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Built Environment, Land Use, And Crime: A Las Vegas Study, Stacey Lynn Clouse

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study examined land use and crime against persons and crime against property in Las Vegas, Nevada at varying spatial levels of analysis. Using crime data provided by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the Clark County Assessor’s office, results at the macro-level of analysis reveal that property crime rates concentrated on commercial, transportation, communication and utilities, and industrial land use, whereas violent crime concentrated at commercial, multi-residential, and civic, institutional, and recreational land use. Upon examining the subtypes of land use that generate or radiate more crime, property crime concentrated on transportation land use, class 1 resorts, and …

Improved Digital Image Correlation Techniques At High Speed And High Temperature, Lindsey J. Rowley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In extreme environments, such as hot-fire rocket testing, gathering strain data can be challenging due to temperature constraints. Traditional methods for measuring material deformation such as strain gages, a small device attached to a test specimen, cannot withstand the extreme temperature and tend to burn off. When these situations occur non-contacting methods such as Digital Image Correlation (DIC) are preferable. DIC is an optical method of measuring strains across the material’s entire surface by using a camera to track the deformation of a speckle pattern applied to the surface of a deforming object. When used at temperatures above approximately 500°C, …

Efficacy Of Conservation Actions For Imperiled Colorado River Fishes In The Grand Canyon, Arizona, Brian D. Healy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Many fishes are critically imperiled, particularly in their native rivers, due to human water use and dam construction, which can dramatically alter habitats and block fish migratory routes. The introduction of invasive sport-fishes that prey on native fish further threatens native species that maybe restricted to only a single river basin (i.e., “endemic”). To preserve native fishes in river systems with degraded habitats, managers need to understand the effects of conservation actions to ensure limited resources are applied effectively. Two commonly applied native fish conservation actions include removal of invasive fishes, and translocations of native fish from one place into …

Toddler Internalizing And Externalizing Problem Behaviors And Child Care Provider Mental Health, Danielle M. Jensen Egan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Caregiver depression, particularly maternal depression, has repeatedly been shown to be a risk factor for the development of problem behaviors in young children. Problem behaviors fit within two categories: internalizing and externalizing. Externalizing behaviors include peer aggression, defiance, and impulsivity. Internalizing behaviors include generalized anxiety, withdrawal, separation distress, depression, and inhibition to novelty.

Gaps still exist in the research regarding the mental health of other caregivers that directly interact with children’s lives. Increasingly more children spend a great deal of time in child care settings. Less is known about child care provider stress and depression in relation to toddler problem …

A Content Analysis Of Graphical Literacy Skills Instruction In Fifth Grade Core Reading Programs, Georgia A. Bunnell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this content analysis study was to identify the affordances embedded in core reading program (CRP) teacher’s manuals that facilitate graphical literacy skills as a component of literacy instruction. In the informational text selections of selected CRPs, graphic category, type, function, and connection to text were assessed to determine the kinds of graphics used to convey information. The instructional guidance associated with these graphics was then evaluated for type of instruction (no instruction, reference, and teach) and explicit instruction elements. The results from this study indicate that representation photographs and general images are the most prevalent type of …

Fingerprinting Paleo-Groundwater Sources Using Stable Oxygen And Iron Isotopes Of Iron Oxide Concretions From The "Boiler Room", Moab Area, Utah, Connor Frederickson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Isotopes are naturally occurring atoms of an element that vary in the number of neutrons present in their nuclei, resulting in different atomic masses. The most common stable isotopes of oxygen are oxygen-18 (¹⁸O) and oxygen-16 (¹⁶O). Geochemical processes, such as the formation of a solid mineral from dissolved elements in a fluid, can result in preferential concentration of one isotope over the other in a process known as fractionation. By measuring the ratio of ¹⁸O and ¹⁶O in solid minerals and using known fractionation values, the isotopic ratio of the fluid from which …

Development Of A Machine Learning-Based Financial Risk Control System, Zhigang Hu

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

With the gradual end of the COVID-19 outbreak and the gradual recovery of the economy, more and more individuals and businesses are in need of loans. This demand brings business opportunities to various financial institutions, but also brings new risks. The traditional loan application review is mostly manual and relies on the business experience of the auditor, which has the disadvantages of not being able to process large quantities and being inefficient. Since the traditional audit processing method is no longer suitable some other method of reducing the rate of non-performing loans and detecting fraud in applications is urgently needed …

Early Sibling Play Interactions As A Source Of Developmental Support For Toddlers: Observation Of Young Children's Developmental Support During Play With Toddler Siblings, Tasha L. Olson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The sibling relationship is a unique and important context for infant and early child development. Despite the important role of siblings and the unique aspects of the sibling relationship, sibling interactions are largely overlooked by scholars as a resource of potential developmental support. Identifying and fostering developmentally supportive interaction (DSI) behaviors in sibling relationships may expand available supports for children’s early development and may also support family well-being.

This study used a sample of 15 child-toddler sibling pairs to identify DSI behaviors in interactions between young children and their toddler-aged siblings, determine if and how well DSI behaviors could be …

Belief, Unbelief, And Rebelief In Santa Claus: A Theory Of Cyclical Belief Or A Belief Cycle An Introduction, Steven G. Merrell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Every single person, no matter who they are; what they look or sound like; where they are or come from in space and time; their sex, gender, and/or orientation; their age or maturity; their culture; and/or their background, has one or multiple belief(s) and/or belief system(s) of some kind. Such belief may be temporary, transient, fleeting, or long lasting. It/they may be superficial or deeply rooted. It/they may be (considered) or seem rational or irrational. It/they may be encouraged or discouraged, romanticized or pathologized. It/they may be conscious, subconscious, or unconscious; or, such belief(s) may exist somewhere in between. It/they …

The Underappreciated Intersection Of Science Fiction And Satire, Christopher Nicholson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis considers, from a creative writer’s perspective, the largely untapped potential for combining the strengths of satire and science fiction to create stories that provide both escapism and real-world commentary without sacrificing one for the other. It discusses background information and examples of both genres, and then illustrates the principles discussed with three original short stories.

Performance, Theatricality, And Identity In Shakespeare’S The Taming Of The Shrew, Nina Masin-Moyer

College Honors Program

William Shakespeare’s comedy The Taming of the Shrew is a curious and often controversial play due to its depiction of spousal abuse and female subordination. But despite that charged reputation, it continues to be produced on stages around the world, with creative choices that suggest an attempt to change a supposedly un-feminist play into a feminist one. My thesis argues that this play already features notable feminist elements at the level of the text itself, stemming in particular from its thematic and structural investment in performance and theatricality and in the roles that these elements play in constructing gender and …

Nucleic Acid Editing By Adenosine Deaminase Enzymes, Josey Rae Mckinley

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

RNA editing is crucial to the genetic diversity and structural complexity of organisms. ADAR (adenosine deaminase acting on RNA) is an RNA editing enzyme that creates a mutation of adenosine to inosine. The human ADAR2 (hADAR2) enzyme is known to edit RNA; however, it contains minor sequence homology with the cytidine deaminase enzymes, APOBEC and AID, which are known to edit both DNA and RNA (11 & 12). The ability of hADAR2 to edit DNA was tested through transformation into the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strain BY4741. DNA editing was tested by determining if the transformed yeast became resistant to the …

The Control Strategies Of Brominated Organic Disinfection By-Products: Adsorption With Pre-Chlorination And Photodegradation, Cagri Utku Erdem

All Dissertations

Increasing water pollution, scarcity, and seasonal events force water treatment plants to improve existing treatment techniques and/or implement new methods to enhance drinking water treatment and comply with disinfection by-product (DBP) regulations. A limited number of studies examine the pre-chlorination prior to activated carbon (AC) adsorption for the removal of DBP precursors, and there are no comprehensive and representative treatment conditions in current literature. Although many studies investigated photodegradation of individual DBPs by low pressure ultraviolet (UV₂₅₄) light, there is still lack of information and limited understanding of photodegradation of total organic halogens and practical implications of UV …

Qcq Discussion Protocol, Michael Maslankowski

Open Educational Resources

This is a protocol designed to help students led and run discussions with a text that has been assigned to them. This protocol helps student prepare for in-class discussion by giving them a protocol to follow that allows everyone to fully participate in the discussion.

Calculus I With Pre-Calculus Syllabus, Ying Yu

Open Educational Resources

This informative syllabus provides students with detailed course information including class schedule, location of class meeting, the instructor’s office hours, course description, prerequisite and co-requisite, learning outcomes, course material, class expectations, homework assignments, assessments, grading policy, tutoring services on campus, ADA compliance, and an academic/course calendar. It acts as a roadmap to facilitate student success.

Monitoring Sars-Cov-2 Risk With Co2. The Importance Of Ventilation, Masks, And Vaccinations., Preston Betz

Earth Sciences Theses and Dissertations

To assess airborne pathogen infection risk, concentrations of interior carbon dioxide and changes in relative humidity serve as proxies for human respiration products. Yanes and Yapp, 2010, demonstrated that interior air carbon dioxide concentrations and ¹³C/¹²C ratios display a two-component mixing relationship between respiration carbon dioxide which is highly concentrated (>100x atmospheric) in respiration air CO₂ at >40,000 ppm compared with ambient air (~410 ppm). In the absence of combustion carbon dioxide, the concentration of carbon dioxide, in an interior space, depends on the rate of respiration CO₂ addition relative to the amount of …

The (Un)Just Use Of Transition Minerals: How Efforts To Achieve A Low-Carbon Economy Continue To Violate Indigenous Rights, Kate R. Finn, Christina A.W. Stanton

Colorado Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Developing Emotional Regulation Skills In Students With Disabilities, Alexis Romero

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Some students with developmental and learning disabilities have not yet developed emotional regulation skills. Children who struggle with expressing themselves may have difficulty forming relationships, lack confidence, and display behavioral problems, and for children with developmental disabilities, the effects may be magnified. When children are able to express and regulate their emotions, they can have positive relationships, develop a sense of self, and even learn to be empathetic.

Addressing Imposter Syndrome In First-Year College Students, Camille Mendoza

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Some first-year students may have feelings of Imposter Syndrome, where they feel self-doubt and fear that they are not qualified and worthy enough. Students experiencing Imposter Syndrome may not recognize their capabilities and may suffer from low self-esteem, anxiety, or depression. Given the potential impact of Imposter Syndrome on first-year students, colleges should provide training to those leaders on campus who work directly with first-year students so that Imposter Syndrome feelings can be minimized, and students can feel supported and included. To address Imposter Syndrome on college campuses, I developed a one-day training on Imposter Syndrome, symptoms of Imposter Syndrome, …

Increasing Elementary School Students’ Awareness On Inclusion With Children With Disabilities, Antonia Martinez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This paper focuses on increasing elementary students' awareness on the importance of inclusion through statistics, previous studies, and a lesson plan.

Notice: Youth, Poc & Lgbtq+ Big Tobacco Wants You, Tucosha Lopez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Breathe California of the Bay Area, Golden Gate, and Central Coast is a 501(c)3 non-profit that works with local communities to fight lung disease. This capstone project was developed for the Tobacco Control Program and addressed how Big Tobacco disproportionately targets youth, people of color, and LGBTQ+. Less awareness of tobacco-related issues, targeted marketing schemes, and individual susceptibility to negative health behaviors result in addiction, decreased physical/mental health, and increased negative behaviors. The project was a 45-minute educational resource video to be published on the Breathe California YouTube channel. It consists of topics about the warning signs of nicotine addiction …

Hate In The Heartland: Examining Hate Groups In Nebraska’S Past And Present, Grant Van Robays

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Hate groups that malign entire classes of people based on race, religion, sexuality, gender, or other characteristic appear in every U.S. state. Nebraska is home to nine such groups, one of the highest figures in the country on a per capita basis. While notoriously secretive, previous research and watchdog reporting has pulled back the curtain on hate groups, such as the Ku Klux Klan and various neo-Nazi organizations, positing theories on how and why groups form. Minimal research has described in depth hate groups in a single state, let alone a quaint state like Nebraska. This case study of hate …

The Representation Of Women In Disney Animated Films, Sharik Jimenez

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Disney animated feature film is a big global entertainment arena. This paper analyzes multiple animated Disney classic movies based on the subject of women’s representation. These films are interesting to study because the targeted audience is children, and the stereotypical patterns that these Disney classic films portray may play an important role in their lives. It was found that the character development in the Disney animation films, focuses on giving the primary or the central character more pervasive roles, especially in cases where they are considered the female gender. However, they are gender role concerns in the Disney films that …

A Community-Based Participatory Research Project Exploring Skin Cancer Among Native Americans As Presented In Cancer Education, Research And Outreach, Bobbie Mcwilliams, Regina Robbins

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Abstract (up to 250) words: Suzanne, an elder of The Osage Nation, has been diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma skin cancer. Her daughter, Bobbie, a cancer researcher working for the Youth Enjoy Science Research Education Program, conducted a case study to share Suzanne’s story through written narrative and a series of images that present Suzanne’s reflections on cancer prevention and treatment from a holistic perspective. Eight interview transcripts, as well as photographs, drawings, and paintings of Suzanne, were created and analyzed to explore Suzanne’s lived experience of cancer. In her story of living with cancer, …

Anger In The Overlooked: A Gendered Analysis Of The January 6, 2021 Capitol Hill Breach, Elizabeth Bender

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The violence seen at the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, 2021 has sparked concern at the threat of domestic violent extremism (DVE) within the United States. Over 700 individuals have been federally charged in connection with the events of January 6 including almost 100 women. Women’s involvement in DVE is underestimated and understudied. This project utilized a corpus of over 1,000 court documents to content code variables relating to violence and DVE affiliation for the individuals who have been federally charged in relation to January 6th. The results of the coding process were then used to compare the rates …

Uno Student Access To Emergency Contraception: A Needs Assessment, Annika Kuchar

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Emergency contraception (EC) is a common method of contraception that helps prevent ovulation before implantation of an egg inside a uterus. Among college students, EC can be utilized to prevent unplanned pregnancies that could potentially prevent someone from completing their degree. College students can face unique barriers when trying to access EC including transportation, privacy, financial, or mental/emotional barriers. The purpose of this study was to determine what barriers students at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) face when trying to access EC, and what future accommodations they would utilize if given the option. The study surveyed 147 UNO …

Medical Ethics: From The Perspective Of Undergraduate Pre-Health Students, Hannah Im

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The burden of ethical decision-making is a significant contributor to compassion fatigue in healthcare professionals. Due to the impact of moral conflicts, it may be beneficial to reassess the effectiveness of current ethics education and training. While previous studies have surveyed a range of medical professionals and students, it remains unclear if exposure to ethics topics during undergraduate education could better prepare future healthcare workers. Thus, there is a need to identify the necessity of introducing ethics courses into the required pre-health curriculum. The following study took the first step to gauge this by surveying undergraduate pre-health students on their …

Anxiety And Immunity: Affecting The Body And The Mind, Katelynn Dobbs

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Speculations have been made within the scientific community that there is a link between the underlying mechanisms that impact anxiety disorders and immune system disorders. While many correlations between these disorders have been observed through various immune system disorder studies, this subject is still severely under-explored. In order to examine the potential relationship between anxiety disorders and immune system disorders, a survey was conducted and distributed among the student population at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. This survey collected data by asking a variety of questions that pertained to anxiety and immune system disorders diagnoses within the student population …

Diets, Detoxes, And Dysmorphia: Health, Wellness, And Misinformation On Tiktok, Courtney Kilroy

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The worlds of social media and wellness have been similarly categorized as “Wild West” industries. Innovation in science and technology are growing exponentially and are increasingly a part of most people’s everyday lives. TikTok began in 2016 and has since accumulated 78.7 million users in the United States. The wellness industry was valued at $4.37 trillion worldwide in 2020, likely due in no small part to the concept’s proliferation across social media platforms like TikTok. This rapid growth has come with unforeseen consequences, both positive and negative. A negative consequence that has been more frequently discussed and researched in the …

Attempting To Predict The Unpredictable: March Madness, Coleton Kanzmeier

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Each year, millions upon millions of individuals fill out at least one if not hundreds of March Madness brackets. People test their luck every year, whether for fun, with friends or family, or to even win some money. Some people rely on their basketball knowledge whereas others know it is called March Madness for a reason and take a shot in the dark. Others have even tried using statistics to give them an edge. I intend to follow a similar approach, using statistics to my advantage. The end goal is to predict this year’s, 2022, March Madness bracket. To achieve …