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Reliability And Validity Of The Ne1 Wound Assessment Tool (Wat), Stephanie Coon, Faustina Tran, Melinda Vicencio

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background and Purpose: Current literature indicates a lack of reliability and validity of existing pressure ulcer (PrU) staging systems. This prompted the development of the N.E. One Can Stage (NEOCS). Recently this tool was modified and renamed, the NE1 Wound Assessment Tool (NE1 WAT). The purpose of this study is to test the reliability and validity of the NE1 WAT.

Subjects:

A sample of convenience of nine physical therapists (PTs) and 11 nurses (RNs) with PrU staging as part of their routine work duties were included in this study.

Methods:

A written exam was administered and consisted of assessment questions …

Utilization Of A Metabolic Syndrome Index In Evaluating The Life In Balance Lifestyle Intervention For Prevention Of Type 2 Diabetes Among Urban American Indians And Alaska Natives, Hongbin Jin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: A myriad of diabetes prevention programs modeled on the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) are carried out worldwide to fight against the current diabetes pandemic. The percentage of weight reduction is a widely used indicator to evaluate diabetes prevention programs. However, weight change alone may not fully reflect the efficacy of lifestyle intervention. A metabolic syndrome index is a promising novel scale for evaluation of diabetes prevention programs because it is a systematic, comprehensive, and stable indicator that reflects the metabolic risk reduction for diabetes and its complications at multiple levels and dimensions.

Methods: A total of 22 overweight and …

Evaluation Of Photodynamic Therapy-Induced Edema In The Rat Brain Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging, David Chighvinadze

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Failure of treatment for high-grade gliomas is usually due to local recurrence at the site of surgical resection indicating that a more aggressive form of local therapy should be used. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) shows promising results in the treatment of gliomas as it has been shown to cause significant destruction of tumor cells through localized necrosis and/or apoptosis. An unfortunate complication of this therapy is the induction of cerebral edema which causes increased intracranial pressure and associated morbidity. A potential solution is the administration of steroids to reduce PDT-induced edema, associated morbidity, and mortality in treated animals. In the research …

Analysis And Evaluation Of The Impact Of The Length Of Left-Turn Lane On Signalized Intersection Delays, Nitin Kalsi

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The most common guidelines for determining the lengths of left-turn lanes are based on probability of accommodating a left-turn traffic at least traffic 95 percent of the time. These guidelines do not directly take into account the delays caused by through traffic for potentially blocking left-turn lanes. In this research the impact of the lengths of left-turn lanes on intersection delays are considered to optimize the lengths of the left-turn lanes. Data for traffic counts, queue lengths and signal timing are collected from an intersection in Las Vegas. The methodology involves development of simulation model using Corridor Simulation (CORSIM) and …

Evaluation Of Graffiti Countermeasures On Highways, Anil Kumar Puli

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Graffiti is an ever-growing problem that taints the environment. It costs over {dollar}12 billion per year to remove graffiti in the United States. Highway structures are accessible to the public at all hours of the day. So, there is much likelihood that these structures would be tagged. Bridges, sound walls, retaining walls and traffic signs are the major highway structures maintained by state DOT that are affected by graffiti. The present research is to evaluate the graffiti countermeasures for the highway structures in Nevada. In the evaluation process, an inventory data of graffiti cases on the major highway structures in …

The Development And Evaluation Of A Child Maltreatment Reporting Training Program For Mandated Mental Health Professionals, Krisann Marie Alvarez

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Despite a legal mandate to report suspected child maltreatment, the literature has consistently reported a failure by mandated professionals to report suspected maltreatment. Lack of knowledge regarding child maltreatment, reporting requirements and possible consequences of reporting have been cited as impediments to reporting. Previous research has recommended the development of training programs to address these hindrances. However, empirically validated training programs specific to the reporting of child maltreatment in mental health professionals have yet to be developed. Therefore, this study is the first to examine the efficacy of a child maltreatment reporting training program which addresses knowledge of child maltreatment …

Performance Evaluation Of Single And Double-Basin Solar Stills In Las Vegas, Nevada, Nanda Holur Venkatesh

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The objectives of this research were to conduct long-term testing of modified single-basin still designs, and to design, build and test an alternative double-basin still that may increase water production at the same or lower cost; Performance of two commercial single-basin still designs, from different suppliers, was evaluated over a 14-month period in Las Vegas, Nevada. The average daily water yields of SunwaterRTM and SolAqua(TM) ranged from 1.1+/-0.7 L/m2 and 0.9+/-0.5 L/m 2 (in winter) to 5.5+/-1.7 L/m2 and 4.6+/-0.9 L/m2 (in summer) respectively; Different configurations of cover glass and water volume/depth were evaluated on SunwaterRTM single-basin stills. Low-e glass …

Difference On Perception Of Evaluation Criteria Between Division I And Iii Head Basketball Coaches And Athletic Directors, Richard Robert Hilliard

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the differences in perceptions of evaluation criteria between athletic directors and head basketball coaches at National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and III institutions in the western region of the United States. The objective of this study was to answer the question, is there a difference in perceptions of evaluation criteria by athletic directors and Division I and III basketball coaches? The researcher modified a 39 item questionnaire developed by Overton (1997) into a 21 item survey. The survey was sent to athletic directors and head men's and women's basketball coaches at …

Evaluation And Modeling Of The Effect Of Midblock Pedestrian Crossings On Arterial Traffic, Naveen Kumar Veeramisti

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Unsignalized midblock pedestrian crossings are one of the critical components of arterial streets designed to provide for safer crossing locations for pedestrians. These crossings are often placed between signalized intersections that are far apart. However when arterial segments with such crossings are being analyzed or designed, the effect of the crossings was not normally taken into consideration. This is primarily due to the inability of current traffic software in modeling these locations; The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of midblock pedestrian crossings on the measures of effectiveness of arterial traffic flow using a computer simulation model. …

Evaluation Of The Impacts Of Emergency Vehicle Signal Preemption, Gang Xie

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Emergency vehicle signal preemptions are designed to give green light to responding emergency vehicles by "preempting" signals as they proceed through signalized intersections. A direct objective of signal preemption is to reduce response time for emergency vehicle while enhancing safety. However, signal preemptions interrupt regular signal operations and thus cause extra traffic delay to general traffic. Studies have been conducted on evaluating the effectiveness of signal preemption from the perspective of improving emergency vehicle response time. It has been found that these studies have been using traffic simulation models which cannot reflect the real traffic conditions, particularly associated with preemption. …

An Evaluation Of X-Ray Fluorescence Lead Detection Methods For Candy Wrappers, Louis J Abacherli

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Currently, it is expensive and time consuming for public health entities to test candy (and other consumer products) that has entered the consumer market in the United States. The XRF, on the other hand, provides a quick, economical, and easy method to test lead levels. It has been demonstrated in a variety of studies that x-ray fluorescence (XRF) can be used for testing lead levels in paint, soil, and testing in-vivo for bone. What has not been studied is the XRF's ability to test for lead in certain consumer items such as candy. This research was designed to identify XRF …

Conversion And Performance Evaluation Of A Hydrogen Powered Ford F-250 Pickup Truck, Julian J. L Gardner

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The following thesis details all design, fabrication and analysis necessary for the conversion of a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered full size pickup truck to run on compressed hydrogen gas. As an industry for hydrogen powered vehicles develops, adherence to a specified set of safety regulations is necessary to ensure the safety of vehicle end users. Currently accepted standards for hydrogen vehicle safety follow regulations put forth by NFPA for CNG powered vehicles. The design of the fuel system follows applicable hydrogen and CNG regulations. A potentially revolutionary fuel delivery system that consolidates a gaseous fuel injector and a spark …

Evaluation Of Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction For Measuring The Concentration Of Total Bacteria In Environmental Air Samples, Vanessa Louise Stevens

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The air quality of both indoor and outdoor environments is a primary human health content, particularly for individuals that have asthma, respiratory ailments and immune disorders. Airborne microorganisms have been shown to cause a variety of diseases, allergic reactions, and irritations. Universal quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) was compared to the traditional methods of culture analysis and microscopy to determine if it was an effective method to quantitate total bacterial counts in environmental air samples. A composite standard curve was developed using four bacterial species and applied to laboratory cultures and environmental air samples. Two hypotheses were tested, (i) to …

An Evaluation Of Innovative Countermeasures For Pedestrian Safety, Vinay Virupaksha

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The objective of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of innovative countermeasures deployed to help improve pedestrian safety and walkability. Potential countermeasures evaluated in this research include: (1) a portable speed trailer, (2) a high visibility crosswalks, (3) advance yield markings, (4) "yield here to pedestrians" signs, (5) in-roadway knockdown signs, (6) danish offsets, (7) median refuges, (8) intelligent transportation system (ITS) based automatic pedestrian detection device, (9) smart lighting, (10) pedestrian activated flashing lights; A before-and-after analysis strategy was be used to evaluate the selected countermeasures. Measures of effectiveness (MOEs) identified to evaluate the impacts of these countermeasures, …

An Evaluation Of Small Mammal Populations In The Las Vegas Wash, Jessica Larkin

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Capture frequency, diversity, richness, and population estimates of small mammals was measured in three distinct habitat types (Creosote, Saltbush, Tamarisk) in the Las Vegas Wash. For each habitat, the population estimates were analyzed by species. Capture frequency, diversity, richness, and population estimates were compared to ambient air temperature for twelve consecutive months. Fluctuations in small mammal populations appear to be greatly dependent on temperature. Neotoma lepida and Peromyscus eremicus appear to be dependent on Tamarisk communities; whereas, Chaetodipus spp. appears to be very adaptable and was captured in all habitats. Dipodomys merriami and Perognathus longimembris had the highest population estimates …

Design And Evaluation Of Multi-Axis Vibration Shaker Concepts, Brinda Holur Venkatesh

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Elastic bodies exhibit structural resonance and mode shapes at various natural frequencies. In order to avoid structural overloads and equipment malfunctions, elastic systems, mechanical and/or electrical must be evaluated and tested for their performance over the entire frequency range of their operations. Shaker systems replicate the dynamic loads encountered in a field environment, and are used for vibration testing of elastic structures. Such vibration testing ensures the reliable performance of the final product; The objective of this research project, sponsored by the Army Research Lab (ARL), is the design and Finite Element evaluation of a new multi-axis shaker system, which …

Analysis And Evaluation Of Field Retroreflectivity Performance Of Pavement Marking Materials At Various Test Deck Locations In The Us, Siddharth David

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Pavement markings are one of the most important elements of traffic control on roadways. They are lines used on a roadway to warn and direct drivers and to control traffic operations on highways and streets. Pavement markings are typically white and yellow in color depending on usage. Different types of materials are used in the manufacture of pavement markings, including paint, tape, epoxy, thermoplastic, and preformed thermoplastics. Performance measures used to evaluate pavement markings include retroreflectivity, color, and durability; In the US, the National Transportation Product Evaluation Program (NTPEP), administered by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials …

Youth At Risk For Anxiety: Evaluation Of A Brief Panic Prevention Program, Kelly Lynn Drake

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This was the first pilot study to examine the effectiveness of a single-session panic prevention workshop for youth. Participants were recruited using various forms of mass media, advertisements, flyer distribution, and personal contacts. Following a brief screening, participants were assigned to a single-session panic prevention workshop (n = 9) or a waitlist control condition (n = 10). Youth in the workshop group completed pre-workshop assessments including self-report measures of anxiety sensitivity, general anxiety, panic attack symptomatology, and depression. In addition, a semi-structured diagnostic interview was used to assess panic attacks, panic disorder, and agoraphobia Also, during pre-workshop assessment, parents completed …

The Use Of Formative Evaluation With Online Courses By Teachers At The Secondary Level, David Alvin Garner

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This case study investigated the use of formative evaluation by three teachers who designed and delivered online courses at the secondary level. Formative evaluation involves collecting data that could be used to improve the effectiveness of the design and delivery of a course. Teachers were observed teaching the courses they designed for one quarter and then were given a workshop introducing them to formative evaluation techniques. They were observed for another quarter to determine if their delivery or design practices changed. Additional data were collected through interviews and through the analysis of course-related artifacts that included emails, journal entries by …

Performance Evaluation Of Fuel Cell-Battery Hybrid Electric Vehicle, Ryan Mauldin

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Hybrid electric vehicles that utilize gasoline-powered engines as a base source of power enjoy widespread customer acceptance because of their performance and economy. However, the future generation of these vehicles as well as conventional ones will have to move away from internal combustion engines due to depleting fossil fuel reserves and stricter environmental norms. Hybrid power sources composed of fuel cells and deep cycle batteries combine the high energy density of fuel cells with the high power density of batteries, offering efficient transportation without harmful emissions. This thesis describes the conversion of an electric vehicle into a hybrid fuel cell-battery …

Evaluation Of Building Energy Simulation Software Using Residential Homes, Robert Michael Madeja

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Energy simulation software has been widely used by engineers and architects to predict the energy consumption of buildings during the design phase of new construction or remodel. Many of these programs are derived from cooling methodologies developed by ASHRAE. For this study, a widely used software package, Trace 700 was used to see how accurate it can be in predicting the energy consumption of the HVAC (Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning) system of two residential homes. One home is classified as a Zero Energy Home (ZEH) because it employs advanced construction features which allow it to consume significantly less energy …

Evaluation Of An Intraoperative Iodine-125 Brachytherapy Implant Technique, Tserenpagma Chaoui

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of an intra-operative planning method in brachytherapy prostate seed placement by comparing pre-planning and intra-operative planning techniques. This comparison was achieved by a virtual-planning technique in which the pre-planned seed and needle positions are superimposed on the intra-operatively obtained volume study. Dosimetric evaluation of each implant was based on the dose volume histogram (DVH) generated from CT studies and analysis of image and seed numbers, target volume and inferior extent of posterior planes. These parameters showed that greater dosimetric values are noted in the intra-operative technique. The study demonstrated a …

Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Countermeasures To Enhance Pedestrian Safety, Ganesh Jung Karkee

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Pedestrian safety is a major concern in the United States because over 4,700 pedestrians are killed and 70,000 are injured annually. Nevada has one of the highest pedestrian fatality rates in the United States. Thus, there is a need to enhance pedestrian safety using existing and new strategies and to evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies. The objective of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of various countermeasures to improve pedestrian safety. The countermeasures evaluated in this research include: (1) an in-pavement flashing light system, (2) pedestrian countdown signals, (3) turning traffic must yield to pedestrians signs, (4) a …

Evaluation Of The Perceptual Magnet Effect And Categorical Perception For Musical Timbre, Melissa Kay Griffith

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Recent auditory research has raised fundamental questions about the perceptual magnet effect (PME), where discrimination performance is poorer for stimuli that approach best exemplars of a phonetic category. It has been suggested that the effect reflects inter-categorical comparisons, and might not generalize to nonspeech. Three experiments addressed these concerns. In Experiment 1 prototype and non-prototype stimuli were determined from goodness ratings of synthesized (violin) timbres varying in center frequencies of F1 and F2 formants. Experiment 2 evaluated for a PME using discrimination data, and influences from other categories by comparing goodness ratings from stimuli in prototype, non-prototype, and no context …

Elevated Temperature Mechanical Properties And Corrosion Characteristics Evaluation Of Alloy Ht-9, Bhagath Yarlagadda

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This thesis presents the results of tensile testing, stress corrosion cracking (SCC) and localized corrosion studies of Alloy HT-9, which is currently being considered as a target structural material for transmutation applications. The results of tensile testing indicate that the yield strength and the ultimate tensile strength were gradually reduced with increasing temperature, but the ductility parameters were enhanced due to increased plastic deformation, irrespective of the tempering time. The results of SCC testing in the 90°C acidic solution, performed by the slow-strain-rate (SSR) technique, revealed higher failure stress (sigmaf) at longer tempering time. Localized corrosion studies conducted by polarization …

Evaluation Of Potential On-Equipment Dust Suppression Systems For Heavy Construction Equipment: Chain Trencher And Road Miner, Suhas Karke

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The goals of this thesis research are to characterize emissions from construction equipment such as a Road Miner and Chain Trencher, develop and compare preliminary alternative designs for collection of emitted dust, and evaluate the potential economic and operational benefits of improved dust control technology; Data collected from two site visits using PM-10 DUSTTRAKRTM monitors, video camera, digital photo camera, and soil samples; served as a data source to analyze construction operations, delineate sources of emissions, and characterize emissions; Preliminary designs using vacuum and water spray dust control systems were developed for a Trencor Road Miner and a Trencor Chain …

Evaluation Of Performance Of Non-Parametric Confidence Intervals On Skewed Data, Monica Solis

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

In this thesis we will develop a method for the construction of a non-parametric confidence interval and compare it to parametric confidence intervals for the mean of a population distribution. Using Monte Carlo simulation, we will examine the performance of both confidence intervals on data from different types of distributions. In particular, we are interested in examining how these confidence intervals perform when the data is known to come from a skewed distribution. Our goal is to illustrate the superiority of our new method against a traditional parametric approach for estimating parameters, particularly on skewed data.

A Controlled Evaluation Of A Comprehensive Mental Skills Program For Ncaa And Youth Club Swimmers, Kevin Matthew Lancer

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Previous studies have established that mental skills training is an effective intervention for improving performance in athletes. Relaxation, imagery, and mental preparation interventions have demonstrated efficacy in the improvement of athletic performance. However, relaxation combined with imagery is more effective than either one alone. Similarly, past studies have indicated mental preparation interventions may be more effective in the improvement of athletic performance when combined with other interventions. In team sports such as swimming, optimum performance has been found to improve cohesion. However, whether cohesion leads to improvements in sports performance is undetermined. In this study, a multiple baseline across team …

Evaluation Of Building Energy Conservation Options, Arpakorn Kumpanon

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Evaluation of building energy conservation options in Las Vegas residential buildings merits attention of architects and engineers due to the extremely large amount of home construction taking place around the valley and the anticipated continuation of this activity. With this in mind, the purpose of this work is to determine the possible optimum cost effectiveness of various energy conservation options for new buildings in the local climate areas using Energy-10. Three types of savings have been evaluated: energy savings, operating cost savings, and LCC savings. To carry out this study, a parametric analysis of LCC savings has been evaluated relative …

Evaluation Of Cracking And Localized Corrosion Behavior Of Cladding Materials, Subhas Pothana

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This investigation is focused on the evaluation of stress corrosion cracking (SCC), hydrogen embrittlement (HE) and localized corrosion (pitting and crevice) susceptibility of zircaloy-2 and zircaloy-4 in neutral and acidic solutions at 30, 60, 90°C. Constant-load and slow-strain-rate (SSR) testing methods were used to evaluate the SCC and HE behavior of both alloys by use of smooth and notched tensile specimens. Controlled cathodic potentials were applied to evaluate the hydrogen effect on the cracking behavior. Cyclic potentiodynamic polarization technique was used to determine the localized corrosion susceptibility. The metallography and morphology of failure were analyzed by optical microscopy and scanning …