Digital Commons Network^™

Design And Simulation Of An Induction Skull Melting System, Taide Tan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Incorporating volatile actinides, mainly americium into a metallic fuel pin (MFP) has been a serious problem due to americium’s high vapor pressure. An Induction Skull Melting (ISM) system was identified by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) as a potential furnace design to cast MFPs. Through the development of the ISM system, the nuclear waste feedstock can be melted and injected into the mold for fabricating MFPs in the advanced nuclear fuel cycles. The main phenomena in this system include: induction melting process, casting process and mass transfer process of americium. Issues related to ISM system design for casting MFPs are discussed …

Modeling, Optimization, And Flow Visualization Of Chemical Etching Process In Niobium Cavities, Sathish K. Subramanian

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Niobium cavities are important component of the linear accelerators. Researchers have concluded that buffered chemical polishing on the inner surface of the cavity improves its performance. However the mechanism of chemical polishing is not well understood. A finite element computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed to simulate the fluid flow characteristics of chemical etching process inside the cavity. The CFD model is then used to optimize the baffle design. The analysis confirmed the observation of other researchers that the iris section of the cavity received more etching than the equator regions. The baffle, which directs flow towards the walls …

The Corporate Culture Of Nevada Hospitals, Sherese Marie Warren

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The initial focus of this study is to identify the dominant culture of Nevada hospitals and to determine whether hospital organizations in Nevada share similar corporate values and beliefs. If differences exist, what are the distinctions in those organizations that make them different? The competing values framework was used to diagnose four corporate culture types of each hospital. The clan culture possesses high affiliation and concern with teamwork and participation. The developmental culture is based on risk taking, innovation, and change. The hierarchical culture reflects values and norms associated with bureaucracy. The rational culture emphasizes efficiency and achievement (Quinn & …

A Study Of Invasive Species Cover Near Roads In A Red Rock Canyon Blackbrush Community, Christopher Keough

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The monitoring of Mojave Desert plant communities during and following disturbance is an important process that could provide invaluable information about disturbance/recovery regimes in similar arid environments across the globe. Blackbrush communities are of particular interest because of their low replacement rate, which makes them highly susceptible to disturbance. Roads in the Mojave Desert have been associated with soil compaction resulting in a lack of vegetation as well as an increase in invasive species cover in the immediate proximity. To investigate these statements, eight fifty-foot line transects were established in each of three plot types (perpendicular to dirt roads, perpendicular …

Investigation And Calculation Of Dose Coefficients For Radionuclides Produced In A Spallation Neutron Source Using The Ensdf And Nubase Nuclear Databases, Yayun Song

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Dose coefficients are useful for risk assessment during the design and siting of accelerator-driven nuclear facilities including the Spallation Neutron Source. There are seventy-two radionuclides with half-lives equal to or greater than one minute that will be produced by the spallation of a mercury target for which no published dose coefficients exist. Out of these seventy-two, twenty-four currently have conflicting published nuclear data in the Evaluated Nuclear Structure Data Files (ENSDF) and the NUBASE data files. In this research these twenty-four radionuclides have been studied. Because of missing ENSDF records, internal and external dose coefficients were determined for only six …

Habitat Preferences Of Four Species Of Lizards Found At The Las Vegas Springs Preserve, Scott Garncarz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Developing an understanding of the habitat usage of reptiles is important when trying to develop a management or restoration plan that is compatible with what is known of the reptile species that are being investigated. There are many lizard species found in the Mojave Desert, but there are only four known to inhabit the Las Vegas Springs Preserve (LVSP) in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the LVSP, sites are going to be restored with native Mojave Desert vegetation. Since there are many habitat types in the Mojave Desert, we must determine which types would be best suited for the four species …

Ergonomics And The Public Manager: Modeling A Successful Program, Ellen Anderson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Off-Road Vehicle Use In Desert Tortoise (Gopherus Agassizii) Habitats, Brent D. Clark

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) populations have been in decline and have been placed on the endangered species list. No single factor is ultimately responsible for the tortoise decline. It is a combination of events that collectively have a negative impact. I chose to focus my study on only one factor, off-road vehicles. By evaluating the damage done to the terrain by off-road vehicles, a better understanding of their impact on the tortoise populations can be assessed and protective measures taken.

The amount of available vegetation does not seem to play a role in their decisions of which plants to …

Defining Soil Type And Habitat Characteristics Of The Arctomecon Californica, Philip S. Childers

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A. californica can be considered a rare endemic species, which is believed to be restricted by unique soil relationships. These relationships make the species vulnerable to anthropogenic habitat disturbance. Although A. californica is listed as critically endangered by the state of Nevada, further research is needed before the species can be listed as federally endangered or threatened. This study used primary observational data and secondary GIS compatible data to characterize A. californica habitat. Representative sampling techniques were used to select observations from derived soil types. Although a majority of A. californica populations were found to occur in gypsic soil types, …

User Inputs: Importance Of And Satisfaction With Attributes Of The Cat Bus System, Steven F. Farshid

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Although studies of citizens' satisfaction with public services have been conducted in many cities on a variety of subjects, very limited empirical research has been conducted on mass transportation. Indeed, studies of financial impacts of mass transportation in urban areas do exist at length. Research on the environmental consequences of mass transit is quite abundant. However, studies on citizens' satisfaction of public transportation are limited. This study is designed to provide empirical data focusing on the importance of certain characteristics of the bus system and satisfaction or dissatisfaction with said characteristics within the Citizen Area Transit system (CAT) in the …

Public Libraries: Is Independence Better?, Gayle Hornaday

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Since the origin of public libraries in the United States during the nineteenth century, they have been primarily supported by public taxation, due to their intended purpose of benefiting all of society, and especially the economically disadvantaged. Public libraries are provided in much the same spirit as public education, to uphold the American value that knowledge and information should be equally available to all, without regard to individual ability to pay. The dilemma of how to pay for library services has involved considerable debate in the library community about the implementation of user fees to supplement revenue, as an alternative …

The Effects Of Environmentally Relevant Doses Of Perchlorate (Clo4-) On Rana Pipiens Metamorphosis And Development, Andrea N. Golli

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of perchlorate on the development and growth of Rana pipiens. Ammonium perchlorate is a rocket fuel oxidizer that is known to interfere with the function of the thyroid gland and some of the highest United States surface water concentration exists in the Las Vegas Wash, NV. Perchlorate not only blocks the body’s ability to incorporate iodine into T3 and T4 hormones through the sodium iodine symporter system, but also depletes the thyroid glands’ internal stores of iodine. Many of the steps that regulate metamorphosis in amphibians …

Effects Of Residential Xeriscape Conversions On Property Values: A Baseline Case Study, Andréa E. Baker

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The conversion of grass lawns to xeriscape has become more prevalent in the desert Southwest, including here in the Las Vegas Valley. The purpose of this thesis was to determine whether the conversion of residential landscapes from grass lawn to xeriscape influences the property value of a home. This case study involved the comparison of property values for residential homes that had participated in the Southern Nevada Water Authority’s Water Smart Landscapes rebate program and non-participant homes with similar amenities before and after the landscape conversion. The results of the analysis show that xeriscape dose have a potentially positive impact …

Chemical Kinetics And Thermal Hydraulics Of Lead Bismuth Flow Loops, Kanthi Kiran Dasika

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The objective of the thesis is to study the effect of chemical kinetics and thermal hydraulics of Lead Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) flow in the Materials Test Loop (MTL). The Materials Test Loop, also known as the Delta Loop, was built in Los Alamos National Laboratories (LANL) to obtain the experimental data for corrosion estimation and analysis. It is a well-known fact that corrosion plays an important role in the design of nuclear thermal hydraulic systems. Since the MTL is a multi-section closed system that differs in diameter from one part to another, an intensive study on the overall and regional …

Development Of A Systems Engineering Model For Chemical Separation Process, Lijian Sun

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis is concerned with the efforts to develop a general-purpose systems engineering model software TRPSEMPro1 that can be used to improve productivity in the design process. Different features of TRPSEMPro will be presented in this thesis. First, Systems Engineering technology is presented, followed by the exposition of different numerical optimization technologies and DOE (Design of Experiments) study technologies. Second, the detailed software process, Object-Oriented Analysis and Design (OOA&D) for the TRPSEMPro is presented. All the design data models are expressed by using Unified Modeling Language (UML).

AMUSESimulator is another software package which has been designed and implemented in order …

Recruiting And Selection Of Police Officers: A Case Study Of The Clark County School District Police Department, Anthony A. York

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This paper is a case study of the Clark County School District (CCSD) Police Department recruitment and selection process. The case study examines and evaluates the human resource function in the recruiting and hiring of police officers. The case study addresses the issue of line-staff relations and how it was best resolved in this organization in order to effectively recruit and select CCSD Police Officers. The paper addresses the historical, structural, and philosophical factors of the Clark County School District Police Department in discussing the possible organizational strategies for recruiting and selection of police officers. This paper uses a specific …

Cost Recovery Plans: Are They Being Used As A Financial Planning Tool In Parks And Recreation Departments?, Billie M. Bastian

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

For several years tax dollars have gradually diminished, causing parks and recreation managers to become more entrepreneurial in developing financial strategies for delivering high quality and cost efficient recreational services to the citizens. One financial tool, under much discussion, is for parks and recreation managers to establish formal cost recovery plans for their departments. This paper presents the results of a study in which local Nevada governmental parks and recreation departments were surveyed and evaluated to determine if they are using formal cost recovery plans and if cost efficiencies have been improved. The research focused on identifying factors associated with …

The Distribution Of Phoshorus In The Nature Preserve At Clark County Wetlands Park In Las Vegas, Rosangela Gomez Brazao

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The main objective of this thesis was to investigate the distribution of phosphorus among three different compartments of the Upper Pond at the Nature Preserve at the Clark County Wetlands Park in Las Vegas, NV: influent and effluent water, sediments, and plants. Samples were collected from September 2002 to January of 2003 and analyzed for phosphorus content. Results showed that the Upper Pond removed 55% of the ortho phosphate (OP) and 39% of the total phosphorus (TP) loadings during the study period. Sediment results showed that the East Outflow concentrated the most P (644.85 ± 120.26 mg P Kg'1), followed …

Study Of Geometric Effects On Local Corrosion Rates For Lbe Loop, Chao Wu

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Corrosion is an extremely important issue in nuclear cooling system applications. Many scientific and engineering efforts have been contributed to the research of finding an ideal material, which has resistance to corrosive Lead Bismuth Eutectic (LBE). A Delta Loop was designed and constructed in Los Alamos National Lab (LANL) to obtain the experimental data. This loop is a multi-section closed system that differs in diameter from one part to another. As a result, an intensive study on the geometry effect is hence necessary and valuable. In this thesis, this problem was simulated by commercial software STAR-CD. Results provide a good …

Travel Time Study At The Wetlands Park National Preserve, Brandon Bair

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis reports on a study of the residence time of water in the Wetlands Park Nature Preserve in Henderson, Nevada. Rhodamine WT was used in order to test for the travel time of the water from the Monson Channel inflow to the Nature Preserve outflow to the Las Vegas Wash. The initial hypothesis was that the water would stay in the system for approximately 8 days. Residence time was tested using an ISCO sampling machine along with a Sequoia-Turner model 450 fluorimeter to test for the fluoresce of the dye in the water. All samples collected were taken immediately …

Nevada "Nurselessness": An Acute Or Chronic Condition? An Examination Of The Etiology And Possible Treatment Alternatives, Jeanine Warren-Newmon

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Data released by the Department of Health and Human Services in February, 2001, revealed that Nevada has the lowest number of registered nurses per 100,000 population in the nation. The state’s population is growing faster than the nursing programs are currently able to produce new graduates. Current predictions are that the existing nursing shortage will become more severe and have a longer duration than has ever before been experienced. While there may not be one single identifiable causative factor, the aging nursing workforce, low unemployment, and the universal nature of the shortage magnify the problem. This paper focuses on the …

Is It Time For Unlv To Reform Its Classified Personnel System?, John H. Mueller

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is a fast growing institution and is the largest public university in Nevada. However, it cannot create its own rules for the administration of its classified personnel system. Many large public universities possess this ability and function independently. This is in direct contrast to the traditional role of other state agencies and the administration of civil service rules for their classified personnel. This paper addresses the prevalence of independent classified personnel systems in public universities and presents a review of current movements in that direction. The paper also presents a case study of …

The Economic Impact Of The Adult Dance Establishments On The Community, Christina Henry

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The study attempts to answer some fundamental questions about the adult dance establishments. That is, whether the adult dance establishments add or subtract to the well being of the community. In order to accomplish this it is necessary to determine the benefits and costs of the adult dance establishments on the community and more specifically find out if benefits outweigh the costs. In this study it was decided to make use of the readily available information from the government agencies. The government collects license fees and property taxes from these establishments. Based on the analyses it was concluded that the …

Vulnerability Assessment And Mitigation Planning In Clark County, Nevada: The Challenges Of Policy Implementation In The Intergovernmental Arena, Angelina L. Evans

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

As a result of recent federal legislation, Clark County, Nevada has been charged with conducting a comprehensive vulnerability assessment and implementing a hazard mitigation policy. This research paper identifies the challenges of intergovernmental relations and policy implementation, defines the mitigation and assessment process, and describes the steps taken by Clark County to date. Definition of the legislation, emergency management, and terms relating to the process are provided. Findings reveal that the attempt to implement a federal program in an intergovernmental arena meet predicted challenges and describes how these challenges have affected Clark County’s ability to successfully implement policy.

Qualitative Measurements Of Occupant Comfort In Five U.S. Schools, Anthony Miller

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) performed indoor air quality studies in five U.S. schools during energy retrofits during 1997-98. Four EPA reports and three Environmental Health and Engineering, Inc. (EH&E) reports illustrated the indoor environmental quality before and after heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) retrofits at specific elementary schools in Texas, Colorado, Minnesota, New Jersey, and California. Selected comfort, environmental, physical, and occupant response data were collected in randomly selected areas over a one–week, five–school day monitoring period for each of these schools.

The EPA studied indoor air quality (IAQ) and occupant comfort using an EPA Indoor Environmental …

A Waste Assessment Of The Unlv Dormitories, Colin Kaneda

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this thesis is the examine the waste stream of the UNLV dormitories to see if there is a significant amount of waste than can be diverted through a possible recycling program to lower disposal costs. Also with this data we can look at if the student monitored program in the Upper Classmen Complex dormitories is having any effect on the waste stream. This was done through a waste assessment which is where garbage is sorted and weighed by categories. This study found that 35% of the waste stream is recyclable. This data was compared to the national …

Fluctuations In Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha) Counts At Three Lower Columbia River Spawning Sites, Eric Michael Loomis

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Several hypotheses were developed to explore the pronounced increase in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) returning to spawning grounds at the Cowlitz, Kalama, and Lewis Rivers, three tributaries of the lower Columbia River. The study was conducted using data compiled over a ten-year span from 1991-2001. Preliminary indications are that trends in climate are linked to these increases, with the absence of El Niño events and fluctuations in winter precipitation as likely explanations of these phenomena. The unique nature of Chinook life cycles causes them to utilize a variety of habitats that require ideal conditions for maximum survival rates. Correlations between …

Consumptive Water Use At The Mirage Hotel And The Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino In Las Vegas, Nevada, Johann A. Feller

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Las Vegas Valley is one of the driest regions in the southwest United States. Due to limited water supplies from the Colorado River, rainfall, and groundwater sources, the water requirements of the valley’s growing population is slated to surpass the current available water supply. The purpose of this comparative study is to quantify the amount of consumptive water used at a major Las Vegas resort/casino in one year. This, being of importance, because of the resort/casino industry’s role as one of the largest, most visible, and most resource intensive industries in the Las Vegas valley. The goal of this …

An Analysis Of Apartment Complex Recycling In Clark County, Nevada, Noriko Eguchi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study is to analyze recycling opportunities for people living in apartments and recommend solutions to improve apartment complex recycling programs in Clark County, Nevada. There are two hypotheses for this problem. First, there is not enough space to put recycling containers in some apartment complex dumpster enclosures. Second, there are several obstacles to providing recycling for complex managers. There are two methods involved in testing these hypotheses. Unincorporated Clark County was selected for the study area. The size of dumpster enclosures was measured in 73 apartment complexes out of 240 complexes which do not recycle in …

Water Quality Remediation At The Abandoned Jones-Kincaid Mine Site, Pyramid Mining District, Washoe County, Nevada, Si-Ok Choi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the cost and efficiency of four remediation methods, natural attenuation, permeable reactive barriers, pump and treat systems, and bioremediation, and to determine the best suitable method for preventing further environmental degradation from the abandoned Jones-Kincaid Mine (JKM), located within the Pyramid Mining District, Washoe County, Nevada.

Problems from abandoned mine sites may be divided into four types: water quality, public safety, economic concerns, and scenic interests. The foremost problem is the effect of pollution on water quality. Acid run-off and precipitation may be spread hundreds of miles and influence drinking water sources …