Digital Commons Network^™

The Effectiveness Of Viewing The "Life After Brain Injury" Video Tape By Family Caregivers, Nan Meyers

Masters Theses

Family caregivers readily identify the physical signs of brain injury but the cognitive dysfunction and behavioral change symptoms are less easily recognized. Families need to be knowledgeable about brain injury and how to manage its symptoms. Nurses are in the unique position to provide brain injury education for family caregivers early in the acute hospitalization. This study replicated the works of Sanguinetti and Catanzaro (1987) and Pardee (1993).; Statistical comparison of pretest and posttest knowledge and the pretest and posttest application scores were used to evaluate the effectiveness of family caregivers' ability to apply learned information about brain injury and …

The Effect Of Verbal Commands On Muscle Performance, Lisa M. Marichal, Molly K. Veen

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between voice command intensity and maximum torque production of an isometric muscle contraction. Thirty nine healthy subjects ranging in age from 18-30 participated in this study. The maximum torque production of triceps brachii was measured using a Cybex II+ isokinetic dynamometer in response to varied, tape recorded voice commands. Data was analyzed by a series of analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and analysis of variance (ANOVA) for an unbalanced incomplete-block crossover trial design. No significance was found between voice intensity and peak torque. Gender was found to impact torque …

Implementation Of Inquiry-Based Freshman Chemistry Laboratories, Elizabeth Ann Maschewske

Masters Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to facilitate the implementation of inquiry-based chemistry curriculum devised by the College University Resource Institute (CURI) into the freshman chemistry labs at Grand Valley State University (GVSU) with the aim of retaining and enthusing chemistry students in general and women and minorities in particular. Pertinent educational research is reviewed and practical strategies are recommended for the process of curriculum implementation. A pilot laboratory section is taught incorporating as many of the recommendations as possible. Pilot labs study the process of implementation and look at student perceptions and academic achievement. An action plan is developed …

Use Of Gum Chewing And Electromyography In The Conservative Treatment Of Unilateral Masseter Muscle Hyperactivity, Marc F. Maday, Ben Rentfrow, Nathan T. Tear

Masters Theses

It is estimated that up to 10% of the American public has some form of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD), of whom perhaps 5% may seek or need treatment. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that chewing gum for 5 minutes on the involved side at levels less than maximal contraction will decrease resting muscle tone in the masseter muscle as demonstrated through surface electromyography.; This study examined 40 normal subjects as well as 6 people diagnosed with TMD. The results showed that there was a significant decrease in masseter output after the intervention as measured by EMG in …

Differences Between The Attitudes And Behaviors Of Oncology Nurses: Inclusion Of Sexuality Concerns As A Component Of Care, Mary Diane Ashley

Masters Theses

This was an exploratory descriptive study. The "Wilson and Williams Sexuality Survey" (1988) was used with revisions to include a definition of sexuality. The sample consisted of 109 oncology nurses who care for adult oncology clients from five Midwestern institutions. There was a significant difference in attitudes and behaviors of oncology nurses regarding sexuality as a component of care (t = -.53.96; d.f. = 109; p =0.00). It was expected that positive attitudes would yield more behaviors, this was not the case. However, a moderately strong relationship was found between the attitudes and behaviors (r = .6088; p = 0.00). …

Basic Needs Satisfaction And Social Support In The Adult Trauma Victim, Gail A. Mercer

Masters Theses

Traumatic injury prevention and treatment is an increasingly important focus for the nursing profession as trauma tops the list for causes of death among young people in the United States. The specific purpose of this study was to explore whether a pre-existing state of low basic need satisfaction and low social support contribute to traumatic injury in adults. A descriptive correlational design was used. The theoretical frameworks of Erickson, Tomlin, and Swain (1983) and Lazarus (1964) formed the foundation for this study. Two survey tools were employed, the Basic Need Satisfaction Inventory (Kline Leidy, 1994) and the Personal Resource Questionnaire …

The Effect Of Early Nursing Intervention On Chemotherapy-Induced Fatigue, Jennifer A. Shane

Masters Theses

Chemotherapy-induced fatigue is a common side effect for cancer patients. This experimental study attempted to identify the effects of an early nursing intervention designed to facilitate adaptation to chemotherapy-induced fetigue. Roy’s Adaptation Model was the conceptual framework. A convenience sample (n=49) was randomly assigned to experimental (n= 16) and control (n=19) groups. Each group completed the Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS) during cycle one of chemotherapy. The control group received the standard teaching regarding 6tigue. The experimental group received additional instruction about fatigue. Both groups completed the PFS again during the third chemotherapy cycle (2-3 months later). No significant differences between …

Vocational Interest Profiles Of Critical Care Registered Nurses, Julene Beth Hannink

Masters Theses

The purpose o f this investigation was to obtain descriptive data regarding the vocational interest profiles o f a population o f currently employed critical care registered nurses. John L. Holland’s Theory o f Careers, which was used as the theoretical fi’amework, describes six major types or characteristics o f vocational personalities: Realistic (R), Investigative (I), Artistic (A), Social (S), Enterprising (E) and Conventional (C). A vocational interest assessment tool, the Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI) was used to determine a given individual’s vocational interests, with results recorded as a three letter profile.

A convenience sample was obtained from the critical …

Welcome, Order Of The Coif Induction Ceremony, May 10, 1996, University Of South Carolina School Of Law Order Of The Coif

Order of the Coif Programs and Documents

No abstract provided.

Order Of The Coif Program, May 10, 1996, University Of South Carolina School Of Law Order Of The Coif

Order of the Coif Programs and Documents

No abstract provided.

Chattering Reduction And Error Convergence In The Sliding-Mode Control Of A Class Of Nonlinear Systems, Pushkin Kachroo, Masayoshi Tomizuka

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Research

To reduce chattering in sliding-mode control, a boundary layer around the switching surface is used, and a continuous control is applied within the boundary. The effects of various control laws within the boundary layer on chattering and error convergence in different systems are studied. New functions for chattering reduction and error convergence inside the boundary layer are proposed which are discontinuous in magnitude but not in sign. The internal model principle has been used to generalize the design for the class of nonlinear systems being considered.

A Self-Consistent Numerical Method For Simulation Of Quantum Transport In High Electron Mobility Transistor; Part 1: The Boltzmann-Poisson-Schrodinger Solver, Rahim Khoie

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Research

A self-consistent Boltzmann-Poisson-Schrödinger solver for High Electron Mobility Transistor is presented. The quantization of electrons in the quantum well normal to the heterojunction is taken into account by solving the two higher moments of Boltzmann equation along with the Schrödinger and Poisson equations, self-consistently. The Boltzmann transport equation in the form of a current continuity equation and an energy balance equation are solved to obtain the transient and steady-state transport behavior. The numerical instability problems associated with the simulator are presented, and the criteria for smooth convergence of the solutions are discussed. The current-voltage characteristics, transconductance, gate capacitance, and unity-gain …

Library Tech Notes, The Unlv Libraries Technology Committee

Library TechNotes

A newsletter containing a variety of sections including:

Camille's Comments

PC Mechanic

Technology Committee Goals 1995-96

Technology Booklist

Vegas.com Presents Las Vegas

Lynx

Rewriting The Lanham Trademark Act To Prohibit The Importation Of All Gray Market Goods, Shashank Upadhye

Seton Hall Journal of Legislation and Public Policy

No abstract provided.

"Three Strikes And You're Out": The Solution To The Repeat Offender Problem?, Meredith Mcclain

Seton Hall Journal of Legislation and Public Policy

No abstract provided.

The Long Journey: From Institutionalization To Adult Day Care, Kristin L Kampschroeder

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This thesis will present a field study of an adult day care center in an attempt to establish a new methodology which will address the different types of clients in the recent phenomenon of adult day care settings. Previous research and field study has only focused on adults within institutional settings or on the institutions themselves. Adult day care, on the other hand, has arisen as an alternate form of care which allows for greater flexibility and concern for clients' needs. This thesis, then, in differentiating adult day care from total institutions and in delineating the types of clients, will …

Multicasting In Generalized Class Networks, Carl Michael Lane

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

A problem that we are experiencing in communication networks is the ability to efficiently multicast information to a group of network sites. Multicasting is defined as point to multipoint communications. Within a network, for example, we may want to send a message from one network site to five other network sites. This is an example of a multicasting operation; We are seeing an increased use of applications which blend not only data, but also voice, and video. Due to this increase in usage, we are experiencing a need to conserve network bandwidth and to avoid loading communication networks excessively. To …

Tunneling Phenomenon In Heterostructure Devices, Sreenivasulu V Maheshwarla

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

A theoretical formulation for carrier current across hetero-interface in heterostructure semiconductor devices is presented using tunneling as the phenomenon. An analytical expression for the transmission coefficient as a function of energy using the Airy's function and exponential solutions to Schroedinger's equation for a linear potential variation is used in the calculations. This thesis addresses two theoretical problems: physics and modeling of gate current dependance on gate voltage in a heterostructure insulated gated field effect transistor (HIGFET) and, oscillations in the current-voltage characteristics of a double heterostructure bipolar transistor (DHBT); For HIGFETs, two components of tunneling currents, one from the decay …

A Methodology For Estimating Population For Transportation Risk Analysis, Marisa Guieb Mandocdoc

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

In selecting a route for the shipment of hazardous materials, the primary public safety concern is that routing minimizes risk by avoiding populated areas while utilizing the shortest and safest possible routes to reduce time in-state shipments; This research presents a methodology for estimating population index which reflects density ranges for various population groupings. The population index is based on the number of tracts, tract density, and county density. The population index is initially defined for population {dollar}{dollar}8000. in the absence of more data to validate the results in the latter grouping, the index is redefined for population {dollar}<{dollar}2500 and population {dollar}\geq{dollar}2500. The index is used to determine the level of analysis required in evaluating population: county, tract, or block level; Routing analysis based on minimization of risk by minimizing affected population is performed for the state of Nevada. The analysis focuses on two alternative rail routes that are being considered by the Department of Energy (DOE) for the shipment of high level wastes and spent nuclear fuels. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).

Topics In Combinatorics: A Statistical Application, Susan Diane Mccuistion

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The discrete math area known as combinatorics has specific applications in statistics. In this paper, the relationship between combinatorics and statistics will be explored. Major areas of concentration will include: generating functions, special combinatorial numbers and their use in statistics, and the specific relationship of these functions and numbers to some of the more common discrete distributions found in statistics.

A Study Of Training Methodology For Customer Contact Employees In Spain, And Implications On Service Quality, Mireia Montane-Balague

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Studies on training for customer contact employees in the hotel industry have not been found in Spain. In the United States, ample research has been conducted in the areas of training, service quality, and customer satisfaction. However, studies on training programs for customer contact employees, and studies that address the influence of customer contact employees on customers' perceptions of quality are fairly This exploratory study was intended to evaluate the training methodology provided to customer contact employees in luxury properties in Spain, to assess perceptions of effectiveness of such training methods, and to relate such methodology to perceptions of service …

Dispositional Empathy, Dyadic Perspective-Taking, And Interpersonal Perceptions Among Married Persons In Relation To Marital Adjustment, Mark E Morgenstern

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Several studies have shown that various aspects of empathy are important in relationship satisfaction. In addition, the similarity, assumed similarity, and accuracy of interpersonal perceptions among married couples have also been shown to be positively related to marital adjustment. The present study examined these variables in a sample of 42 married couples. It was found that Perspective-Taking and Empathic Concern, as well as Dyadic Perspective-Taking were positively associated with marital adjustment. In addition, it was observed that accuracy of interpersonal perceptions was positively related to marital satisfaction and satisfaction regarding conflict resolutions. This significant correlation did not remain, however, when …

A Comparison Of Adolescent Sexual Offenders And Non-Sexually Offending Juvenile Delinquents On Familial, Sexual And Social Variables, Heidi Elizabeth Nagel

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Adolescent sexual offenders (n = 27) were compared to non-sexually offending juvenile delinquents (n = 23) on familial, sexual and social variables. The two groups were demographically similar and did not differ significantly on a measure of perceived family environment. It was hypothesized that the two groups would be similar on familial and social variables; that is, both displaying similar levels of perceived dysfunction. It was further hypothesized that the two groups would differ significantly on measured behavioral and cognitive constructs defined as sexual deviance. Non-sexually offending juveniles obtained significantly higher levels of delinquent behaviors whereas the sexual offenders obtained …

Mandatory Uniforms: Employees Are What They Wear, Kathleen S Nelson

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Uniform design is an overall scheme which includes four design factors: appearance, function, character and comfort. To what extent do these elements used in the design of mandatory uniforms predict an employee's attitude toward his/her job? Will an employee wearing a lime green polyester uniform that fits poorly and is overly hot feel differently about his job than one wearing a finely tailored, naturally fibered uniform?;An examination of these elements will be conducted as well as an investigation of degree of guest interaction to determine the effect of mandatory uniforms on the attitude toward the job of the hospitality employees …

A Bridge Across The Gender Gap: The Role Of Men In Feminist Discourse, Gabrielle Kenton Renshaw

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The ongoing discourse about meanings and impacts of feminism is a dynamic process of ideas influencing ideas. The process directs the course of the development of feminist theory. Most of the discourse is directed at women by women, but many men have also contributed to the dialectic. This study is an examination of those contributions by men as well as an attempt to understand the impact they have on the women's movement.

Meanings And Measures Taken In Concert Observation Of Bruce Springsteen, September 28, 1992, Los Angeles, Thomas J Rodak

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Since the mid-1970s, Bruce Springsteen's concerts and his rapport with audience members have attracted the attention of leading rock music critics. Witnessing the communication between Springsteen and audience members was the purpose of this study. On-site observation was used to explore the techniques that Springsteen uses to communicate with the audience during the concert; A model, previously employed by Deanna and Timothy Sellnow to determine the effects of musical score upon the lyrics of songs recorded in the studio, was utilized with the on-site observation. The model had not been applied to a concert performance before this study; The findings …

Land And Self In A Mayan Universe, Robert Charles Rusie

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This paper explores the linkages between Mayan religious beliefs as presented in, The Popol Vuh and The Book of Chilam Balam, myth, and modern ethnographic material for clues to Mayan economic behavior. It presents the argument that the "closed corporate system" and the reliance on the municipio as the focus of identity is a function of World-view, and that Mayans see land as a symbol of self and community. The ensuing economic behavior and the strong attachment to "milpa production" is more than an adaptive strategy to the vicissitudes of economic insecurity, but a route to maintaining balance and harmony …

Deception Detection Accuracy: The Effects Of Suspicion And Antisocial Personality Traits, Barbara T Schoephoerster

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Previous research has indicated that moderate levels of suspicion will enhance deception detection accuracy. This study hypothesized that combining state suspicion and trait suspicion (i.e. antisocial personality traits) in order to create a moderate level of suspicion overall would produce a higher detection accuracy than would be found among individuals who were not suspicious. Participants consisted of 133 UNLV undergraduates, who completed the Antisocial subscale of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-II. Participants were assigned to a no suspicion or moderate suspicion condition, viewed a videotape of persons being truthful or deceptive, judged videotape actors as being truthful or untruthful, and …

Friends, Neighbors, Foes And Invaders: Conflicting Images And Experiences Of Japanese Americans In Wartime Nevada, Andrew Benjamin Russell

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Japanese Americans of the interior West also faced perils during World War II, up to and including the possibility of internment and mass relocation. Although Nevada contained relatively few Japanese Americans at the outset of the war, the "Japanese question" received serious attention across the state. Early on, Nevadans grappled with the question of what to do about Japanese residents, and these debates spawned vastly different outcomes. In March 1942 the question changed, as many Nevadans began to fear and oppose an expected influx of "California Japs" (Japanese Americans the government was excluding from neighboring states). In this "free" interior …

Separation Anxiety Disorder In Toddlers, Karen Elizabeth Sims

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The present study examined differences in families with a child with no symptoms of separation anxiety, subclinical separation anxiety (1-2 symptoms), and Separation Anxiety Disorder (3 or more symptoms). Specifically, an initial attempt was made to identify variables that may contribute to the development of Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD) in toddlers. Parents of 60 toddlers were administered the SAD portion of the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule to determine if their child met the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for SAD. Thirty percent of parents had children with no SAD, 43% had children with subclinical separation anxiety, and 27% of parents had children …