Increasing organizational effectiveness and diversifying social and systems change through maximizing relationships is an important facet of collaboration. The purpose of this research is to identify the extent of effective collaboration amongst rape crisis centers and their affiliates in the United States. Social and organizational …

Fuel Injector Design Of A Hypersonic Jet Engine Using Computational Fluid Dynamics, Melissa Rose Mercado

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The development of hypersonic airbreathing engines, such as a supersonic combustion ramjet, or scramjet, are implemented for flight Mach numbers over 5 where combustion must occur in supersonic conditions. The advancement of scramjet propulsion has led to favored usage over rocket propulsion systems for in atmosphere applications due to their lighter weight, higher specific impulse, and greater maneuverability [1]. The combustor section of a scramjet engine houses the fuel injectors. Fuel is injected into the supersonic flow with the main objective of achieving rapid and thorough fuel-air mixing because the residence time in the combustion chamber has a timescale of …

Improving Self-Efficacy And Knowledge While Reducing Anxiety In High-Risk Breast Cancer Patients Through Standardized Education, Shelley Miles

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Breast cancer is the leading cause of death of women in the United States. Patients at high risk for developing cancer are more easily identified in today’s world. Early identification might be due to strong family history or genetic mutations, such as BRCA1 or BRCA2. Screening and risk reduction guidelines have been developed over recent years for these patients. Adherence to these guidelines continues to be a problem. The factors stemming from this problem include lack of knowledge about being high-risk, understanding the guidelines, and anxiety and depression about the perceived risk of developing breast cancer. These factors can cause …

Behavior Of Axially-Restrained Reinforced Concrete Beams Under High Sustained Loads, Ghazaleh Mehdikhan Laleh

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Following column failure in a reinforced concrete (RC) frame structure, a progressive collapse may result if the beams supported by the failed column cannot generate an alternate path to carry the redistributed gravity loads. Past studies of the collapse resistance of RC frame beams were limited to their short-time load-carrying capacity. Axially restrained frame beams experience a compressive arch action as a beneficial load-resisting mechanism not considered in a conventional structural design. Due to the compressive arch action, the column failure may not cause an immediate collapse; however, gravity loads still act on the damaged structure, inducing high sustained stresses …

Viability Of Energy And Fuel Sources For Interstellar Travel; Design And Feasibility Of The Construction Of Manned Interstellar Space Shuttles, Lukas Mittelman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The importance of proving the viability of interstellar transport and addressing its potential hazards and pitfalls is immense. If we do not look toward the future and examine what could be waiting for us, we are doing our children, our children’s children, and so on, a disservice. Here we must attempt to lay the groundwork for our future scientists, engineers, and adventurers. Asking and answering questions like, which propulsion and energy systems must we incorporate to send us through the cosmos? Will we utilize technologies known today, such as fossil fuel rockets, fission or fusion rockets, and antimatter drives (pion …

Ultrasonography-First Imaging Algorithm For Acute Appendicitis Diagnosis, Steven Lamar Moore

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Acute appendicitis (AA) is the most common cause of acute abdominal pain requiring surgery in pediatric, adult, and pregnant patients. Several etiologies are believed to trigger luminal obstruction, which causes mucus and bacteria proliferation, resulting in inflammation and wall tension with subsequent necrosis and rupture of the appendix. Most AA patients present with the primary complaint of abdominal pain, which Murphy first described the characteristic diagnostic sequence seen in approximately 50% of patients as colicky centralized abdominal pain with subsequent vomiting with the migration of pain to the right lower quadrant (RLQ), specifically, the right iliac fossa. The typical AA …

Increasing Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Intent And Knowledge Through An Educational Intervention, Angelica E. Musumeci

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a widely discussed topic in healthcare as it affects patients of all genders and ages who partake in sexual activity. The most significant concern it poses to those at risk is HPV-related cancer. Fortunately, a vaccination exists that targets specific strains associated with these types of cancers. Despite evidence-based research supporting the vaccination’s efficacy and safety, lack of awareness and misinformation diminish the receipt of the vaccine and drive the lack of protection. Thus, educational interventions directed at parents and caregivers, which aims to improve their understanding of HPV and the vaccination’s benefits, is key to …

Evaluation Of An Advance Care Planning Workshop To Improve The Self-Efficacy Of Health Care Providers, Joy Patrick

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Advance care planning (ACP) involves discussions between the patient and their care providers and those close to them about future care. Every patient is entitled to ACP; however, research has shown that providers do not regularly implement them for various reasons. In addition, multiple barriers may be preventing providers from initiating ACP. Among them are lack of knowledge and confidence, apprehension, time, and fear. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) addresses the problematic barriers to regular ACP discussions between providers and the patients. Specifically, the purpose of this DNP project is to develop, implement and evaluate an online module to …

Differential Expression Of Cellular And Exosomal Microrna Isolated From Oral Cancer Cells And Their Resistance To Chemotherapy, Brady Petersen

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: MicroRNAs are abundant small non-coding RNA with a variety of known functions, including transcriptional activation and inhibition. Recent evidence has suggested that microRNA expression may influence the responsiveness of some cancers to chemotherapy, including liver and lung cancers. Some evidence has now suggested that specific microRNAs, such as miR-21, miR-155, and miR-375, may influence oral cancer responsiveness to chemotherapy – although much remains to be discovered.

Objective: Based upon the lack of evidence in this area, the primary objective of this study was to evaluate microRNA expression and responsiveness among oral cancers.

Methods: Five commercially available oral cancer cell …