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The Hidden Logic Behind Migration And Success, Elsa Russom

Master's Projects and Capstones

This research paper explores the hidden drivers of financial success among Eritrean migrants navigating uncertainty, displacement, and limited institutional access. Drawing on original survey data collected from diaspora communities across East African host countries, I apply a mixed-methods framework combining ordinal and binary logistic regression, random forest classification, bootstrapping, and Bayesian causal mediation; to identify the structural and cultural variables most predictive of financial stability. The findings reveal that participation in Ekub, a traditional rotating savings association, and engagement in communal support systems are the strongest predictors of financial success, outperforming conventional factors such as age, education, or employment status. …

Into The Urban Wild: Overcoming Barriers To Urban Rewilding Through Expert Perspectives On Benefits, Hurdles, And Measures For Creating Wilder Greenspaces, Simon S. Moesch, Dagmar Haase, Brenda M. Zoderer, Sophie Lokatis

Cities and the Environment (CATE)

Urban rewilding, which promotes the development and transformation of urban greenspaces (UGS) into wilder forms, has garnered public support and offers numerous benefits – from enhancing human well-being and providing wildlife habitats to bolstering urban resilience against climate change. However, many UGS remain highly manicured. Research suggests that public expectations, safety concerns, conflicts with heritage preservation goals, and perceived disservices (e.g., allergenic pollen or unwanted wildlife) are among the barriers to adopting wilder designs; however, it remains unclear which factors hinder UGS rewilding the most. To investigate this, the study conducted semi-structured interviews with 26 experts involved in UGS management, …

Environmental History In Western Anatolia (Turkey) Since The Last Glacial Maximum, Mustafa Dogan, Cetin Senkul, Jessie Woodbridge

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Mediterranean landscapes have been shaped by complex interactions between climate, land use and fire overmulti-millennial timescales. Understanding past trajectories of change provides knowledge of how modernlandscapes emerged, which can be valuable for their sustainable management. The aim of this study is toreconstruct environmental change in Western Anatolia (Turkey) through palaeoecological analysis of sedimentfrom Buldan Yayla Lake (Denizli-Buldan) from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) to the present, using a high-resolutionand multi-proxy dataset. To this end, fossil pollen, micro-charcoal, non-pollen palynomorphs, micro(μ)-XRF and radiocarbon analyses were applied to an ~18 m sediment core from Buldan Yayla Lake (Denizli-Buldan). According to the fossil …

Terraincraft: Automated Land-Cover–Driven Terrain Generation For Marine Robot Simulations, Xinyue Liang

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

From self-driving cars navigating city streets to all-terrain vehicles tackling rugged landscapes, recent leaps in robotic autonomy due to fast pace development in deep learning are reshaping how machines interact with the real world. However, autonomy in the aquatic environment is still limited, due to difficulty in testing and unavailability of realistic simulation environments.

In this project, we aim to create an automated system that simplifies the processes of creating synthetic datasets for marine robots navigation training tasks. We achieved this through a land cover map controlled terrain generation. Our goal is to provide an automatic terrain generation system that …

A Bitter Brew For Cancer: Egcg’S Impact On Ewing Sarcoma Cells, Lizzeth Holguin, Mary-Esther Leblanc, Mariana Reyes, Terry Jo Shackleford

Cell and Molecular Methods

Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), a powerful antioxidant found in green tea, is an abundant treatment to treat Ewing Sarcoma cells, a pediatric cancer affecting the skeletal system. Given EGCG’s known role in other cancer treatments, these tests aim to investigate its effects as a standalone natural compound on Ewing Sarcoma cells. Focusing on the PI3K/AKT pathway, if the PI3K/AKT pathway is inhibited by EGCG, then it will lead to reduced cell survival and proliferation of EW8 cells. Using cell culture techniques, IncuCyte-based IC50 analysis, caspase 3/7, RNA purification, cDNA synthesis, and qRT-PCR, EGCG’s impact was assessed on cell apoptosis and gene …

The Effect Of Epigallocatechin Gallate (Egcg) And Alpha L-Mangostin On Tp53, Bax, And Vim Gene Expression And Apoptosis In Ewing Sarcoma Cells, Victoria Valdez, Terry Jo Shackleford

Cell and Molecular Methods

Ewing Sarcoma (ES) is a malignant pediatric bone tumor driven by chromosomal translocations and fusion oncogenes with limited targeted treatment options. This study investigated the chemopreventive potential of two natural compounds, Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) found in green tea, and Alpha L-Mangostin from mangosteen, on apoptosis and gene expression in ES cells. We hypothesized that EGCG and Alpha L-Mangostin treatment would induce apoptosis and downregulate cancer-promoting genes. To test this, we performed tissue culture, IC50 assays, caspase-based apoptosis detection, RNA purification, cDNA synthesis, and qRT-PCR on ES cell lines treated with a high and low concentration of the two compounds. Our …

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The Jack Pine And Four Other Solo Piano Works Composed By Five Canadian Women In The Twenty-First Century, Huanwen Wang

Dissertations, 2020-current

This document aims to shine a light on five distinctive piano works by five twenty-first century Canadian women composers. The pieces are Minute Etudes (Book Two) (2002) by Emily Doolittle, From Wapta Ice (2003) by Diana McIntosh, The Jack Pine (2010) by Jocelyn Morlock, Smoke Darkened Sky (2021) by Kelly-Marie Murphy, and …our inner lives were entwined… embroidered with the same pattern... (2021) by Karen Sunabacka. The main objective of this document is to identify stylistic traits in the selected pieces, discuss the source of inspiration of each piece and illustrate how the musical elements reflect the source of …

Unmasking Masculinities In Counseling: From Conformity To Connection, Kyle R. Rose

Dissertations, 2020-current

This dissertation explored the entanglements of professional counseling and masculinities across three manuscripts, to contribute to (1) healthier forms of gender expression within and beyond the spectrum of masculinities for individuals, (2) the counseling profession’s role in transforming hegemonic masculinity within communities, and (3) larger movements to subvert the patriarchy throughout society. The first manuscript is a conceptual article that presented the Relational Cultural Privileged Identity Counseling (RCPIC) model, an integrative framework designed to help counselors address hegemonic masculinity within the therapeutic relationship. Drawing from Relational-Cultural Theory (RCT) and Privileged Identity Exploration (PIE), this model provided a roadmap for compassionate …

Establishing The Feasibility Of Sustained Sinusoidal Cervical Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials In Young Adults, Ashton Fowlkes

Dissertations, 2020-current

Cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs) are used in clinics and research to assess the function of primarily the saccule. cVEMPs are typically stimulated with transient clicks or tone bursts through air conduction and are recorded from the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle. The SCM is contracted by turning the head either left or right. In this study, we used sustained sinusoidal bone conducted stimuli. Using this new stimulus method allowed us to look at the possibility of a sustained cVEMP response, compared to the typically recorded transient response, as well as analyze the amplitude and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the responses. …

Microbial Biodiversity Of The James River Rock Pool Ecosystem., Jordan C. Heydt

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Rock pools are ephemeral aquatic environments that offer a unique opportunity to study complex communities and their responses to environmental changes. The urban James River rock pool system consists of over 700 individual rock pools varying in size and depth. This unique urban freshwater ecosystem has been studied for its invertebrate, plant, and zooplankton populations but not for its microbial community composition. To fill that gap, the microbial community of this system was characterized using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and the influence of environmental variables on the community composition was analyzed. Our findings show variation in microbial community composition across …

From Essential To Expendable – Montagnards, Kurds, And U.S. Army Special Forces In Vietnam And Northern Iraq, Jake Brooks

Masters Theses, 2020-current

In the Vietnam and Iraqi conflicts, the U.S. Army Special Forces teamed up with indigenous ethnic monitories to bring the fight to all corners of the battle space, and to take advantage of their immense local knowledge and strategic locations. The Montagnards of Central Indochina and the Kurds in Northern Iraq allied with the Special Forces for a number of reasons: protection from their ruling governments, recognition for their movements for autonomy, increased access to better medicine and equipment, and the opportunity to strike back at their historical enemies. The Montagnards and Kurds taught the Green Berets how to better …

Microbial Community Contribution To Oxidative Stress Defense In High-Biomass Forming Cyanobacteria Harmful Algal Blooms (Chabs), Chelsea Donovan

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHABs) occur globally, excluding Antarctica, and often involve toxin-producing species such as Microcystis aeruginosa. These blooms threaten both ecosystems and public health, making it essential to understand their underlying drivers. Cyanobacteria generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) during photosynthesis, which can cause cellular damage unless neutralized. Some, like M. aeruginosa, lack the genetic capacity to detoxify ROS and rely on associated bacterioplankton for protection. To investigate the role of phycosphere bacteria in mitigating ROS stress, we conducted an incubation experiment using samples collected throughout the 2023 Lake Erie bloom season. Samples were treated with 10 …

E-Waste In Washington: A Looming Threat To Washington's Climate Future And Legal Solutions, Ibrahim Badawi

Seattle Journal of Technology, Environmental, & Innovation Law

This paper explores the escalating issue of electronic waste (e-waste) in Washington State, examining its root causes—including manufacturer practices, consumer behavior, and the lack of strict regulations—and its profound impacts on the environment, human health, and climate change. While Washington State’s 2006 Electronic Product Recycling Law (EPRL) marked an important first step, the current measure is insufficient to address the growing crisis. This paper argues that the true solution to the e-waste crisis requires not only recycling regulations but also addressing the root causes to prevent e-waste before it is created by focusing on extending the lifespans of electronics. This …

Hybrids As Undeserving And The Enduring Legacy Of Eugenics In Modern Conservation Policies, Maria-Vittoria Carminati, Andrew Martin

Seattle Journal of Technology, Environmental, & Innovation Law

This article explores the overlooked legacy of eugenics at the root of modern conservation, tracing how early conservationists—many of whom were also vocal eugenicists—shaped our definitions of species, purity, and protection. By examining the deep entanglement of racialized science and environmental policy, I argue that hybrids have been systematically excluded from protection, not because of well-founded scientific reasoning, but because of a century-old ideology rooted in the fear of impurity. It's time for conservation to evolve beyond these outdated frameworks and embrace a future-forward, adaptationist approach—one that recognizes hybrids not as mistakes, but as natural responses to a changing world …

Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzyme Ube2n Modulates Proteostasis In Immunoproteasome-Positive Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Chiharu Ishikawa, Laura Barreyro, Avery M Sampson, Kathleen M Hueneman, Kwangmin Choi, Sophia Y Philbrook, Issac Choi, Lyndsey C Bolanos, Mark Wunderlich, Andrew G Volk, Stephanie S Watowich, Kenneth D Greis, Daniel T Starczynowski

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Altered protein homeostasis through proteasomal degradation of ubiquitinated proteins is a hallmark of many cancers. Ubiquitination, coordinated by E1, E2, and E3 enzymes, involves up to 40 E2-conjugating enzymes in humans to specify substrates and ubiquitin linkages. In a screen for E2 dependencies in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), ubiquitin conjugating enzyme E2 N (UBE2N) emerged as the top candidate. To investigate UBE2N's role in AML, we characterized an enzymatically defective mouse model of UBE2N, revealing UBE2N's requirement in AML without an impact on normal hematopoiesis. Unlike other E2s, which mediate lysine-48 (K48) polyubiquitination and degradation of proteins, UBE2N primarily synthesizes …

Interlude 2: Tropic By Wifredo Lam, Mey-Yen Moriuchi

PALARA: Publication of the Afro-Latin/American Research Association

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Environmental Sustainability Of Carbon Removal Technologies (Beccs, Dac): Achieving Net Zero Emission Targets In California, Gamze Stone

Master's Projects and Capstones

Negative Emission Technologies (NET), such as Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage

(BECCS) and Direct Air Capture (DAC), are essential to fight climate change, according to the

IPCC Report 2022. California has set a goal to capture 120 million tons of CO2 by using mixed

methods by 2045. While BECCS can remove CO2 from high emission industries such as ethanol

production, electricity generation, etc., DAC can remove CO2 emissions directly from the

atmosphere by using machine technology. This paper conducts a literature review of the overall

environmental impacts of these technologies. Then it evaluates a hypothetical scenario which

assesses the …

The Lung Cancer Autochthonous Model Gene Expression Database Enables Cross-Study Comparisons Of The Transcriptomic Landscapes Across Mouse Models, Ling Cai, Fangjiang Wu, Qinbo Zhou, Ying Gao, Bo Yao, Ralph J Deberardinis, George K Acquaah-Mensah, Vassilis Aidinis, Jennifer E Beane, Shyam Biswal, Ting Chen, Carla P Concepcion-Crisol, Barbara M Grüner, Deshui Jia, Robert A Jones, Jonathan M Kurie, Min Gyu Lee, Per Lindahl, Yonathan Lissanu, Corina Lorz, David Macpherson, Rosanna Martinelli, Pawel K Mazur, Sarah A Mazzilli, Shinji Mii, Herwig P Moll, Roger A Moorehead, Edward E Morrisey, Sheng Rong Ng, Matthew G Oser, Arun R Pandiri, Charles A Powell, Giorgio Ramadori, Mirentxu Santos, Eric L Snyder, Rocio Sotillo, Kang-Yi Su, Tetsuro Taki, Kekoa Taparra, Phuoc T Tran, Yifeng Xia, J Edward Van Veen, Monte M Winslow, Guanghua Xiao, Charles M Rudin, Trudy G Oliver, Yang Xie, John D Minna

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer mortality, exhibits diverse histological subtypes and genetic complexities. Numerous preclinical mouse models have been developed to study lung cancer, but data from these models are disparate, siloed, and difficult to compare in a centralized fashion. In this study, we established the Lung Cancer Autochthonous Model Gene Expression Database (LCAMGDB), an extensive repository of 1,354 samples from 77 transcriptomic datasets covering 974 samples from genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs), 368 samples from carcinogen-induced models, and 12 samples from a spontaneous model. Meticulous curation and collaboration with data depositors produced a robust and comprehensive database, …

G-Quadruplex Stabilizer Cx-5461 Effectively Combines With Radiotherapy To Target Α-Thalassemia/Mental Retardation X-Linked-Deficient Malignant Glioma, Sharvari Dharmaiah, Prit Benny Malgulwar, William E Johnson, Brandon A Chen, Vladislav Sharin, Benjamin T Whitfield, Christian Alvarez, Vasudev Tadimeti, Ahsan S Farooqi, Jason T Huse

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Inactivation of α-thalassemia/mental retardation X-linked (ATRX) represents a defining molecular feature in large subsets of malignant glioma. ATRX deficiency gives rise to abnormal G-quadruplex (G4) DNA secondary structures, enhancing replication stress and genomic instability. Building on earlier work, we evaluated the extent to which pharmacological G4 stabilization selectively enhances DNA damage and cell death in ATRX-deficient preclinical glioma models.

Methods: Using the G4 stabilizer CX-5461, we treated patient-derived glioma stem cells (GSCs) in vitro and GSC flank and intracranial murine xenografts in vivo to evaluate efficacy as both a single agent and in combination with ionizing radiation (IR), the …

Effect Of Β-Alanine Supplementation On Inflammation Response And Subsequent Muscle Function Following An Acute Bout Of Resistance Training., David F. Smith

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effects of β-alanine supplementation on the inflammation response, as measured by Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, and subsequent muscle function in resistance-trained individuals following a single bout of resistance exercise.

Methods: Fourteen resistance-trained subjects were recruited for a double-blind, between-group experiment. Following a two-week washout period (if needed), subjects were randomly assigned to receive either 6.8g of β-alanine daily or a placebo. After the supplementation period, subjects performed a standardized exhaustive squat protocol (10 sets of 10 repetitions at 60% of their estimated 1RM). Venous blood samples were collected pre-exercise, 24-hours post, and 72-hours post …

Examining Validity And Reliability Evidence For The Multicultural Neuropsychological Scale (Muns) Party Subtest Scores, Madyson Hernandez

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Neuropsychological tests were developed primarily for Westernized, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) populations (Henrich, 2020; Fernández & Abe, 2018). According to the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (AACN) Relevance 2050 Initiative project, approximately sixty percent of Americans will be deemed unsuitable for neuropsychological testing because test norms are primarily based on European Americans who speak English (AACN, 2015). To aid in effective cross-cultural neuropsychological assessment, The Multicultural Neuropsychological Scale (MUNS; Fernández et al., 2018) was developed to be easily translatable to various languages. The MUNS is a 40-minute neuropsychological test battery that examines cognitive abilities such as reading fluency, …

Collisions: The Enlivened Entanglements Of The Object-Self, Grace P. Smith

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This piece is a performance collage centered around objects and our entanglements with them. Through unpacking five objects in my life and their histories and interrogating three interwoven levels of narrative (the historical, the personal, and the aesthetic), I playfully displace the subject/object hierarchy to contribute to broader theoretical discussions regarding the agency of objects, resulting in novel insights through the collisions produced from the performance collage.

Adapting A Contingency Contract Across Environments For Interfering Behaviors And Coping Skills, Samantha N. Eckstein

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of taking an already successful contingency contract for an individual and adapting it to two separate environments to determine the effects on interfering behaviors and the utilization of coping skills. An AB design was utilized to allow for comparison of effects between conditions (i.e., control and treatment). The independent variable was the contingency contract(s) used across all settings and there were three dependent variable measures. These were the effects on interfering behaviors, skills demonstrated, and the utilization of coping skills. There is not enough evidence shown in the data to …

Experimentally Testing A Mechanism Of Urban Adaptation: Are Wild Catbirds Able To Immediately Adjust Their Song In Response To Urban Noise?, Eriberto Osorio

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Anthropogenic noise is loud and low-frequency (low-pitch) sound with frequencies spanning from 1-2.5 kHz in frequency. In noisy urban areas, many birds sing songs with higher minimum frequencies, which can avoid the masking effects of anthropogenic noise. However, the mechanism for an individual to alter spectral aspects of bird song in real time to avoid the masking effect of urban noise is unknown. Immediate flexibility is the ability a bird may use to shifts their song frequency or amplitude in response to noise fluctuations in the environment. Some species that sing higher frequency songs in noisy habitats are not able …

Assessment Of Vegetation Dynamics After South Sugar Loaf And Snowstorm Wildfires Using Remote Sensing Spectral Indices, Ibtihaj Ahmad

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Wildfires are increasingly common in sagebrush ecosystems across the western United States, leading to vegetation loss and ecosystem restructuring. This study investigated vegetation recovery within two large Nevada burn scars, the Snowstorm Fire of 2017 and the South Sugar Loaf Fire of 2018. Landsat 8 surface reflectance imagery supplied multi temporal spectral data, and vegetation burn severity was mapped with the difference Normalized Burn Ratio. The research aimed to quantify how vegetation health spectral indicators respond over time across severity gradients and to detect shifts in land cover composition from pre fire to post fire conditions.Four spectral indices—NDVI, MSI, MCARI2, …

Gender Biases: The Interaction Between Children And Voice Assistants, Trà Hương Bùi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Nowadays, children can access and interact with voice assistants (VAs) easily since the machines are more available in the family context. However, there is a gap in understanding how children conceptualize VAs when interacting with the machine. Specifically, this study aimed to examine whether children understand VAs as inanimate. Additionally, the study also compared how children and adults rate the VAs’ level of warmth and competence and the way they associate AI voices with feminine or masculine faces. Another goal was to explore how children and adults match the gender and competence/warmth of the VA with facial masculinity and femininity. …

The “Asian”-Ness Of Women Influencing The Romance Plot In Contemporary Ya Literature, Janetsa Jane Keovorabouth

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Contemporary young adult literature (YAL) is a growing genre that features a diverse range of stories, allowing young readers to see themselves reflected in realistic stories. One of its prominent subgenres, contemporary young adult romance focuses on a modern love story between two individuals. Historically, Asian American female characters were often depicted as the “model minority” stereotype or represented as exoticized figures who held traits such as mysterious, submissive, or seductive creatures. These portrayals often treated the Asian American experience as monolithic. However, the genre now explores an intersection of identity and romance, addressing themes commonly found in contemporary realism …

Specters Of Change: A Rhetorical And Qualitative Analysis Of Environmental Ghost Stories From Las Vegas Locals, Rachel J. Wuester

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis explores “environmental ghost stories,” a term created to represent narratives that blend emotions and memories of ecological loss to make sense of environmental change. This project utilizes a mixed-methods approach that blends narrative theory, environmental rhetoric, and qualitative interviews to examine the narratives of chronic and acute changes experienced by long-term residents of Las Vegas, Nevada. Participants (N = 15) were required to have resided in the Las Vegas valley for a minimum of twenty years in order to have had the opportunity to witness both chronic and acute changes to their environment. Using a phronetic iterative approach …

Misidentified Bodies And Missing Data: Exploring Forensic Disempowerment And Skeletal Narratives Of Transgender And Gender-Diverse Individuals In The United States, Taylor M. Flaherty

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The bodies of transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals represent a physical nexus of contempt and scrutiny. In the United States (U.S.), TGD people experience disproportionate levels of violence and premature death, contributing to a persistent epidemic of harm. Institutionalized anti-TGD biases have reinforced systemic neglect, leading to the routine exclusion of TGD individuals from research, data collection, and historical archives. The absence of state or federal initiatives to track mortality trends and risk factors among this population further exacerbates their systematic erasure. In particular, forensic scientists have traditionally relied on dichotomous indicators of sexual expression which may fail to account …