Digital Commons Network^™

Improved Communication Skills Through Customized Training Programs: An Applied Study Of Organizational Development, Angela Autumn Betke

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

As developmental training programs grow in organization life, customized training programs including observation, collaboration with management, data gathering, research of materials to be used, and evaluation become necessary. Using these, and other methods of research, consultants are able to develop programs which focus directly on the specific needs of an independent organization and its employees; This research evaluated internal organizational communication problems "by facilitating discovery and examination of the underlying symbolic structures, constraints, and opportunities of organizational life" (Kreps, 1983; Schein, 1987; 1969). The data gathered was "generated by organizational communication research to provide insight into organizational phenomena and redirect …

Yield Management And Its Practical Application In Hotels, Jeffrey M. Caneen

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Yield management is an approach to pricing that is often used by industries in which the marginal production cost is relatively high, while the marginal sales cost is relatively low. The hotel industry meets this criterion. Industry publications demonstrate a keen interest in the revenue enhancing potential of yield management, but there has been little research on the extent to which this pricing technique is actually utilized by hotel general managers; This research tests the proposition that there are eight basic elements of yield management in hotels. The degree to which yield management is practiced is indicated by the extent …

Motion Compensated Images Using Rgb Data, Jin Ah Jeon

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

A motion compensation algorithm correcting not only for translation but also for rotation, scaling, and shearing, is investigated in this thesis. Our work also includes noise detection and noise compensation due to the variation of the light. The probability distribution of the noise is investigated. The variation of the light could occur due to the voltage variation or due to the sunlight variation in the presence of clouds, or other reasons. Practical results have also been obtained by applying our theory to moving pictures.

The Effects Of Learning A Programming Language On Logical Thinking Skills, Margaret Gradwell Mains

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The study examined the effects of learning a computer programming language on logical thinking skills, by comparing the logical reasoning skills of students who took a QBasic class with those who took a continuing education computer graphics/desktop publishing class; The study took place during a 14-week period in the fall of 1996. The sample was selected from students enrolled in a QBasic programming language from a community college in Las Vegas, Nevada {dollar}(n=15).{dollar} A desktop publishing/graphics class was the comparison group, selected from the same community college {dollar}(n=15).{dollar} Pretest and posttest scores on the students' logical thinking skills were collected …

A Survey Of Computer Uses In Music, Maria N Russell

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This thesis covers research into the mathematical basis inherent in music including review of projects related to optical character recognition (OCR) of musical symbols. Research was done about fractals creating new pieces by assigning pitches to numbers. Existing musical pieces can be taken apart and reassembled creating new ideas for composers. Musical notation understanding is covered and its requirement for the recognition of a music sheet by the computer for editing and reproduction purposes is explained. The first phase of a musical OCR was created in this thesis with the recognition of staff lines on a good quality image. Modifications …

Vertical Equating Of Curriculum-Based Tests In Reading, Mathematics, And Language Arts, Judith Susan Gage Costa

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Vertical equating of a large urban school district's curriculum-based achievement tests for students in grades one through five was performed by using the BILOG-MG software package produced by Zimowski, Muraki, Mislevy, and Bock. This software extends the application of the item response theory (IRT) approach to test analysis to testing situations involving multiple groups BILOG-MG, item parameter estimates were derived using a marginal maximum a posteriori approach in combination with an expectation-maximization algorithm (EM). Estimates of examinee ability were produced using the Bayesian, or expected a posteriori, estimate with a normal prior distribution; Linkage of successive test forms was accomplished …

Theoretical Study Of Crystal-Amorphous Transition In (111) Silicon, And Oxidation Of (100) Silicon, Suresh Gorantla

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Molecular Beam Epitaxial (MBE) silicon (Si) (111) grown below a certain temperature results in amorphous structure due to the limited surface mobility of atoms for finding the correct epitaxial sites. A theoretical model based on the formation of stacking fault like defects as a precursor to the amorphous transition of the (111)Si layer is developed. The model is simulated based on a stochastic model approach and the results are compared to that of experiments for temperatures in the range of {dollar}500{-}900\sp\circ{dollar}K and growth rate in the range of 0.1-3.0 {dollar}\A/sec.{dollar} The agreement between the results obtained and experimental observations is …

The Grid Sketcher: An Autocad-Based Tool For Conceptual Design Processes, Brian Martin Gardner

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Sketching with pencil and paper is reminiscent of the varied, rich, and loosely defined formal processes associated with conceptual design. Architects actively engage such creative paradigms in their exploration and development of conceptual design solutions. The Grid Sketcher, as a conceptual sketching tool, presents one possible computer implementation for enhancing and supporting these processes. It effectively demonstrates the facility with which current technology and the computing environment can enhance and simulate sketching intents and expectations; Typically with respect to design, the position taken is that the two are virtually void of any fundamental commonality. A designer's thoughts are intuitive, at …

Sublimation From Snow Packs In Toiyabe National Forest, Nevada And Dixie National Forest, Utah, Stephen M Lawson

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

A study was conducted to measure sublimation rates and concurrent meteorological parameters on snow packs at Kyle Canyon, Nevada; Brian Head, Utah; and Lee Canyon, Nevada. Over 730 individual gravimetric measurements were made using snow lysimeters and over 16,500 individual meteorological measurements were taken. The measured sublimation rates averaged 0.438 mm/day, 0.757 mm/day, and 0.586 mm/day for each site respectively, with a combined average of 0.647 mm/day for all sites. There was little or no correlation between measured sublimation rates and meteorological measurements with the exception of Kyle Canyon. However, the data set from Kyle Canyon was the most limited …

The Migration Of Arsenic And Lead In Surface Sediments At Three Kids Mine, Henderson, Nevada, Douglas Brian Sims

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This study focused on the distribution of arsenic and lead in surface sediments at Three Kids Mine in Henderson, Nevada. The mine site encompasses approximately 470 acres of desert and is situated above two developing communities (Lake Las Vegas and Calico Ridge) and the Las Vegas Valley's water source (Lake Mead); Transport of arsenic and lead appears to have occurred within a limited range in both the eastern and western washes on the eastern and western sides of Three Kids Mine. Concentrations of arsenic range between 20 mg/kg (ppm) and 1130 mg/kg and between 20 mg/kg and 8400 mg/kg for …

Low Harmonic Distortion Flash A/D Converters Incorporating Dynamic Element Matching Techniques, Bret David Steadman

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

New dynamic element matching techniques are shown to reduce the harmonic distortion and improve the spurious-free dynamic range of flash ADCs. Resistor chain mismatch errors are negated by randomly rearranging the resistors each sample by utilizing 5(2{dollar}\sp{b}{dollar}-1) digital switches and b + 1 random control signals for a b-bit flash ADC. The integral and differential nonlinearity of a non-ideal flash ADC are derived for three common resistor chain mismatch errors; namely, geometric mismatches, linear gradient mismatches, and dynamic mismatches. The transfer function of a non-ideal flash ADC is also derived and the converter output is shown to consist of a …

Automatic Clustering And Feedback In Information Retrieval, Girish Venkatachaliah

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Clustering and feedback have been used in information retrieval to improve the effectiveness of retrieving relevant documents. In this thesis, we investigate the retrieval effectiveness from various document collections in presence of both clustering and feedback. More precisely, we apply a clustering algorithm to an initial run of our queries to choose appropriate clusters for feedback. The clustering and feedback are done automatically.

Examining Student Perceptions Of The Transitional Services School Counselors Provide To College-Bound Individuals With And Without Learning Disabilities In The Areas Of Self-Awareness, Self-Advocacy, And The Law, Gillian Elisa Wells

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

College-bound students with and without learning disabilities were surveyed, to examine their perceptions of the transitional services provided by school counselors in the areas of self-awareness, self-advocacy, and the law. It appears that both groups are receiving some transitional services. Self-Awareness, self-advocacy, and the law are three components that are not covered by school counselors who work with students. In a majority of cases students cite family and other professionals as the only assistance they receive in these areas.

Robust Dynamic Feedback And Variable Structure Adaptive Control Of Rigid And Flexible Spacecraft, Yueming Zeng

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This thesis presents control systems design for control of rigid and flexible spacecraft in the presence of parameter uncertainty and disturbance inputs. Two kinds of control systems are designed for the control of rigid spacecraft. For the design of the first controller, Rodrigues parameters and modified Rodrigues parameters are used to describe the orientation of spacecraft. A dynamic decoupling attitude control law is derived for the tracking of reference attitude trajectories. The singular perturbation theory is used for the stability analysis of the closed-loop system. For the synthesis of the control law, only the attitude error is required. The second …

Modeling Temporal Variations In Travel Demand For Intelligent Transportation Systems, Srinivas Subrahmanyam Pulugurtha

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The imbalance between demand and supply on transportation networks, especially during peak periods, leads to significant level of congestion. Potential solutions to alleviate congestion problems include enhancing system capacity and effective utilization of available capacity--i.e., traffic demand management. Intelligent transportation system (ITS) initiatives such as travel demand management systems (TDMS) and traveler information systems (TIS) refer to demand management as an objective. The success of these initiatives rely heavily on an ability to accurately estimate the temporal variations in travel demand in near real-time. The focus of this dissertation is on developing a methodology for estimating temporal variations in travel …

Experimental Determination Of Heat Transfer And Fluid Flow Over Drift-Emplaced Canisters, Satish Pattisam

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Drift-emplaced waste canisters are under consideration for the long-term storage of high level spent fuel in the proposed underground repository at Yucca Mountain. These canisters will be placed on pedestals above the floor of the drifts and exchange heat with the walls of the drift and with air circulating through the repository. To assess the requirements of the repository ventilation system, values of the dimensionless convective heat transfer coefficient and the pressure drop across individual canisters were measured in an experimental model of the drift. The results were curve-fitted as functions of the spacing between the canisters and the Reynolds …

Image Processing Based Control For Scaled Automated Vehicles, N. Schlegel, Pushkin Kachroo, Joseph A. Ball, J. S. Bay

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Research

This paper presents a way to design a lateral controller for an automated vehicle using information gained through image processing with the control objective being to stay on a desired path. Two possible ways to obtain the information necessary for lateral control by image processing are presented, one based on pixel intensity summation and the other on vanishing point calculations. The paper also describes two algorithms for the actual lateral control, one based on classical control theory and the other on modern H∞ control. The resulting control algorithms were implemented on a scaled autonomous vehicle system.

Modeling And Control Of Electromagnetic Brakes For Enhanced Braking Capabilities For Automated Highway Systems, Ming Qian, Pushkin Kachroo

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Research

In automatic highway systems, a faster response and a robust braking system are crucial part of the overall automatic control of the vehicle. This paper describes electromagnetic brakes as a supplementary system for regular brakes. This system provides better time for emergency situations, and in general keeps the friction brake working longer and safer. A modified mathematical model for electromagnetic brakes is proposed to describe their static characteristics (angular speed versus brake torque). The performance of the modified mathematical model is better than the other three models available in the literature. To control the brakes, a robust sliding mode controller …

Ventilation Rates For Carassius Auratus During Changes In Dissolved Oxygen, Collin Nolan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This experiment was designed to determine whether dissolved oxygen concentrations would influence the ventilation rate of goldfish, Carassius auratus. Ventilation rate can be determined by counting opercular movements. Opercular movements of the same five goldfish were counted at three different levels of dissolved oxygen to determine whether there were differences in ventilation rates. Average ventilation rates were established for each of the three levels of dissolved oxygen and compared statistically. There were significant differences in the ventilation rates averages at each of the three levels. Carassius auratus will exhibit changes in ventilation rates when dissolved oxygen levels change.

The Geology And Structures In The Northern Hiko Range, Lincoln County, Nevada, Douglas D. Switzer

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In the northern Hiko Range, extension occurred in four temporally distinct episodes during the Cenozoic. The extensional events are (1) prevolcanic (> 27.31 ± 0. 03 Ma), (2) syn-volcanic (between 22.78 ± 0,03 and 18.5 ± 0.4 Ma), (3) Tertiary(?) post-volcanic ( < 14.7 ± 0.4 Ma), and ( 4) Pliocene(?) - Quaternary. Four fault sets are delineated based on orientation and cross-cutting relationships: (I) northeast- to northwest-striking moderately dipping prevolcanic faults, (2) east-west striking, steeply-dipping syn-volcanic faults, (3) east-west- and east-northeast-striking, steeply dipping Tertiary(?) post-volcanic faults, and (4) generally north-striking steeply dipping Pliocene (?) - Quaternary faults.

Prevolcanic faults in the northern Hiko Range are interpreted to be footwall faults to an Oligocene age extensional system. These faults increase the area affected by Oligocene extension and support existing evidence that suggests this event is widespread.

A tectonomagmatic rift model has been proposed to explain synvolcanic extension during the Tertiary in the northern Basin and Range …

Unlv Magazine, Barbara Cloud, Donna Mcaleer, Laurie Fruth

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.

Cross Sections For The Production Of He+ (Np) 2p0 States By 50 To 150 Kev Proton Impact On Helium, Wayne C. Stolte, R. Bruch

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Research

Cross sections have been measured for the production of He⁺ (np) ²P^o states, n=2,3,4, by proton impact on helium over a projectile velocity range of 1.42–2.45 a.u. (50 ≤E≤150 keV). Cross sections were determined by measuring the extreme ultraviolet photons emitted from excited He1 ions. The data indicate a lower energy than expected for the maximum cross section. A comparison of the present results in terms of projectile energy dependance with the cross sections for excitation to He (1snp) ¹P^o, ionization, and total electron capture suggests the primary mechanism …

Kinetic-Energy- And Angular-Resolved Fragmentation Of Co In Vibrational-Resolved C 1s Excitation, N. Saito, Franz Heiser, Oliver Hemmers, K. Wieliczek, J. Viefhaus, U. Becker

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

Angular distributions of C⁺+O⁺ from CO were measured, following vibrationally resolved C 1s excitations into the 2pπ, 3sσ, and 3pπ orbitals as well as into higher unresolved orbitals. A time-of-flight mass spectrometer, with a multihit-type position-sensitive anode, was used for the measurements. The anisotropy parameters (β) of C⁺+O⁺ approach their theoretically expected values as the released kinetic energy in the fragmentation increases. The value of the β parameters remains constant for all vibrational states within each orbital.

First Results From The High-Brightness X-Ray Spectroscopy Beamline 9.3.1 At Als, W. Ng, G. Jones, Rupert C. Perera, D. Hansen, J. Daniels, Oliver Hemmers, P. Glans, S. B. Whitfield, H. Wang, Dennis W. Lindle

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

Beamline 9.3.1 at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) is a windowless beamline, covering the 1–6 keV photon energy range. This beamline is designed to achieve the goal of high brightness at the sample for use in the x‐ray atomic and molecular spectroscopy (XAMS) science, surface and interface science, biology and x‐ray optical development programs at ALS. X‐ray absorption and time‐of‐flight photoemission measurements in 2–5 keV photon energy range along with the flux, resolution, spot size and stability of the beamline will be discussed. Prospects for future XAMS measurements will also be presented.

Post-Collision Interactions In The Auger Decay Of The Ar L-Shell, James A.R. Samson, Wayne C. Stolte, Z. X. He, J. N. Cutler, D. Hansen

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Research

The photoionization cross sections for Ar⁺ through Ar⁴⁺, produced by the Auger decay of a 2p hole in argon, have been measured between 242 eV and 253 eV by the use of synchrotron radiation. The high resolution of the monochromator has allowed a detailed study of the postcollision interactions that occur in this spectral region. The concept of photoelectron recapture by Ar²⁺ to produce the Ar⁺ continuum is studied. The relative values of the quantum-mechanical calculations of the photoelectron recapture probability are shown to be in excellent agreement with the present data. The magnitude …

Hydrostratigraphy And Allostratigraphy Of The Cenozoic Alluvium In The Northwestern Part Of Las Vegas Valley, Clark County, Nevada, David J. Donovan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This investigation was conducted to determine the location, nature, and boundaries of the most permeable unit within the alluvial aquifer material in Las Vegas Valley. It was prompted by declines in specific capacity of about 90% at the Las Vegas Valley Water District's West Central Well Field. It was hypothesized that the decline in specific capacity resulted from dewatering of the most permeable interval of the alluvium. Lithologic descriptions from wells and aquifer test information were analyzed for geologic and hydrogeologic variability. New information, in the form of detailed unpublished lithologic and hydrologic information, was available from twenty water wells …

The Petrogenesis Of Andesites Produced During Regional Extension: Examples From The Northern Mccullough Range, Nv And Xitle Volcano, Mexico, Kelly Ann Boland

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Andesite dominated volcanic systems produced during regional crustal extension remain a relatively unexplored aspect of andesite petrogenesis. In the southern Basin and Range province, thick sections of andesite and basaltic andesite have been documented in areas including the Piute Range, California, the Eldorado Range, Nevada, and the McCullough Range, Nevada. The northern McCullough Range, located 20 miles south-southeast of Las Vegas, is an ideal place to study the petrogenesis of an andesite dominated system. This area contains a mid-Miocene stratocone composed mainly of a 1200 m thick section of andesite flows that formed synchronous with regional extension.

The northern McCullough …

Las Vegas Flamigo Hilton/Unlv Environmental Studies Program Environmental Resource Analysis & Optimization Plan, Dennis Nowlin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

From 1987 through 1992 the Las Vegas Flamingo Hilton instituted resource efficiency improvements in electrical, natural gas, water and materials consumption. In 1992, the Flamingo Hilton commissioned the University of Nevada Las Vegas Environmental Studies Department to analyze and quantify the improvements made by The Flamingo Hilton and investigate the potential for further improvements.

Historical billing data from the periods 1987 - 1992 were used to analyze past and present (1992) electric, natural gas and water consumption. Materials disposal data was only available for a ten month period in 1992. Pollutant emissions data were supplied by Nevada Power Company.

The …

The Real Cost Of Beef: A Monetary Assessment Of The Environmental Degradation Caused By Beef Production, Carolyn Babcock

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The environmental degradation caused by beef production is severe. The current literature assesses the ecological damage, but falls short of assigning a per pound dollar amount to reflect the real cost of beef. In the United States, most of the environmental focus has been centered around the use of public lands for grazing and the grazing fee the government considers appropriate. The fee covers the maintenance of the grazing program, which includes maintenance of the actual land. This paper will concentrate on beef-related environmental degradation and select specific damage for monetary valuation.

Trace Element Analysis Of Selected Springs In The Virgin River Basin, Mary A. Yelken

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Spring water from 23 springs in and near the Virgin River Basin (southwestern Utah, northwestern Arizona, and southeastern Nevada) was collected and analyzed for chemical concentrations. Trace elements and major ion chemistry was used to determine the potential for utilizing water chemistry to provide information on spring water source and flow pathways. Principal Component Analysis (PCA), rare earth element (REE) normalization patterns, and mineral equilibrium modeling (PHREEQE) techniques were used to analyze the data set. Four major spring water groups were displayed by the PCA, based on similarities in water chemistry. The analyses suggest that spring water chemistry is a …