OAsis: UNLV's Repository for Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity
Not a member yet
24968 research outputs found
Sort by
Demographic Study of College of Sciences at University of Nevada, Las Vegas
No full textIn the United States, STEM-related industries are among the fastest-growing. Our study examines the enrollment of students in the College of Sciences (CoS) and the demographics of the student bodies in both undergraduate and graduate programs from 2010 to 2021 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Using the method of least squares, a polynomial fit model was used to find trends as well as to calculate enrollment predictions for the years 2025 and 2030. Our results demonstrate that, currently, the UNLV CoS is male dominant in the graduate program and female dominant in the undergraduate program. However, female enrollment is trending up in both undergraduate and graduate programs. Additionally, the graduate student body population is non-minority dominant while the undergraduate is minority dominant. Moreover, minority students of both genders are trending up in enrollment
Spectra - Volume 3, Issue 2
No full texthttps://oasis.library.unlv.edu/spectra_images/1012/thumbnail.jp
Simultaneous Acute Stretching with Whole Body Vibration does not have an Additive Effect on Extensibility of the Hip Adductor Muscles
No full textTopics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 5: Issue 1, Article 8, 2024. Static stretching of hip adductor muscles is often included in traditional warm-up, though little research has been conducted to determine effective strategies for improving their flexibility. Combining whole body vibration (WBV) with static stretching has been proposed by some to be an effective method to improve flexibility without reducing force output. The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the acute effects of static stretching, with and without WBV, on adductor muscle extensibility and strength. A randomized crossover design using a repeated measures ANOVA 2 X 2 (Condition X Time) was implemented on 40 participants (n = 20 males and n = 20 females) with limited adductor muscle flexibility. Following a stationary cycle warm-up, maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) and hip adduction range of motion (ROM) were measured pre- and postintervention, with ROM used as a surrogate measure of adductor muscle extensibility. Interventions included 60 seconds of static stretching of the adductor muscles with vibration (SSV) or without vibration (SS). Adductor muscle extensibility was increased (p \u3c 0.05) from pre- to postintervention in both SSV (1.5°) and SS (1.2°) with no differences between interventions. These increases exceeded minimal detectable change at the 95% confidence level (0.6°) by two-fold. No differences were observed in MVC within or between conditions. Static stretching with or without vibration has a modest effect on acute improvement in hip adductor muscle extensibility without inducing an ergolytic strength decrement. Therefore, WBV as an adjunct to conventional stretching is unjustified
Breakaway Roping – Event Analysis and Resistance Training Model
No full textTopics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 5: Issue 1, Article 9, 2024. Breakaway roping is a rodeo event that has received little empirical investigation, and to the best of our knowledge, no specialized resistance training recommendations have been disseminated. Furthermore, the purpose of this article was to (1) outline and analyze the biomechanical and physiological requirements of breakaway roping, and (2) articulate a theoretical specialized annual strength training and conditioning periodization plan for collegiate breakaway roping rodeo athletes. Included within the training plan are 8 distinct mesocycles containing general and event specific exercises of which are associated with the biomechanical and physiological demands of the breakawa
Contextualizing High Fragmented Remains as Complex Mortuary Practices in the American Southwest (AD 700-1700)
No full textViolence is never an isolated or meaningless act, but intentional, communicative, and socially meaningful. This dissertation extrapolates that meaning through a holistic methodology by focusing on the cultural context of previously analyzed and archived collections of heavily fragmented human remains from the American Southwest (AD 700-1700). The intent is to provide critical information about the motivation and meaning behind these assemblages. Previous works claiming these osteological collections were the result of cannibalism are problematic with indigenous populations having lived with this dehumanizing stigma for more than two decades. The goal of this study was to provide a different interpretation to explain the cultural reasoning behind the behaviors related to the modification and handling of these bodies. This research used a number of lines of evidence including an extensive review of the literature, ethnographic histories, original field notes, maps, and photos from excavations to contextualize and reinterpret the earlier conclusions.
Although the majority of the remains for this research have been repatriated or are no longer available for physical examination, this dissertation shows the possibility of continuing bioarchaeological research on repatriated sites. By analyzing the nuances and characteristics of these numerous different archaeological sites from across the American Southwest with fragmented remains this research adds to the existing literature regarding these processed skeletal collections. This research urges scholars to not rudimentarily place these remains in a single category of cannibalism, but to instead view the sites individually and holistically across time and place and most importantly within the cultural context
This is My Place: The Academic Library as a Retention Resource
No full textThis dissertation project addressed the gulf between the persistence rates of students in underrepresented minority (URM) and non-URM communities. To this end, a multisite exploratory qualitative case study focused on the experiences of students in academic libraries was conducted. The project applied a sense of belonging as an interpretive framework based on prior research which relates belonging to improved academic success outcomes among URM students. Previously, libraries’ capacity to support URM students’ sense of belonging had not been systematically analyzed. The three articles that constitute this dissertation, a literature review and one article on each of the two sites, a university pseudonymously referred to as Southwestern University (SWU) and a community college referred to as Southwestern Community College (SWCC), described the interplay of institutional context and student characteristics in the dynamics of URM students’ belonging. They each support the overarching finding that academic libraries are a retention resource by fostering URM students’ sense of belonging
Development and Usage of Analytic Tools and Recommendations for Validation and Reliability Studies Using Consumer-Grade Wearable Technology
No full textIntroduction: Wearable technology is increasingly utilized across various fields, yet the validity and reliability of the physiological data these devices provide are often unverified due to a lack of rigorous testing standards.
Purpose: This dissertation contains three primary works, and therefore multiple purposes. The purpose of the first project (Chapter 2) is to introduce a new risk of bias assessment tool, specifically for assessing methodological quality and the risk of bias in validity and reliability studies using wearable technology, with a focus on consumer-grade wearable technology. The purpose of the second project (Chapter 3) was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis that served a dual purpose: to review the current validity and reliability literature concerning consumer-grade wearable technology measurements/estimates of physiological variables (e.g. heart rate, energy expenditure, etc.) during exercise. Additionally, we sought to perform risk of bias assessments utilizing the novel WEArable technology Risk of Bias and Objectivity Tool (WEAR-BOT) and perform meta-analytic calculations on the reported data. The purpose of the third project (Chapter 4) was to evaluate the accuracy (validity) of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) estimates and blood oxygen saturation (BOS) measured via pulse oximetry using the Garmin fēnix 6 with a general population participant pool.
Methods: Chapter 1: The development of WEAR-BOT through a multi-institutional collaboration, employing iterative discussions, Delphi-style surveys, and pilot testing. Chapter 2: A systematic review and meta-analysis using WEAR-BOT to assess the risk of bias and analyze the validity and reliability data of physiological measurements from consumer-grade wearables during exercise. Chapter 3: A validation study employing WEAR-BOT guidelines to test the accuracy of a wearable device in measuring aerobic capacity (VO2max) and pulse oximetry in the general population.
Results: The development of WEAR-BOT established a detailed and structured approach to evaluate wearable technology studies. The systematic review highlighted a prevalent high risk of bias within the field, indicating the need for standardization. The validation study demonstrated the practical application of WEAR-BOT, confirming its effectiveness in guiding rigorous research methodologies and producing reliable data.
Conclusion: By introducing and applying the WEAR-BOT, this dissertation significantly contributes to the standardization and enhancement of research methods in the domain of wearable technology. The tool not only aids researchers in designing and evaluating studies but also ensures that the data generated from wearable devices are both reliable and valid, fostering greater trust and broader application in health-related and athletic settings
Experiment Development and Validation of a Granular Jamming Robotic Gripper
No full textA granular jamming gripper (GJG) is widely known as a Universal Gripper because of the wide range of objects that it can grasp and the simplicity of control, design, and manufacturing. Despite multitude of research improving the GJG, here, we focus on the base version of the GJG and attempt to glean the range of objects that it may reliably grasp. Despite the limited range of objects, which were a sphere, rectangular prism, and cylinder, we gleaned geometric properties as it relates to successful and unsuccessful grasping. This was based on the two types of testing: push and pull testing that measured the grasp ability, and grasp strength, respectively. The experiment results were surprising because we used the load cell in different orientations, but we attained the expected results as if the load cell was in the same orientation. These experiments attempt to validate and build upon current research by economically developing and testing the apparatus and gripper. From these experiments, we validated that the gripper grasp ability depends on the gripper diameter, and the contact angle with the object via introducing a “pressure” parameter that is the force by the surface area contact. Since a cartesian machine was used, we can nearly guarantee the depth into the object and therefore calculate the surface area contact using the 3D model
Promoting Situational Interest in Computer Science Classroom: A Utility Intervention Approach
No full textMastery of computer science and computational reasoning emerges as an essential skill for every student. Experts recommend increasing the focus on computer science studies due to their crucial role in the future, recognizing its pivotal role in early learning. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of a utility-based intervention on enhancing middle school students\u27 interest in computer science. This study adopted a utility value intervention method to improve students\u27 situational interest in computer science within a formal setting. The study investigated how a utility intervention changes students\u27 interests in the content, employing a pretest-posttest control group design. For convenience, random assignment to experimental and control groups was administered at the classroom level. The study used surveys to explore students\u27 individual and situational interests and their plans in computer science both before and after the study. The sample included 149 middle school students attending a public school. The intervention, designed within the interest development theory, incorporated weekly informal writing tasks to prompt students to reflect on class topics and their practical applications. The goal was to explore the capacity for encouraging interest development within the context of Hidi and Renninger\u27s (2016) theoretical model. Using repeated measures ANOVA, the analysis showed significant changes in situational interest within the intervention group and an increase in individual interest across both control and intervention groups, while future plans remained stable. The findings support previous research on the role of prior knowledge and its relationship with situational and individual interests. The paper elaborates on the implications of these outcomes
Standard and Non-Standard Log-Linear Models For 2 × 2 Contingency Tables
No full textLog-linear models can be used to model the joint relationship of two or more categorical variables in a multiway contingency table. In a log-linear model, the logarithm of the expected joint counts (or the logarithm of the joint probabilities) in a contingency table can be written as a linear model.
Most log-linear models used in practice are standard. Standard log-linear models include the traditional parameter terms we see in ANOVA models: an overall effect, main effects, and various kinds of interaction terms.
Standard log-linear models are divided into hierarchical and non-hierarchical. Hierarchical models satisfy the hierarchy principle: if a higher-order term is included in the log-linear model, then so are all the lower-order terms.
Most of the standard log-linear models used in practice are hierarchical models. Nonhierarchical standard models appear rarely in the literature because they are difficult to interpret.
In this thesis, we examine standard and non-standard log-linear models for 2 × 2 contingency tables. To show their application, we use a thromboembolism data set that first appeared in Vessey and Doll (1968) and was later analyzed by Worcester (1971) using a multiplicative model, which can be equivalently written as a non-standard log-linear model.
Although the above data were collected in a one-to-two matching design, Worcester (1971) analyzed them using multinomial sampling where only the total was fixed.
In this thesis, however, we also examine a product multinomial sampling design for these data, which is a more correct probability model for a matched design.
We use the free statistical software R to estimate the above log-linear models. We compare the estimated log-linear models using the Pearson chi-square test, the G-square test, and the AIC, and we discuss the results