Digital Commons Network^™

Beyond The Bruise: Understanding Injury Risk Factors Among Livestock Workers In Cattle Feedyards And Animal Handling Farms And Ranches, Rishad Ahmed

Theses & Dissertations

Cattle feeding and livestock production are central to U.S. agriculture and represent some of the most hazardous occupational environments. Workers in feedyards and on cattle farms and ranches face elevated risks of injury due to physically demanding labor, frequent animal handling, and exposure to environmental and ergonomic hazards. Many feedyard workers are Hispanic/Latino immigrants who may experience additional barriers related to language, healthcare access, and job security. Similarly, injury risks among cattle producers are compounded by seasonal workload fluctuations, limited rest opportunities, and psychosocial stressors. Beyond individual impacts, agricultural injuries also pose a substantial economic burden. Recent estimates indicate that …

Analyzing Food Access: An Investigation Of Food Insecurity Amongst Latinos In Rural Nebraska, Natalia Santos

Theses & Dissertations

Background: Food insecurity is a public health issue in the United States, with disproportionately higher rates among Latino/Hispanic households. Rural communities face unique geographical, socioeconomic, and systemic barriers that often exacerbate food access disparities. Despite the growing Latino population in rural areas, particularly in Midwestern states like Nebraska, there remains a critical gap in comprehensive research that integrates both objective and subjective understandings of their food environments. Understanding these multifaceted influences is crucial for developing effective, culturally sensitive interventions.

Problem Statement: This dissertation aims to answer the central question: How does food access and food insecurity manifest amongst Latinos in …

Conceptual Framework: Emotional Intelligence And Social Media For Health And Medical Tourism, David L. Groves, Katey A. Price, Fang Wang

Visions in Leisure and Business

Social media technologies have played a significant role in most people's lives in recent years. It has significantly changed the way we do business, form relationships, etc. The health and tourism industry has been significantly changed with the new technologies. It is not only from a client perspective, but also from infrastructural relationships among administrators, doctors, nurses, etc. This is also greatly reflected from a cultural perspective. It is obvious that two of the outstanding elements in helping to understand the impacts of social media are cognitive and emotional factors. Emotional factors play a significant role in social media, and …

A Comparative Subnational Policy Analysis Of State Covid-19 Vaccine Policies And Application Of The Political Determinants Of Health Model, Demetrius Cianci Chapman

Nursing ETDs

A COMPARATIVE SUBNATIONAL POLICY ANALYSIS OF STATE COVID-19 VACCINE POLICIES AND APPLICATION OF THE POLITICAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH MODEL

By

Demetrius Cianci Chapman

Associate of Science Nursing, Jewish Hospital College of Nursing and Allied Health, 1998

Bachelor of Science of Nursing, Saint Louis University, 2000

Master of Public Health, Saint Louis University, 2004

Master of Science Nursing (Research), Saint Louis University, 2004

Doctor of Philosophy, Nursing, University of New Mexico, 2025

ABSTRACT

This study uses the political determinants of health (PDoH) framework to analyze state-level COVID-19 vaccine policies and their impact on population health. The PDoH model examines how structured …

Reflections Of Chinese International Postgraduates’ Conceptualisation Of Critical Thinking In A Uk University, Luman Zhou

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

Some literature often highlights Chinese international students’ challenges in conceptualising critical thinking, contributing to a partial and stereotypical representation of them as deficient (Lomer & Mittelmeier, 2021; Moosavi, 2022). There is limited research on how Chinese international students conceptualise and develop their CT over time. The study aims to explore Chinese international students’ conceptualisation, development, and application of critical thinking at the master’s level at a UK university over time. Nineteen participants in the MA International Education program at a UK university are taken as an example. The participants are interviewed in three rounds, using their drawings and draft assignments …

Evaluating Nfl Quarterback Decision Making Through Tracking Data, Jesse N. Melville

Theses and Dissertations

Quarterback decision-making is one of the most critical determinants of success in the National Football League (NFL), yet traditional statistics fail to account for the spatial, temporal, and contextual factors influencing each play. This thesis proposes a data-driven methodology for evaluating quarterback decisions using NFL player tracking data from the 2022 season. We replicate and extend the DeepQB framework by training deep learning models to estimate expected completion probabilities and expected yards gained for each receiver at the moment of the throw. Our extension applies the approach to a newer dataset with additional contextual features, enabling a more detailed evaluation …

Flowing Progress: Transforming The Danube Through Infrastructure, Stefan Dorondel, Luminita Gatejel

Central European Studies

Flowing Progress: Transforming the Danube Through Infrastructure focuses on how different political regimes and forms of governance have imagined and technologically transformed the most international river in the world. Multidisciplinary and drawing on methodologies of history, anthropology of infrastructure, and science, technology, and society, this collection explores the tensions between the river and its natural pulses, the humans that populate its floodplains, state agencies, and infrastructure. The book engages the concept of disturbance to point out the circular and spiraling dynamics between hydrological processes and technopolitical and economic practices. Disturbance denotes a specific type of long-term dynamic between human attempts …

Autonomous Uav Swarm Formation Utilizing Gradient-Driven Contour Mapping For Radiation Source Localization, Edgar Amalyan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis presents a drone swarm for radiation mapping to aid source localization. The Department of Energy advocates employing UAVs for this task, but existing approaches remain inefficient and impractical in real-world scenarios. Three custom drones are built and flight-tested. A control algorithm to follow a contour, a constant-intensity path, is designed using a gradient fit. By knowing the source’s direction, the drone swarm can fly in the optimal trajectory at every step, leaving nothing to assumption. A program is created that implements formation flight and autonomous navigation. It is tested via a software-in-the-loop simulation utilizing radiation sources and detectors …

Empowering Science With The World's First High Accuracy And High Throughput Functional Assay, Christopher Giacoletto

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Understanding the functional consequences of genetic mutations remains a central challenge in modern biology, with far-reaching implications for human health and disease. While early systematic methods like alanine scanning and phage display provided foundational insights into protein structure and function, the emergence of high-throughput approaches—such as Multiplexed Assays of Variant Effect (MAVEs)—and predictive tools powered by artificial intelligence have vastly expanded our ability to profile mutational landscapes. However, these methods are often constrained by trade-offs between accuracy, scalability, and biological relevance.This dissertation presents the development and application of the GigaAssay, the world’s first high-throughput functional assay capable of delivering both …

Exploring The Processing Of Objects, Settings, And Global Properties In Natural Auditory Scenes, Margaret A. Mcmullin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Our auditory system has a remarkable ability to make sense of complex environments, allowing us to identify what we are hearing and where sounds come from. This process of auditory scene analysis is essential for situational awareness, decision-making, and effective communication in daily life. While much is known about how listeners segregate and identify individual sound sources (e.g., voices), less is understood about how global properties of a scene (e.g., openness, naturalness) contribute to perception. This dissertation examined how object- and setting-level information in natural auditory scenes are processed, and whether they rely on distinct or overlapping mechanisms. In Experiment …

The Dropbot: Design And Development Of A Custom Drone For Precision Water Drop Penetration Time (Wdpt) Testing, Mugundan Prakash

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Assessing the hydrophobic characteristics of soil is vital for understanding soil wettability or soil-water interactions, particularly in post-wildfire environments where water repellency can significantly impact ecosystem recovery, water infiltration, and erosion control. One key metric in soil wettability studies is the Water Drop Penetration Time (WDPT) test, which evaluates the hydrophobicity of soil and guides land treatment strategies. This thesis presents the design and development of DropBot, a custom-built drone platform engineered for the precise delivery and analysis of water droplets in WDPT tests.The DropBot, a custom drone, integrates a lightweight, 3D-printed frame with a self-leveling platform, enabling consistent droplet …

Internalized Weight Stigma As A Mediator Between Past Weight Stigma And Current Healthcare Avoidance/Comfort In Seeking Medical Care, Shannon Joyel Sagert

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Research has found that medical providers such as physicians, nurses, and medical support staff may contribute to externalized weight stigma directed toward youth (Garcia et al., 2016; Gorlick et al., 2021). Individuals who have encountered weight stigmatization may internalize those experiences, leading to psychological, physical, and behavioral changes that reduce their quality of life (Palad et al., 2019; Romano et al., 2023; Tanas et al., 2022; Zancu & Diaconu-Gherasim, 2023). However, little is known about how historical externalized weight stigma from medical providers relates to future healthcare access behaviors. This study examined whether internalized weight stigma mediated two relationships: First, …

Understanding The Role Of Drug Offenses And The Death Penalty In Iran, Cyrus Zarganj

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Since the 1979 revolution, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been governed by Islamic laws devised by Shia Muslim clerics, significantly influencing the nation's legal framework in both criminal and civil contexts. The death penalty in Iran covers a broad spectrum of offenses, many of which would not be considered capital crimes or even crimes globally. This extensive application of the death penalty is an instrument of social control during periods of political tension, indicating a direct relationship between the regime's stability and the enforcement of extreme punitive measures. Despite some reduction in the visibility of executions due to international …

Factors Associated With Discrimination-Related Distress Among Sexual And Gender Minority Individuals: A Predictive Analysis, Emylia Terry

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals face disparate rates of mental health outcomes, such as psychological distress, which contributes to suicidality. This may be attributable to minority stress, which posits that health inequities impacting this community are driven by increased exposure to stigma- and discrimination-related stressors. The negative physical and psychological health impacts of psychological distress and discrimination are well-documented in the literature. Structural stigma – in the form of harmful anti-LGBTQIA+ laws and policies – is associated with increased suicidality. However, little is known about factors associated with perceived discrimination occurrences and discrimination-related distress. First, a systematic review was …

Little Cigar And Cigarillo Graphic Health Warnings And Quitting Behaviors A Randomized Clinical Trial, Adam O. Goldstein, Kristen L. Jarman, Leah M. Ranney, Jennifer Cornacchione Ross, Sarah D. Kowitt, Chineme Enyioha, Sonia A. Clark, Paschal Sheeran, James F. Thrasher Ph.D., Ma, Ms, Desmond Jenson, Nadja A. Vielot

Faculty Publications

IMPORTANCE Although little cigars and cigarillos (LCCs) are common combustible tobacco products, the effects of LCC warning labels on behavioral outcomes remain untested.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of LCC graphic health warnings (GHWs) on promoting LCC quitting intentions and behaviors.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This randomized clinical trial included 1029 adult LCC users from a Qualtrics online panel who were randomized to (1) LCC GHWs (n = 339), (2) existing US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) text-only warnings (n = 346), or (3) no stimulus control (n = 344). Participants accessed messages via email from May 1 to August …

Msw Portfolio, Jennifer Lynn Barnhill

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

The Master of Social Work (MSW) Portfolio is a sample of the essays, presentations, projects, and experiences completed as part of my online MSW curriculum at the University of Montana (UM) School of Social Work (SSW) from 2022-2025. Throughout this narrative, I’ll describe the skills, values, theories, and frameworks I’ve learned during my three years working toward my master's degree in social work. Each of the appendices will demonstrate an understanding of the nine Council on Social Work Education, or CSWE, competencies (Texas College, n.d.) that all social workers are expected to meet, along with a tenth competency added by …

Nitrogen Fertilizer Equivalence Of Red Clover When Inter-Seeded Into Corn, Hannah R. Francis, Ting Fung Ma, Rodrigo Werle, Chelsea H. Zegler, Daniel H. Smith, Douglas J. Soldat, Erika Marin-Spiotta, Matthew D. Ruark

Faculty Publications

Inter-seeding red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) provides an alternative method toincorporate cover crops into continuous corn (Zea mays L.) in the Upper US Midwest. Red clover is a leguminous cover crop that can grow in low-radiation environments and is winter hardy. Systems with red clover have demonstrated improved corn yield and a fertilizer N equivalence but understanding these effects with inter-seeding war-rants further investigation. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of inter-seeding red clover on (i) plant-available N during and after red clover decomposition, (ii) optimum N rates for corn, and (iii) corn yields. The …

Nitrogen Fertilizer Equivalence Of Red Clover When Inter-Seeded Into Corn, Hannah R. Francis, Ting Fung Ma, Rodrigo Werle, Chelsea H. Zegler, Daniel H. Smith, Douglas J. Soldat, Erika Marin-Spiotta, Matthew D. Ruark

Faculty Publications

Inter-seeding red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) provides an alternative method to incorporate cover crops into continuous corn (Zea mays L.) in the Upper US Midwest. Red clover is a leguminous cover crop that can grow in low-radiation environments and is winter hardy. Systems with red clover have demonstrated improved corn yield and a fertilizer N equivalence but understanding these effects with inter-seeding warrants further investigation. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of inter-seeding red clover on (i) plant-available N during and after red clover decomposition, (ii) optimum N rates for corn, and (iii) corn …

Msw Portfolio, Karri Cossabone

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio provides a reflective account of the knowledge and skills I developed throughout my graduate social work education. Drawing from academic coursework, practicum placements, and professional experiences, I explore my growth in core areas such as ethical practice, cultural humility, clinical assessment and engagement, advocacy, and evidence-based interventions. I also cover my skills utilizing theory in practice, trauma-informed care, social justice frameworks, and the importance of self-awareness in effective client relationships. This paper also discusses challenges and learning opportunities and how they shaped my professional identity and prepared me to grow into a competent, compassionate, and culturally responsive practitioner.

Msw Portfolio, Andrea C. Lawrence

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Advocacy, Equity, And Impact: My Journey Through Social Work Practice, Stephanie L. Shaw

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio presents a comprehensive overview of my graduate-level social work education and field experiences, demonstrating mastery of the core competencies outlined by the Council on Social Work Education and the University of Montana School of Social Work. Through rigorous coursework, evidence-based interventions, and direct practice in both clinical and community-based settings, I developed and applied critical skills in ethical practice, cultural humility, policy advocacy, and research-informed service delivery. This work reflects a strong integration of theory and practice, commitment to advancing social justice, and a readiness to enter the field as a competent, reflective, and ethical social worker.

Msw Portfolio: Becoming Political, Stephanie Herther

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio captures my transformation through the University of Montana’s Master of Social Work program, shaped by both academic study and years of living and working abroad in under-resourced communities. Over three years, I have come to see the personal as inseparable from the political, grounding my practice in trauma-informed care, culturally responsive engagement, and the power of narrative-therapy. Guided by systems theory, attachment theory, and Critical Race Theory, I have woven together direct practice, community work, and policy advocacy to challenge inequities and honor the dignity of those most impacted by them. Each competency reflects not only skill development …

Becoming A Social Justice Worker, Laura Curry

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Earth Care Trusted Messengers: Vaccine Access Project, Camille Velarde, Theresa H. Cruz

Reports & Documents

Spanish-speaking communities in New Mexico continue to face persistent barriers to vaccine access, confidence, and culturally relevant health information. The Earth Care Trusted Messengers Vaccine Access Project was implemented in Santa Fe to address these inequities using a peer-to-peer, community-rooted model. Trusted Messengers, respected community members, participated in a full-day training covering vaccine science, misinformation, communication strategies, and resource navigation, and subsequently facilitated small “house meetings” to engage peers in open conversations about vaccines. A mixed-methods evaluation assessed changes in confidence, knowledge, and community connectedness using pre-/post-/follow-up surveys, weekly implementation logs, and a final focus group. Quantitative findings showed large …

Exploring Young Adults' Experiences And Beliefs In Asthma Medication Management: Pilot Qualitative Study Comparing Human And Multiple Ai Thematic Analysis, Ruth Ndarake Jeminiwa, Caroline Popielaski, Amber King

College of Pharmacy Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Young adults take their asthma maintenance medication 67% of the time or less. Understanding the specific needs and behaviors of young adults with asthma is essential for developing targeted interventions to improve disease self-management. Artificial intelligence (AI) has demonstrated its utility in summarizing and identifying patterns in qualitative research and may support or augment human coding efforts. However, there is pause literature to support this assertion.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to begin to explore the medication management-related needs of young adults with asthma via a pilot feasibility study. We aim to understand how to best assist …

A Comprehensive Study On The Use Of Sub-Coherent Self Heterodyne Linewidth Estimations, Genevieve Gutierrez

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A fundamental requirement for many precision spectroscopic applications is the development of stable lasers with narrow linewidths. However, accurately verifying laser linewidths becomes increasingly challenging as the linewidth decreases. In the field of frequency metrology, the delayed self-heterodyne technique has long been regarded as one of the most reliable and accessible methods for linewidth characterization, favored for its low equipment cost and reproducible results. Traditionally, self-heterodyne measurements employ an optical delay line significantly longer than the coherence length of the laser, with analysis performed via either the instantaneous power spectral density or the noise power spectral density. However, the use …

Comparison Of Scoring Systems For Bleeding In Open Cardiac Surgery Patients, İpek Yakin, Çağri Düzyol, İlke Dolğun, Ahmet Yüksek, Kemal Tolga Saraçoğlu

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The aim of our study was to determine which preoperative bleeding risk scoring system is more sensitive in predicting perioperative transfusion requirement in patients undergoing open-heart surgery.

Materials and methods: This is a retrospective single-center cohort study. Seven scoring systems (TRACK, PAPWORTH, WILL-BLEED, CRUSADE, ACTION, TRUST, ACTA-PORT) were used to predict the likelihood of perioperative erythrocyte suspension (ES) transfusion requirement.

Results: Four hundred patients were enrolled in the study. Age, creatinine level, and diagnoses of diabetes mellitus and hypertension were significantly higher in patients who required ES (p ˂ 0.05). In addition, ejection fraction percentages and hemoglobin and hematocrit …

Chromatographic Developments For The Analysis Of Toxic Organic Chemicals In The Environment And Food Samples, Stephanie Devi Nauth

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

As awareness grows about compounds harmful to human health, the need for sensitive detection methods at low concentration levels becomes increasingly critical. Chromatography is a powerful analytical technique that enables the separation of complex mixtures, allowing for the simultaneous analysis of multiple analytes—even at trace levels. This dissertation applies chromatography in two distinct contexts: (1) Investigating the sorption of polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles (PASHs) onto nylon microplastics; and (2) Detecting illegal dyes in various food matrices.

Microplastics have emerged as significant vectors for transporting pollutants into aquatic ecosystems. Due to their hydrophobic nature, many organic pollutants readily sorb onto microplastics …

Advancing Ground-Based Instrumentation With Astrophotonics For Stellar Astrophysics And Time-Domain Spectroscopy, Christina D. Moraitis

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This dissertation presents advancements in Astrophotonics with a focus on PolyOculus technology - a novel, scalable approach to astronomical instrumentation designed to enhance observational capabilities in a cost-effective manner. It details the development of the Original PolyOculus Array (OPA), its integrated light-combining device (the photonic lantern), and its dedicated spectrograph, OPASpec. In parallel, the final commissioning of the MIRADAS Near-Infrared spectrograph is described. These instrumental innovations are applied to key astrophysical investigations, including the search for coronal mass ejections on M-dwarfs and time-resolved spectroscopic monitoring of T Coronae Borealis during its pre-eruption phase. By combining cutting-edge instrument design with cross-institutional …

From Microns To Mons: Investigating Airless Body Surface Properties And Processes, Autumn N. Shackelford

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Understanding how airless bodies have evolved in the space environment is essential for interpreting remote sensing data and constraining the weathering processes that alter airless body surfaces over time. This dissertation utilizes coordinated experimental, observational, and analytical techniques to investigate airless body surface properties and processes. Our first study seeks to characterize mechanical breakdown of the lunar regolith caused by ice-regolith interactions within the lunar polar regolith environment. The second and third studies investigate the effects of simulated micrometeorite bombardment via a novel dual pulsed laser experimental setup on iron-poor, carbon-rich Mercury and carbonaceous asteroid analogs. We analyze the spectral, …