Digital Commons Network^™

A New Corps Of Discovery For Missouri River Management, Sandra B. Zellmer

Faculty Law Review Articles

No abstract provided.

Investigation Of Optical Spectroscopy Techniques For On-Line Materials Accountability In The Solvent Extraction Process, Gary Cerefice, Kenneth Czerwinski

Safeguards Campaign (TRP)

The goal of this project is to examine the potential for using optical spectroscopy techniques, such as UV-Visible Spectroscopy and Laser Fluorescence Spectroscopy, for special nuclear materials accountability applications for the UREX+ and other solvent extraction processes. To increase the inherent proliferation resistance of the solvent extraction process, it is necessary to develop on-line techniques to directly measure the concentrations of special nuclear materials in-process. By providing on-line materials accountability for the processes, the potential for covert diversion of the materials streams becomes much more difficult to implement. On-line monitoring of material streams will also allow for improved plant operation, …

Development Of Dose Coefficients For Radionuclides Produced In Spallation Targets, Phillip W. Patton, Mark Rudin

Transmutation Sciences Physics (TRP)

Dose coefficients permit simple determination of radiation dose associated with various exposure scenarios, and ultimately permit radiation safety personnel to assess the health risks to workers in a nuclear facility. Specifically, radiation safety personnel use dose coefficients to determine the radiation dose incurred to a tissue or organ system from a given exposure. These parameters are often expressed in terms of Annual Limits on Intake (ALIs) and Derived Air Concentrations (DACs).

Results from this study will be used to produce ALIs and DACs for these rare radionuclides created by spallation target systems that are not included in Federal Guidance Report …

Inside Unlv, Gian Galassi, Jennifer Vaughan, Carol C. Harter, Richard Flaherty, Rebecca Mills

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Millennium Scholarship Program Hispanic Persisters And Hispanic Non -Msp Persisters, Arlie J Stops

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The Hispanic component of the student body at the Community College of Southern Nevada was the primary focus of this study, which spanned a three-year period of time. Statistics regarding the enrollment and academic success of Hispanic students were collected and analyzed. Particular attention was given to the impact of the state of Nevada's recent Millennium Scholarship Program (MSP) on the Hispanic student population. Enrollment and success of Hispanic students were secondarily compared to that of other student ethnic components; The study, which followed two cohorts of students, found that Hispanic students in both cohorts who participated in the MSP …

Comparing Preservice Teachers' Special Education Knowledge And Attitudes Toward The Placement Of Students With Disabilities, Ronald Tamura

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The purposes of this study were: (a) to compare general and special education preservice teachers' attitudes regarding educational placements for students with disabilities, (b) to determine whether these attitudes are disability specific and, (c) to determine whether change in knowledge has an effect on attitude toward placement over the course of a semester while enrolled in introductory classes about students with disabilities. Two groups of respondents comprised of general education and special education preservice teachers participated in this study. A pretest and posttest format was used to gather information. Specifically, data were collected using the Preservice Teacher Service Delivery Survey …

Sociological Theories Of Career Choice: A Study Of Workers In The Special Events Industry, Kathleen Beard Nelson

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop a greater understanding of occupational/career choice of workers in the special events industry and explore which social science theory(ies) might best explain the entry of those in this particular occupation. In this study, the following dominant factor about workers in the special events industry emerged: occupation as a reflection of self.

Distance Education: An Exploration Of Alternative Methods And Types Of Instructional Media In Teacher Education, Ashley Ann Skylar

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Universities currently are exploring an array of instructional media to facilitate the delivery of instruction. Consensus from the studies indicates that there is no significant difference in the achievement of students who participate in traditional or online coursework. However, little research has compared traditional learning with the new multimedia online technologies that are becoming more prevalent in distance education; This study investigated the achievement, student satisfaction, and instructor course evaluations of preservice general education students who participated in three courses in which a variety of instructional media and methods were used. The media used were: (a) a traditional classroom, (b) …

Studies Of Recrete: A Polyurethane Foam, Robert B Mohan

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Polyurethane foam is often molded directly in place as a thermal or vibration insulator, energy absorbing material, or core material for a sandwich structure. A smooth thin skin forms between the mold and the interior cellular structure of the foam. A non-uniform microstructure is often visible when foam cross-sections are examined, resulting in density variations throughout the foam and the resulting mechanical property variations. This study investigates the effect of mold temperature and mold size on the average density and some of the resulting mechanical and thermal properties for a polyurethane foam system molded in aluminum cylinders and boxes. Resulting …

Capitalism And Violence: A Test And Critique Of The Alienation Proposition, Roger Isaac Roots

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The belief that primitive societies are more harmonious than modern ones is "deeply engrained in scholarly discourse" (Edgerton 1992, 2). Durkheim, Weber, and Marx all believed in the notion (Edgerton 1992, 3). Since at least the nineteenth century, social scientists have proposed that capitalism and industrialism represent artificial phenomena, alien to human nature, and that the growth and spread of capitalism in recent generations has spawned an increasing degree of angst, frustration, conflict, and stress on human societies. This concept, known as alienation, has been especially popular among sociologists of Marxist orientation who perceive human misery to be a product …

Mary Shelly, Emily Bronte, And Christina Rossetti: The Literature Of Disability, Georgia E Standish

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Many scholarly studies have examined illness, sickness, and invalidism in British nineteenth-century fiction. Few have explored these concepts in both fiction and poetry as "disabilities." This study traces the origins of the concept of disability in the poetic and fictional representations in three nineteenth-century key women authors: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights and her poetry, and Christina Rossetti's "Monna Innominata: A Sonnet of Sonnets" and "Goblin Market." Significant to the early development of the concept of disability is the emergence of the related concept of normalcy in the nineteenth-century. Along with the concept of normalcy are also the …

Characterization Of Dissolved Organic Carbon In Lake Mead, Yixin Wei

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Lake Mead is located in the Mojave Desert and provides water for several states in the southwestern U.S. Although most of the water in Lake Mead originates from the Colorado River, there are several minor sources of water, such as the Virgin River, the Muddy River, and the Las Vegas Wash, that could impact water quality. The principal objective of this study was to obtain new and fundamental information about dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the Lake. This study focuses on the development of concentration methods for aquatic humic substances (HS, major components of DOC), and the characterization of HS …

Vectors, Polluters, And Murderers: Hiv Testing Policies Toward Prostitutes In Nevada, Cheryl L Radeloff

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This case study explores HIV testing policy and prostitution in Nevada. Three general themes emerge from analysis of Nevada's HIV/AIDS policy regarding prostitution. First, HIV testing policies reflect and reproduce hegemonic sexuality-specifically gender inequality, heterosexist orientation, and negative stereotypes of prostitutes. Second, Nevada's legalized prostitution industry makes visible the effects of economic dynamics, specifically tourism, on policies related to sexuality. Finally, the policymaking process depicts conflict between two approaches to regulation: the punitive control measures favored by law enforcement, and prevention and public health strategies favored by health bureaucracies. Testing prostitutes for HIV became the dominant policy response to an …

Predicting Airline Corporate Bankruptcies Using A Modified Altman Z -Score Model, Carla Kroeze

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Since 1979, 150 airlines have filed for bankruptcy. The airline industry was officially deregulated in October 1978, which brought about many changes including the strengthening of hub and spoke operations, fare-cutting, and the entry of new competitors into the industry. However, following deregulation, the airline industry has suffered financially from various problems: the economic recession of the early 1980s; rising jet fuel costs; rising labor costs; maintenance and interest costs; rising insurance costs; and intensified competition. The transition, from a regulated to a deregulated environment, increased the instability of the carriers' operating profits. In 1998, airlines earned record profits, but …

Cavities On The Cob: Dental Health And The Agricultural Transition In Sonora, Mexico, James Thomas Watson

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This research uses a predictive model based on dental health to test the hypothesis that maize dependence gradually increased among human groups in the Sonoran Desert over the course of the Early Agricultural period (1500 B.C.--A.D. 200). The hypothesis is tested by recording a suite of ten dental observations that correlate with this fundamental change in subsistence on a sample of 246 prehistoric human skeletons dating to the Early Agricultural period recovered from La Playa (SON F:10:3), Sonora, Mexico. The sample is evenly distributed among demographic variables, burial treatments, and location within the site. Erosion of the burials, however, restricted …

Engaging Young People In Democracy, Hilarie Hicks Robison

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

As young people's civic and political participation continues to decline, a number of organizations are working to reverse the decline by increasing opportunities for youth to participate. Communities around the country are taking steps to engage young people through a variety of methods that allow youth to actually participate in policy development and take action on local issues. The effectiveness of such community programs on long-term civic engagement is not well documented, however. This paper presents preliminary research about the effectiveness of one community participation program, the Southern Nevada Water Authority's Youth Advisory Council. Quantitative and anecdotal evidence, while not …

Analysis Of Factors Related To Pedestrian High-Crash Locations, Natachai Wongchavalidkul

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This research presents model to identify on-network and off-network factors influencing high pedestrian crash locations. The models are based on statistical analyses of crash data. These are illustrated using pedestrian crash data for the Las Vegas Metropolitan area, in Nevada, USA. Crash data were collected for a five year period (1996--2000) and analyzed. These pedestrian crashes are classified into intersection crashes and non intersection crashes based on distances from the reference street. A Geographic Information System (GIS) software program was used to develop crash density maps to help select high risk intersection locations and non intersection locations. Descriptive analysis technique …

Establishing Uranium Migration Parameters For The Indian Springs Range, Clinton E Abell

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

For the past 24 years, depleted uranium (DU) kinetic energy penetrators used by the US Air Force have been tested and evaluated to develop targeting system algorithms at a site in the Mojave Desert. This two-fold study focused on reducing uncertainties in the environmental parameters used to model DU migration in arid soils through extensive soil characterization; and evaluated potential horizontal migration of DU through close examination of erosion tracts traversing the target area. Model error reduction was achieved by developing site-specific parameters for DU migration on various impacted soil horizons. Parameters determined in this work included distribution coefficients, soil …

Geochemical Interpretation On Groundwater Flow In The Southern Great Basin, Jeremy Edward Koonce

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The study of geochemical processes and integrated water flow can help identify groundwater sources and improve predictions of contaminant fate and transport in groundwater systems. Understanding groundwater flow paths in and around the Nevada Test Site (NTS) is important due to the possible migration of contaminated groundwater to the neighboring communities; Harry Reid Center collected a total of 118 samples from the NTS and surrounding area (e.g., Oasis Valley, Ash Meadows, Death Valley, the Spring Mountains, and Pahranagat Valley) and analyzed for trace elements and major solutes. Cluster analysis and Principal Component Analysis (PCA), along with basic Geographical Information Systems, …

Applicability Of Different Emotional Constructs In The Hospitality Industry, Suna Lee

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This paper investigates the area of emotional value by using the critical incident study method. Although many studies have investigated the importance of emotion in the hospitality industry, there has been a paucity of research that investigated what drivers or incidents make customers experience emotions. The main purpose of this study is to identify the critical incidents that lead to different emotional responses in a hotel setting. The specific objectives of this research are (a) to identify emotions that customers experience during their hotel stays, and (b) to identify critical incidents that lead to these emotional experiences. This information can …

Nevada's Odd Response To The "Yellow Peril": Asians And The Western Ineligible Alien Land Laws, Lance David Muckey

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

On November 4, 1924, the voters of Nevada amended the state constitution to bar foreigners from owning land. A mere twenty-two votes decided the outcome of the election. This was the first step toward the passage of an ineligible alien land law that would have prevented land ownership by Japanese or persons of any other nationality deemed ineligible for United States citizenship by Congress. For reasons not completely understood, Nevada's lawmakers never passed further anti-Japanese legislation. This study examines Japanese immigration and the growth of anti-Japanese agitation across the American West, and specifically in California, between 1885 and 1924 in …

Ideology And Interaction In Internet Action Video Games, Marshall David Smith

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This thesis is an analysis of how the play mechanics of the Return to Castle Wolfenstein videogame influence player cooperation and competition during play as well as an analysis of player chat as indication of cooperation and competition. While the premise of the game is competition the play mechanics of the game were found to induce intricate and extensive cooperation among players. In this study, player communication was primarily focused on achieving game goals, however there was also communication for cooperative efforts. The play mechanics of the game significantly influences the experience of players. Further research must be conducted to …

Existential Predictors Of Psychological Well-Being, Alejandro Patricio Yanez

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between various existential variables and overall well-being in a sample of 251 university students. Subjects completed self-report instruments assessing their levels of self-actualization, death anxiety, spirituality, purpose in life, satisfaction with life, psychological well-being, positive affect, and negative affect. The main purpose of this study was to examine the degree to which these existential variables predicted overall well-being. Results revealed that most of the aforementioned existential variables (except death anxiety) significantly predicted overall well-being. Purpose in life was the most significant predictor in the regression analysis. These results are considered …

The Relationship Between Time On The Job And Compassion/Satisfaction Fatigue In Firefighters, Juanita M Buck

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

First Responders such as firefighters who experience disasters and observe traumatic events may be at risk for generalized stress resulting from the type of work they do. Studies suggest that the more a person is subjected to traumatic incidents, the more they are at risk. This study assessed the relationship between time on the job and the levels of compassion fatigue and job burnout in firefighters. Results of this study did not indicate that there was a significant relationship between time on the job and compassion fatigue and burnout in the studied population. However, results did indicate that participants were …

Congress's Failed Potential: The Gulf Of Tonkin Resolution And The War Powers Act, Jason Andrew Frayer

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This paper examines congressional surrender through the passage of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and how Congress attempted to regain its co-equal powers of war through the end of the Vietnam War by restricting funds to Southeast Asia and by the passage of the War Powers Act. The thesis also explores the intentions of the Founder's on separating the "sword" from the "purse" into two separate branches, and how the escalation of the Cold War led the U.S. into Vietnam. Finally, the paper concluded that the passage of the War Powers Act was unnecessary and unconstitutional because it granted power …

Evaluation Of Potential On-Equipment Dust Suppression Systems For Heavy Construction Equipment: Chain Trencher And Road Miner, Suhas Karke

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The goals of this thesis research are to characterize emissions from construction equipment such as a Road Miner and Chain Trencher, develop and compare preliminary alternative designs for collection of emitted dust, and evaluate the potential economic and operational benefits of improved dust control technology; Data collected from two site visits using PM-10 DUSTTRAKRTM monitors, video camera, digital photo camera, and soil samples; served as a data source to analyze construction operations, delineate sources of emissions, and characterize emissions; Preliminary designs using vacuum and water spray dust control systems were developed for a Trencor Road Miner and a Trencor Chain …

Ellis Island: The Public And Personal Representations Of The Immigrant Experience, Tara Maras

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Between 1892 and 1954, more than 12 million immigrants arrived at Ellis Island's shores for the promise of a new beginning in America. During this period of immigrant influx and in the decades to follow, anti-immigrant sentiment remained at the forefront of the collective American conscious, varying in severity, though ever present. This study compares the relationship between the personal stories of immigrants and the print media's account of immigration in Ellis Island's peak year, 1907, in an attempt to understand how storytelling, as communication, helped shape the collective immigrant experience. It also examines how the relationship contributes to U.S. …

The Reconstitutive Power Of Wovoka's Prophetic Discourse: A Rhetorical History Of The 1890 Ghost Dance Prophet, Alexander David May

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The tremendous influence of Wovoka, or Jack Wilson as he was commonly known, was manifested through his message of peace and renewal. The Ghost Dance Prophet of 1890 outlined a new way of life for "his people" which included every native nation, not just the Paiute. Delegations that came to hear Wovoka speak and letters he sent to the faithful spread the tenets of the religion among the indigenous people. Wovoka's rhetorical history illustrates the interplay of first persona, substantive message, and second persona as a means of transforming an audience. In addition, the parallels between the Paiute Prophet's discourse …

Characteristics Of The Mechanical Impedance Of The Hand-Arm System, Ahmed Moustafa

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The mechanical impedance of the human hand-arm system was measured within the frequency range of 5--1000 Hz. A handle specially designed for such measurements, was used. The studies were carried out on ten healthy male subjects during different experimental conditions defined by, three different vibration amplitudes (0.01, 0.005, and 0.001 m/s) different combinations of push (0--75 N) and grip (25--50 N) forces, and two different methods of handle mass subtraction (mathematical and electronic). The effect of test subjects' weight on the results was also studied. The outcome shows that the mechanical impedance of the hand-arm system depends on the frequency …

The World Bank And Development: Measuring The Effectiveness Of Lending Programs In Sub-Saharan Africa, Tina F Mueller

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This study tests the assumption that borrowing from the World Bank, specifically the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA), promotes economic development. The focus of this study is the poorest region in the world today, Sub-Saharan Africa, for the 25 year time period of 1974--1999. Other hypothesized influences on wealth include human capital, debt, aid, foreign direct investment, savings, regime, and population. Two models include 36 countries in the data set and estimate the coefficients using generalized least squares regression. Two additional models use a data set that is complete for 27 countries …