Digital Commons Network^™

July 2014 Complete

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

No abstract provided.

Learning From Las Vegas: Gambling, Technology, Capitalism, And Addiction, David T. Courtwright

Occasional Papers

Gambling has always led to addictive behavior in some individuals. However, the number and types of addicted gamblers have changed over time and in response to specific gambling environments. Recent work by historians, journalists, and anthropologists, reviewed in this paper, suggests that the situation worsened during the modern era, and that it has become worse still during the last half century. Technological, organizational, and marketing innovations have “weaponized” gambling, increasing both the likelihood that people will gamble and that they will gamble compulsively—a phenomenon with parallels to several other consumer products, including processed food, digitized games, and psychoactive drugs.

Gravity Models And Casino Gaming: A Review, Critique, And Modification, Clyde W. Barrow, David R. Borges

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Gravity models have been widely used in expanded gaming debates to persuade investors that proposed casinos will be financially successful and to persuade state and local government officials, as well as a skeptical public, of the economic and fiscal benefits of casino gaming. However, most people involved in the decision-making process understand very little about the internal mechanics of these models and how they generate financial forecasts, estimates of customer visits, and projections of new job creation. In fact, the gravity models used in market feasibility studies for the casino industry are proprietary models that remain closely guarded secrets of …

Games Of Life And Death: The Judicial Uses Of Dice In Eighteenth And Nineteenth-Century Sweden, Per Binde

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Gambling studies should take a broad view of the field and consider activities that are not strictly gambling but similar to it, such as cleromancy and secular uses of drawing of lots, to give us perspective on societal and cultural aspects of gambling. This paper presents historical data on judicial uses of throwing dice in eighteenth and nineteenth-century Sweden. The focus is on cases of manslaughter with multiple perpetrators who were considered equally guilty and were forced by the criminal court to throw dice to determine who should be executed and who should receive lesser penalties. Three principles are distinguished …

Mobilization Of Toxic Elements From An Abandoned Manganese Mine In The Arid Metropolitan Las Vegas (Nv, Usa) Area, Ji Hye Park, Vernon Hodge, Shawn Gerstenberger, Krystyna Stave

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Research

Active and abandoned mines may present health risks, especially to children, from environmental exposure to airborne chemical elements, such as Pb, As, and Mn. X-ray fluorescence analysis of tailings at the Three Kids Mine show they contain high levels of: Pb (15,300 mg/kg), As (3690 mg/kg), and Mn (153,000 mg/kg). Soil was sampled along eight transects, radiating from the dried tailings ponds. Concentrations of Mn and Pb to the NE are at background concentrations at 4.8 km, and, As and Sr at 3.2 km from the mine. Going SW to the City of Henderson, all elements are at background at …

College Of Engineering Senior Design Competition Spring 2014, University Of Nevada, Las Vegas

Fred and Harriet Cox Senior Design Competition Projects

Part of every UNLV engineering student’s academic experience, the senior design project stimulates engineering innovation and entrepreneurship. Each student in their senior year chooses, plans, designs, and prototypes a product in this required element of the curriculum. A capstone to the student’s educational career, the senior design project encourages the student to use everything learned in the engineering program to create a practical, real world solution to an engineering challenge. The senior design competition helps focus the senior students in increasing the quality and potential for commercial application for their design projects. Judges from local industry evaluate the projects on …

Initial Characterization Of A Conserved Active Site Residue For The Cdc34 Ubiquitin Conjugating Enzyme, Arvin Akoopie

Honors College Theses

Ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (E2s) covalently modify protein substrates with ubiquitins. The active site cysteine residues on E2s are essential for catalyzing the transfer of ubiquitin from the E2 active site onto the protein substrate, however there is a limited amount of information available concerning additional active site residues for E2s that may also participate in catalysis. Cdc34 is an essential E2 that has merited the lion’s share of attention for biochemical analysis of the E2 family. Previous phylogenetic analysis of Cdc34 amino acid sequences has identified an invariably conserved histidine residue close to the active site cysteine in the primary structure, …

Water Use On The Las Vegas Strip: Assessment And Suggestions For Conservation, Suzanne H. Trabia

Honors College Theses

Due to stresses on the water supply in southern Nevada, which include an average of three million tourists per month and an ongoing drought since the year 2000, water conservation is imperative in order to sustain the growing urban area of Las Vegas. The purpose of this study is to assess water use in fourteen casinos on and off the Las Vegas Strip (the main boulevard of the largest casinos in Las Vegas) in order to suggest approaches for water conservation, such as reducing, reusing, and modifying the current system. Since data on water consumption is not publicly available, five …

The Construction And Characterization Of A Magneto-Optical Trap For Rubidium-87 And Electromagnetically-Induced Transparency In Rubidium-87 In A Vapor Cell, Yu Liu

Honors College Theses

Recent years have observed fast developments in neutral atomic vapor based quantum information storage technology. The technique utilizes light fields in the optical wavelength region as signal carrier and retriever and neutral atomic systems (e.g. single atoms, ensembles of atoms, atom-like defects in solids) as storage media. Photons are robust carriers of information due to their high velocity (c = 2.998 x 10⁸ m/s) and ease of transportation (they propagate rectilinearly with low loss). Their high mobility, however, makes it a challenging task to spatially localize and therefore store them. Atoms (or atom-like systems), on the other hand, can …

Co-Emulation Of Scan-Chain Based Designs Utilizing Sce-Mi Infrastructure, Bill Jason Pidlaoan Tomas

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Simulation times of complex System-on-Chips (SoC) have grown exponentially as designs reach the multi-million ASIC gate range. Verification teams have adopted emulation as a prominent methodology, incorporating high-level testbenches and FPGA/ASIC hardware for system-level testing (SLT). In addition to SLT, emulation enables software teams to incorporate software applications with cycle-accurate hardware early on in the design cycle. The Standard for Co-Emulation Modeling Interface (SCE-MI) developed by the Accelera Initiative, is a widely used communication protocol for emulation which has been accepted by major electronic design automation (EDA) companies.

Scan-chain is a design-for-test (DFT) methodology used for testing digital circuits. To …

A Survey Of Antimicrobial Stewardship Practices In The Western United States: Successes And Challenges, Gayle Louise Allenback

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Antibiotics are one of the most important developments in medicine, and their ability to prevent and control infections has had a major impact in clinical medicine. However, the past three decades have shown an increase in multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) in both hospital patients and in the community, decreasing our ability to successfully control infection. Complicating the depletion of effective antimicrobials is the fact that, in the last 10 years, there has also been a decrease in the development of new antibacterial agents. Resistant infections have resulted in increased morbidity and mortality, with a consequential increase in healthcare costs. The utilization …

Table Games Revenue Management: A Bayesian Approach, Daryl F. Boykin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

With growing competition for casino floor space, the Table Games department is under increased pressure to improve revenues. Current systems in the department rely upon a supervisor's intuitive knowledge about business trends hourly to respond to business levels. By using Bayesian analysis, it is possible to develop a functional revenue management system for making optimal business decisions in the Table Game Departments.

Observability In Traffic Modeling: Eulerian And Lagrangian Coordinates, Sergio Contreras

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Traditionally, one of the ways traffic flow has been studied is by using the kinematic wave model. This model is studied in the Eulerian framework. Recently, the kinematic wave model has been transformed into Lagrangian coordinates. This model of traffic flow together with the concept of observability for linear time invariant discrete time systems is applied to study the observability of four sections of a freeway in both Eulerian and Lagrangian coordinates. A system with densities in four sections of a freeway is designed, and the observability of the system is studied with different situations for sensors. When the system …

Biomechanical Analysis Of Gait Kinetics Resulting From Use Of A Vacuum Socket On A Transtibial Prosthesis, Maria De Lourdes Ramos Gonzalez

Honors College Theses

The technology and design of lower limb prosthetics have evolved greatly since their introduction. The current study proposed to compare the effects of a conventional pin socket attachment and a vacuum socket attachment for a transtibial amputee. Whereas traditional measurements of gait utilize force plates and camera systems, this study made use of a small tri-axial load cell located at the base of the socket to measure the forces and moments exerted during a regular gait cycle. The hypothesis tested stated that a vacuum pump socket attachment, when compared to a non-vacuum (pin) socket, will have a significant effect on …

Binary Technetium Halides, Erik Vaughan Johnstone

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In this work, the synthetic and coordination chemistry as well as the physico-chemical properties of binary technetium (Tc) chlorides, bromides, and iodides were investigated. Resulting from these studies was the discovery of five new binary Tc halide phases: α/β-TcCl₃, α/β-TcCl₂, and TcI₃, and the reinvestigation of the chemistries of TcBr₃ and TcX₄ (X = Cl, Br). Prior to 2009, the chemistry of binary Tc halides was poorly studied and defined by only three compounds, i.e., TcF₆, TcF₅, and TcCl₄. Today, ten phases are known (i.e., TcF …

Prymnesium Parvum And Fish Kills In A Southern Nevada Man-~Made Reservoir, Tara Gregg

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The water chemistry of Lake Las Vegas (LLV), a Southern Nevada man-made reservoir, is influenced by both anthropogenic and natural sources. These sources affect the reservoir's water chemistry, which may promote harmful algal blooms (HABs) leading to massive fish kill events. Fish kills, caused by the golden algaePrymnesium parvum (P. parvum), continue to pose a threat in the reservoir. However, no effective treatments to controlP. parvumin large reservoirs such as LLV have been determined. This cross-sectional study evaluated important variables that may affectP. parvumHABs in LLV, including non-P. parvumbiomass (mg/m3), total zooplankton abundance (#/m3), temperature, TDS (salinity), mineral concentration (Ca, …

Pronghorn (Antilocapra Americana) Offspring Recruitment On The Carrizo Plain National Monument: Evaluating The Effects Of Low Population Density And Marginal Habitat Quality., Diego Ramirez Johnson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Demographic fluctuation among ungulate populations is strongly linked to variability in recruitment. Rates of recruitment are subject to various forms of density-dependent and density-independent regulation. For species which benefit from the presence of conspecifics, reduced population density can decrease rates of recruitment and trigger a decline in per capita growth. Termed the Allee effect, this scenario can cause demographic collapse and population extinction. For many ungulate species, predation on juveniles is reduced when the timing and distribution of births is synchronized within a local population. Because birth synchrony is density-dependent, it may act as a mechanism for the Allee effect …

Technical Theatre: Bridging The Gap Between Academic And Vocational Training While Preparing Students For Careers And Life, Megan Morey

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Most people do not realize that Technical Theatre even exists, and of those who do, not many realize the great potential that Technical Theatre programs have for reforming education. Through an examination of the basic history of education in the United States, as well as of the current trends in student preparation for careers and the workforce, it is clear that Technical Theatre offers an educational model that addresses many of the difficulties experienced in today's educational systems. By integrating the core subjects with hands-on learning, technical skills, 21st century soft skills, and both learner-centered and group-learning methodologies, Technical Theatre …

Garnet Dating, Pressure-Temperature Time Paths And Kinematic Analysis Of The Schist Of Upper Narrows, Raft River Mountains, Northwestern Utah: Tectonic Implications Of Pressure-Temperature-Time-Deformation Paths, Alison Christine Lacy

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The hinterland of the Sevier orogenic belt underwent multiple episodes of synconvergent extension, prior to a brief transitional phase from shortening to overall extension that affected the entire orogen during the Early Eocene. The timing of the final transition from contraction to extension, while well documented in the Sevier fold-thrust belt, remains poorly constrained within the hinterland. The study of metamorphic rocks within the hinterland region provides a unique perspective on the nature of deformational events as well as the timing of the transition from contractional to extensional processes. Garnets from the schist of Upper Narrows in the western Raft …

Study Of Water Transport Phenomena On Cathode Of Pemfcs Using Monte Carlo Simulation, Karn Soontrapa

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation deals with the development of a three-dimensional computational model of water transport phenomena in the cathode catalyst layer (CCL) of PEMFCs. The catalyst layer in the numerical simulation was developed using the optimized sphere packing algorithm. The optimization technique named the adaptive random search technique (ARSET) was employed in this packing algorithm. The ARSET algorithm will generate the initial location of spheres and allow them to move in the random direction with the variable moving distance, randomly selected from the sampling range, based on the Lennard-jones potential of the current and new configuration. The solid fraction values obtained …

Understanding Selenium Distribution In Lake Mead Using A Three-Dimensional Hydrodynamic Based Water Quality Model, Xiaolu Wei

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Shallow groundwater and surface drainages in Las Vegas Wash are known to have elevated level of selenium which mainly comes from the naturally occurring geological hotspots on the southeast side of the Las Vegas Valley. Selenium fate and transport after it enters into Lake Mead from the Las Vegas Wash are not clearly understood. An open sourced three-dimensional Environmental Fluid Dynamic Code model (EFDC), developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, was used to model movement of selenium in the Boulder Basin, Lake Mead. The model was calibrated by observed data from 2006 to 2007. The concept of Lagrangian …

Ore Characterization Of The Estelle Property In The South-~Central Alaska Range, Ember Flagg

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Estelle Property, located 170 km northwest of Anchorage, Alaska in the South Central Alaska Range, has been the focus of recent exploration activity for gold. Geological and geochemical investigations indicate that gold is spatially associated with felsic end-members of a series of zoned, Late Cretaceous intrusions that were emplaced into the Kahiltna terrane. A detailed study of outcrop and drill core samples was conducted to characterize host rock lithologies, intrusion compositions, and four main vein types including their mineralogy as well as their associated alteration mineral assemblages that are restricted to narrow selvages adjacent to veins. This study was …

Using The Web 1t 5-Gram Database For Attribute Selection In Formal Concept Analysis To Correct Overstemmed Clusters, Guymon Hall

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Information retrieval is the process of finding information from an unstructured collection of data. The process of information retrieval involves building an index, commonly called an inverted file. As part of the inverted file, information retrieval algorithms often stem words to a common root. Stemming involves reducing a document term to its root. There are many ways to stem a word: affix removal and successor variety are two common categories of stemmers. The Porter Stemming Algorithm is a suffix removal stemmer that operates as a rule-based process on English words. We can think of stemming as a way to cluster …

Implementing Influence Diagram Concepts To Optimize Border Patrol Operations Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Ashish Karki

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The most common approach for border patrol operations is the use of human personnel and manned ground vehicles, which is expensive, at times inefficient and sometimes even hazardous to people involved. The length of the US border, mostly covering unpopulated areas, with harsh atmospheric conditions makes it more susceptible to illegal human activities. Automated border surveillance by unattended, fixed, ground sensors forming an electronic fence has proven expensive, inefficient and was prone to unacceptable rate of false alarms.

A better approach would be using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in combination with such ground sensors. This would help improve the overall …

A Branch And Bound Method For Sum Of Completion Permutation Flow Shop, Swapna Kodimala

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

We present a new branch and bound algorithm for solving three machine permutation flow shop problem where the optimization criterion is the minimization of sum of completion times of all the jobs. The permutation flow shop problem (F||∑C_i ) belongs to the class of NP-hard problems; finding the optimal solution is thus expected to be highly computational. For each solution our scheme gives an approximation ratio and finds near optimal solutions. Computational results for up to 20 jobs are given for 3 machine flow shop problem when the objective is minimizing the sum of completion times. The thesis also …

Modeling Of Short Term And Long Term Impacts Of Freeway Traffic Incidents Using Historical Data, Vidhya Kumaresan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Traffic incidents are major contributors to non-recurring traffic congestion in most urban areas in United States. In addition to losses in terms of injury and property damage, freeway incidents also produce negative effects on the system including increased travel delays, fuel consumption and vehicle emissions. Incident management strategies are aimed at reducing the impacts caused by such incidents. Development of guidelines or models to quantify the impacts of these incidents on the society can aid in analyzing the effectiveness and economic feasibility of such incident management strategies.

The first objective of this study is to calibrate models that relate the …

Using Seismic Reflection To Locate A Tracer Testing Complex South Of Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada, Levi Kryder

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Tracer testing in the fractured volcanic aquifer near Yucca Mountain, and in the alluvial aquifer south of Yucca Mountain, Nevada has been conducted in the past to determine the flow and transport properties of groundwater in those geologic units. However, no tracer testing has been conducted across the alluvium/volcanic interface. This thesis documents the investigative process and subsequent analysis and interpretations used to identify a location suitable for installation of a tracer testing complex, near existing Nye County wells south of Yucca Mountain.

The work involved evaluation of existing geologic data, collection of wellbore seismic data, and a detailed surface …

Self Adjusting Contention Friendly Concurrent Binary Search Tree By Lazy Splaying, Mahesh Raj Regmee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

We present a partial blocking implementation of concurrent binary search tree data structure that is contention friendly, fast and scales well. It uses a technique, called lazy splaying to move frequently accessed items close to the root without making the root of the tree a sequential bottleneck. Most of the self adjusting binary search trees are constrained to guarantee the height of a tree even in the presence of concurrency. But, this methodology roughly guarantees the height of a tree only in the absence of contention and limits the contention during concurrent accesses.

The main idea is to divide the …

Simultaneous Equation Modeling For Crash Rate Of Freeway Segments, Anthony Ramos

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In 2010, the total number of reported traffic crashes in the state of Nevada was 51,664 of which 235 (0.6%) resulted in one or more deaths (Nevada Department of Transportation, 2012). The state's "Zero Fatalities" traffic safety campaign aims to reduce the rate even further. Out of the total number of crashes, Clark County (includes Las Vegas) accounted for 78.89%. This study examines safety improvement by developing advanced crash prediction models. The system of crash prediction equations consider geometric conditions and traffic volume using simultaneous equation modeling (SEM). The models are based on geometric characteristics and traffic volume data collected …

A Survey Of Tabu Search In Combinatorial Optimization, Lemasri Piniganti

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Tabu search is a Meta heuristic loosely connected to evolutionary computing. It has been used to tackle hard problems, especially combinatorial optimization problems. Tabu search is designed to overcome difficult regions of a search space by imposing restrictions. Various methods for diversification and intensification are applied depending on the particular problem type and on what type of solutions (within the set of good solutions) are sought. Tabu search uses memory - short term, long term and intermediate - to achieve diversification and intensification. Furthermore, aspiration criteria may be used to tune the optimization process.

Thus the Tabu search Meta heuristic …