Physical Sciences and Mathematics | Open Access Articles

Resident Scientists-In-Schools: Harnessing Altruism In Stem, Alison Sloat

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

The Resident Scientists-in-Schools and the STEM Teacher Development Academy program helps to diversify and expand the STEM pipeline in CCSD schools.

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Development Of A Novel Ionic Liquid-Coated Adsorbent For Treating Emerging Contaminants In Recycled Water On The International Space Station, Madeline Carroll, Gabson Baguma, Savanna Vacek

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Synthesize at least 3 biobased ionic liquids. Optimize method for conducting liquid-liquid extractions. Analyze and quantify how much DMSO2 is removed by the ionic liquids. Coat biochar with the most effective biobased ionic liquids.

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Nuclear Power Plant In Las Vegas, Ryan W. Murray

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

This research focuses on the impact of a “Nuclear Power Plant in Las Vegas” or ‘NPP in LV’ for short. Nuclear power is clean, has no greenhouse gas emissions, and has a moderate cost of kilowatt hours. Las Vegas, or more specifically Clark County uses Gas power plants to produce a majority of their electricity. My project will show what a nuclear plant could do if built in the city of Las Vegas. What is a Nuclear power plant? The EIA’s definition is “A nuclear power plant uses the heat that a nuclear reactor produces to turn water into steam, …

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Poliovirus Detection In Las Vegas Wastewater, Sage Boss, Hayley Baker, Ching-Lan Chang

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Wastewater surveillance for poliovirus is a useful tool for spatial surveillance and evaluation of immunization efficacy. Polio testing in wastewater has been conducted since the 1980s in Finland and Israel, and the virus was recently discovered in New York. With increasing concern regarding the vaccination of children against the virus, there has been worry that polio cases could once again present themselves in the Las Vegas Valley. By testing for the virus in wastewater, we can monitor any new cases or outbreaks that occur and inform authorities as to the location and viral count. The wastewater samples were collected at …

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Trapping And Cooling Of Ca+ For Cold Ion-Radical Collisions, Bernardo Gutierrez

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Free radicals are molecules that contain an unpaired valence electron which induces high reactivity. Ion radical reactions are typically exothermic and have low (or zero) activation energy. It is for these reasons that ion-radical reactions are believed to dominate in interstellar clouds where temperatures hover around 3-10K. State-to-state measurements require precision control of both reactants.

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Groundwater Remediation Using Modified Biochar, Kers Ung-Watson, Ismail Abdulraheem, Nikki Tibayan, Suraj Pochampally

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Biochar, a lightweight black residue made of carbon, has proved to be an effective adsorbent to remove TCE from groundwater. Not only is it an economical substitute for conventional adsorbents but it can be created by using a variety of organic materials. For this project, it will rely on walnut shell feedstock to create biochar as this had the best ability to adsorb TCE.

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Why Are My Rates Going Up? An Examination Behind Nv Energy's Recent Electric Rate Increase, Grace Zielinski

Undergraduate Research Symposium Lightning Talks

96% of Nevadans live in NV Energy's service territory. Rate increase directly connected to natural gas consumption rate increase. Recent Californian heatwave raised demand for Natural Gas, straining supply and increasing prices. NV Energy does not make profit over recent increase. Electric rate increase implemented to cover the Natural Gas price increase.

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A Literature Review On Developments In Timber Design And Its Impact On Carbon Emissions, Raquel Jackson

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Carbon dioxide emissions are a growing issue worldwide as urbanization and industrialization continues to increase (ie. Steel and concrete). Non-renewable resources limit steel and concrete production. Despite current methods to reduce greenhouse gasses, carbon emissions remain difficult to reduce from steel and concrete industries.

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An Exploratory Factor Analysis Of Climate Friendly Purchasing Choices, Susan E. Gutierrez, Fred Vincent Y. Margallo, Zihan Gong

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Climate change is negatively affecting the environment and all its inhabitants. People's increased awareness have made them more willing to adopt more climate friendly purchasing choices. The Climate Change Action Inventory measures how often individuals take actions that can reduce climate change. We focused on the Climate Friendly Purchasing Choices Domain. We conducted an exploratory factor analysis of the Climate Friendly Purchasing Domain to help us examine the factor structure.

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The Analysis Of Radio And X-Ray Energetics Of Fast Radio Bursts, Emily Huerta

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Here, we analyze the graphs and figures presented in Laha et al. (2022) and compare their slopes to our figures. Laha et al. (2022) includes two graphs, one that shows a comparison between radio fluence vs. x-ray fluence and radio energy vs. x-ray energy. In these graphs, the slopes are anywhere from 3.3e-14 to 2e-5, which are much less than unity. Our figures are consistent with these values, also providing slopes anywhere between the same range. Strong limits on this ratio between radio and x-ray energetics can either support the magnetar progenitor model, or completely dismiss it. Since we found …

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The Global Effects Of Climate Change: Detrimental Impacts On The Environment, Ecosystem, Coral Reefs, Human Health/Well-Being, And Global Economy, Lucky Heng

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Despite criticism, scientists have been continuing to find more evidence to prove that the threats on the coral reefs around the world are real. The impact of rising climate temperature, pollution, ocean acidification, etc. has been leading to increasing amounts of mass bleaching and a massive decline in coral reefs in past decades. This research study utilizes a systematic literature review and secondary research to collect, analyze and provide evidence that climate change impacts the ecosystem, and marine life (coral reefs) species on the planet. By addressing the impact of climate change and its significance on the ecosystem and global …

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3-D Visualizations Of Terrestial Exoplanet Interiors Generated With Magrathea In Blender, Tristan Benally, David Rice

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

There has been significant progress in simulating exoplanet interiors in the past decade. With the discovery of the TRAPPIST-1 system in the last few years, there have been many publications presenting models to best characterize specific aspects of exoplanets in study. However, with more parameters and considerations for different characteristics of an exoplanet there will be a need to represent many findings into a comprehensive model in the future. We extend the capabilities of MAGRATHEA from a planet interior solver to start incorporating multi-faceted functions starting with generating 3-D terrestrial planetary visualizations using a 3-D open-source computer graphic software called …

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Drought Levels In Nevada Counties, 2022, Julianna Jovillar, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Environment

This fact sheet synthesizes data on drought levels within Nevada counties from the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) in 2022. The information presented in this document focuses on the breakdown of the number of Nevada residents affected by the droughts within each county and the drought experience in each county.

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The Metabolic Change Of Lipid Species In Stam Mice With Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Devin J. Peart

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Primary liver cancer hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. In the US, primary liver cancer is the most rapidly increasing type of cancer due to increases in hepatitis B and C and the continued trend of greater and greater percentages of the population suffering from obesity, diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome. The prognosis for this disease is poor, with a 5-year survival rate of 26% as compared to only 2% when the cancer is metastatic. Unfortunately, current strategies for early detection of HCC, including routine CT imaging or alpha-fetoprotein biomarker, are suboptimal and tend …

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What Can General Chemistry Students Learn From External Representations Of Acid- Base Titrations?, Nicole Baldwin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Laboratory activities are a prevalent and essential part of chemistry learning because of their potential to help students develop problem solving abilities, visualize chemistry concepts learned in lecture, and gain practical skills. However, learning in the laboratory environment is not without its challenges. For example, cookbook-style chemistry laboratories can promote superficial learning, and cognitive overload can result from the study of new concepts and the use of new procedures in this environment. Multiple pedagogies and supports have been developed to address challenges such as these. The current research focuses upon external representations that are commonly used to support learning in …

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Towards The Electronic Response Of Carbon-Based Van Der Waals Heterostructures In A Diamond Anvil Cell, George Thomas Foskaris

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The nanoscale regime of materials has been at the forefront of research and interest in condensed matter physics for many years. In a merger of the fields of two-dimensional (2D) materials and high pressure physics, we present an investigation of the electronic response of carbon-based, van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures in a diamond anvil cell (DAC). Combining these fields presents us with the ability to study the characteristics of such systems both optically, and through electrical transport. Properties such as conductance, band structure, and layer number are considered. The samples in this study are assembled using exfoliation and stacking techniques …

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Trace Element Behaviors During Igneous Evolution And Hydrothermal Alteration Of An Evolved Rhyolite, The Blawn Formation, Wah Wah Mountains, Utah: Implications For Critical Metal Abundances In Highly Evolved Rhyolites, Drew William Barkoff

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A-type rhyolites and granites often contain elevated concentrations of the rare earth elements (REE) and many other critical trace elements relative to I- and S-type rhyolites and granites. Their trace element-enriched nature makes them potentially prospective bulk tonnage, low-grade resources of the REE and many other critical trace elements, including Li, Be, Mo, Sn, and W, but little work has been performed to delineate their economic potential. The 22.1 Ma Red Beryl Rhyolite (RBR) and the 18.3 Ma Tetons Rhyolite (TR) units of the Blawn Formation represent two A-type rhyolite domes located in the southern Wah Wah Mountains of Utah. …

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A Mechanically Intelligent Hosing-Drone, Blake Hament

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This manuscript presents a ”mechanically intelligent” approach to designing a Hosing-Drone for heavy-duty pressure washing. Spraying a hose creates strong reaction forces and torques. Previously demonstrated spraying robots are over-engineered to be very massive with huge inertias. These high inertias ”wash out” the reaction from the spraying. In the proposed approach, the contributions from all observable fluid dynamics, fluid structure interactions, and aerodynamics are studied individually and for the coupled system. Experimental data is collected and fit to dynamic models. These models are used to design a smaller, lighter, more agile vehicle than has been previously demonstrated. An impedance controller …

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Estimation Of The Parameters In A Mixture Of Two Normal Distributions And The Generalized Pivotal Quantity Method, Md Faruk Hossain

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A pivotal quantity is a random variable that is a function of both the random data and the unknown population parameters and whose probability distribution does not depend on any of the unknown parameters. The population parameters here may include nuisance parameters. Historically, pivotal quantities have been used for the construction of test statistics for hypothesis testing of some of these unknown parameters. They have also been used for the construction of confidence intervals for some of these parameters.Generalized pivotal quantities (GPQ) were introduced by Tsui and Weerahandi (1989) and Weerahandi (1993). A GPQ is a function, not only of …

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Characterization Of The Isothermal Titration Calorimetry Single Injection Method Using T4 Polynucleotide Kinase As A Model System For Kinases, Rebecca Chaehee Lim

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Kinases are an important class of enzymes involved in the regulation of different cellular processes. The dysfunctional activity, either hyperactivity or inactivity, of kinases has been associated with many types of diseases, making kinases a major therapeutic target. As of 2020, more than 80 kinase inhibitors have been FDA-approved and have revolutionized the treatment for progressive disorders such as cancers and Alzheimer's diseases. However, there is always the possibility of developing severe side effects or resistance to drugs so the search for new therapeutics must continue with efficiency and accuracy.Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) is a state-of-the-art technique specialized in detecting …

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Use Of Healthcare Utilization Records For Analyzing Trends In Clinical Toxoplasmosis: A Comparison Of Nevada And The United States, Elijah Kreutzer

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease caused by the parasitic protist Toxoplasma gondii, is a ubiquitous, global public health concern with a wide variety of clinical manifestations. Surveillance for the disease is lacking even in developed countries, and what surveillance is present most often focuses on pregnant women. This research investigated trends in clinical toxoplasmosis in Nevada and nationally to address the lack of knowledge concerning how Nevada discharges compare to national discharges in cases of toxoplasmosis. Specifically, this research sought to determine what characterizes toxoplasmosis in Nevada across inpatient, outpatient, and emergency department settings, as well as how these cases differ …

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Day ‘N’ Nite: Habitability Of Tidally Locked Planets With Sporadic Rotation, Cody James Shakespeare

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Tidally locked worlds provide a unique opportunity for constraining the climates of detected exoplanets. They are unique in that few exoplanet spin and obliquity states are known or will be determined in the near future. The TRAPPIST-1 exoplanet system has multiple habitable zone planets that, in the past, have been presumed to be tidally locked. However, a recent study shows the dynamical conditions present in the TRAPPIST-1 system make rotation and large librations possible spin states for these planets. I confirm the tendency for these planets to sporadically transition from tidally locked libration to slow rotation using N-body simulations independent …

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Bayesian Nonparametric Regression Models For Insurance Claims Frequency And Severity, Mostafa Shams Esfand Abadi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The prediction of future insurance claims frequency and severity is one of the most important problems in actuarial science. Such predictions help the actuary set insurance premiums based on observed risk factors, or covariates. Accuracy of these predictions is important from the point of view of both the insurance company as well as the insured customer. Typically, actuaries use parametric regression models to predict claims based on the covariate information. Such models assume the same functional form tying the response to the covariates for each data point. These models are not flexible enough and fail to accurately capture at the …

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Real–Time Semantic Segmentation For Railway Anomalies Analysis, Paul Stanik Iii

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In the past few years, computer vision has made huge jumps due to deep learning which leverages increased computational power and access to data. The computer vision community has also embraced transparency to accelerate research progress by sharing open datasets and open source code. Access to large scale datasets and benchmark challenges propelled and opened the field. The autonomous vehicle community is a prime example. While there has been significant growth in the automotive vision community, not much has been done in the rail domain. Traditional rail inspection methods require special trains that are run during down time, have sensitive …

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Retrospective Varying Coefficient Association Analysis Of Longitudinal Binary Traits, Gang Xu

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Many genetic studies contain rich information on longitudinal phenotypes that require powerful analytical tools for optimal analysis. Genetic analysis of longitudinal data that incorporates temporal variation is important for understanding the genetic architecture and biological variation of complex diseases. Most of the existing methods assume that the contribution of genetic variants is constant over time and fails to capture the dynamic pattern of disease progression. However, the relative influence of genetic variants on complex traits fluctuates over time.We developed several tests to fill the gap of analyzing time-varying genetic effects in longitudinal GWAS for binary traits. First, we propose a …

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Quantifying The Effect Of Disturbance On Native Mojave Desert Shrubs, Tamara J. Wynne

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Disturbance can come in many different forms. In our studies, we looked at the impact of a solar photovoltaic facility on native plants growing inside and outside of the facility, alteration in precipitation (simulated) on four native shrubs and the impact of applying supplemental water as a function of volume and frequency to establish native shrubs such as might occur at restoration sites. Disturbance is becoming a more common phenomenon in many ecosystems throughout the world, increasing the need for studies that quantify the impact at the plant and ecosystem level. Each research project revealed different plant responses, such as …

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Paleoenvironmental Changes Across The Devonian-Carboniferous Transition, Audrey M. Warren

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Devonian-Carboniferous (D-C) transition was a critical interval in earth history, witnessing profound environmental changes associated with plant and animal evolution and extinction. Two first-order mass extinctions occurred leading up to the D-C boundary: the Kellwasser Event at the Frasnian-Famennian (F-F) boundary (~371 Ma) and the D-C boundary Hangenberg Event (~359 Ma). Both events were associated with significant sea level changes and major carbon cycle perturbations, evidenced by widespread deposition of black shale and positive carbon isotope (δ13C) excursions, all of which have been used to correlate these events across the globe. Because preservation of black shale requires anoxic conditions, …

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Display Applications For Grating Angle Magnification Accelerated Angular Scanners, Daniel Jesus Valdes

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This work includes experimental demonstrations of grating angle magnification accelerated optical beam scanners. Diffraction grating scanners governed by the grating equation can have scan speed advantages over the flat mirror bound by Snell's law of reflection. Scan speed enhancement of 750% was achieved with a 635nm laser and 1800 groove/mm diffraction grating configuration thanks to the grating angle magnification. A three-color diffraction grating scanner shows identical results at larger scan angles. Tunable acceleration speed is a feature enabled by the diffraction grating scanner to operate in a high-speed scanning region and/or high-resolution scanning region depending on the demands of the …

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Identification Of Factors Contributing To Traffic Crashes By Analysis Of Text Narratives, Cristian D. Arteaga-Sanchez

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The fatalities, injuries, and property damage that result from traffic crashes impose a significant burden on society. Current research and practice in traffic safety rely on analysis of quantitative data from crash reports to understand crash severity contributors and develop countermeasures. Despite advances from this effort, quantitative crash data suffers from drawbacks, such as the limited ability to capture all the information relevant to the crashes and the potential errors introduced during data collection. Crash narratives can help address these limitations, as they contain detailed descriptions of the context and sequence of events of the crash. However, the unstructured nature …

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Age And Genesis Of W-Mo-Cu Mineralization, Gold Hill, Utah, Nathan J. Carey

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Utah's Gold Hill mining district hosts a Jurassic felsic pluton (~80 km^2) that was emplaced into a Mississippian to Pennsylvanian carbonate-dominated sedimentary sequence and is spatially associated with numerous polymetallic mineral deposits. This study focuses on W-Mo-Cu mineralization at the Lucy L., Doctor, Yellow Hammer, Reaper, and Rustler deposits within the district. The new, detailed petrographic observations, mineral chemistry (on scheelite, molybdenite, chalcopyrite, magnetite, garnet, and pyroxene), and Re-Os molybdenite geochronological data presented here allows for the determination of key mineral associations and paragenesis, the characterization of deposit types and their evolution, and the constraining of the relative and absolute …

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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Resident Scientists-In-Schools: Harnessing Altruism In Stem, Alison Sloat

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Development Of A Novel Ionic Liquid-Coated Adsorbent For Treating Emerging Contaminants In Recycled Water On The International Space Station, Madeline Carroll, Gabson Baguma, Savanna Vacek

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Nuclear Power Plant In Las Vegas, Ryan W. Murray

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Poliovirus Detection In Las Vegas Wastewater, Sage Boss, Hayley Baker, Ching-Lan Chang

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Trapping And Cooling Of Ca+ For Cold Ion-Radical Collisions, Bernardo Gutierrez

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Groundwater Remediation Using Modified Biochar, Kers Ung-Watson, Ismail Abdulraheem, Nikki Tibayan, Suraj Pochampally

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Why Are My Rates Going Up? An Examination Behind Nv Energy's Recent Electric Rate Increase, Grace Zielinski

Undergraduate Research Symposium Lightning Talks

A Literature Review On Developments In Timber Design And Its Impact On Carbon Emissions, Raquel Jackson

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

An Exploratory Factor Analysis Of Climate Friendly Purchasing Choices, Susan E. Gutierrez, Fred Vincent Y. Margallo, Zihan Gong

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

The Analysis Of Radio And X-Ray Energetics Of Fast Radio Bursts, Emily Huerta

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

The Global Effects Of Climate Change: Detrimental Impacts On The Environment, Ecosystem, Coral Reefs, Human Health/Well-Being, And Global Economy, Lucky Heng

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

3-D Visualizations Of Terrestial Exoplanet Interiors Generated With Magrathea In Blender, Tristan Benally, David Rice

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Drought Levels In Nevada Counties, 2022, Julianna Jovillar, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Environment

The Metabolic Change Of Lipid Species In Stam Mice With Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Devin J. Peart

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

What Can General Chemistry Students Learn From External Representations Of Acid- Base Titrations?, Nicole Baldwin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Towards The Electronic Response Of Carbon-Based Van Der Waals Heterostructures In A Diamond Anvil Cell, George Thomas Foskaris

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Trace Element Behaviors During Igneous Evolution And Hydrothermal Alteration Of An Evolved Rhyolite, The Blawn Formation, Wah Wah Mountains, Utah: Implications For Critical Metal Abundances In Highly Evolved Rhyolites, Drew William Barkoff

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A Mechanically Intelligent Hosing-Drone, Blake Hament

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Estimation Of The Parameters In A Mixture Of Two Normal Distributions And The Generalized Pivotal Quantity Method, Md Faruk Hossain

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Characterization Of The Isothermal Titration Calorimetry Single Injection Method Using T4 Polynucleotide Kinase As A Model System For Kinases, Rebecca Chaehee Lim

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Use Of Healthcare Utilization Records For Analyzing Trends In Clinical Toxoplasmosis: A Comparison Of Nevada And The United States, Elijah Kreutzer

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Day ‘N’ Nite: Habitability Of Tidally Locked Planets With Sporadic Rotation, Cody James Shakespeare

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Bayesian Nonparametric Regression Models For Insurance Claims Frequency And Severity, Mostafa Shams Esfand Abadi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Real–Time Semantic Segmentation For Railway Anomalies Analysis, Paul Stanik Iii

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Retrospective Varying Coefficient Association Analysis Of Longitudinal Binary Traits, Gang Xu

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Quantifying The Effect Of Disturbance On Native Mojave Desert Shrubs, Tamara J. Wynne

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Paleoenvironmental Changes Across The Devonian-Carboniferous Transition, Audrey M. Warren

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Display Applications For Grating Angle Magnification Accelerated Angular Scanners, Daniel Jesus Valdes

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Identification Of Factors Contributing To Traffic Crashes By Analysis Of Text Narratives, Cristian D. Arteaga-Sanchez

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Age And Genesis Of W-Mo-Cu Mineralization, Gold Hill, Utah, Nathan J. Carey

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones