Digital Commons Network^™

Vancomycin-Intermediate Staphylococcus Aureus In A Home Health-Care Patient, Jeffrey C. Hageman, David A. Pegues, Carrie Jepson, Rose Lee Bell, Mary Guinan, Kevin W. Ward, Martin D. Cohen, Janet A. Hindler, Fred C. Tenover, Sigrid K. Mcallister, Molly E. Kellum, Scott K. Fridkin

School of Public Health Faculty Research

To date, four of the eight cases of infection by Staphylococcus aureus with reduced susceptibility to vancomycin (vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus [VISA] or glycopeptideintermediate S. aureus [GISA]) have been reported in the United States (1-3). We report a fifth case of VISA infection in the United States, and the first to occur during home health-care therapy. While all previous VISA strains have been oxacillin resistant, one of the two VISA strains identified in this investigation was oxacillin susceptible.

Flowers For The World: Developing A Business Game To Support The Teaching Of Is Concepts, Trevor T. Moores, Jerry Cha-Jan Chang

Management, Entrepreneurship and Technology Faculty Research

One of the key problems in teaching fundamental concepts in information systems is how to ground the theory in experiences that the students can relate to. To overcome this problem, a business game called Flowers For The World has been developed and used across a wide variety of IS courses. This paper will describe the game and the result of using it for a 300-level course in analysis and design. The possibility exists that the game could be developed to provide a common business foundation across all business school curricula.

"The Only Way To Teach These People Is To Kill Them": Pedagogy As Communicative Action In The Major Plays Of David Mamet, Jeffrey Otto Strasburg

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The mentor-student relationship is a recurring motif in the work of playwright David Mamet. Mamet's portrayal of this relationship demonstrates a conception of human interaction in ways that closely parallel Jurgen Habermas's theory of "communicative action." Habermas posits his theory as a decentered method of examining human subjects' attempts to establish intersubjective claims of validity with other subjects through the media of communication and argumentation. Within this concept, Habermas defines the "Ideal Speech Situation" (ISS), or rational discourse free of any relations of domination aimed at creating an intersubjective recognition of validity between two speaking subjects; Mamet's own conception of …

Analysis Of The Cell-Specific Expression Of The Serpent Gene And Its Role As A Cell -Fate Switch In Drosophila Melanogaster, Jennell Marie Miller

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

A universal problem in the development of complex organisms is programming totipotent cells into specialized cell types. I have focused on the Drosophila fat body and the characterization of the positional information required for the adoption of a fat cell identity by mesodermal cells. Central to this study is serpent, a transcription factor gene, both necessary and sufficient for fat-cell development; I characterized the patterns of activity for regulatory regions that control serpent expression within the fat body. The fat body is composed of three morphological domains (lateral fat body, ventral commissure, and dorsal fat cell projections) each of which …

Comparison Of Heart Rates Between Deep Water Running, Treadmill Running, And Cycling, Jennifer Nicole Padilla

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Deep water running (DWR) has become an alternate training technique among injured runners. DWR uses similar movements as running and can be a training modality for injured runners. It has not been well established whether the heart rate (HR) in water exercise and land exercise is the same when the workloads in the water and on land are identical. Using runners and swimmers, this study determined if the HR during treadmill running (TR), cycling, and DWR at 60% and 75% of MaxVO2 were different. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) between runners and swimmers during TR and DWR were also compared. …

A Comparative Analysis Of Church And State Issue Attitudes In The United States And Norway, Bryan Arlon Smith Rasmussen

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This study looks at the effect that the relationship between church and state has on the people of Norway and the United States. It is a study of political culture and socialization that compares the role of the established state church in Norway to the "Wall of Separation" that exists in the United States; Public opinion data is obtained from the World Values Survey and presented in terms of the current Accommodationist/Separationist debate. The most important variable in determining issue attitudes turns out to be whether or not a person attends church regularly, and not their denominational identity. The study …

Moderation Of Age-Related Cognitive Decline In Older Adults, Joseph Francis Boetcher

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Prior research has demonstrated a general decline in cognitive performance with age, especially in Fluid Intelligence. This study sought to find a way to slow, halt, or reverse the age-related decline in Fluid Intelligence. Participants aged 50 and older with no prior experience working crossword puzzles worked crossword puzzles for 4 hours per week for 8 weeks. The Constant Group worked easy puzzles for the whole 8 weeks while the Dynamic Group worked easy puzzles for 2 weeks, intermediate puzzles for 3 weeks, and hard puzzles for 3 weeks. All participants were pretested and posttest on 2 measures of Crystallized …

Unlv College Of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter, Porter Troutman, Nancy P. Gallavan, John Filler, Steven Grubaugh, Nancy Sileo, Kyle Higgins, Aimee Govett, Jean Henry, Lisa Bendixen, Cecilia Maldonado-Daniels, Jennifer L. Fabbi

College of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter

A newsletter discussing a variety of topics dealing with multicultural topics and diversity in education.

Isolated Ramp Metering Feedback Control Utilizing Mixed Sensitivity For Desired Mainline Density And The Ramp Queues, Pushkin Kachroo, Kaan Ozbay, Donald E. Grove

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Research

This paper presents a feedback control design for isolated ramp metering control. This feedback control design, unlike the existing isolated feedback ramp controllers, also takes into account the ramp queue length. Using a nonlinear H∞ control design methodology, we formulate the problem in the desired setting to be able to utilize the results of the methodology.

Unlv College Of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter, Steve Mccafferty, John Filler, Nancy P. Gallavan, Le Ann Putney, Nancy Sileo, Kyle Higgins, Porter Troutman, Paul Meacham, Cyndi Giorgis, Aimee Govett, Jean Henry, Lisa Bendixen, Jennifer L. Fabbi, Rebecca Nathanson

College of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter

A newsletter discussing a variety of topics dealing with multicultural topics and diversity in education.

Unlv College Of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter, Steve Mccafferty, John Filler, Nancy P. Gallavan, Le Ann Putney, Nancy Sileo, Kyle Higgins, Porter Troutman, Paul Meacham, Cyndi Giorgis, Aimee Govett, Jean Henry, Lisa Bendixen, Jennifer L. Fabbi, Rebecca Nathanson

College of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter

A newsletter discussing a variety of topics dealing with multicultural topics and diversity in education.

Unlv College Of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter, Steve Mccafferty, John Filler, Nancy P. Gallavan, Le Ann Putney, Nancy Sileo, Kyle Higgins, Porter Troutman, Paul Meacham, Cyndi Giorgis, Aimee Govett, Jean Henry, Lisa Bendixen, Jennifer L. Fabbi, Rebecca Nathanson

College of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter

A newsletter discussing a variety of topics dealing with multicultural topics and diversity in education.

Unlv College Of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter, Porter Troutman, Nancy P. Gallavan, John Filler, Steven Grubaugh, Nancy Sileo, Kyle Higgins, Aimee Govett, Jean Henry, Lisa Bendixen, Cecilia Maldonado-Daniels, Jennifer L. Fabbi

College of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter

A newsletter discussing a variety of topics dealing with multicultural topics and diversity in education.

Time And The Academic Librarian, Jeanne M. Brown

Library Faculty Research

For academic librarians to balance time requirements for research, service and job duties they need a keen sense of where their time is allocated. Although the literature gives some idea of average time allocated, a more detailed view is obtained through examination of one librarian’s seven-year accumulation of daily time logs. The log as a method for achieving balance and the goal of balance itself are explored.

Meeting The Needs Of Industry: Development Of A Microcontroller Course For Mechanical Engineers, W. G. Culbreth

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

An Interactive Visual Environment For Scientific Problem Solving, Georg F. Mauer

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

Photoelectron Spectroscopy And The Dipole Approximation, Oliver Hemmers, Dennis W. Lindle

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

Over the past three decades, the dipole approximation has facilitated a basic understanding of the photoionization process in atoms and molecules. Advances in gas-phase photoemission experiments using synchrotron radiation have recently highlighted nondipole effects at relatively low photon energies while probing the limits of the dipole approximation. Breakdowns in this approximation are manifested primarily as deviations from dipolar angular distributions of photoelectrons. Detailed new results demonstrate nondipolar angular-distribution effects are easily observable in atomic gases at energies well below 1 keV, and, in molecules, a previously unexpected phenomenon greatly enhances the breakdown of the dipole approximation just above the core-level …

Recolonization Of The Flicker And Other Notes From Isla Guadalupe, Mexico, Paul R. Sweet, George F. Barrrowclough, John Klicka, Liliana Montanez-Godoy, Patricia Escalante

Ornithology Program (HRC)

During a visit to Isla Guadalupe from 31 May to 3 June 1996, we documented three species new to the island, the Barn Owl, Swainson's Thrush, and Hooded Oriole, and established first breeding records for the European Starling and Western Meadowlark. Red-shafted Flickers are now breeding on the island, representing a recent recolonization from the mainland following the extinction of the endemic population. We investigated the validity of Colaptes auratus rufipileus and concluded that it doesn’t meet the standard for phylogenetic species but differs from C. a. collaris at the 75% level usually associated with subspecific rank. Damage to the …

Modeling, Fabrication, And Optimization Of Niobium Cavities: Phase I, Robert A. Schill Jr., Mohamed Trabia

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

Niobium cavities are important parts of the integrated NC/SC high-power linacs. Over the years, researchers in several countries have tested various cavity shapes. They concluded that elliptically shaped cells and buffered chemical polishing produce good performance. The objective of the proposed research is to maximize the performance of the niobium cavities through studying multipacting, studying the effect of chemical etching on the surface roughness, and redesigning the cavities.

The US Congress has recently authorized exploring an alternative way to deal with spent nuclear fuel: Accelerator Transmuting of Waste (ATW). In this approach, a particle accelerator produces protons that react with …

Experimental Investigation Of Steel Corrosion In Lead Bismuth Eutectic (Lbe): Characterization, Species Identification, And Chemical Reactions, John Farley, Dale L. Perry

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The goal of the present research is to achieve a basic understanding of corrosion of steels by Lead Bismuth Eutectic (LBE). Liquid LBE is under consideration in the transmuter as both a coolant and a target material. There have been studies of LBE, especially by the Russians, but a fundamental understanding and verification of its role in the corrosion of steels is still very 2 incomplete. Post-experiment testing and analysis will be performed on steel samples that have been in intimate contact with LBE. Chemical alterations and resulting chemical species will be measured at the steel surface. Techniques to be …

The Procedure For Determining And Quality Assurance Program For The Calculation Of Dose Coefficients Using Dcal Software, A. Arndt, John P. Shanahan, C. Gold, R. Brey, T. Gesell, Phillip W. Patton, Mark Rudin, K. Eckerman, V. Rusetski, S. Pagava

Transmutation Sciences Physics (TRP)

The development of a spallation neutron source with a mercury target may lead to the production of rare radionuclides. The dose coefficients for many of these radionuclides have not yet been published. A collaboration of universities and national labs has taken on the task of calculating dose coefficients for the rare radionuclides using the software package: DCAL. The working group developed a procedure for calculating dose coefficients and a quality assurance (QA) program to verify the calculations completed. The first portion of this QA program was to verify that each participating group could independently reproduce the dose coefficients for a …

The Practice Of Leadership: The Life And Times Of Joshua L. Chamberlain, Patrick W. Carlton

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

Explores the life and achievements of Brevet Major General J.L. Chamberlain, the "hero of Little Round Top," describing his activities as pre-war professor, Civil War leader, and post-war governor, college president and federal official. Chamberlain, a military novice at the beginning of the war, was appointed second-in command of the 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment, in August, 1862. Quickly learning the soldier's craft, Chamberlain was promoted to Colonel and regimental commander in June, 1863, just prior to the battle of Gettysburg. There the unit, profiting from Chamberlain's inspired and creative leadership, is credited with preventing the extreme left flank of …

Laminin-5 Mediates Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Response To Growth Factors, Karl Kingsley

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The development and normal function of cells in the body depend upon interactions with other molecules. One such group of molecules, referred to as the extracellular matrix (ECM), is secreted by subsets of epithelial, endothelial, and mesenchymal cells within multicellular organisms. The laminin families comprise a set of soluble ECM glycoproteins that are required for structural integrity and development in many epithelial tissues. Ln-5 is a laminin isoform composed of three subunits: alpha3, beta3, and gamma2. In this study, I sought to determine temporal and spatial patterns of ln-5 expression in non epithelial tissues. Using an enzyme-linked immunofluorescence amplification system …

Political Ramifications Of Gender Complementarity For Women In Native American Literature, Patrice Eunice Marie Hollrah

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation explores how a tribal construct of gender relations---gender complementarity---functions in the works of Zitkala-Sa (Yankton Sioux), Leslie Marmon Silko (Laguna Pueblo), Louise Erdrich (Ojibwe), and Sherman Alexie (Spokane/Coeur d'Alene). Gender complementarity, or balanced reciprocity, acknowledges that the worlds of men and women are different but not generally perceived as hierarchical. If gender roles are not seen as unequal but simply different, the resulting political relationships do not necessarily result in power struggles for equality. Examining the political ramifications of gender complementarity for women in Native American literature is approached through the historical and cultural contexts of each specific …

Perceptions Of Standards -Based Reform And The Role Of Instructional Leadership, Robert Bruce Anderson

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to increase the knowledge about science teachers' and principals' perceptions regarding science standards-based reform efforts in Nevada. The intent of the Nevada Education Reform Act (NERA) was to improve teaching and learning by impacting the following categories: (a) instruction, (b) assessment, (c) accountability, (d) professional development, (e) curriculum, and (f) supervision. The study investigated science teachers' and principals' perceptions of how standards impacted these areas as well as the role of instructional leadership in the implementation of standards-based reform. Finally, the study investigated how perceptions differed based on school size; This study employed what …

An Investigation Into The Relationship Between Commitment As Loyalty: Commitment As A Key Mediating Variable For Loyalty, Shiang-Lih Chen

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Many studies have verified that a service provider can benefit greatly from customer commitment and loyalty. However, there is a lack of consensus in the definition of commitment and loyalty constructs and ways of measuring them. As indicated by Pritchard, et al. (I999), there is a dearth of empirical consumer research examining the relationship between commitment and loyalty. Understanding the role that commitment plays in developing and explaining loyalty and the relationship between commitment and loyalty are critical in facilitating the evolution of loyalty; This study empirically examined whether commitment is a key-mediating variable for loyalty. The relationships between commitment …

The Use Of Teacher Facilitation During Computer Activities To Improve The Social Interaction Of Preschool Children In Inclusive Classrooms, Cynthia Lau

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Social competence is a major focus in early childhood education and there is a need for effective teaching methods to increase social skills for both children with and without disabilities. Even though technology is used as a tool for teaching young children, there is limited research on the use of structured teaching coupled with assistive technology to facilitate social skill development in young children; This study investigated the impact of teacher facilitation during computer activities on the social skill development and concurrent interactions of young children. The study compared dyads comprised of children with and without disabilities who received teacher …

Factors Affecting Enrollment And Retention At The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter -Day Saints St George Institute Of Religion, John Savage Naegle

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to identify those factors that influence the decision of young, single, adult members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints ages 18--30 to be involved or not in the institute program; For Institutes to be effective in their charge to involve all young, single adults it would be helpful to understand why potential Institute students do one of the following: (1) Enroll in and complete an institute class. (2) Enroll in and stop attending an institute class. (3) Do not enroll in an institute class; Because the Church Educational System was asked …

Coping Strategies And Stress Levels Of Parents Of Children With Autism, Tammy L Neil

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to assess stress levels and coping strategies of parents with children with autism. The goal is to identify the resources and support systems which parents use for coping with their stress and to assess whether the support systems differ between mothers and fathers. This study will also investigate differences in coping strategies used by parents of children with autism and parents of typically developing children; Subjects in this study included thirty parents of children with autism, and thirty parents of typically developing children. All participants were recruited from the Eastern, Midwest, and Western part …

In Vitro Analysis Of Integrin Mediated Adhesion, Migration, And Signaling, William Lathrop Rust

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Integrins are cellular adhesion receptors whose functions are critical to the progression of solid tissue cancers. The research described here involves four projects aimed at understanding how integrins modulate key elements of carcinogenesis, (adhesion and migration), on laminin basal lamina proteins; In order to carry out these studies, a novel fluorescence based protocol for quantifying cell migration towards a bound substrate was developed (Chapter 2). This method is more reliable, efficient, and informative than currently available protocols. I demonstrate its use as a screen for migration-blocking chemotherapeutic drugs; The small heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) is found to be over-expressed …