Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

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 …

A Wearable Electronic Monitoring Device For Low Pressure Garment Applications And Temperature Analysis For Prevention Of Ulceration And Infection, Francisco Mata Carlos

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The healing process of several medical conditions related to venous insufficiency and burn scar management can be improved by the proper application of pressure. Current practices for applying pressure to an extremity do not guarantee the consensus ideal interface pressures for such medical conditions. Applying a low pressure range (within 15 – 40 mm Hg) is challenging due to many factors, but especially because the actual pressure applied by a compression garment used on a patient is unknown. The proposed device, used to sense and display low pressure values, is described in detail throughout the chapters of this thesis.An electronic …

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 …

What Connects Us: A User Experience Frame Analysis Comparison Of Secular And Religious Online Dating Sites, Alexa L. Miller

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study uses a frame analysis comparison of the website design of secular and religious online dating websites and how these design choices may shape users’ self- presentation. Literature is reviewed regarding the history of dating in secular, religious, and online contexts, self-presentation within Goffman’s The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, and user-experience design patterns. Methodology explored a user-experience frame analysis of the initial boarding experiences navigating the presentation (homepage) and interaction features (profile-building page) on three dating sites (two secular, Tinder and Bumble, and one religious, Christian Mingle). Frames analyzed were Options, Fun, Safety, and Control based on …

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 …

The Effects Of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation On Motor Learning In Complex Motor Tasks, Milan Pantovic

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that has emerged over the past 10-12 years as safe, affordable, portable, easy to use, and potentially efficacious adjuvant training intervention in several aspects of human performance. tDCS has been shown to be able to improve both cognitive and motor function in a wide variety of populations such as young adults, older adults, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and many others. However, the majority of tDCS research has been conducted in the motor system of healthy young adults, which will also be the focus of this dissertation.The basic effects of tDCS …

Neo Development Of The Workplace Environment In Response To Evolutionary Social Changes, Dafne Odette

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study is to identify the needs and wants of remote workers to support their health and well-being in response to evolutionary social changes. Many workers were once tethered to live in the city where their job office resided. Additionally, economic forces have long been a deciding factor in where one lives. The COVID-19 virus of 2020 provided an opportunity for many people to work remotely to control the virus (Latham, Higgins, & Judish, 2020). This has allowed people to retain higher salaries while living in rural areas where the cost of living may be lower. In 2021, some businesses …

Identifying Gaps In Social Determinants Of Health Among Patients 65 Years And Older With Congestive Heart Failure: A Secondary Data Analysis, Sandra Pierre-Louis

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is one of the most common healthcare problems for older adults. Because of its high and rising prevalence in this population and its significant influence on healthcare costs and quality of life, CHF is becoming a serious public health issue in the United States. More effective strategies for preventing and managing CHF in older people are desperately needed (Rich, 2015). The disease accounts for 3% of hospital admissions in the United States and affects more than 6.5 million Americans (White-Williams et al., 2020). Further, CHF is exacerbated by adverse social determinants of health (SDOH). This study …

Development Of Uav-Based Rail Track Geometry Irregularity Monitoring And Measuring Platform Empowered By Artificial Intelligence, Lihao Qiu

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Rail tracks need to be consistently monitored and inspected for problems associated with rust, deformation, and cracks that, at their worst, can cause catastrophic train derailments. Many non-destructive testing approaches have been explored and extensively utilized to help inspect rails’ health, but most of them require intensive human power and/or heavy sensor systems (e.g. total stations, manual/car-mounted trolly, etc.) that are not efficient or convenient to cover a long range of rails and may interfere with the normal operation of trains.In light of the rapid development of unmanned aerial systems/vehicles (UAS’s/UAVs) and high definition photographic and optical distance measuring sensors, …

In The Image Of… Towards A Trans Talmud, Laurence Myers Reese

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In the Image of... (towards a Trans Talmud) is a body of work by artist Laurence Myers Reese that works to examine Jewish paradigms of gender through the transgender lens. Reading the archive diagonally, he examines historical Jewish writings, from poet and Rabbi Kalonymous Ben Kalonymous to “false Messiah” Shabbatai Tzvi. Contextualizing contemporary Jewish with notable exhibitions from the Jewish Museum New York and Spertus Museum, Chicago, In the Image of… draws from artists, writers, and Rabbis who use a gendered lens to interrogate Judaism. These include Yael Kanarek, who has worked to re-gender the entire Torah, Rena Yehuda Newman, …

Characterization Of Physical And Dosimetric Aspects Of Srs Hyperarc Treatment Technique, Emma S. Rickels

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

HyperArc is a radiation therapy planning technique using stereotactic radiosurgical doses delivered via single isocenter volumetric modulated arcs (VMAT) for multi-lesion brain cancer. Due to the nature of these types of treatments it is imperative that the proper quality assurance is completed to ensure the safety of the patient. Geometric limits were assessed using a dose volume histogram (DVH) and known rotational errors of theoretical lesions of different dimensions and lengths from the isocenter. Dosimetric comparisons were evaluated using an ion chamber and Gafchromic EBT-XD film and portal dosimetry. The conclusions from these investigations were that patient rotation will result …

Evidence-Based Intervention To Improve Health Literacy Among Older Adults With Newly Diagnosed Atrial Fibrillation, Johana Rowe

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background and Significance: Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the most common arrhythmia encountered in the healthcare setting. As of 2018, approximately 6.1 million people in the United States were living with AFib which is projected to increase to 12.1 million by 2030. Older adults are at higher risk of developing AFib and its complications. AFib is a chronic condition that requires targeted patient education by healthcare providers in different healthcare settings. Patient’s low health literacy regarding the condition is a significant barrier to therapy adherence. Given the high rate of poor health literacy among individuals newly diagnosed with AFib and the …

Predicting And Mitigating Reactance Impact On Attitude And Behavioral Intention, Matthew Ryan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

At times messaging may be of an instructive nature that can be perceived as an attempt to threaten or limit an individual’s freedom. This freedom limitation can range from individual choice to physical requirements. How a message is framed, or positioned, is very important. In certain instances, even when the message has the best intentions, if framed incorrectly can have the opposite, or boomerang, effect on people. This state is known as psychological reactance. When invoked, consumers will act in a way that eliminates the threat of freedom to restore balance. Such a state can also lead to negative implications …

An Integrative Variable And Person-Centered Approach To Representing Teachers' Self-Efficacy: A Cross-Cultural Perspective, Ana Paula Santos Loures Elias

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

There has been substantial scholarly attention given to teachers’ functioning over the past two decades. Much of this attention has been precipitated by accounts of increasing teacher burnout and attrition from the profession. Central to this scholarly focus has been the construct of teacher self-efficacy, which has been shown to be a predictor of important teacher outcomes. However, there remain several unresolved issues in the teacher self-efficacy literature that limit the utility of the construct for understanding teachers’ effective functioning. First, there is little clarity about the dimensional structure of teachers’ self-efficacy data. Second, little empirical work has been conducted …

Consumers Of Sex, Romance And The Spectacle: An Ethnographic Study Of Female Tourists In Bangkok’S Adult Entertainment Zones, Jason H. Scott

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research is an ethnographic study of female sex tourism in Bangkok, Thailand and explores how women, as consumers, participate in activities and spaces that were historically reserved for male tourists. Much of the existing scholarly literature investigates the way men from the global North participate in sex tourism practices. Very little attention, however, has been given to the way female tourists engage as consumers in the global sex tourism industry. Studies conducted in the Caribbean suggest that sexual consumption practices among female tourists are dichotomously different from men because of traditional gender roles and sexual scripts. To guide this …

Attentional Focus And The Development Of Skilled Performance, Harjiv Singh

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A central question in the development of skilled movement is: how a performer should focus their attention while preparing for the execution of a motor skill? Considerable evidence has shown that directing attention towards an intended movement effect (i.e., external focus) results in performance benefits relative to focusing on body movements (i.e., internal focus). While most of the previous research has emphasized the effects of internal versus external foci, evidence also suggests that external foci located at greater distances from the body (distal foci) are more effective than external foci located in greater proximity to the body (proximal foci) and …

An Empirical Investigation Into The Impact Of Automated Grading, Alex James St. Aubin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Context: Computer Science enrollment has seen increases in recent years. At the University of Nevada, Las Vegas we have seen an average year to year growth rate of 17.33% in the spring and 13.71% in the fall over the past 10 years in our entry level programming course. These enrollment increases have led to considerable additional costs for grading course material.Objective: The goal of this study is to determine the impact of automatic grading systems on students. If automatic grading is at least as effective as manual grading in practice, it may reduce cost under the context of at least …

The Association Between Neighborhood Social Media Use And Social Cohesion, Sense Of Community And Perceived Safety Among Adults In Clark County, Nevada, Emily Strickler

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Place-based health is a concept that suggests where you live has an effect on your health outcomes. Social health factors such as social cohesion, sense of community, and perceived safety are all influenced by the neighborhood environment, and positively associated with health outcomes such as self-reported minutes of physical activity and symptoms of depression. With the increasing popularity of social media sites used specifically for neighborhood purposes, more neighbors are connecting than ever before. The purpose of this study was to determine if use of neighborhood social media sites was associated with the social health factors of social cohesion, sense …

Food Insecurity And Dietary Intake In Adults With Type 2 Diabetes In Southern Nevada, Elizabeth Torres

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background Type 2 diabetes is a major public health issue and food insecurity can affect diabetes management. Food insecurity can contribute to disrupted dietary eating patterns and decreased consumptions of a variety of foods. The aim of this observational study was to determine the difference in dietary intake between food insecure and food secure individuals with type 2 diabetes, as well as by glycemic control. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 55 participants were recruited from an academic endocrinology clinic. Participants completed a 7-day food diary, a household food security questionnaire, and assessment of blood biomarkers (HbA1c). To determine the differences …

Predicting The Progression Of Diabetes Mellitus Using Dynamic Plantar Pressure Parameters, Mathew Sunil Varre

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is one of the common complications of type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Changes in the intrinsic plantar tissue coupled with repetitive mechanical loads and loss of sensation may lead to foot related complications (skin break down, ulcerations, and amputations) in persons with neuropathy if left untreated. The purpose of this dissertation was to stratify individuals with pre-diabetes, diabetes with and without neuropathy using dynamic plantar pressure parameters during walking, using machine learning algorithms.Methods: Plantar pressure data was collected from one hundred participants during walking with pressure measuring insoles fixed between the feet and thin socks. Simultaneously high-definition …

Promoting Paradise: The Recruitment Of Volga German Immigrants To The American Midwest, 1870-1900, Kassidy N. Whetstone

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In 1762 and 1763, Russian tsarina Catherine II issued manifestos encouraging foreign immigration throughout Russia, and received an overwhelming response from German farmers. These farmers, who would later be known as Russian Germans, Mennonites, or Volga Germans, quickly gained a reputation for their successful farming skills. As a result, following the Homestead Act of 1862, United States recruiters used promotional land advertisements to entice the farmers to migrate to the Midwest. The posters often depicted “open,” abundant lands in paradise. Upon arrival, however, the Volga Germans faced a reality starkly different from what the advertisements had promoted. This paper analyzes …

Comparative Effects Of High-Intensity Interval Warm-Up Exercise And Bronchodilator On Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction In Children With Mild Asthma, Michael Wong

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose: The troubling link between obesity and asthma in children, along with greater associated detrimental health effects, warrants investigation to better understand the mechanisms driving this relationship as well as its consequences, especially during exercise. Bronchodilators and interval warm-up exercises are recommended by the American Thoracic Society to prevent exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB). Whether interval warm-up exercise can prevent EIB to the same extent as bronchodilators in asthmatic children is unknown but clinically important. Therefore, the first purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of obesity on pulmonary function, exercise tolerance, and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in asthmatic children. The second …

Development Of A Model For Affordable Senior Living Community, Nyx Wenlin Zhu

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Objective

An affordable senior living community model must be developed to support the needs of our growing elderly population. Health, safety, and wellbeing depend on equal physical health, social health, and mental or psychological health provisions. As we look at each of these aspects, we must filter physical, social, and mental health based on the abilities of the older population.

Background

The aging population in western societies is one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century and has multiple implications for society, the economy, and other aspects of the community. Aging people who lack family support often require the …