Digital Commons Network^™

“But…. They Don’T Look Like Me.” An Examination Of Mentoring Relationships With Hispanic And Latinx Students, Diana Ruby Beltran

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The guiding objectives of this research were to more deeply understand Hispanic and Latinx students’ attitudes about research mentoring relationships and clarify conflicting findings within the existing literature. Study 1 focused on 32 Hispanic and Latinx undergraduate students who had experience with STEM research mentoring. A major goal was to examine whether racial-ethnic “match” between students and their mentors was associated with the types of behaviors that students encounter from their mentors (e.g., instrumental mentoring) as well as students’ academic attitudes (e.g., STEM self-efficacy). Findings revealed that students have a stronger preference for mentors who share their personality traits over …

Seasonal Climate And Environmental Conditions Associated With Physiological Variations Of Southwestern United States Pines, Taylor Brewer

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Juvenile and adult conifers in the southwestern United States are vulnerable to a range of different abiotic and biotic factors, yet it is unclear how their stress tolerance varies across environments. Predicted increases in the frequency and intensity of disturbance as well as greater climate and weather variability across the region highlight the potential for differential physiological responses across tree species and populations. This thesis focuses on two physiologic mechanisms, hydraulic vulnerability and mortality, that could be altered by climate change in two broadly distributed southwestern United States conifers: ponderosa pine and pinyon pine.

In chapter 2, I measured the …

Heat Transfer Enhancement In Heat Exchangers Using Compound Enhancement, Mouhsine Benmbarek

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research will try to investigate the enhancement of heat transfer in a heat exchanger that is made of a corrugated tube that has a twisted plate inserted in it, the corrugation, and twisted plate are expected to increase the amount of heat transfer since the plate is acting as a connection between the center of the flow and the edges of the tube. The turbulence will cause an increase in pressure drop along the channel length, so the investigation will try to find the best compromise between the gain in heat transfer and loss of hydraulic energy by using …

Occupational Therapy-Led Tai Chi: Elevating Perceived Competence In Daily Activities Among Semi/Fully Retired Adults, Lester Buenviaje

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This doctoral capstone project explored the impact of a Tai Chi intervention led by the occupational therapy student researcher, on self-perceived competence and engagement in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) among semi/fully retired adults at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Using the Occupational Self-Assessment (OSA) questionnaire, the project measured changes in participants' confidence and abilities before and after the participation of the Tai Chi program.

The Tai Chi intervention was a six-week Tai Chi program designed to accommodate the physical and cognitive capabilities of semi-retired and retired adults. This program not only …

Acculturation Stress And Social Participation Amongst Elderly Filipino Immigrants, Mary Julianne Canda

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

There has been a surge of elderly immigrants moving to the United States from Asian countries, as noted by the growing presence of elderly Filipino immigrants in Las Vegas, Nevada. Despite the growth of this population, there is limited information on how the immigration process affects their social participation in a new culture. Using a descriptive study design, this research aimed to gain a more profound knowledge of elderly Filipino immigrants, the challenges they encountered, also known as acculturation stress, and how they impacted their capacity to interact socially with others in the community. Two participants were chosen for a …

Exploring Intention Mapping And Action In Pursuit Of Emotional Storytelling For Musicians, Douglas Carpenter

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This document presents a novel approach to music education by integrating acting pedagogies, specifically the concepts of "Intention" and "Action," to enhance the expressive capabilities of musicians. Rooted in the methodologies of Konstantin Stanislavski, Sanford Meisner, and Michael Chekhov, this research seeks to bridge the gap between traditional music education, which often emphasizes technical execution, and the need for emotional expressivity and storytelling in musical performances.

The role of the musician as a 'human instrument,' capable of conveying complex human emotions and narratives through music is explored in this document. Drawing from acting techniques, the document proposes methods to help …

Development And Usage Of Analytic Tools And Recommendations For Validation And Reliability Studies Using Consumer-Grade Wearable Technology, Bryson Carrier

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: Wearable technology is increasingly utilized across various fields, yet the validity and reliability of the physiological data these devices provide are often unverified due to a lack of rigorous testing standards.

Purpose: This dissertation contains three primary works, and therefore multiple purposes. The purpose of the first project (Chapter 2) is to introduce a new risk of bias assessment tool, specifically for assessing methodological quality and the risk of bias in validity and reliability studies using wearable technology, with a focus on consumer-grade wearable technology. The purpose of the second project (Chapter 3) was to perform a systematic review …

The Influence Of Bihemispheric Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation On Muscle Fatigue, Ananya Singh Chauhan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Unilateral transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) using two electrodes placed over the primary motor cortex (M1) and the contralateral supraorbital (SO) region (M1-SO montage) has been shown to decrease the progression of muscle fatigue. The primary purpose was to determine the impact of bihemispheric tDCS (bi-tDCS) applied over the left and right M1s (bi-tDCS) on the time to task failure (TTF) of a precision-grip task. The study implemented a double-blind, randomized, SHAM-controlled, within-subjects design. A total of 20 participants performed two experimental sessions (bi-tDCS and SHAM conditions) separated by a one-week washout. During each experimental session, a fatiguing isometric contraction …

Improving Patients’ Readiness For Discharge: The Development Of An Occupation-Based Group Therapy Protocol In Inpatient Rehabilitation, Valerie Cheng

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The literature showed a lack of studies involving occupation-based group therapy in an inpatient rehabilitation setting, with notable barriers including lack of time, space, and equipment. The barriers lead occupational therapists (OT) to pursue an impairment-based approach, steering away from occupation-based approaches, which is what makes up the core of OT. Current literature is also limited to patients' perceptions of discharge readiness, with most research primarily concentrated on clinicians' perspectives. This 14-week capstone experience will include developing an occupation-based group therapy protocol for inpatient rehabilitation that will be implemented at Dignity Health Rehabilitation Hospital. Through conducting occupation-based group therapy in …

Sens"Ability" Coaching: Inspire And Empower Parents With Occupational Performance Coaching Using Dunn’S Model Of Sensory Processing – A Manualized Education Program For Clinicians, Kelby Christian

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: The current literature found a need for improved collaboration styles and programs that can adapt to the needs of the various mental health diagnoses. This capstone project focused on creating a manualized education program called SensABILTY Coaching, which aims to improve clinicians’ confidence in educating caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on Dunn’s Model of Sensory Processing using principles of Occupational Performance Coaching (OPC). Improving clinicians' confidence increases positive reactions and enhances caregiver and clinician collaboration. This capstone project outlines the benefits of using the principles of OPC intervention styles and sensory-based strategies for their effectiveness when …

The Influence Of Bilateral Dual Source Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation On The Progression Of Muscle Fatigue, Eliza Clinton

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied unilaterally to the primary motor cortex (M1) can significantly prolong the time to task failure (TTF) of a fatiguing contraction. The primary purpose of the study was to examine the influence of bilateral dual source tDCS (dstDCS) applied over the left and right M1s (ds-tDCS) on the TTF of a precision grip task. This was accomplished through the utilization of a double-blind, randomized, SHAM-controlled, within-subjects design. Fourteen participants completed two experiments (ds-tDCS and SHAM stimulation conditions) with a seven-day washout period between sessions. Each experiment involved the performance of a sustained isometric fatiguing contraction …

Perceptions Of A Community-Based Playgroup To Promote Caregiver Knowledge Of Resources And Prevention Of Developmental Delays In A Rural Setting, Chesnee Clingman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

For children living in rural communities, the likelihood of having a developmental delay substantially increases compared to children living in urban areas (Weglarz-Ward et al., 2019). This can be due to a lack of access to resources, limited education, and geographical isolation. Despite the rising trend of developmental delays among rural children, there is a noteworthy lack of early intervention resources for both the child and their family. This trend of minimal resources is demonstrated in Lincoln County, Nevada. Using an occupational therapy lens, a community-based playgroup program was developed for residents in Lincoln County. Community-based playgroups involve a structured …

The Effect Of Dual Source Premotor Cortex Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation On Muscle Fatigue In Hand Muscles, Valentino Contini

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Single source transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to increase the time to task failure (TTF) fatiguing contractions when applied to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and to the primary motor cortex (M1). The primary purpose was to determine whether dual source tDCS delivered bilaterally over the premotor cortices (pmc-tDCS) could increase the TTF of a fatiguing contraction performed by hand muscles. A double-blind, randomized, SHAM-controlled, crossover design was used for this study with each participant performing two experimental sessions held on separate days a week apart. The only difference between the two sessions was the type of …

Investigating Controls On Temporal And Spatial Variation Of Dissolved Uranium At Springs In Horn Creek Drainage, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, Usa, Collin Davidson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Groundwater is a critical resource in the Grand Canyon, providing water to local communities, millions of annual visitors, and ecosystems. One major concern for this critical resource is the potential for uranium contamination in conjunction with uranium mining efforts. Upper Horn Bedrock Spring (UHB) in the Horn Creek drainage of the Grand Canyon sits below the oldest uranium mine in the region, Orphan Lode mine. UHB spring contains the highest concentration of dissolved uranium in the region, eclipsing the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) set by the USEPA by an order of magnitude on average. This research and recent collaboration with …

Educational Series On Sensory Processing Differences And Sensory-Related Responses: An Occupational Therapy Perspective To Promote Caregiver Understanding, Jessemae Delarmente

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The objective of this doctoral capstone was to create and conduct a five-part online educational series for caregivers of children ages 0-5 about the impact sensory processing differences (SPD) has on occupational participation and performance, as well as how to navigate sensory-related responses (SRRs) on a daily basis. SPD and SRRs are complex topics commonly talked about on a graduate level as it requires knowledge of the nervous system and child development. Caregiver resources on SPD and SRRs are difficult to obtain and may not present the information appropriately for varying health literacy levels. This leads many caregivers to have …

Experiment Development And Validation Of A Granular Jamming Robotic Gripper, Jacob R. Dowd

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A granular jamming gripper (GJG) is widely known as a Universal Gripper because of the wide range of objects that it can grasp and the simplicity of control, design, and manufacturing. Despite multitude of research improving the GJG, here, we focus on the base version of the GJG and attempt to glean the range of objects that it may reliably grasp. Despite the limited range of objects, which were a sphere, rectangular prism, and cylinder, we gleaned geometric properties as it relates to successful and unsuccessful grasping. This was based on the two types of testing: push and pull testing …

Post-Operative Endotracheal Reintubation Rates, Robert Erickson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Immediate post-operative endotracheal reintubation after major abdominal surgery a significant patient safety concern due to the potential for failure to rescue, or other adverse outcomes such as altered mental status, aspiration, and hypoxia due to respiratory or cardiac arrest if left unrecognized. To facilitate major abdominal surgery (outside of a cesarean section performed under spinal anesthesia), the patient must be anesthetized, pharmacologically paralyzed, and endotracheally intubated to facilitate ventilation via mechanical respiration. Those steps create the optimal environment to allow the abdominal muscles to relax, and permits the surgeon obtain appropriate exposure of the abdominal cavity. An induced chemical paralysis …

Inbreds & Cannibals & Savages, Oh My!: A Genre Analysis Of Appalachian Atrocities, Kerri Farley

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis is an analysis of the representation of the Appalachian region in horror films. It examines the representations of the region in films such as The Hills Have Eyes, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Jug Face, and the representations of the inhabitants of Appalachia in films such as We Are What We Are. The analysis is conducted through a rhetorical analysis of the genre’s most core elements, such as the substance of the movie, the situational and stylistic, and the sensory aspects of the movies.

Causal Attribution Tendencies Of Early Childhood Practitioners And The Efficacy Of Attribution Retraining, Alex J. Faucheux

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Early childhood practitioners frequently attempt to identify the cause of outcomes experienced by their learners. This is sometimes referred to as causal attribution. Causal attribution may be affected by prior success and failure of a learner, the amount of effort exerted by the learner, the ability level of the learner, and knowledge of any disability associated with the learner, all of which can be considered controllable or uncontrollable, stable or unstable, and internal or external (Weiner, 1986; Woodcock & Vialle, 2011). As practitioners attribute cause to outcomes, they start to develop attributional tendencies; these tendencies, along with the cues and …

An Analysis Of Truancy Causes And Prevention Programming In Clark County, Nevada, Jennifer Ashley Fletcher

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In the United States truancy prevention is lacking two key elements to success; research that explains the causes of truancy and empirical evidence for best practices of truancy prevention. Truancy has been a problem in academics since the early 1900’s, when truancy became illegal. Since then, truancy rates have continued to see a steady increase, and today approximately 10% of public school students in the United States are truant every day (Maynard et al., 2017). To combat this problem, research needs to be conducted to understand why truancy happens. However, there is a severe lack of research on this topic; …

Predicting The Response Of An Underactuated, 3d Printed Prosthetic Hand, Lucas Gallup

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The continuing need for hand prostheses has led to incredible developments in this area. However, due to the cost of the most sophisticated models, it is vital to develop simpler, low-cost, underactuated prostheses that can be produced rapidly. 3D printing is an important tool to achieve this goal. In particular, the 3D printed Flexy-Hand 2 has been one of the most common low-cost designs. A key feature of the Flexy-Hand 2 is its use of tendons and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) for joints that are strong and flexible. TPUs, however, lack a thorough understanding of their mechanical behavior, which makes it …

Performance Effects Of Dissociated Hydrogen In Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Engines, Richard Adam Gorrell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) research considers hydrogen dissociation as negligible to design and analysis of propulsion engines. This study reintroduces chemically reacting flow to NTP engine analysis for investigation of the dissociation effect on engine performance. A first-principles approach observes the basic chemical mechanism and reaction within the high-speed, high-temperature NTP flow to baseline expected atomic hydrogen levels and validate equilibrium. A surface reaction study looks into hydrogen absorption through dissociation and its effect on the boundary layer, and bulk flow. For total performance, the resulting dissociated flow is analyzed through nozzle expansion and performance metrics calculated.

All historic reactor …

Redirection Of Current In A Dense Plasma Focus, Rocky Gonzalez

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Mission Support & Test Services (MSTS) reports that significant amounts of energy needed for generating high energy neutrons is lost within a Dense Plasma Focus between its pinch-end of the anode stalk and at its base near the insulating sleeve. It is their mission and the goal of this research effort to both experimentally and theoretically study current redirection in a DPF during and after pinch dynamics. It is hypothesized that current redirection, due to restrike, behind the dynamic sheath of a dense plasma focus will result in a measurable change in the magnetic field along the longitudinal axis …

Suite De Ballet By Gustav Holst: A Transcription For Wind Orchestra, Charles Greggerson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This document includes a wind band transcription of all four movements of Gustav Holst’s orchestral work Suite de Ballet, Op.10, H. 43. An overview of the background of the work and a historical background of the composer is included. The defense of transcriptions, criteria for selection of pieces and problems associated with the transcription process are examined along with the techniques utilized in the solution of problems within the context of this transcription.

A New Canon: Dismantling Racist Exclusion In Opera And Paving The Way For Inclusive Representation, Kourtney J. Holmes

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This document examines the exclusion of African American opera from the traditional Western operatic canon and standard performance practices within educational institutions and professional organizations. The narrow conception of opera as a European art form has obscured the contributions and cultural significance of works by pioneering African American composers. This study addresses this gap and elevates neglected histories by arguing for African American opera's artistic merit and contemporary relevance within the American operatic tradition.

Through musical and historical analysis of representative works from the late 19th/early 20th centuries onwards, I aim to illuminate the genre's unheard tales of struggle, identity, …

Standard And Non-Standard Log-Linear Models For 2 × 2 Contingency Tables, G M Toufiqul Hoque

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Log-linear models can be used to model the joint relationship of two or more categorical variables in a multiway contingency table. In a log-linear model, the logarithm of the expected joint counts (or the logarithm of the joint probabilities) in a contingency table can be written as a linear model.

Most log-linear models used in practice are standard. Standard log-linear models include the traditional parameter terms we see in ANOVA models: an overall effect, main effects, and various kinds of interaction terms.

Standard log-linear models are divided into hierarchical and non-hierarchical. Hierarchical models satisfy the hierarchy principle: if a higher-order …

Screening Of Orthodontic Patients And Age-Matched Non- Orthodontic Samples For High-Risk Oncogenic Human Papillomavirus (Hpv) Strains, Hunter Hinton

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: The human papillomavirus (HPV) is known to cause cancer in several tissues and organs, including the cervix and the oral cavity. Several oncogenic or high-risk strains have been identified, which include HPV16 and HPV18.However, other research has demonstrated that additional oncogenic, high-risk strains exist - including HPV31, HPV33, HPV35, HPV52 and HPV58, although much less is known about their prevalence. Based upon this lack of knowledge, the primary objective of this project is to address the prevalence of these strains among pediatric and adult patients through screening of saliva samples from the UNLV-SDM and orthodontic clinic populations.

Methods: The …

Pain Management Series For Stroke: Identifying Teaching Methods To Increase Clinical Self-Efficacy For Occupational Therapy Doctoral Students, Apasara Jittprasert

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose

Post-stroke pain has been identified as a significant challenge for individuals experiencing a stroke. Occupational therapists play a crucial role in the complex treatment of post-stroke pain but often face challenges due to a lack of self-efficacy in implementing treatments for stroke-related pain. This project’s purpose was to,1) to identify which teaching methods are effective for increasing clinical self-efficacy in doctoral occupational therapy students for implementing pain management treatment for individuals’ post-stroke and 2) to increase reported clinical self-efficacy levels among these students following the completion of a pain management educational program for stroke pain.

Methodology

This project recruited …

Persisting Inequity: School Administrators’ Social Dominance Orientation And Disciplinary Practices, Abigail Johnson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Empirical research has established that exclusionary discipline is applied to black students at a higher rate than white students for similar offenses, and that this disproportionality cannot be attributed to the severity or frequency of misconduct. Exclusionary discipline, which removes a student from the educational setting, poses significant challenges to academic and social well-being and introduces a host of proximal issues for black students. This dissertation draws upon Social Dominance Theory (SDT), which examines how beliefs aligned to existing hierarchies perpetuate discrimination and oppression, to explore how administrators' anti-egalitarian beliefs and disciplinary practices influence the disproportionate application of exclusionary discipline …

Becoming A Bicultural High School Teacher In The United States: An Autoethnography Of A Latina Educator, Silvina Jover

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research was guided by two autoethnographic questions, namely: How does autoethnography enable understanding of the needs of emergent bilinguals in the sociopolitical context of local and federal language policies in the United States? As well as extended by the following ancillary questions: a. What are the patterns and variations that emerge from journal entries crafted by the author of this study? And b. What are the patterns and variations that emerge from state and national news pieces between the years 2015 and 2020?

This narrative serves not only to present the challenges encountered within the field of multicultural education …