Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluating The Energy And Carbon Footprint Of Water Conveyance System And Future Water Supply Options For Las Vegas, Nevada, Eleeja Shrestha

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Water production requires the use of energy to transport water from distant locations, pump groundwater from deep aquifers and treat water to meet stringent drinking water and wastewater regulations. Energy production based on its source involves the emission of greenhouse gases also known as carbon footprint, which is the leading cause of global warming and climate change. Because of growing concerns of global warming due to these emissions, water providers are required to analyze the energy and associated carbon footprint of existing water production facilities and future water supply options. A system dynamics model is developed to estimate the energy …

The Determinants Of Colorectal Cancer Survival Disparities In Nevada, Lucas N. Wassira

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Different population groups across Nevada and throughout the United States suffer disproportionately from colorectal cancer and its after-effects. Overcoming cancer health disparities is important for lessening the burden of cancer. There has been an overall decline in the incidence of and mortality from colorectal cancer (CRC). This is likely due, in part, to the increasing use of screening procedures such as Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) and/or endoscopy, which can reduce the risk of CRC mortality by fifty percent. Nevertheless, screening procedures are routinely used by only fifty percent of Americans aged fifty years and older. Despite overall mortality decreasing …

Rare Earth Element Transport In The Yucca Mountain Region, Liqiong Zhang

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In sync with environmental pollution of solutes in nature, from source, process to consequence, geochemical processes (leaching and sorption) and hydraulic transportation of the rare earth elements (REEs) have been investigated at Yucca Mountain (YM), Nevada. This research includes the leaching behavior of trace elements (including REEs) from aquifer rocks, the surface complexation reactions of REEs in synthetic groundwater, and transportation of reactive REEs in the local-scale groundwater system of YM. This dissertation includes three projects. These studies indicate that surface complexation reactions may retard the transportation of REEs along groundwater paths in YM, which suggests a similar behavior of …

Bordered Identities: Class, Ethnicity, And Transnational Social Networks, Rayette Ellen Martin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis looks at the bordered identities of middle class second generation Mexican Americans in Las Vegas, Nevada. Through an analysis of the borderlands or gray spaces that occur at the intersections of class practices, transnational relationships and ethnic identities, participants’ bordered identities were found to be reinforced, contested, and generally negotiated. Participants’ identities are flexible; their expressed identities change in relation to context or situation. In the United States, Mexicans and Latinos more generally have been subjected to racial and ethnic oppression since the Mexican American war ended in 1848.This long history of discrimination has maintained perceptions that all …

Synthesis, Characterization And Simulation Of Optical And Raman Properties Of Metal Nanoparticles, Sriteja Yamparala

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Metal nanoparticles are of strong interest for their unusual optical and Raman properties with potential for new and improved device applications. Specifically, the significantly enhanced Raman Scattering enabled by Surface Plasmon Resonance on metal nanoparticles open up the potential for the implementation of very sensitive sensors. It has been demonstrated that Surface Plasmon resonance can be used for the detection of a single molecule. Out of the various metal nanoparticles that have been investigated, the most promising are that made of gold and silver. Metal nananoparticles of gold and silver show strong Raman enhancement in the visible spectral region, making …

Minimizing Base Column Demands In Multi-Story Buckling Restrained Braced Frames Using Genetic Algorithms, Christopher Hiroshi Yeates

Theses and Dissertations

Most structural optimization procedures focus on minimizing the total volume of steel in an attempt to reduce overall costs. However, many other factors can have an effect on the overall cost of a structure. Base column demands in particular, can affect base plate sizes, anchorage, and foundation design. Researchers have found that present methods for estimating column demands are too conservative. Nonlinear time history analyzes were conducted on buckling-restrained braced frames of six heights. Optimized results were found considering three ductility constraints and two optimization objectives. The two optimization objectives were minimized total brace area and minimized base column demands. …

Still Flying: The Communicative Constitution Of Browncoat Fandom As Culture, Jonathon Nicholas Lundy

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

In contemporary western culture, fandom is common. Many academics and members of the general public alike conceive of fandom as outside the norms of spectatorship; to be a spectator is to enjoy an interest individually and passively. However, others contend that fandom is a more significant cultural achievement.

This study qualitatively investigated how Browncoats, or fans of the cancelled television series Firefly , communicatively construct their fandom culture. Methods included participant observation, semi-structured interviews, data analysis through Grounded Theory, and a comparative thematic analysis of the original Firefly source texts and Browncoat cultural data in order to discover meaningful themes …

Selling Knowledge: A Sociological Analysis Of Attorney Advertisement In Las Vegas, Giselle Velasquez

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

I analyze how Las Vegas attorneys represent themselves, their associates and clients in televised law firm commercials. I use attorney commercials as a case to explore cultural beliefs in media representations. Using an inductive method, I analyze the textual, visual, and aural symbols that appear most frequently in television commercials to interpret how law firm advertisements convey themes of attorney expertise, knowledge, ethnic and gender stereotyping. I introduce this study with a historical evaluation of the rise of advertisement in the United States. I continue discussing how the media is an important realm of discourse that affects people's identity. Using …

Consumers' Attitudes Towards Traceability Of Food And Meat Products, Kulmani Rana

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to survey consumers on their support for Radio Frequency Identification tags on fruit and vegetable containers and their willingness to pay for traceability of meat products. Ironically, there is no single universally accepted definition of traceability. There is evidence that the US has fallen behind its major trading partners in terms of implementing a nationwide food traceability system. Researchers in the past have concluded that consumers' WTP for traceability increases significantly when bundled with additional assurances. There is real concern among consumers about implementation of traceability systems in food as well as meat products. …

Army Supply Chain Management: Trends And Parellels With Industry, Matthew C. Olson

Honors Theses

Documents assembled as part of a supply chain management study to compare the tools and concepts used by private industry with the public sector, specifically the Department of Defense and the United States Army.

Sanctions For E-Discovery Violations: By The Numbers, Dan H. Willoughby Jr., Rose Hunter Jones, Gregory R. Antine

Duke Law Journal

This Article reviews our comprehensive survey of written opinions from cases in federal courts prior to January 1, 2010, involving motions for sanctions relating to the discovery of electronically stored information (ESI) We analyzed each case for various factors, including date, court, type of case, sanctioning authority, sanctioned party, sanctioned misconduct, sanction type, sanctions to counsel, if any, and the protections provided from sanctions by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 37(e) The survey identified 401 sanction cases and 230 sanction awards and showed that sanction motions and awards have increased over time, particularly in the last five years Sanctions against …

Development And Evaluation Of Therapeutics In The Setting Of Radiation Injury, Karin Emmons Thompson

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The possibility of an incident involving radiation exposure is at the forefront of public attention in the current global environment. With a greater number of entities possessing nuclear weapons and increased demand for nuclear power, the concern for uncontained exposure to radiation is increasing. In light of these developments, the need for treatments that may be easily stored and administered to large numbers of people who have been exposed to high doses of total body irradiation (TBI) is more urgent than ever before.

Our goal was to identify and develop novel, drug-like small molecules that would exhibit radiomitigating activity for …

The Short-Term Influence Of Free Digital Versions Of Books On Print Sales, John L. Hilton Iii, David Wiley

Faculty Publications

Increasingly, authors and publishers are freely distributing their books electronically to increase the visibility of their work. A vital question for those with a commercial stake in selling books is, “What happens to book sales if digital versions are given away?” We used BookScan sales data for four categories of books (a total of 41 books) for which we could identify the date when the free digital versions of the books were made available to determine whether the free version affected print sales. We analyzed the data on book sales for the eight weeks before and after the free versions …

Interactions Of Francisella Tularensis With Components Of The Host Fibrinolytic System, Shawn Russell Clinton

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Francisella tularensis (FT) is a Gram-negative coccobacillus and causative agent of a life-threatening disease commonly referred to as tularemia. Due to the highly infectious nature of the organism, its previous development as a biowarfare agent and its potential use in acts of bioterrorism, this bacterium is listed as a Category A select agent by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Efforts to understand the pathogenic mechanisms of FT within the host environment are vital for the development of safe and effective vaccines, as well as treatments, against tularemia. Though considered an intracellular pathogen, FT research of late has …

The Impact Of Network Parameters On The Quality Of Voice Calls In Voice Over Internet Protocol (Voip) Services, Olugbenga Bamidele Olumuyiwa

Theses (Pre-2016)

Many residential as well as business customers have been switching to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone services. VoIP phone services are based on the transmission of voice over packet switched IP networks. VoIP customers use their internet connection not only to connect to the Internet but also to make phone calls. VoIP service providers have always faced the challenge of providing customers with good call quality even though the IP network that carries call traffic does not provide any Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees. Delays, packet loss, jitter, and out of sequence packets are some sources of poor VoIP …

Increased Intracellular Iron And Mineralization Of Cultured Hfob 1.19 Cells Following Hepcidin Activation Through Ferroportin-1, Peng Zhang, You-Jia Xu, Dong-Yang Zhao, Yong Ma, Li Xiao, Yu-Shuang Feng, Ben-Cai Du, Zhong-Ming Qian, Kai Li

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: To address whether hepcidin functions in bone metabolism. METHODS: This study was carried out in the Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Public Health of Soochow University, and the Laboratory of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China, from September 2009 to July 2010. The positive expression of ferroportin-1 (Fpn-1) was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. After the treatment with distilled water (control group) and hepcidin (25noml/L, 50noml/L, 100noml/L), the fluorescence intensity related to intracellular iron concentration of a human fetal osteoblast cell line (hFOB 1.19) was measured by a confocal laser scanning microscope. A 3-(4,5- dimethylthiazol-2-yl) …

Preserving Republican Governance: An Essential Government Functions Exception To Direct Democratic Measures, William R. Leinen

William & Mary Law Review

No abstract provided.

Factors Associated With General And Sexual Alcohol-Related Consequences: An Examination Of College Students Studying Abroad, Justin F. Hummer, Eric R. Pedersen, Tehniat Mirza, Joseph W. Labrie

Heads Up!

This study contributes to the scarce research on U.S. college students studying abroad by documenting general and sexual negative alcohol-related risks and factors associated with such risk. The manner of drinking (quantity vs. frequency), predeparture expectations surrounding alcohol use while abroad, culture-related social anxiety, and perceived disparity between home and host cultures differentially predicted consequences abroad. The findings include important implications for student affairs professionals in developing study abroad–specific interventions and resources to maintain student well-being while abroad.

'I Know You!': Understanding Racial Experience And Racial Practice Within The Lumbee Indian Community, David S. Lowry

Southern Anthropologist

Over the past three centuries, academic and public discussions of race have been divided into two distinct spheres: an understanding of race as “blood” and, alternatively, an understanding of race as that which is defined by visualization of human phenotype. In contemporary anthropological and Native American research, scholars of Native America have been mostly concerned with communities that are defined by blood. These scholars have presumed that notions of blood (or “blood quantum”) ought to structure how we (as scholars) discuss Native American existence. These scholars have, subsequently, ignored the notion that Native American peoples still live in large numbers …

An Investigation Of The Risks For Human Health From Bio-Available And Bio-Accessible Arsenic In The Tamar Catchment Using Human Hair Bio-Markers And Geochemical Data, Richard Cattan

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Geologic mineralisation and anthropogenic exploitation in the Tamar catchment of south-west England have resulted in an environment enriched with arsenic, a recognised carcinogen and systemic toxicant that can target many organs in the human body. This study examined geochemical data from the catchment and found particularly high arsenic contamination around the historic mining districts of Callington and Gunnislake, where maximum concentrations of 39 µg L-1 in stream waters, 11000 mg kg-1 in stream sediments, and 15000 mg kg-1 in topsoils were found in certain areas. Hair samples from 91 catchment residents were analysed using inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The arsenic …

The Therapeutic Effects Of Working With Dartmoor Ponies: A Pathfinding Project, Dawn Chaplin

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The area of Animal Assisted Therapy, and in particular therapy with Equines, was investigated to assess whether this sort of therapy could contribute to Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL). It was proposed that quantitative and qualitative measures would suggest an increase in social and emotional functioning following an Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL) intervention. Three ‘at-risk’ adolescent males were nominated by teaching staff to participate in a quasi-experimental research design, whereby measures were taken but no variables manipulated. Quantitative data provided weak support for the hypothesis although qualitative data suggested an improvement in functioning followed by a decline in …

Beneficial Roles Of Microorganisms In The Coral Reef Ecosystem, Katie R. Laming

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Coral reef biodiversity has declined over the past few decades and despite recent significant scientific interest in reefs in light of noticeable effects of climate change on this fragile habitat there is still much undiscovered about the true diversity of the symbiont community. There is also much to ascertain about underlying holobiont mechanisms relating to beneficial properties resident bacteria possess to help their hosts defend themselves from pathogenic xenobacteria or how symbionts provide the holobiont and other reef organisms with nutrition by utilising the carbon and nitrogen cycles. These are some of the questions addressed in this literature review. It …

The Experiences Of Mississippi Weekly Newspaper Editors As They Explore And Consider Producing Internet Editions, Cassandra Denise Johnson

Dissertations

This dissertation focused on the challenges Mississippi weekly newspaper editors faced when deciding to have an online edition and the issues these editors encountered when they adopted a Web newspaper. The study expounded on four areas—the operational changes weekly newspapers have had to make to produce Web editions, the different type of newsroom staff that are needed to create both editions, the content that is going in the online edition, and the financial pressures that editors work through to keep the newspapers profitable. The study was modeled after similar studies from three organizations—the Pew Research Center, the Bivings Group, and …

A Separation Of Church And Growth? The Intersections Of Seventh-Day Adventism And Economic Development In Puerto Rico, Josefer Montes

Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the intersections of religion and economics, specifically the Puerto Rican economy and the Puerto Rico Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA). Chapter II investigated the relationship between an economy that exports its currency and one that imports its currency by researching how United States monetary policy impacts the Puerto Rican economy. Through the perspective of the Optimal Currency Area (OCA) framework as posited by Mundell (1961) and employing a vector autoregression (VAR) model, the impact of U.S. monetary shocks was investigated by regressing those effects against Puerto Rican employment data. While the Puerto Rican business cycle generally follows that …

Is Obama Black: The Pseudo-Legal Definition Of The Black Race: A Proposal For Regulatory Clarification Generated From A Historical Socio-Political Perspective., Gloria J. Liddell, Peason Liddell Jr.

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Barack Obama’s successful run for President of the United States exposed many intriguing sociological and political issues in American society, not least of which was the question of race. Obama was the offspring of a mother of White European ancestry and a father of African ancestry. Obama is considered “Black,” though some would argue he could have been called “White” just as justifiably. The public discourse surrounding the election of President Obama highlights the need for clarification. In this Article, we explore the past to provide a foundational perspective. In proposing a somewhat unconventional definition, we seek to contain within …

Lords Of The Manor: Fighting California Slumlords With Private Multi-Plaintiff Implied Warranty Of Habitability Litigation., Christina Sosa

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Abstract Forthcoming.

How Texas Can Better Protect Seniors From Financial Abuse And Mismanagement Associated With Alzheimer's Disease., Hayden Colby

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Alzheimer’s Disease is a prominent terminal ailment affecting a vast number of the world’s senior citizens. The Disease causes a cognitive deterioration in brain cells which results in limited or no ability to do basic activities. Texas has seen a disproportionate amount of Alzheimer’s cases due to senior citizens relocating upon retirement. Alzheimer’s Disease costs American citizens thousands of dollars in healthcare services every year. In the early stages of Alzheimer’s, one loses his or her ability to manage their finances. This leads to a lack of independence and a greater susceptibility to financial abuse by those wanting to take …

Determining Characteristics That Increase Success On The National Asthma Educator Certification Exam, Karen Kain

Dissertations

The National Asthma Educator Certification Board, Inc. (NAECB) is a voluntary health certifying board created in 2001 to evaluate the professional competence of asthma educators. The primary purpose of the NAECB is to prepare and conduct examinations to test the qualifications of candidates for certification as asthma educators. Certification is voluntary and is not required by law for employment in the field, although some agencies may use AE-C® certification as a basis for employment, job promotions, salary increases, or other considerations. The mission of the NAECB is to promote optimal asthma management and quality of life among individuals with asthma …

Project: Love Yours, Wei Hsiao

Theses

Project: Love Yours is a graduate thesis project that examined the importance of emotional attachments to product longevity in the context of problems where our material culture is distant and disposable. Through research memory was identified as an influential factor in attachment formation. By incorporating the philosophical concept of imperfection as a design strategy to stimulate the process of memory building, three concept solutions were developed. The design implementation in four product prototypes proves to be successful in encouraging memories to grow within each product. As ownership continues over the years, we can anticipate memories to accumulate and build up …

Paths To Upper Level Positions In Public Relations, Patrick J. Bishop

Dissertations

Preparation for a career in the field of public relations (PR) is based on a set of unique core competencies typically found in liberal arts. Though PR professionals rarely gain business degrees, they acquire knowledge, skills, perspectives, and strategies wellsuited to executive-level positions in business. Additionally, managerial positions in PR offer greater potential for influence than task-oriented roles with limited strategic opportunity.

This study examines the advancement of PR practitioners into upper-level management positions in business. The purpose of this research is to identify factors and behaviors that contribute to, or hinder, PR professional’s attainment of top-management positions. This study …