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2005

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Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Countermeasures To Enhance Pedestrian Safety, Ganesh Jung Karkee Jan 2005

Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Countermeasures To Enhance Pedestrian Safety, Ganesh Jung Karkee

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Pedestrian safety is a major concern in the United States because over 4,700 pedestrians are killed and 70,000 are injured annually. Nevada has one of the highest pedestrian fatality rates in the United States. Thus, there is a need to enhance pedestrian safety using existing and new strategies and to evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies. The objective of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of various countermeasures to improve pedestrian safety. The countermeasures evaluated in this research include: (1) an in-pavement flashing light system, (2) pedestrian countdown signals, (3) turning traffic must yield to pedestrians signs, (4) a …


The Effects Of A Personal Responsibility Model On Individual Student And Class-Wide Social Behaviors, Daniel Wesley Balderson Jan 2005

The Effects Of A Personal Responsibility Model On Individual Student And Class-Wide Social Behaviors, Daniel Wesley Balderson

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Teaching students social values has long been associated with K-12 education (Solomon, Watson, Delucchi, Schaps, 1988). With the rise of anti social behavior among children and youth in schools (Volokh & Snell, 1998) practitioners and scholars alike are re-focusing their attention on implementing and empirically documenting social skill programs (Hellison, 2003; Solomon, Watson, Battistich, Schaps, & Delucchi, 1996; Martinek & Hellison, 1998; Shields & Bredemeier, 1995; DeBusk & Hellison, 1989). The context of physical education, due to its naturally interactive and conflict oriented environment, may be an ideal setting for social skill development. Although widely used but with little research …


Merger And Acquisition Activities In The Hospitality Industry, Hyun Kyung Chatfield Jan 2005

Merger And Acquisition Activities In The Hospitality Industry, Hyun Kyung Chatfield

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This study provides a comprehensive study of hospitality mergers and acquisitions (M&As) for the period between 1985 and 2004. The cumulative abnormal returns (CARs) for hospitality target and acquiring firms around the announcement of M&As are analyzed. The focus is on the returns of target and acquiring firms, as well as returns by three different hospitality industry segments (hotel, restaurant and gaming), by nature of acquisition, and by method of payment. In addition, it examines the influence of REIT and public status on the CARs of M&A participants; The overall findings are mixed. Some results are consistent with previous studies. …


Labor Unions And Corporate Campaigns: Necessary Tactic Or Hindrance To Bargaining, Cynthia Elise Agnello Jan 2005

Labor Unions And Corporate Campaigns: Necessary Tactic Or Hindrance To Bargaining, Cynthia Elise Agnello

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The author examined occurrences of corporate campaigns between 1990-2004 in order to evaluate the effectiveness of union's use of non-traditional strategies in achieving business concessions. Cases included were those representing the presence of litigation, coalition building, exerted pressures on financial associates, efforts to compel regulatory agencies investigations of businesses breaches of law, pressuring government, on job actions, and waging negative publicity campaigns. This study built upon the past work of Paul Jarley and Cheryl L. Maranto's that originated three categories of contexts for campaigns: organizing campaigns, strike complement, and strike substitute corporate campaigns. These labor action stages set the foundation …


Engine Starts And Soaks Frequencies In Southern Nevada, Ping Xi Jan 2005

Engine Starts And Soaks Frequencies In Southern Nevada, Ping Xi

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The overall goal for this thesis is to develop a representative local data set for amount and distribution of vehicle starts and soaks for Southern Nevada metropolitan area. These valid local start/soak values will be used to create input files for the MOBILE6.2 emissions model and will also be analyzed in comparison to EPA default values. A four month 349-sensor study of starts behavior in metropolitan Southern Nevada produced, compared with EPA default values, fewer weekday starts for cars (5.5 vs. 7.3) and trucks (5.5 vs. 8.1) and fewer weekend starts for trucks (4.7 vs. 5.7). Las Vegas drivers exhibited …


Racial Disparities In The Federal Sentencing Of Drug Offenders, Jorge Adrian Castrejon Jan 2005

Racial Disparities In The Federal Sentencing Of Drug Offenders, Jorge Adrian Castrejon

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Drawing upon a national sample of offenders from the U.S. Sentencing Commission through the ICPSR, the current study examines the extent of racial disparities in federal sentencing of drug offenders. After controlling for demographic characteristics of the defendants results from the analysis indicate that blacks and Hispanics convicted of drug offenses receive more prison sentences than white defendants. Black defendants receive longer prison sentences than whites and Hispanics for the same type of drug offenses. Although Hispanics receive more prison sentences than whites their prisons sentences are significantly shorter than prison sentences for black and white defendants. It is determined …


Evaluation Of An Intraoperative Iodine-125 Brachytherapy Implant Technique, Tserenpagma Chaoui Jan 2005

Evaluation Of An Intraoperative Iodine-125 Brachytherapy Implant Technique, Tserenpagma Chaoui

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of an intra-operative planning method in brachytherapy prostate seed placement by comparing pre-planning and intra-operative planning techniques. This comparison was achieved by a virtual-planning technique in which the pre-planned seed and needle positions are superimposed on the intra-operatively obtained volume study. Dosimetric evaluation of each implant was based on the dose volume histogram (DVH) generated from CT studies and analysis of image and seed numbers, target volume and inferior extent of posterior planes. These parameters showed that greater dosimetric values are noted in the intra-operative technique. The study demonstrated a …


Saving Lives: Assessing Knowledge And Awareness Of Cervical Cancer Among Women In Low Income Families In Clark County, Nevada, Salome Kidele Kapella Jan 2005

Saving Lives: Assessing Knowledge And Awareness Of Cervical Cancer Among Women In Low Income Families In Clark County, Nevada, Salome Kidele Kapella

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Studies have reported low participation in cervical cancer screening of low-income women, but few of them have addressed lack of knowledge on cervical cancer. The goal of this study is to assess knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer among women in low-income families in Clark County, NV. Fifty women in low-income families who were English-speaking and were enrolled in the WIC program were interviewed. Questions addressed were: knowledge on cervical cancer, Pap smears practices, insurance coverage, and knowledge about free/low-cost Pap tests in the state. The Majority of women were minorities (74%) and the mean age was 25.3 (SD=6.44). Seventy-six …


An Examination Of The Efficacy Of Problem Solving Skills Training For Adolescent Substance Abuse: Results Of A Pilot Study, Jennifer Dawn Karmely Jan 2005

An Examination Of The Efficacy Of Problem Solving Skills Training For Adolescent Substance Abuse: Results Of A Pilot Study, Jennifer Dawn Karmely

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The literature investigating adolescent substance abuse has identified both social skills deficits and parental conflict as variables which both predict and maintain substance abuse. Supported by these findings, the present study evaluates the efficacy of utilizing cognitive problem solving skills training with adolescent substance abusers and their primary care giver (Youth-Parent Cognitive Problem Solving Training - YPCPS). This treatment condition is an alteration of Individual Cognitive Problem Solving Training (ICPS, Azrin, Donohue, Teichner, Cram, Howell, and DeCato, 2000) which was developed as a treatment modality for individual adolescent substance abusers. The interventions instructed participants, through a brief 5 point strategy, …


Understanding Psychopathy And Violence: The Role Of Motivation, Jacqueline Patricia Camp Jan 2005

Understanding Psychopathy And Violence: The Role Of Motivation, Jacqueline Patricia Camp

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Psychopathy has become of considerable interest to the legal system because of its reliable association with violence. Although psychopathy is largely defined by the PCL-R, this measure has been heavily criticized (1) for inclusion of specific counts of antisocial behavior and, (2) for identifying a heterogeneous group of individuals who differ systematically in their basic personality dimensions. These criticisms have led to several questions regarding the nature of the relation between core psychopathy and violence. The present study sought to clarify the nature of the relationship between psychopathy and violence by (a) examining the unique relationship between core psychopathy and …


Gothic Analogues In Kay Boyle's Death Of A Man: Modernist Perspective And Political Reality, Cara A Minardi Jan 2005

Gothic Analogues In Kay Boyle's Death Of A Man: Modernist Perspective And Political Reality, Cara A Minardi

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

In order to flesh out obscured meanings of Death of a Man, one must understand the political and social milieu between 1917-1936 in America and Europe. Incorporating a new historicist approach, this paper considers the social and political warnings contained in Boyle's Death of a Man. That American critics rejected Boyle's novel is evidence of American biases toward Europe during a period of American isolationism. The novel itself confronts European attitudes that in many cases were the result of The Treaty of Versailles and that led to World War II. Viewing Boyle's novel as a piece of Gothic writing overlaid …


"You've Got Mail": Email Use In Post-Dissolutional Relationships, Michelle P Mosbacher Jan 2005

"You've Got Mail": Email Use In Post-Dissolutional Relationships, Michelle P Mosbacher

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This study is an examination of the conscious motives involved with using email communication over face-to-face communication in post-dissolutional communication between former romantic partners. This project also answered specific questions regarding the nature of post-dissolutional communication. Data collected from 173 undergraduate students revealed that the ability to plan messages within an email is a conscious motive of using email communication that is not perceived in face-to-face communication, whereas the ability to save-face and avoid topics are not. Additionally, emoticons are sparingly used in post-dissolutional email communication, yet those participants who reported to use emoticons are also concerned with saving face. …


Virtual Design And Modeling Of Various Manufacturing Processes For Remote Fabrication Of Transmuter Fuel, Jamil Mohamad Renno Jan 2005

Virtual Design And Modeling Of Various Manufacturing Processes For Remote Fabrication Of Transmuter Fuel, Jamil Mohamad Renno

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

As currently envisioned, over 70,000 tons of high-level nuclear waste would be stored inside the planned Yucca Mountain repository. After emplacement, the site must be maintained and guarded for over 10,000 years; The reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel is a possible alternative to geological storage. Here, depleted Uranium would be separated from Plutonium and Minor Actinides. While Plutonium can be 'burned' in commercial nuclear reactors, the minor actinides would be transmuted into other elements. The large-scale deployment of remote fabrication and refabrication processes (approx. 100 tons of Minor Actinides (MA) annually) will be required. Process automation has the potential to …


Homeland Security Emergency Response Wind Field Plume Flow, Lynn Bryant Nielson Jan 2005

Homeland Security Emergency Response Wind Field Plume Flow, Lynn Bryant Nielson

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Numerous atmospheric dispersion models for emergency response exist. The Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services is leading the development of new atmospheric dispersion models for emergency response. Collaborative efforts, mutual aid agreements, and partnerships synergize forming meteorological data networks providing atmospheric modeling for enhancing emergency response. Technological advances in computer meteorological forecasts are producing data used for predicting wind field plume flow for potential emergency response; Fire stations make excellent sites for meteorological towers because they are located in fire response districts distributed throughout a community and the meteorological data gathered may serve multiple purposes; A tower was …


Peer Relations Among Female Delinquents: A Study Of Racial/Ethnic Differences And Violence, Jenna Rachael Silverman Jan 2005

Peer Relations Among Female Delinquents: A Study Of Racial/Ethnic Differences And Violence, Jenna Rachael Silverman

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Recent increases in violence rates among female juveniles, especially African Americans and Hispanics, have necessitated an investigation of contributors to violence. The present study examines differential aspects of peer relationships as predictors of violence among female juvenile offenders, taking racial/ethnic differences into account. Questionnaires assessing for peer relationship variables (i.e., attachment, perceptions of delinquency, involvement in peer pressure, and association with delinquent peers) and delinquent and violent behavior were administered to 136 female juvenile offenders. The results showed that high levels of peer association and extrinsic rewards from peer relationships best predicted violence among female juvenile offenders. Among Caucasians, African …


The Differential Impact Of Language Skills On The Wages Of Hispanic Men And Women, Annette Marie Tanori Jan 2005

The Differential Impact Of Language Skills On The Wages Of Hispanic Men And Women, Annette Marie Tanori

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This study will look to expand on the work that has been done in regards to the earnings of Hispanics. When compared to other minority groups, Hispanics traditionally earn less. The average household income for Hispanics is 22% less than the national average household income of {dollar}42,000 a year. This study will examine the effect that the language penalty, which is the estimated difference in wages between English and non-English speakers holding other important factors constant, has on the earnings of Hispanic men and women. The data used in the study is taken from the United States Census Bureau, 2000 …


Tissue Cooling During Cryotherapy With Varied Types Of Compression, David Tomchuk Jan 2005

Tissue Cooling During Cryotherapy With Varied Types Of Compression, David Tomchuk

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This study was performed to examine the effects of varied types of external compression on surface and intramuscular temperature. Fourteen university students volunteered for this study; each subject received all 3 treatment conditions: ice compressed with an elastic wrap, ice compressed with Flex-i-Wrap(TM), and ice with no compression. Subjects were asked to lie prone on a standard treatment table during the 30-minute ice application and the 60-minute post-application durations. Surface and intramuscular temperatures were recorded every 30 seconds throughout the experiment. The results revealed a significant difference in surface temperature between compression and no compression, but no difference between forms …


Plyometric Training In Female Adolescent Soccer Players, Amaris Christine Vandyke Jan 2005

Plyometric Training In Female Adolescent Soccer Players, Amaris Christine Vandyke

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to measure the effects of low impact plyometric training on vertical jump and kicking distance in female adolescent soccer players. Comparisons at three separate time intervals: pre-test, 7 weeks, and 14 weeks were made between individuals completing normal soccer training and competition and those additionally completing once-weekly plyometric training. No significant difference in kicking distance was found between groups at pre-test (p = 0.5005) or 7 weeks (p = 0.1174). However, the plyometric training group had significantly longer kicking distance after 14 weeks (p = <0.0001). The control group displayed a significant decrease in kicking distance between 7 and 14 weeks (p = 0.0081). No significant difference in vertical jump height was found between groups at pre-test (p = 0.8366) or 7 weeks (p = 0.1077); however, the plyometric group had a significantly higher vertical jump after 14 weeks (p = 0.0144). Once-weekly plyometric training may improve soccer performance.


Synthesis And Characterization Of Strontium Fluorapatite, Chirantha Prageeth Rodrigo Jan 2005

Synthesis And Characterization Of Strontium Fluorapatite, Chirantha Prageeth Rodrigo

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Proliferation of nuclear waste is a major environmental issue we all face this century. Long lived radioactive isotopes such as 90Sr contained in spent nuclear fuel have been causing major problems during the disposal stage of the nuclear fuel cycle. Disposal of radioactive isotopes requires a suitable confinement host material in order to dispose of them in a safe and appropriate repository. In this thesis I describe how to synthesize and characterize the mineral fluorapatite as a host material for Sr. Fluorapatite is a naturally occurring mineral with the unit cell formula of Ca10(PO 4)6F2. This mineral possesses a stable …


Hellfire And Damnation Through Crime Or Bliss Through Faith: A Look At Faith-Based Corrections, Gregory Paul Warren Wuthrich Jan 2005

Hellfire And Damnation Through Crime Or Bliss Through Faith: A Look At Faith-Based Corrections, Gregory Paul Warren Wuthrich

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The latest movement in trying to combat the U.S. crime problem is through "faith-based" corrections. These programs are in the infancy stages and minimal data are present at this time to illustrate true effectiveness of such programs. This study is a theoretical evaluation of such programs and incorporates a framework from Gary LaFree (1988). Results indicate that "faith-based" programs tend to be one dimensional and in order for them to work properly they must be set up in conjunction with other institutional changes. Often other theories can incorporate the dimension of religion, yet religion alone, such as through "faith-based" programs, …


Improvements To Patient-Specific Skeletal Dosimetry, Jeffrey Scott Wyler Jan 2005

Improvements To Patient-Specific Skeletal Dosimetry, Jeffrey Scott Wyler

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Nuclear medicine encompasses numerous steps, with accuracy being a key component throughout. Exactitude in skeletal dosimetry is of importance due to the high radiosensitivity of the hematopoietic cells populating the marrow cavities within trabecular bone. In fact, active marrow is generally the dose limiting organ in both radioimmunotherapy and bone pain palliation; Current research involving improvements in skeletal dosimetry is being pursued through nuclear magnetic resonance- (NMR) and computed tomography- (CT) imaging. Images acquired from these imaging modalities are coupled to Monte Carlo transport models to calculate S values for radionuclides localized within the skeleton. This is accomplished by in-vivo …


Examining The Basis For Change In Clark County Non-Conforming Zone Change Process: Was It Needed?, Maria Kaseko Jan 2005

Examining The Basis For Change In Clark County Non-Conforming Zone Change Process: Was It Needed?, Maria Kaseko

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This study reviews Clark County's non-conforming zone change process from 1990 to 2002. A non-conforming zone change, sometimes known as a non-conforming zone boundary amendment is a proposed request that is not within the range of residential densities and/or non-residential intensities indicated on the applicable land use plan map, master plan, or concept plan. This research explores and examines two questions raised by the Clark County's new implementation plan, which was approved in April 2003 to amend the non-conforming zone change process. (1) Clark County assumed there was a public perception that non-conforming zone changes were being approved without regard …


Behavioral Ecophysiology Of Dungeness Crabs During Feeding And Digestion In Hypoxia, Jennifer Lynn Bernatis Jan 2005

Behavioral Ecophysiology Of Dungeness Crabs During Feeding And Digestion In Hypoxia, Jennifer Lynn Bernatis

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Cancer magister inhabits areas frequently subject to periods of hypoxia. In hypoxia, digestive processes pose an additional physiological burden to crabs already attempting to maintain adequate oxygen uptake. Crabs tended to cease feeding below 3.2 kPa, resuming feeding when dissolved oxygen levels were rapidly raised to 6 kPa. In a 10.5-21 kPa DO gradient starved and fed crabs showed no preference for any area of the apparatus. In a 2.5-10.5 kPa DO gradient, starved and fed crabs showed significant preference for the highest oxygen concentration. Starved crabs were less likely to enter hypoxic waters to feed; those that did moved …


"Cinq Etudes-Tableaux" By Serge Rachmaninoff Orchestrated By Ottorino Respighi: A *Transcription For Wind Orchestra With Accompanying Historical Context And Transcription Techniques, Zane Stephen Douglass Jan 2005

"Cinq Etudes-Tableaux" By Serge Rachmaninoff Orchestrated By Ottorino Respighi: A *Transcription For Wind Orchestra With Accompanying Historical Context And Transcription Techniques, Zane Stephen Douglass

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This document includes a transcription of three of the five movements of Ottorino Respighi's transcription of Serge Rachmaninoff's piano work Cinq Etudes-Tableaux. An overview of the historical context of the work, and a detailed explanation of the techniques used in transcribing the work for wind orchestra are included. The three movements transcribed in this document are: 2. La Foire; 4. Marche Funebre; and 5. Marche.


Brief Therapy For Traumatized Children, Lisa Marie Linning Jan 2005

Brief Therapy For Traumatized Children, Lisa Marie Linning

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Traumatic child maltreatment can negatively impact every developmental domain of a child, when left untreated. Thus, child psychologists have recognized a critical need for treatment and prevention strategies to circumvent the negative trajectories that can develop after traumatic events. Brief Therapy for Traumatized Children (BTTC) was developed to treat traumatized youth in shelter care. Treatment components included psychoeducation, building effective coping strategies, boundary setting, anxiety management skills, challenging cognitive distortions, development of trauma narrative and journaling. One hundred-forty-seven participants from a children's shelter in Las Vegas, NV, aged 12--17 years, were voluntarily recruited and assessed for trauma symptoms. Data from …


The Effects Of Scripted Instruction On Proper Foot Plant During A -Skip In A Practice High School Track And Field Setting, Darian Anthony Parker Jan 2005

The Effects Of Scripted Instruction On Proper Foot Plant During A -Skip In A Practice High School Track And Field Setting, Darian Anthony Parker

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Track and field is a sport that thrives on technique correction for skill acquisition (Mero, Komi and Gregor, 1992). Research in terms of approaches to improving skill acquisition and technique correction in novice high school track and field sprinters has been limited. Although recent efforts to improve skill acquisition in track and field have been effective (Hanin, Korjus, Jouste & Baxter, 2002 & Shestakov, Arakelian & Primakov, 2000), there does not appear to be any studies utilizing Gangstead and Beveridge's (1984) explicit instruction model as a way to improve skill acquisition for novice high school track and field sprinters. Explicit …


Applications Of Sensors For In-Home Elder Support, Kofi Baffour Asare Cobbinah Jan 2005

Applications Of Sensors For In-Home Elder Support, Kofi Baffour Asare Cobbinah

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The number of retirees in the US is continuously increasing in proportion to the total population as the baby-boomers in the United States age. As these retirees age they are in need on continuous medical treatment and care which impacts the percent of the national budget placed on healthcare. As healthcare issues with the retirees they are often moved by their family members to assisted living facilities or to nursing homes. This movement is costly to both the family members and to the government agencies paying for or subsidizing their care. The proposal brought forth in this thesis is to …


A Modified Bootstrap Method For Handling Non Detects In Environmental Data, Michelle Melissa Guillaume Jan 2005

A Modified Bootstrap Method For Handling Non Detects In Environmental Data, Michelle Melissa Guillaume

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Many samples taken for environmental purposes have concentrations that are measured below the detection limit. Below the detection limit does not mean that there is no concentration present; there may be a concentration present that cannot be accurately measured by the analytical instrument or cannot be determined with 95% confidence that the concentration is greater than zero (EPA, 1989). These concentrations are defined non-detects in the data. When the concentration of the contaminant of concern in a sample falls below the detection limit, it is standard laboratory procedure to represent these data as


The Role And Relevancy Of The Black Church In Today's Society, Anthony Fitzgerald Harris Jan 2005

The Role And Relevancy Of The Black Church In Today's Society, Anthony Fitzgerald Harris

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to gather information about the role and the relevancy of the black church in regards to social issues in today's society. The significance of the study reflects many attitudes of the African-American community. It gives greater insight on the questions surrounding the differing roles of the black church. This study also gives some insight to churches on what the participants say makes the church relevant to them. With this information, churches can become more aware and capable of meeting the needs of the people in the community; The methods used were an in-depth qualitative …


Understanding The Role Of Predicted Outcome Value In The Negotiation Of Condom Use, Shawna Gwynne Harris Jan 2005

Understanding The Role Of Predicted Outcome Value In The Negotiation Of Condom Use, Shawna Gwynne Harris

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This study is a quantitative analysis of influences on college students' willingness to persist with a request to use a condom. The participants consist of 129 undergraduate students enrolled in introductory and upper division courses at a large, southwestern university. The research design is a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial: prediction of cooperation (yes, no), prediction of future relationship (long-term, one-night stand), and gender (male, female). Four different instruments, each with a different hypothetical scenario manipulating the relationship status and cooperation independent variables, were randomly distributed to all participating students with request persistence and message directness as the dependent …