Digital Commons Network^™

Mechanical Behavior Of Alloy 230 At Temperatures Relevant To Ngnp Program, Sudin Chatterjee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Identification and selection of suitable structural materials for heat exchanger application within the purview of the next generation nuclear plant (NGNP) program constitute a major challenge. This challenge stems from the lack of many desired metallurgical and mechanical properties of conventional metallic materials and alloys for applications at temperatures approaching 950 oC. Nickel (Ni)-base Alloy 230 has been highly recommended as a suitable structural material for such application due to its excellent resistance to high-temperature plastic deformation and superior corrosion resistance in many hostile environments. Systematic studies on tensile, fracture toughness, creep, stress-rupture and creep-fatigue behavior of this alloy have …

The Integration Of Biomimicry Into A Built Environment Design Process Model: An Alternative Approach Towards Hydro-Infrastructure, Timothy Lee Albertson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Current methods and processes that support the planning, design and construction of a sustainable built environment include ambiguous principles (Roseland 2000), lack feedback loops (Van Bueren and Jong 2007) and lack a common language between disciplines (Brandon et al 1997). As a result of 3.8 billion years of "research and development" (evolution), nature provides a set of design blueprints that may be used to guide us to create elegant, sustainable, and innovative designs for human technologies (Benyus 1997). The field of biomimicry analyzes nature's best ideas and adapts them for human use (Benyus 1997). The built environment could benefit from …

The Interim Window: Women’S Experiences During In Vitro Fertilization Leading To Maternal Embryo Attachment, Tammy Mackinnon Lampley

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Infertility affects about 7.3 million women and their partners in the U.S., about 12% of the reproductive-age population. In vitro fertilization (IVF) has been used successfully in the United States since 1981. The number of women seeking artificial reproductive techniques (ART) has increased dramatically and the number of ART cycles performed in the United States has more than doubled, from 64,681 in 1996 to 134,260 in 2005 and 99% of these are IVF. Studies indicated that women rank waiting for the outcome of and IVF treatment and a negative pregnancy result as the most stressful events during their treatment. Although …

A Visualization Approach For Message Passing In Parallel Computing Systems, Arunkumar Sadasivan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Information Visualization has been used as an effective method in transforming textual information into a visual form that enables users to effectively communicate and understand the information. MPI (Message Passing Interface) usually involves a large amount of data, which necessitates exploring innovative ideas to visualize such data effectively.

In this thesis, we implement a graph visualization tool called MPROV to effectively visualize communication patterns of message passing using log files from MPI applications. The tool provides several interaction techniques to effectively reduce the amount of data displayed on the screen. We have also developed protocol conformance checking, which verifies the …

Using Fluid Inclusions To Trace Formative Fluid Evolution At The Verde And Pancho Porphyry Au Deposits Of The Refugio District, Chile, Brian Joshua Aillaud

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Evolution of magmatically-derived formative fluids, and the processes that control the ratio of ore metals in porphyry and high-sulfidation epithermal deposits remain enigmatic. The Refugio district in the Maricunga Belt of Northern Chile hosts the temporally and spatially related Pancho and Verde porphyry gold deposits. Vein types at Pancho include A-veins, transitional veins, banded veins, D-veins and quartz-alunite ledges that formed by replacement. Verde East and West lack A-veins, and show an earliest vein type with transitional characteristics of A- to banded veins, banded veins and D-veins. Fluid inclusions and quartz textures were characterized by using optical microscopy and cathodoluminesence …

Factors Associated With Blood Lead Levels Of Children In Southern Nevada, Mackenzie Suzanne Burns

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Exposure to lead continues to be a public health concern, particularly for young children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that approximately 250,000 children currently have blood lead levels (BLLs) above the level at which adverse health effects are apparent and intervention is recommended (10μg/dL). National surveillance data on childhood lead exposure has been collected for children under the age of 6 years old since 1995. However, not until 2006 did a program begin in Nevada (limited to Clark County); therefore, statewide data about childhood lead exposure in Nevada remains limited. The goal of this study was to …

The Relationship Of A Long-Term Exercise Program And Selected Coronary Risk Factors, Maryse Wells

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to investigate body composition and blood pressure as potential risk factors for coronary artery disease after 3 years of participation in a structured exercise program. The sample group was comprised of 21 male participants (66%) and 11 (34%) female participants with a mean age of 55 years who attended the exercise program and completed health and fitness testing annually. Participants did cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility training 5 days a week with an average attendance of 70%. After 3 years, BMI, waist circumference, and percent body fat increased significantly (p < .01); blood pressure levels did not change significantly (p > .05). Low control of diet …

Development Of Hydrogen Direct Injection For Conversion Of Internal Combustion Engines, Maxwell A. Wilson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The trend toward usage of vehicles that operate on alternative, renewable forms of energy storage has generated areas for development of new products that will facilitate implementation of new automotive fuel systems. As the reality of a hydrogen-fueled economy emerges, intermediate technologies may be necessary for the transition between hydrocarbon fueled internal combustion engines and hydrogen powered fuel cells. The University of Nevada Las Vegas Center for Energy Research has developed a method for converting the common hydrocarbon fueled internal combustion engine to hydrogen direct injected fueling. This thesis describes the second phase of development and involves the design, fabrication …

Experienced Clinician’S Understanding And Approach To Treatment With Male Survivors Of Child Sexual Abuse, Blendine Perreire Hawkins

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The number of males abused sexually as children are significant and while the awareness of the needs of this population has increased, the process in treatment has not been sufficiently examined. The purpose of this study was to explore experienced clinicians' approach and understanding within treatment with adult male survivors of child sexual abuse. A qualitative research design was utilized, using purposeful expert sampling procedures. In this study, data was collected from phone interviews with five participants who were identified as highly experienced clinicians in the area of male survivors of child sexual abuse treatment. Using qualitative methods within phenomenological …

Effects Of Obesity On The Biomechanics Of Children’S Gait At Different Speeds, Philana-Lee Gouws

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and spatio-temporal gait characteristics of overweight/obese and non-obese school-aged children (12-14 years) at two different walking speeds. Eighty-four overweight/obese (n=28; age: 13.96 ± 0.79 yrs; mass: 74.8 ± 18.21 kg; height: 159.2 ± 7.1 cm and BMI: 29.28 ± 5.64 kg/m2) and non-obese students (n=56; age: 13.72 ± 0.79 yrs; mass: 51.7 ± 10.2 kg; height: 157.8 ± 8.3 cm and BMI: 20.69 ± 2.74 kg/m2) with no present injuries were recruited. Participants were instructed to walk across an electronic walkway in each of two …

The Rhetorical Significance Of Gojira, Shannon Victoria Stevens

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Gojira, commonly known as the "original" Godzilla movie, is a clear commentary on the horrors the Japanese people suffered during and after the dropping of nuclear bombs in their country at the end of World War II. The intent of this thesis is to demonstrate that Gojira is a rhetorical experience that permitted the Japanese to discuss the un-discussable--namely, the destruction of Japan caused by the awakening of the American "monster" of war and nuclear weapons. The thesis is argued in four chapters. Chapter one is the prospectus, chapter two provides historical context of the emergence of nuclear culture, …

Reasons That Post-Secondary Culinary Students Enrolled In For-Profit Educational Institutions Drop Out And Methods That Can Be Used To Increase Retention Rates, Craig Frigaard

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Most people appreciate and understand the value of education. They are aware that education can significantly increase the potential earnings a person can make over their lifetime, improve the security and stability in their chosen profession, improve their competency, and make it easier to be successful at their job. Education can also increase the amount of respect a person may receive from their peers and all of these things can improve the overall quality of their life. Education can be extremely important to an individual’s success.

Total Compensation Practices And Their Relationship To Hospitality Employee Retention, Soodchai Ting Phonsanam

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Choice Hotels has franchised hotel owners who must understand the financial impact that arises from turnover due to employees’ perceptions of inequitable total compensation. Currently, for franchise hotel owners, there is not any guidance on this from Choice Hotels. The purpose of this paper will be to explore the current literature regarding total compensation and to develop a set of recommendations that Choice hotel owners can use to retain both their managers and employees. If there is any question as to why turnover is such an issue in the hospitality industry, one only needs to look at the countless studies …

An Investigation Of Exemplary Teaching Practices Of Teachers Of Native American Students, William M. Young

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation traces the historical roots of indigenous education from the violation of treaty rights of the late 1800's to the staggering rates of non-persistency facing Native American students today. While many factors are outside of the classroom teacher's scope of influence, teacher candidates should be trained in culturally responsive methods to address factors that are within their control and which can be addressed in the classroom.

The study was conducted using a mixed-methods design employing Creswell's (2008a) sequential transformative strategy. STS is a multi-phase study with an implicit theoretical lens. In this study the researcher is situated at an …

Preparation And Characterization Of Extraction Chromatography Resins Using N-Donor Extractants For Trivalent Actinide And Lanthanide Separations, Christopher L. Klug

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Actinide and lanthanide elements exist in the geosphere and biosphere due to both natural abundances and anthropogenic activities. The investigation of the presence and transport of actinides through the environment is of great scientific interest. In order to prepare environmental samples for precise measurements, the individual actinides must be separated from the chemically similar lanthanides, and from neighboring actinides. Existing extraction chromatography resins are either poorly suited for this separation, have bleeding problems, are not reusable, or fail the CHON principle. In an effort to resolve these issues, malonamides and N-donor extractants from the BTP and BTBP classes of solvent …

Trade And Exchange In The Neolithic Near East: Implications Of Obsidian Remains From Ais Yiorkis, Cyprus, Megan M. Melson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Lithic material has proven to be the most prevalent artifact to come out of the Ais Yiorkis strata, but there is also a plentitude of other artifacts, such as fauna, seeds, and the more elusive obsidian bladelets. There are currently about 42 obsidian artifacts (both fragmented and complete) in the Ais Yiorkis collection, and curiously enough, they are all in bladelet form, suggesting these artifacts were traded in from elsewhere due to the lack of obsidian debitage at the site. This obsidian has been sourced to the Chiftlik region in Anatolia (Turkey), which suggests some degree of trade within the …

Nursing Compliance With Standard Fall Prevention Protocol Among Acute Care Hospital Nurses, Anuradha Thirumalai

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of the study was to determine the level of nursing compliance in implementing Fall Prevention Protocol (FPP) in an acute care hospital in a high fall risk patient population and to identify the barriers in complying. This study is important because falls are considered one of the nursing-sensitive quality indicators. The AACN Synergy model for patient care was used as the organizing framework for this study. A total of 24 nurses participated in the study, and a total of 29 high fall risk patients were assessed. The degree of compliance among nursing staff was measured using the modified …

Petrogenesis Of The Greenwater Range: Comparison To The Crater Flat Volcanic Field And Implications For Hazard Assessment, Ashley Kaye Tibbetts

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Pliocene basalts of the Greenwater Range, California erupted from 24 volcanic vents now represented by volcanic plugs, craters and scoria mounds. Basaltic magmas originated in the asthenospheric mantle, but show evidence of a lithospheric component. Depths and temperatures of melting calculated using a silica activity geobarometer are 54.3–89.6 km and 1367-1435oC, placing melting in the asthenosphere. The preferred petrogenetic model involves melting of lithospheric mantle thermally and mechanically, but not chemically, converted to asthenospheric mantle. Melting depths correspond to low velocity zones in the mantle as revealed in seismic profiles. Chemical and lithologic similarities between basalt in the Greenwater Range …

Preserving The Past And Planning The Future In Pasadena, Riverside And San Bernardino, Charles Conway Palmer

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study examines how three Southern California cities—Pasadena, Riverside and San Bernardino—used the processes of urban renewal and historic preservation as development strategies for their downtown business districts. The ways in which these processes were employed has both reflected and shaped the cities‘ evolving definitions of community. These ideas of community were both inclusive and exclusive, favoring certain ethnicities and cultural practices over others to advance a particular civic image. The case studies are representative of cities in the region that are ―other than Los Angeles; those founded in the nineteenth-century after the Spanish and Mexican periods, but prior to …

Genes Involved In Mushroom Body Development And Behavior In Drosophila, Christine Nicole Serway

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Mushroom bodies (MBs) are the site of multi modal sensory integration critical for associative conditioning in Drosophila. They have been central to research on the structure function relationship in the brain for over one hundred years due to their unique shape and readily accessible physiology. This dissertation incorporates three different approaches to further elucidate the genetic and molecular nature of this structure function relationship.

First, the suite of genetic and molecular tools available in Drosophila melanogaster, facilitated the molecular mapping of a 25-year old MB structural mutant called mushroom body miniature B (mbmB) to the gene Pendulin [Pen, also known …

Diabolical Ventriloquism: A Case Study In Rhetorical Transcendence With C. S. Lewis’S Infamous Imp Screwtape, Daniel J. Coyle

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Most religious discourse is predicated on the assumption that our choices in life have eternal implications. For those who subscribe to a belief in an afterlife, rhetoric which exploits eternity to form attitudes and induce actions can be especially persuasive. This study performs a detailed analysis of a particularly compelling case of the rhetoric of eternity during the twentieth century: C.S. Lewis‘s fictional demon Screwtape. In The Screwtape Letters and ―Screwtape Proposes a Toast,‖ Lewis offers readers an eternal, though diabolical, perspective of the ―modern‖ intellectual climate during the twentieth century. By puppeteering a demon in prose, Lewis satirically lampoons …

An Evaluation Of Lead In Imported Candies Within Clark County, Nevada, Usa, Lee Reuben Ibarra

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Imported candies from Latin America pose a danger to children because of the potential for those candies to contain harmful levels of lead. This study sought to identify characteristics of imported candies that typically display higher concentrations of lead. This study also explored the Integrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetic model developed by the EPA. Using lead exposure data specific to Clark County, Nevada, the IEUBK model was used to estimate the amounts of candy a child would have to consume in order to raise his blood lead level to over 10µg/dL (the federal allowable limit).

The results showed that candies with …

Weapons Labs And City Growth: Livermore And Albuquerque, 1945-1975, Layne Rochelle Karafantis

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis traces the transformation of two cities in the American West: Albuquerque, a medium-sized metropolitan area in the generally low-population state of New Mexico, and Livermore, California, a relatively small town on the fringe of the massive San Francisco Bay Area metropolis. The federal government built nuclear weapons labs in both places after World War II, and as a result, they encountered phenomenal growth. This is not surprising, as authors such as Peter Hall and Ann Markusen have argued that federal installations in the postwar years affected the economies of many western cities. However, this thesis asserts that rural …

Fire On The Mountain: Growth And Conflict In Colorado Ski Country, Michael W. Childers

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation examines the environmental, economic, and cultural conflicts over the private development of ski resorts in Colorado's National Forests between 1910 and 2000. Downhill skiing emerged as an increasingly popular winter activity during the first half of the twentieth century, particularly in western state such as Colorado. A part of the a larger outdoor recreational boom throughout the United States' during the interwar years, downhill skiing challenged the Forest Service's ability to meeting the public's growing appetite for year-round recreational opportunities. These challenges increased following World War II as the nation's growing population and affluence drew millions to their …

A Rhetorical History Of The Office Of Legal Counsel, William O’Donnal Saas

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

For over seventy-five years, the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) has played a significant role in the crafting of executive policy rhetoric. Yet, within the scholarship in presidential and rhetorical studies, the OLC remains one of the least understood and, thus, underappreciated forces behind executive policy action. This thesis seeks to bridge the research gap by: (1) accounting for the OLC's rhetorical history through discussion of available "opinions" and their rhetorical consequences; and (2) by submitting a case study from the OLC's rhetorical history to critical analysis. Often, I will argue, the OLC "co-invented" international and domestic policies with White …

Characteristics Of Adolescent Females Sexually Exploited Through Prostitution, Alanna Robinson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Adolescent females are becoming the fastest growing population amongst juveniles being held in detention and referred to juvenile courts. Unfortunately such increases are linked to a lack of alternative services available for youths during the adjudication process. Upon being arrested, delinquent girls are suffering from a host of health, emotional and social issues for which there is also a lack of programming and detailed research. However, emerging evidence indicates that female delinquency is characterized by a multitude of overlapping problems that distinguish them from male delinquents. Issues include poor mental health, history of child abuse, substance abuse among parents and …

Cultural Competence Of Rn To Bsn Students, Dierdre Michelle Riley

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this exploratory research study was to examine the cultural competence of registered nurses returning to school for an RN to BSN program in Nevada. Campinha-Bacote's model, The Process of Cultural Competence in the Delivery of Healthcare Services, was used as a theoretical framework for the study. A secondary analysis of data collected as part of a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Grant was completed. Fifty-three RN to BSN students voluntarily completed the Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competency Among Healthcare Professionals- Revised (IAPCC-R) electronically in the learning management system of the first nursing course …

General Coupon Collecting Models And Multinomial Games, James Y. Lee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The coupon collection problem is one of the most studied problems in statistics. It is the problem of collecting r (r<∞) distinct coupons one by one from k different kinds (k<∞) of coupons. We note that this is equivalent to the classical occupancy problem which involves the random allocation of r distinct balls into k distinct cells. Although the problem was first introduced centuries ago, it is still actively investigated today. Perhaps its greatest feature is its versatility, numerous approaches, and countless variations. For this reason, we are particularly interested in creating a classification system for the many generalizations of the coupon collection problem. In this thesis, we will introduce models that will be able to categorize these generalizations. In addition, we calculate the waiting time for the models under consideration. Our approach is to use the Dirichlet Type II integral. We compare our calculations to the ones obtained through Monte Carlo simulation. Our results will show that our models and the method used to find the waiting times are ideal for solving problems of this type.

The Gap Of Event Markets Between The Us And China — Exploring Application Prospect Of Event Software In China’S Hospitality And Tourism Market, Ying Zhao

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research paper compared scenarios of convention and event industry between the US and China, and explored application prospect of event technology in China’s hospitality and tourism market. The study reviewed the landscape of event market in these two countries, examined performance of event software in the US, and figured out existing technology gap between the two markets. A typical application, www.certain.com was employed as sample of event software in testing tasks fit of the technology, and analyzing demand from end-users. The result indicated that there was a significant technology gap existing between event markets of the US and China. …

Statistical Modeling And Analysis Of Injury Severity Sustained By Occupants Of Passenger Vehicles Involved In Crashes With Large Trucks, Ahmad Koupaenejad

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Crashes are the result of complex interactions between several factors representing driver, roadway, vehicle, and environmental characteristics. Understanding to what degree each factor contributes to the severity of a crash is not a simple task. The outcomes of crashes in the US have been an average of 42,000 deaths and 3 million injuries per year. To better understand the role of significant contributors to crashes, three sets of models using multinomial logit and one using ordered probit were calibrated. To calibrate these models, forty two independent predictor variables including driver/occupants characteristics, crash environment at the crash location, crash characteristics, and …