Digital Commons Network^™

Differences In Television Use Between Adopted And Non-Adopted College-Aged Adults, Christopher Edward Yunker

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This thesis is an original study that examines the media usage between adoptive and non-adoptive college-aged adults United States. The beginning of this thesis will focus primarily on television's ability to get a message across to a huge audience in the shortest amount of time. It will state the hypotheses and examine the research questions being sought. Simultaneously, it will examine the effect the media has on our youth. Hypothetically, adopted children have been more susceptible to the messages delivered. It will be the intent to analyze and discuss this susceptibility further in this thesis; The survey asked the subjects …

Overcrowding And Its Effects On Inmate Violent Behavior In Prison, John C Devaney

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Prisons in the United States are overcrowded. The problem of overcrowding has worsened as the years have gone on, especially since the war on drugs and determinate sentencing, have become a part of the American Justice System. This overcrowding has led to concerns about what effects it might have on those that are incarcerated. This study looks at the effects this overcrowding has on inmate violent behavior. Prison administrators are charged with providing a safe and secure atmosphere for inmates to serve the time that they are sentenced to by the states and federal governments. If this overcrowding is creating …

Identification Of Dynamic Properties Of Materials For The Spent Nuclear Fuel Package At Elevated Temperatures, Sirisha Dusi

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This thesis attempts to experimentally identify the dynamic properties of materials for the spent nuclear fuel package at elevated temperatures. The implementation of the project involves a number of steps. First, candidate materials for the nuclear fuel package and the appropriate testing systems were identified [15]. Second, fixtures for tensile testing at elevated temperatures using two machines, namely MTS and Instron Dynatup testing machines were designed and manufactured to make them compatible with the room temperature fixture. Third, experimental procedures for elevated temperature testing of materials are proposed for the two testing machines. Finally, impact testing for the candidate materials …

Development Of An Instrument For Accessing Quality Of A Convention And Visitors Bureau Web Site, Myounghee Ha

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The continuing growth of the Internet and its associated technology has created a new type of market for meeting managers and Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs), and has become a viable alternative to traditional communication media and service delivery tools. As Internet and web site usage by meeting managers' increase, CVBs should enhance and upgrade their web sites to keep in step with customers' needs and expectations; The purpose of this study is to identify general usage and overall perceptions of CVB web sites and CVB web sites' content items and design attributes that are most important as perceived by …

Structural Characterization Of Polyurethane Foam And Implications Of Aging, Gayani Chandima Kodippili

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Polyurethane (PU) foam is used as a shock mitigation material in the national stockpile, which degrades over time. A replacement foam, ReCrete was shown to exhibit acceptable mechanical properties after aging, but fractured with impact testing. Previously, processing ReCrete foam at elevated temperature resulted in a decrease of the modulus (stiffness), which was believed to be related to chemical changes during processing. In this thesis, chemical and structural analysis of ReCrete processed at 25°C and 85°C were performed using photoacoustic infrared spectroscopy, IR imaging, and thermal analysis. The change in modulus was related to thermal decomposition of uretoneimine linkages in …

A Relational Post-Processing Approach For Forms Recognition, Zhenxing Mao

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is used to convert paper documents into electronic form. Unfortunately the technology is not perfect and the output can be erroneous. Conversion then is generally augmented by manual error detection and correction procedures which can be very costly; One approach to minimizing cost is to apply an OCR post processing system that will reduce the amount of manual correction required. The post processor takes advantage of knowledge associated with a particular project; In this thesis, we look into the feasibility of using integrity constraints to detect and correct errors in forms recognition. The general idea is …

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

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Corrosion is an extremely important issue in nuclear cooling system applications. Many scientific and engineering efforts have 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 necessary and valuable. In this thesis, this problem was simulated by commercial software STAR-CD. Results provide a good prediction where …

Improving Service Quality In Small Communities: The Bahamas As A Model, Kera Lonise Carey

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Service quality is a topic that permeates every facet of the tourism industry. In small communities such as The Bahamas, where tourism is the driving factor for economic stability, service quality is paramount. In 2001, the Bahamian Ministry of Tourism set customer satisfaction goals for the country and is continually striving to improve the country's visitor satisfaction ratings through market research; This qualitative exploratory study investigates service quality in Bahamian hotels and was inspired by Ministry of Tourism customer service research. The project was tailored to identify service quality gaps within the Bahamian hotel industry by applying the Conceptual Gap …

Emerging Identities: New Subjects Within Gay Adoption, Megan O Hartzell

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This thesis explores the identity construction and subject positions of gay male foster and adoptive parents. Using late twentieth and early twenty-first century cultural texts, I apply a Foucaultian perspective to analyze how controversies over gay adoptions articulate shifts in contemporary American discourses of homosexuality and the family. Identities available to homosexuals have shifted since the nineteenth century; this thesis looks at the emergence of a new contested identity for homosexuals as adoptive parents at the turn of the twenty-first century by employing Foucaultian methodological techniques of archaeology. This work contributes to the sociological literature on gender, law, and the …

Dose Coefficients For Radionuclides Produced In A Spallation Neutron Source, John Patrick Shanahan

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Internal and external dose coefficient values have been calculated for 14 anthropogenic radionuclides which are not currently presented in Federal Guidance Reports No. 11, 12, and 13 or Publications 68 and 72 of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. Internal dose coefficient values are reported for inhalation and ingestion of 1 mum and 5 mum particulates along with the f1 values and absorption types for the adult worker. Internal dose coefficient values are also reported for inhalation and ingestion of 1 mum particulates as well as the f 1 values and absorption types for members of the public. Additionally, external …

Labor Violations And Discrimination In The Clark County Outcall Entertainment Industry, Candice Michelle Seppa Arroyo

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Researchers who insist that sexual exploitation is intrinsic to sex work have deflected attention from two key issues facing sex workers: labor violations and prejudice. The purpose of this study is to investigate unethical labor practices and institutional sexism, racism, and classism in the Clark County outcall entertainment ("escort") industry. To analyze these issues from a sex radical feminist perspective, I spent 820 hours engaged in covert participant observation while working as an appointment setter at two major outcall entertainment agencies in Clark County; Much of the abuse that outcall entertainers in Las Vegas encounter could be eliminated by enforcing …

Rapid Screening Approach For Cavity Detection Using Surface-Based Seismic Measurements, Gennady Tsarev

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

A rapid screening method for detection of shallow cavities using surface-based seismic waves has been developed and documented. Emphasis is placed on seismic surface waves due to their ease of measurement and dispersive nature in heterogeneous media; The study includes a numerical experiment, field experiments, and an analytical study of data collected for buried voids. Multi-channel and two-channel data acquisition technology are explored. An alternative analysis of the data based on impulse response is investigated. The field experiments were conducted at sites with known natural caves, buried barrels, and earth fissures. Two historic data sets were used. The numerical experiment …

The Design And Implementation Of An Input/Output Subsystem For A Farsi Language Search Engine, Ronald L Young

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The question posed in this thesis is whether it is feasible to use commonly available computer hardware and software equipment found in the United States for querying a web-based native Farsi language search engine. A document conversion utility consisting of a C program called html2unicode was constructed to convert the native language web pages into a common format. A Javascript keyboard application and corresponding embeddable web server was developed to make native Farsi language input and output accessible to a search engine. Although there are some issues inherent in the conversion of Farsi web pages into a format suitable for …

Numerical Modeling Of Multiphase Fluid Flow Through The Electrolytic Cell, Roald Rifkatovich Akberov

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Electrolytic cells are used to obtain sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), an important industrial product, from seawater. The chemical reaction of the process (NaCl + H2O → NaOCl + H2) produces hydrogen gas bubbles near the cathode's surface inside a continuous liquid phase. In time, solid particles of calcium carbonate appear on the cell's anode due to the cell operation. Thus, the fluid flow process in the cell, in general, is a three-phase process that includes turbulence. Although hydrogen bubbles and calcium carbonate particles are usually small in size, they aggregate in the system over time and lead to the blockage of …

Converging Behaviorist And Constructivist Theories In Classroom Settings, Lisa M Freitas

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Educators attempts to meet the needs of all students become more difficult as school districts are forced to reduce spending which may result in increased class sizes, elimination of second language and enrichment programs, and a reduction in school personnel at school sites. With these budget cuts the demands placed on educators will be even greater. Teachers will be forced to implement new strategies to ensure that no child is left behind. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of converging behaviorist and constructvist theories into classroom management and instructional practices. Three groups of students were randomly …

A Comparison Of Thermal Storage Models With A Solar Electric Generation System Using Trnsys, Jade Gaal

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Two new component types were developed for the transient simulation program TRNSYS with IISiBat that models three different types of sensible thermal storages for analysis with use in a solar electric generating system (SEGS) simulation. One component containing a fully mixed, stratified and a plug flow tank model has been developed such that the inputs and parameter specifications are similar so that all three models could be easily placed into one component type. A single, cylindrical direct storage tank with one inlet and one outlet that evaluates fluid properties as a function of temperature is representative for all three models. …

The Creation Of A National Information Policy Combating Cyber Terrorism, Daniel A Nick

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The infrastructures of the United States are dependent upon computers. This creates a new threat to the national security of the United States in the form of cyber terrorism; Cyber terrorism is the new type of warfare. It can take a cyber terrorist seconds to break into a computer network, download information, and leave without a trace. There needs to be a comprehensive policy to combat the cyber terrorism threat; The National Information Policy is a set of ideas brought together to combat the threat of a cyber terrorist attack against the infrastructures of the United States. These ideas include: …

Evaluation Of Cracking And Localized Corrosion Behavior Of Cladding Materials, Subhas Pothana

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This investigation is focused on the evaluation of stress corrosion cracking (SCC), hydrogen embrittlement (HE) and localized corrosion (pitting and crevice) susceptibility of zircaloy-2 and zircaloy-4 in neutral and acidic solutions at 30, 60, 90°C. Constant-load and slow-strain-rate (SSR) testing methods were used to evaluate the SCC and HE behavior of both alloys by use of smooth and notched tensile specimens. Controlled cathodic potentials were applied to evaluate the hydrogen effect on the cracking behavior. Cyclic potentiodynamic polarization technique was used to determine the localized corrosion susceptibility. The metallography and morphology of failure were analyzed by optical microscopy and scanning …

Measurement Of Inorganic Arsenic And Chromium Species In Southern Nevada Groundwater Using Ion Chromatography-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry, Julie A Bertoia

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Two analytical methods employing an ion chromatograph-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer were used to separate inorganic arsenite from arsenate and trivalent from hexavalent chromium in southern Nevada groundwater. Method detection limits were found to be 0.011 ppb and 0.005 ppb for arsenite and arsenate respectively, and 0.015 ppb and 0.02 ppb for trivalent and hexavalent chromium respectively. Following an investigation of the stability of the oxidation states of arsenic and chromium in aqueous solution with time, the following procedures were adopted. Samples collected in the field for arsenic were filtered, stored at 4°C, and analyzed within 7 days; and those …

Differences Of Year-Round And Traditional-Calendar Elementary Art Programs, Ashley J Forgey

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences of year-round and traditional-calendar elementary art programs due to scheduling. By examining three elementary art specialists in two opposing schedules, the goal of the current study was to discover how the art specialists implemented their programs in different schedules. The research questions were: Did the art specialists have different professional experience or development training? How were the two programs different in time and scheduling? Were the class characteristics different? Did the instructional methods differ?;The findings concluded that implementing an art program in a year-round setting was more complex than a …

Dietary Habits Of Two Threatened Co-Roosting Flying Foxes (Megachiroptera) Subic Bay Philippines, Samuel Cord Stier

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Contrastive Phonological Analysis Of Arabic And English, Khaled Huthaily

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

"And I Never Looked Back": Adolescent Girls And Women Who End A Dating Relationship After A Single Violent Assault, Alison M. Cobb

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Relacje Inwestorskie - Klasyfikacja Instrumentów W Zależności Od Adresatów, Piotr Usarkiewicz

European Management Studies

Relacje Inwestorskie, dziedzina coraz silniej oddziałująca na całość działań spółek giełdowych. Proces, który ma za zadanie czytelnie i wiarygodnie przedstawić informacje o przedsiębiorstwie w aspekcie jego obecności na giełdzie. Relacje Inwestorskie nabierają szczególnego znaczenia w obecnej, trudnej sytuacji rynków kapitałowych, których w żaden sposób nie poprawiają coraz częstsze przypadki afer związanych z kreatywną księgowością czy zatajaniem informacji przed inwestorami. Różnicowanie się otoczenia na akcjonariuszy indywidualnych (małych i dużych), instytucjonalnych, media finansowe, analityków, wymaga stosowania różnorodnych, dopasowanych do odbiorcy i sytuacji, narzędzi. Właściwe ich dobranie oraz umiejętne z nich korzystanie są kluczowymi zadaniami specjalistów RI, od nich bowiem zależy skuteczność programu …

De-Regulation Of The Air Waves: Is Antitrust Enough?, Edward D. Cavanagh

Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development

(Excerpt)

By enacting the Telecommunications Act of 19961, Congress mandated large-scale deregulation of the television, radio, telecommunications and cable industries. Having successfully de-regulated the airline, interstate transportation and energy industries, Congress sought to dismantle the tangled legal, administrative and regulatory structure that had governed broadcast media and telecommunications for decades and replace it with a competitive model. Its goal was to minimize the inefficiencies inherent in any regulatory scheme and allow participants to reap the economic benefits of the free market. Equally important, Congress wanted to be sure that the emerging cable, satellite and cellular technologies were not stifled by …

Optimizing Parameters For Efficient Introduction Of Transgenes Into Turfgrass, Chhandak Basu

Open Access Dissertations

Embryogenic callus was generated from seeds of turfgrass species (creeping bentgrass, cv. Penn A4 and Providence) on tissue culture medium. After 12 weeks, embryogenic calli were identified and used for bombardment with chimeric gene constructs that confer phosphinothricin resistance (bar) as a selectable marker and β-glucuronidase (GUS) as a reporter gene. After bombardment, the calli were transferred to selection medium and then to regeneration medium. Putative transgenic turfgrass plants were generated and molecular analysis (PCR) was performed to confirm presence of the transgene (bar, GUS). We analyzed reporter gene (GUS) expression in turfgrass cells over a developmental time period of …

The Embedded Writing Institute: A Study Of Professional Development, Beverly A. Paesano

Open Access Dissertations

In this ethnographic inquiry, I examined the experiences of twenty-one teachers who engaged in a job-embedded model of professional development in the teaching and learning of writing. This initiative, which became known as the Embedded Institute, draws from the National Writing Project model of teacher development that is commonly referred to in Writing Project sites across the country as the Summer Institute. The Embedded Institute reflected a nation-wide shift in the principles that inform practices of teacher development and of teaching and learning writing. Such a shift from product to process-oriented and from teacher to learner-centered practices both in teacher …

Storage Of Architectural Materials At The Syracuse University Library, Peter D. Verheyen, Carolyn Davis, Debra Olson

Librarian Publications

When the Department of Special Collections at the Syracuse University Library acquired the papers of Werner Seligmann, an architect and former Dean of the Syracuse University School of Architecture, the opportunity presented itself to develop a model storage system that could be applied to the other architectural drawings in the Department. While not large in comparison to these other collections, the Seligmann Papers were sizable enough to give us a better understanding of the storage issues involved if we decided to undertake the task of re-housing our other drawings. If such a task were to be undertaken, a new storage …

Global Changes In Scholarly Communication, Suzanne E. Thorin

Librarian Publications

For more than a decade, the cost of print and electronic journals, particularly in the sciences, has increased rapidly at the same time that the amount of research being reported via published articles has grown exponentially. With academic libraries being less and less able to purchase the journals needed for their communities, the use of the term scholarly communication has evolved to illustrate the breakdown of the process of traditional scholarly publication; that is, as a means to disseminate research results, the present system of scholarly communication can no longer meet the needs of the scholarly community at large.

When …

Strategic Analysis Of The Alabama Nursing Home Industry., Martha Mariah Perryman Starkey

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.