Digital Commons Network^™

The Combined Effect Of Photovoltaic And Electric Vehicle Penetration On Conservation Voltage Reduction In Distribution System, Narayan Bhusal

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Global conditions over the past dozen years have led to an expanded appetite for renewable energy sources: The diminishing fossil fuel supply, the political instability of countries producing these fossil fuels, the ever-more destructive effects of global warming, and the lowering of costs for renewable energy technologies have made countries around the world reconsider their sources of energy. The proliferation of photovoltaic (PV) systems especially has surged dramatically with the decreasing initial costs for installation, and increasing government support in the form of renewable energy portfolios, feed-in-tariffs,

tax incentives, etc. Furthermore, electric vehicles (EV) are also becoming widespread due to …

The Impact Of Waters Of Low Quality On Soiling Removal From Photovoltaic Panels, Alisson Luiz Boeing

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Soiling, bird droppings, or the accumulation of dust on the surface of photovoltaic cells, can significantly reduce the solar energy absorption and produce power losses. In solar plants where soiling is a problem, solar facilities use demineralized or distilled water for washing the panels to avoid mineral scale deposits that might interfere with solar irradiance absorption. However, in arid and dusty environments, water is normally scarce. For cleaning solar panels, the use of low quality water in lieu of the industry-standard demineralized water could conserve fresh water. The objectives of this research were as follows: evaluate the impacts of low …

Development Of Chemical Separation Methods Using Transition Metals For Nuclear Forensic And Medicinal Applications, Lucas Peter Boron-Brenner

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Insufficient data exists on the effects of prompt fast neutron activation on metals found commonly in nuclear devices and the urban environment. Different metals such as Ti, Au, Fe, and Cu were activated using the Flattop Criticality Benchmark at the Device Assembly Facility on the Nevada Test Site using a known neutron spectrum and flux to determine a baseline cross section value. Cross section information gathered from these neutron activation measurements could provide information that helps government and law enforcement agencies to correctly trace the origin of a nuclear device’s fuel or component features.

Based on activation products produced in …

Discovering The Self That Teaches: Multimedia Reflective Journaling And The Education Stories Of Beginning Preservice Teachers, Meredith Paula Allard

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Who is the self that teaches (Palmer, 1998)? One way of uncovering a teacher’s self may be to allow beginning preservice teachers the opportunity to share their education stories, which may then allow them to explore their initial self-concepts of their roles as future teachers. This study used narrative inquiry and the arts-based activities of a multimedia reflective journal and a memoir reflective assignment as tools to help beginning preservice teachers discover and learn from their education stories. The frameworks of arts-based education research, transformative learning, and transformative teaching provided a unique lens through which to explore the education stories …

Separation Of Neighboring Trivalent Lanthanides For Neutron Capture Cross Section Measurements, Balazs Jozsef Bene

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The determination of the low-energy neutron capture cross-section of 171Tm with greater accuracy is important for both astrophysics and Stockpile Stewardship. Thulium-171 is a branching point in the s-process of stellar nucleosynthesis. Branching point nuclei, with half-lives in the order of 1 – 100 years are places where neutron capture and beta decay competes. This isotope is also the second order (n, γ) reaction product of 169Tm, which was used as a radiochemical detector in nuclear weapon experiments. It was placed at strategic locations in nuclear devices. Following the test, samples were analyzed in the collected samples for products of …

Water-Energy Nexus Approaches For Solar Development And Water Treatment In The Southwestern United States, Syeda Saria Bukhary

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Water is crucial for energy production and conversion, and energy is crucial for various water related processes including water conveyance, treatment and distribution. Sustainability of water and energy are inextricably linked with each other. Over-utilization/ degradation of these resources may occur due to limited availability of water under the changing climate scenario, growing population, and increasing pollution due to the burning of fossil fuels. The goal of the current research was to study the water-energy nexus of the Southwestern U.S. and develop approaches for solar development and treatment of drinking water. To achieve the overall objective, the work was divided …

Developing And Measuring Faculty Motivation To Teach In Higher Education, Celeste M. Calkins

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Currently, little research exists that speaks specifically to the motivation of faculty to teach in higher education settings. Given the changes that higher education has faced over the last few decades, the demographics of the faculty has transformed. The competing demands of research, teaching, and service challenge faculty at every juncture, and some have suggested that throughout this process, it is the students who are losing. What motivates faculty in higher education to teach, and what are the factors that contribute to that motivation? To answer this question, faculty motivation to teach was explored through the theoretical frameworks of teacher …

An Evaluation Of Food Insecurity Rates And Its Correlates In A Filipino American Population Sample Residing In Clark County, Nevada, Prescott M. Cheong

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Filipino Americans comprise over half of the Asian American population in Clark County, Nevada. In 2016, 1.6% of Asian American households in Clark County reported being food insecure, which was considerably lower than food insecurity rates for White, non-Hispanic households (14.5%). Yet, Clark County demographic data reveals that 24% of Filipino-headed households report incomes at 200% or below the federal poverty level compared to 33% for Whites. Food insecurity rates specific to Filipino Americans in Clark County are lacking. Moreover, available food insecurity data aggregates Filipinos with other Asian American subgroups, which ignores the heterogeneity inherent to the Asian American …

Meshless Methods For Numerically Solving Boundary Value Problems Of Elliptic Type Partial Differential Equations, Minhwa Choi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In this dissertation we propose and examine numerical methods for solving the boundary value problems of partial differential equations (PDEs) by meshless methods. First we aim at getting approximate particular solutions up of a nonhomogeneous equation by radial basis methods. For instance, the collocation method by radial basis functions (RBFs) for finding particular solutions is very popular in the literature. Now the particular solutions of certain important PDEs by RBF approximation are available with the order of convergence to the exact solutions provided. Here we explore and examine the numerical performances of these particular solutions in various examples. We then …

Petrology And Geochemistry Of The Enriched Poikilitic Shergottite Northwest Africa 10169: Insight Into The Martian Interior, Logan Matthew Combs

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The martian meteorite Northwest Africa (NWA) 10169 is classified as a new member of the geochemically enriched poikilitic shergottites, based on mineral composition, Lu-Hf isotope systematics, and rare earth element (REE) composition. Akin to other poikilitic shergottites, it shows a similar bimodal texture to other enriched and intermediate poikilitic shergottites. In addition, olivine and pyroxene in the poikilitic zone have higher Mg#’s (Mg/Mg+Fe) than those in the interstitial areas, suggesting that the poikilitic texture represents early-stage crystallization, opposed to late-stage non-poikilitic crystallization. Calculated fO2 values are reduced (FMQ -2.3 ± 0.23) within the poikilitic texture, and more oxidized (FMQ -1.07 …

Algorithms For Tower Placement On Terrain, Binay Dahal

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

We review existing algorithms for the placement of towers for illuminating 1.5D and 2.5D terrains. Finding the minimum number of towers of zero height to illuminate 1.5D terrain is known to be NP-Hard. We present approximation algorithms for solving two variations of the tower placement problem. In the first variation, we consider the placement of a single tower of given height to maximize visibility coverage. In the second variation, we consider the problem of placing reduced number of common height towers to cover the entire terrain. Algorithms for solving both problem variations are based on discretizing the problem domain by …

The Synthesis Of Balkan Folk Tunes In The Music Of Vlastimir Nikolovski And Alexander Vladigerov, Dejan Daskalov

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The study of folk music from the Balkan countries proves to be a long and complex area of study, since the access to sources, scores and literature is quite limited. Distribution of accurate information in regards to Balkan folk music is of significant importance because it would provide a global opportunity for promotion and education on this topic. Without documented research, inaccurate presentations of Balkan music could cause an overall disinterest in this genre.

The original and alluring aspects of this style of music lie mostly in its meter. Moreover, it contains three fundamental metric structures: regular, asymmetric, unmeasured and …

Virginia Woolf And The Flâneuse: A Geocritical Approach To Mrs. Dalloway And The Voyage Out, Kayla Dean

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Using the theoretical framework of Geocriticism, Psychogeography, and the literary concepts of the flâneur and flâneuse, I argue that Virginia Woolf’s female walkers have a unique aesthetic experience from the male walker of literature. Although this experience differs because of the strictures on Victorian and Modernist women in cities like London and Paris, I rely on the framework of both literary walkers to refute scholars who question the existence of the flâneuse. Through works like Mrs. Dalloway, The Voyage Out, “Street Haunting,” “Kew Gardens,” “Literary Geography,” and A Room of One’s Own, I contend through a mix of traditional scholarship …

Hexavalent Chromium Removal From Residual Ion-Exchange Brine Using Ferrous Sulfate, Ana Luiza De Araujo Silva

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Removal of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) from water and wastewater is required for health purposes and regulation compliance. Among the technologies available, ion exchange (IX) has been extensively applied and, in most cases, is followed by resin regeneration for the purpose of cost optimization. However, resin regeneration produces residual IX brine, also called waste regenerant brine, which is considered hazardous for containing the contaminant(s) treated in the column. This research focuses on the use of ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) to reduce and precipitate Cr(VI) contained in the regenerant brine from IX resins. The Cr(VI) reduction to trivalent chromium (Cr(III)) occurs due to …

Elliptic Cryptosystem, Elizabeth Dettrey

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The elliptic cryptographic algorithm first presented in a paper by E. F. Dettrey and E. A. Yfantis is examined and explained in this thesis. The algorithm is based on the group operations of a set of points generated from an ellipse of arbitrary radii, and arbitrary center in the case of the generalized version, modulo a large prime. The security of the algorithm depends on the difficulty of solving a discrete logarithm in the groups used by this algorithm. While the elliptic cryptographic algorithm is not the most secure among the discrete logarithm based paradigm of cryptosystems for a given …

Effects Of A Multimedia Shared Story On Comprehension Of An Employee Handbook, Stephanie M. Devine

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Employment outcomes for individuals with intellectual disability (ID) continue to be among the lowest reported (Migliore, Butterworth, & Hart, 2009; Siperstein, Parker, & Drascher, 2013). Literacy skills are critical for obtaining employment and for supporting continued success in the workplace (Conceição, 2016), but individuals with ID typically have very low literacy levels (Katims, 2000). Limited research has been conducted on literacy skill development for young adults with ID, particularly on work-related texts such as employee handbooks. Research supports the use of shared stories on adapted age-appropriate texts for students with significant cognitive disabilities, including those with ID (Hudson & Test, …

Investigating Land Use By The Inhabitants Of Western Cyprus During The Early Neolithic, Katelyn Dibenedetto

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study presents the first of its kind in Cyprus that combines the use of ancient crop (two-grained einkorn wheat, hulled barley, and lentils) and animal (domestic sheep, goat, cattle, pig, and wild deer) stable isotopes (carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen) for reconstructing land use by the Kritou Marottou Ais Giorkis (Cypro-PPNB, 7956-7058 cal BC) inhabitants in western Cyprus. Current definitions of this time period employ the strict forager/farmer dichotomy, even though archaeological evidence suggests otherwise. In addition, it is still assumed that Cyprus was a barren landscape whose inhabitants were isolated from one another and the mainland. An integrated stable …

Reverse Engineering An Expository Paragraph For Students With Mild To Moderate Disabilities And English Learners, Kathy Ewoldt

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Writing is a difficult task for most students. Only 27% of all students in America can write proficiently at or above grade level (U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 2012). With the recent adoption of rigorous standards (i.e., Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards), secondary students are required to engage in increasingly more expository writing tasks, a difficult challenge for students with high-incidence disabilities and English learners.

During the instruction process, teachers may model an example to show students how experts approach a task, typically in a sequence of beginning, middle, and ending steps. This intervention …

Media Portrayals Of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Cars2 And Frame Analysis Of The Sesame Street Character Julia, Sallyann Ficarrotta

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Media Portrayals of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A CARS2 and frame analysis of the Sesame Street character Julia Media portrayals of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are grossly exaggerated and inaccurate. Julia, a Muppet with ASD, is not depicted as having high-functioning autism, but most of the exaggerated portrayals depicted in movies and television are of a person on that end of the spectrum. The current study, a quantitative content analysis of Julia from Sesame Street, draws from framing theory, most importantly stigmatizing cues, and utilizes the professional assessment tool, the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS2). The tool was used to rate …

Numerical Analysis Of An Electrical Transformer With Fins And Horizontal Pins, Sean Ferneyhough

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Three-dimensional numerical simulations are run on a cylindrical electrical transformer that is generating heat in order to study the resulting natural convection that is driven by density variation. The transformer generates a constant heat flux and is incased in a sleeve with radial fins. At first, the sleeve is analyzed without fins and compared to an analytical solution in order to validate the numerical simulations. Next, fins are added to the sleeve in order to maximize the heat transfer from the transformer. Heat transfer from the sleeve per number of fins is to be determined. Small pins are then added …

Money Matters: Exploring The Financial Resources For Sports Medicine Programs In Public And Private Secondary Schools--A Qualitative Study, Natalie Mercedes Aviles Flores

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Context: Institutional funding and strained school budgets are a barrier to placing certified athletic trainers (ATCs) in secondary schools. The size and location of a school appear to be coinciding limitations (Mazerolle et al, 2015), but what is lacking in the literature is an

evaluation of how schools manage to provide adequate medical coverage. Resources are available, but there is question as to whether these schools consider or even utilize them.

Objective: The aim of this qualitative study is to explore the funding techniques and budget sources of high school athletic training clinics from the perspective of both private and …

Mate Preferences Among Single Mothers, Carol Yvette Franco

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

As individuals become parents, they shift time and energy towards parenting to ensure the survival and wellbeing of their offspring. However, it is not uncommon for a romantic partnership between parents to dissolve, which may lead a single mother to pursue a new partner in the future. But how does having a dependent child influence whom she will choose for her new partner? And how will resource availability and assistance from family influence the decisions she makes? A significant amount of research has been conducted on female mate preferences in the United States and elsewhere, yet little is specifically focused …

Implementing Evidenced-Based Tools And Obesity Bias Training When Counseling Overweight And Obese Truck Drivers, Sheryl M. Giordano

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Many Americans are either overweight or obese, but commercial truck drivers are at an even higher risk by nature of their occupation. The 2010 Survey of U.S. Long-Haul Truck Drivers found that 22.8% were overweight, 68.9% were obese, and 17.4% were considered morbidly obese. The concern is that obesity is a gateway to multiple medical disorders, to include obstructive sleep apnea, cancer, diabetes, and cardiac disease. Despite growing concerns of obesity, healthcare providers face problems when counseling and discussing the issue with patients. The failure of healthcare providers to discuss obesity or the impending issue with patients (i.e., truck drivers) …

114 Years In Oblivion: The History And Development Of International Flute Festivals In Central America, Dafne Zenice Guevara

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This document examines Central American flute festivals to understand their role in preserving heritage, promoting unique composers and their compositions, educating the public about art music, and positively impacting the personal growth of students as well as to gaining insight into the socio-economic history as it relates to the development of music in the region. To achieve this goal, the flute festivals of Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala and Panamá were studied within the context of the countries’ history. Music tradition started in the region with the aboriginal tribes and was strongly influenced by the colonization of the Spaniards. These conquerors …

Affinity Points In Variable Frequency Drive – Motor Systems, Christophe Hicks

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis work will quantify power flow characteristics of variable frequency drive (VFD) systems at utilization voltages (208V3 phase) under normal and abnormal operating conditions. Abnormal operating conditions are defined in this thesis work as over or under

voltages at or exceeding 10% of the nominal rated voltage for 1sec to 10sec durations. Motivation and direction towards efficient power use has produced new devices which can be implemented at utilization voltage levels. Those devices are designed to modernize use

through efficient energy consumption. Existing system planning methodologies incorporate larger VFD motor system (>4160V) dynamics and lump lower voltage levels …

Clinical Instructors' Cultivation Of Pre-Licensure Nursing Students' Pharmacology Ksas, Rieneke Holman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Adverse drug events affect up to 5% of inpatients; half of these events are caused by preventable medication errors (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2015). Nurses are the final checkpoint between a medication being ordered and the patient taking it. This profound responsibility requires nurses to possess well-developed pharmacology knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs). To acquire these abilities, they must not only receive pharmacology content as part of their educational preparation, but also translate what they have learned during student clinical experiences. This is important in bridging the gap between what is learned in the

classroom and clinical practice. …

Detector Arrays For Nuclear Security And Safeguards Applications, Jessica Hartman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Over the last two decades it has become increasingly apparent that there is a need for new technologies capable of reliable and efficient fast neutron detection. As national and international stockpiles of 3He continue to dwindle, the need to find a new gold standard of neutron detection becomes more critical. Moreover, neutrons are generated typically in the MeV energy range. The use of 3He detectors for fast neutron measurements requires the use of moderators. Detector arrays capable of fast neutron detection are one solution to this problem. To this end, the focus of this work was the study of detector …

Examination Of Mental Health And Family Relationship In Collegiate Athletes, Julia Hussey

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Athletes at the collegiate level frequently experience unique stressors that cause them to be at risk for a number of mental health difficulties, including depression, anxiety, and substance use. Current research in the field suggests that athletes are not as likely as their non-athlete peers to seek out psychological services for mental health difficulties. Social supports have been shown to impact athletes’ mental health and sport performance. Specifically, family relationships appear to have an influence on athletes’ level of stress and motivation, with positive family relationships showing decreases in athletes’ worry as well as faster recovery following injury. Surprisingly, there …

"The Only People Who Can Get Aids-Are People": The Aids Crisis In Mainstream Crisis, 1981-1995, Franklin Howard

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study examines the representation of the AIDS crisis and People with AIDS (PWAs) in comics produced by mainstream publishing companies in America. Between 1988 and 1995, mainstream comic artists at DC Comics and Marvel Comics used their art to offer social commentary on the crisis. This commentary focused primarily on social issues like violence against PWAs and social ostracizing instead of the critiques of the Reagan Administration and medical institutions found in similar comics produced by activists in the queer communities. They provided education and advocated acceptance through their character’s actions and dialogue as well as in their own …

Waiting For Nothing, Jiwoong Hyun

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In fulfillment of my MFA in Creative Writing (Fiction), I have written a thesis in the form of a novel entitled Waiting For Nothing.

In brief, my novel is about young people struggling to define their existence--or perceive a meaningful trajectory--within the troubled, detached-seeming technological present. Structurally speaking, it follows Tom, a young college graduate, who suffers from existential malaise and feels at a loss for what to do with his life. He drifts through vague, short-lived relationships with others, chooses to have only a few friends, spends a lot of time on the internet and its subcultures, and generally …