Digital Commons Network^™

Nitrate Ion Effects On Uranium Chemistry In The Tributylphosphate-Dodecane System, Amber Dawn Wright

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Understanding the role of nitrate in the speciation of actinides is important in order to determine the necessary data for extraction modeling of the UREX process. The focus of this project is on the fundamental chemistry of uranium (U) in the tributyl phosphate (TBP) extraction system, with emphasis on the effect of nitrate on actinyl speciation. Speciation calculations can be performed if stability and solubility constants for the chemical species formed under the examined conditions are known. The stability constant of the uranyl-TBP complex was evaluated under a variety of conditions. The variables were nitric acid, uranyl, total nitrate concentration, …

The Relationship Between Organizational Climate And Job Satisfaction Of Selected Urban Middle School Teachers In The Clark County School District, Ouida Mildred Brown

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between organizational climate and job satisfaction in the Clark County School District (Las Vegas, Nevada); The data were collected from teachers randomly selected from urban middle schools in this district. There were 19 schools involved in the study, with 15 teachers selected from each school to respond to two instruments. The Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire---Revised Secondary (OCDQ-RS) and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) were sent to 285 teachers, of which 197 were returned (70%). Demographic data were also collected from each of the respondents; There was a significant relationship found …

On Breaking Ground: Second Language Literacy And Language Learning Through Sociocultural Practices, Ana Christina Iddings

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This study was concerned with (a) how second language children actually learn as a result of their social interactions; (b) the learning trajectory of second language students from apprentice to full participation in communities of practice; and (c) how this learning influences, and is reciprocally influenced by, the social, cultural, and historical context as learners become members of community practice. These questions were investigated under the lens of sociocultural theory, which emphasizes leaning in relationship with others and with materials over time within the social context; This was a qualitative study involving genetic methodology (Vygostky, 1981) which aims to understand, …

Perception Of Charter School Principals On The Provisions Of Charter School Legislation, Brenda Kay Larsen-Mitchell

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated the perceptions of charter school principals regarding ten provisions relevant to charter school legislation. In addition, this study determined if differences existed between the opinion of experts and the perception of charter school principals regarding the strengths and weaknesses related to ten provisions of charter school legislation. This study assessed the perceptions of practitioners, charter school principals, regarding charter school legislation. Experts within the charter school movement ranked and critiqued various provisions of charter school legislation from their frame of reference as policy analysts. However, charter school principals confront the ramifications of charter school legislation on a …

The Effects Of Students' Asynchronous Online Discussions Of Conceptual Errors On Intentionally Flawed Teacher-Constructed Concept Maps, Magdalena Sas

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Research shows that online discussions are often unfocused and without providing much benefit to students' learning outcomes. One of the reasons behind this phenomenon is the lack of or inadequate scaffolding or guidance provided to students when participating on asynchronous discussion boards. The collaborative misconception mapping strategy is a tool that was designed to mediate cognitive and metacognitive processes via feedback provided by peers and a teacher-created concept map that contains intentional conceptual errors; This study evaluated the effects of collaborative misconception mapping as compared with those of a traditional online discussion activity, where students post responses to discussion questions. …

Reactor Physics Studies For The Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (Afci) Reactor -Accelerator Coupling Experiments (Race) Project, Evgeny Yuryevich Stankovskiy

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

In the recently completed RACE Project of the AFCI, accelerator-driven subcritical systems (ADS) experiments were conducted to develop technology of coupling accelerators to nuclear reactors. In these experiments electron accelerators induced photon-neutron reactions in heavy-metal targets to initiate fission reactions in ADS. Although the Idaho State University (ISU) RACE ADS was constructed only to develop measurement techniques for advanced experiments, many reactor kinetics experiments were conducted there. In the research reported in this dissertation, a method was developed to calculate kinetics parameters for measurement and calculation of the reactivity of ADS, a safety parameter that is necessary for control and …

The Impact Of Interactive Factors On Romanian Students' Understanding Of Place Value, Madalina Tanase

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Students' mathematics achievement is believed to be influenced by a variety of factors (Brenner, Master of Engineering (ME), Herman S., Ho, H.Z. & Zimmer, J.M., 1999; Cai, C. 2000; Huntsinger, C. & J., P.E., 2000; Ma, 1999; Miura, 1987; Stevenson, L. & Stigler, J.W. 1986). As such, the performance gap in mathematics between students from different countries was attributed in turn, to the teachers' subject matter and pedagogical knowledge (Ma, 1999, Perry, 2000), curriculum development (Li, 2000; Valverde, Bianchi, Wolfe, Schmidt, Houang, 2002), native language (Miura, 1987), as well as parental raising and teaching strategies (Dornbush, Ritter, Leiderman, Roberts, & …

Elite Public Business Schools & Social Responsibility: A Search For Exemplars, Kimberly E Stott

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Cries for change have been heard by the nation's colleges and universities and their business schools, and reform is underway. Yet many continue to challenge the academy's readiness to meet modern challenges. How responsive are America's business schools to changing social needs? What lessons can they learn from the broader academic community of which they are apart? To answer these questions, we looked at the growing body of literature in these areas and queried six of this country's premiere public business schools directly. We found evidence to suggest that this nation's business schools are engaging with society and are doing …

The Nature Of Epistemic Climates In Elementary Classrooms, Florian C Feucht

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This study explored the nature of three epistemic climates in a fourth-grade classroom (i.e., a science and a reading lesson) and a sixth-grade classroom (i.e., a reading lesson). An epistemic climate is defined as the nature of knowledge and knowing emerging from the personal epistemologies of: (1) students, and (2) teachers, as well as from the epistemological underpinnings of (3) knowledge representations (e.g., curricula and textbooks), (4) instruction, and (5) their reciprocal relations. An epistemic climate is unique to individual classrooms and subject to change. A variety of qualitative methods were applied to tap the five data points of each …

Effects Of Metallurgical And Environmental Variables On The Performance Of Alloy 718 For Heat Exchanger Applications, Anand Venkatesh

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Austenitic Alloy 718 was extensively investigated, evaluating its tensile properties, crack-growth-rate (CGR), impact resistance, and resistance to stress-corrosion-cracking (SCC) and localized corrosion. The tensile data enabled a development of mechanisms on dynamic strain aging (DSA) and yield strength anomaly (YSA). The magnitudes of dislocation density, activation energy and work-hardening index, related to the DSA phenomenon, were estimated using different analytical approaches. The occurrence of YSA was verified based on transmission electron microscopic evaluations. The steady state CGR followed the Paris equation, showing a linear relationship. Alloy 718 exhibited a respectable impact resistance irrespective of the testing temperature. The SCC susceptibility …

Statistical Modeling Of Skewed Data Using Newly Formed Parametric Distributions, Kahadawala Cooray

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Several newly formed continuous parametric distributions are introduced to analyze skewed data. Firstly, a two-parameter smooth continuous lognormal-Pareto composite distribution is introduced for modeling highly positively skewed data. The new density is a lognormal density up to an unknown threshold value and a Pareto density for the remainder. The resulting density is similar in shape to the lognormal density, yet its upper tail is larger than the lognormal density and the tail behavior is quite similar to the Pareto density. Parameter estimation methods and the goodness-of-fit criterion for the new distribution are presented. A large actuarial data set is analyzed …

Exploring Preschoolers' Personal Epistemologies Using Focus Groups, Denise Lynne Winsor

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This is a qualitative study designed to use focus groups as a means of identifying the personal epistemologies of preschool children in an authentic learning environment. Personal epistemology is generally defined as the theory about the nature of knowledge and the process of knowing. Investigations of young children are scarce in this field, and little is known about the early onset of epistemological development. However, recent research suggests a possible connection between epistemic development and theory of mind; This study explores very young children and how their cognitive ability and interactions with peers may reveal information regarding epistemological development. The …

Urban Drought Guidebook 2008 Updated Edition, State Of California

Publications (WR)

This guide will help water managers facing water shortages by showing them how to use tried and true methods of the past as well as making use of new tools and methods. Managing water shortages involves using programs to temporarily reduce demand and find alternate water to temporarily increase supply. The guidebook discusses water shortage management programs that belong in water shortage contingency plans. It was first written in 1988, and then updated in 1991 and 2008 to help water suppliers cope with potentially severe drought and other water shortages. The focus of the guide is to provide a step-by-step …

Interaction Between Metal Fission Products And Triso Coating Materials, Clemens Heske

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

This project focuses on the chemical bonding and interface formation of metal fission products with the coating materials used in tri-isotropic (TRISO) fuel particles for gas-cooled reactors. By combining surface- and bulk-sensitive spectroscopic and microscopic methods, intermediate chemical phases at the interface, intermixing/diffusion behavior, and the electronic interface structure for different coating materials and metals are examined.

In detail, the project studies the interface formation of Pd, Cs, and Ag with SiC and pyrolytic carbon. Using SiC single crystals and highly-ordered pyrolytic carbon (HOPG) as substrates, interfaces are prepared under controlled conditions in an ultra-high vacuum environment and are studied …

Design Concepts And Process Analysis For Transmuter Fuel Manufacturing, Georg F. Mauer

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

The safe and effective manufacturing of actinide-bearing fuels for any transmutation strategy requires that the entire manufacturing process be contained within a shielded hot cell environment. To ensure that the fabrication process is feasible, the entire process must be designed for remote operation. The equipment must be reliable enough to perform over several decades, and also easy to maintain or repair remotely. The facility must also be designed to facilitate its own decontamination and decommissioning. In addition to these design factors, the potential viability of any fuel fabrication process will also be impacted by a number of variables, such as …

Dissolution, Reactor, And Environmental Behavior Of Zro2-Mgo Inert Fuel Matrix, Kenneth Czerwinski

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

This project will examine inert fuels containing ZrO₂ and MgO as the inert matrix. Ceramics with this inert matrix, Ce, U and eventually Pu will be synthesized and examined. While the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative focus is on inert fuels with Pu as the fissile component, this task will perform initial laboratory experiments with Ce and U. The initial work with Ce will be performed early in the project with results used as a basis for U studies. Reactor physics calculations will be used to examine suitable quantities of burnable poisons from the candidate elements Gd, Er, or Hf. …

Impact Of The Synthesis Process On Structure Properties For Afci Fuel Candidates, Kenneth Czerwinski

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

The research objectives are:

• To explore a low-temperature fluoride route to synthesize actinide nitrides. • To characterize actinide nitrides structurally and thermally.

• To use high resolution TEM techniques to explore the microstructure of the radioactive samples.

Solution-Based Synthesis Of Nitride Fuels, Kenneth Czerwinski, Tyler A. Sullens

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

One of the original synthetic routes devised for the synthesis of U (III)N involved the entire reaction taking place in liquid ammonia. Several experimental reactions were conducted in an attempt to synthesize the UI₃(NH₃)_x and U(NH₂)₃(NH₃)_x precursors of U(III) N. Each attempt involved cleaning of the uranium metal to remove the oxide coating of the metal reagent with 3 washes of concentrated nitric acid, each followed by a rinse with liquid ammonia. Success of this cleaning procedure was varied, with a majority of cleaned metal oxidizing rapidly once …

Improved High-Temperature Stability And Sun-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Activity Of Sulfur-Doped Anatase Tio2, Suresh Pillai, Declan Mccormack, Pradeepan Periyat, John Colreavy, Steve Hinder

Articles

No abstract provided.

Reestablishing The Juneberry On The Fort Berthold Indian Reservation: Cultural, Horticultural, And Educational Connections, Kerry E. Hartman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tribal people of the Northern Great Plains have utilized plants for centuries. Amelanchier anifolia (Juneberries/Serviceberries) historically played an important part in the diet and culture of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara (MHA) Tribal Nations. Research conducted as part of this study into historical and contemporary uses of the Juneberry by MHA Tribal Members indicated extensive historical use and a high interest in Juneberry reestablishment for cultural, nutritional, and economic reasons. Previous research on Juneberries has investigated factors including state of dormancy, propagation method, transplant type, and mulch type. Another purpose of this study was to elucidate the impact of presence …

Performance Management Process Report: John Jay College Goals & Targets 2008-2009, John Jay College Of Criminal Justice

Reports and Publications from John Jay College

No abstract provided.

A Representative Modern. Edward Kanterian: Ludwig Wittgenstein, Matthew J. Moore

Political Science

No abstract provided.

Fixed-Effect Estimation Of Highly-Mobile Production Technologies, William Clinton Horrace, Kurt E. Schnier

Center for Policy Research

Revised from November 2006 and July 2007. We consider fixed-effect estimation of a production function where inputs and outputs vary over time, space, and cross-sectional unit. Variability in the spatial dimension allows for time-varying individual effects, without parametric assumptions on the effects. Asymptotics along the spatial dimension provide consistency and normality of the marginal products. A finite-sample example is provided: a production function for bottom-trawler fishing vessels in the flatfish fisheries of the Bering Sea. We find significant spatial variability of output (catch) which we exploit in estimation of a harvesting function.

Semiparametric Deconvolution With Unknown Error Variance, William C. Horrace, Christopher F. Parmeter

Center for Policy Research

Deconvolution is a useful statistical technique for recovering an unknown density in the presence of measurement error. Typically, the method hinges on stringent assumptions about the nature of the measurement error, more specifically, that the distribution is *entirely* known. We relax this assumption in the context of a regression error component model and develop an estimator for the unknown density. We show semi-uniform consistency of the estimator and provide Monte Carlo evidence that demonstrates the merits of the method.

A Manifold Structure For The Group Of Orbifold Diffeomorphisms Of A Smooth Orbifold, Joseph E. Borzellino, Victor Brunsden

Mathematics

For a compact, smooth C^r orbifold (without boundary), we show that the topological structure of the orbifold diffeomorphism group is a Banach manifold for 1 ≤ r < ∞ and a Fréchet manifold if r = ∞. In each case, the local model is the separable Banach (Fréchet) space of C^r (C ^∞, resp.) orbisections of the tangent orbibundle.

The Parallax Of Landscape: Situating Celaque National Park, Honduras, Benjamin F. Timms

Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

Annual Summary Of Grant And Contract Activity Fiscal Year 2008, Grants Development Office

Grants Development Office Reports

No abstract provided.

High-Throughput Self-Interaction Chromatography: Applications In Formulation Predictions For Proteins, David H. Johnson

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Engineering Methodology For Considering Permanent Metal Deck Forms For Stability Of Bridges During Construction, Shekhar S. Patil

All ETDs from UAB

Lateral-torsional buckling is a significant consideration in the design of steel bridge girders during construction. Because I-girders have inherently weak torsion resistance, designers provide cross-frames and/or diaphragms at close spacing intervals to minimize the susceptibility of individual girders to instability during construction. A recent increase in fatigue problems around discrete brace connections, along with the costs of fabrication, erection, and inspection associated with cross-frames, has prompted the removal of the minimum spacing requirement from bridge specifications and created great interest in identifying alternative construction bracing approaches. Although permanent metal deck forms (PMDF) are widely used in the construction of steel …

The Ghost Of Godwin: Intertextuality And Embedded Correspondence In The Works Of The Shelley Circle, James C. Stewart

All ETDs from UAB

The members of the Shelley Circle attempted to live their lives by and produce works consistent with an arguably unrealistic and utopian political value system. Thematically, the writers show remarkable similarity in attempting to render the ideal real. During the period between 1816 and 1819, Percy Shelley, Mary Shelley, and William Godwin were struggling with living their ideals in a harsh reality. I examine two major works from each author: Godwin’s Political Justice and Caleb Williams, Percy Shelley’s Prometheus Unbound and The Cenci, and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Mathilda. In each case (with the exception of Godwin), when moving from …