Digital Commons Network^™

The Motivating Language Of Principals: A Sequential Transformative Strategy, William Tobias Holmes

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study implemented a Sequential Transformative Mixed Methods design with teachers (as recipients) and principals (to give voice) in the examination of principal talk in two different school accountability contexts (Continuously Improving and Continuously Zigzag) using the conceptual framework of Motivating Language Theory. In phase one, teachers were surveyed using the ML Toolbox. The survey was administered using the Dillman Tailored Design Method, and the return rate was 67.48%. The major findings that emerged were: (a) significant differences in Motivating Language (ML), Direction-Giving Language (DG), Empathetic Language (E), and Communication Competence (CC) variables between the Continuously Improving and Zigzag Clusters; …

Anti-Germinants As A New Strategy To Prevent Clostridium Difficile Infections, Amber Janece Howerton

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Clostridium difficileinfections (CDI) have emerged as a leading cause of hospital-associated complications. CDI is the major cause of antibiotic-related cases of diarrhea and nearly all cases of pseudomembranous colitis. The infective form of C. difficileis the spore, a dormant and hardy structure that forms under stress. Germination of C. difficile spores into toxin producing bacteria in the GI tract of susceptible patients is the first step in CDI establishment. Patient susceptibility occurs with a disruption of the natural gut microbiota by broad-spectrum antibiotics. Antibiotic treatments usually resolve CDI but refractory cases are on the rise. Of great concern is the …

An Estimate Of Groundwater Recharge In The Nabogo River Basin, Ghana Using Water Table Fluctuation Method And Chloride Mass Balance, Melanie Lynn Krautstrunk

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Cambrian-Precambrian fractured sandstone aquifer in the Nabogo River Basin in the Sahelian Northern Region in Ghana is one of the most important sources for fresh water supply for the local rural communities there. Recent population growth and commercial agricultural interests in this region could have an impact on this critical water resource. Groundwater recharge estimates are determined in this study using the Water Table Fluctuation Method and Chloride Mass Balance and can be applied to future sustainability studies of the region's water resources. Recharge estimates of the Water Table Fluctuation Method are in a range of 10-143 mm/yr or …

Novel Production Techniques Of Radioisotopes Using Electron Accelerators, Daniel Robert Lowe

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Non-traditional radioisotope production techniques using a compact, high power linear electron accelerator have been demonstrated and characterized for the production of 18F, 47Sc, 147Pm, and 99mTc from a variety of target candidates. These isotopes are used extensively in the medical field as diagnostic and therapy radioisotopes, as well as the space industry as RTG's. Primary focus was placed on 99mTc as it constitutes approximately 80% of all diagnostic procedures in the medical community that use radioactive tracers. It was also the prime focus due to recent events at the Chalk River nuclear reactor, which caused global shortages of this isotope …

A Case Study Using Principal-Agent Theory To Explore How A Public, Four Year University Interacts With A System Office, Annie Macias

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The focus of this research was to examine the funding relationship between a single public institution of higher education and its accompanying system office. Such a study is important in order to obtain insight into the relationship between a System Office and an institution, and thus how institutions carry out their fiscal responsibilities, not directly to the state but to the System Office they serve. The study provides insight into how the System Office communicates and transacts with an institution regarding financial allocations. Also important is whether that institution receives effective communication and whether the institution's perceived expectations are as …

Post Processing Of Optically Recognized Text Using First Order Hidden Markov Model, Spandana Malreddy

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In this thesis, we report on our design and implementation of a post processing system for Optically Recognized text. The system is based on first order Hidden Markov Model (HMM). The Maximum Likelihood algorithm is used to train the system with over 150 thousand characters. The system is also tested on a file containing 5688 characters. The percentage of errors detected and corrected is 11.76% with a recall of 10.16% and precision of 100%

A Study Of District Leadership Practices In The Principal Professional Learning Community, Danielle Grace Miller

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This qualitative study was implemented in an urban, Title I school district in the southern portion of the United States. The problem the study addressed was that the various phenomena pertaining to the implementation of the principal professional learning community (PPLC), as perceived by the 14 participating elementary school principals, had not been examined to determine their influence. Qualitative data were acquired from the principals through personal interviews.

Findings suggested that, with the regular opportunities for principals to share ideas and thoughts with their colleagues, PPLC participants perceived improved performance involving (a) the attributes of high skillfulness and high participation …

A Forensic Identification Utility To Create Facial Approximations Using Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Of 100 Hispanic Females: A Pilot Study, Behzad Nejat

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction:Estimation of facial soft tissue appearance from human skeletal remains is often necessary in forensic identification. This process has been referred to as facial reconstruction or facial approximation and is a branch of forensic facial anthropology. Original methods for facial approximation originated in nineteenth century Europe and consisted of artists shaping clay over skull models using average soft tissue depths measured in cadavers. The last two decades have introduced numerous computerized techniques that have digitized this process while attempting to accurately and objectively define the relationship between a skull and its overlying soft tissue. This pilot study describes a method …

The Impact Of Advanced Wastewater Treatment Technologies And Wastewater Strength On The Energy Consumption Of Large Wastewater Treatment Plants, Timothy Stephen Newell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Wastewater treatment is an energy intensive process often requiring the use of advanced treatment technologies. Stricter effluent standards have resulted in an increase in the number of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with advanced treatment over time. Accordingly, associated energy consumption has also increased. Concerns about lowering operating costs for WWTPs and reducing associated greenhouse gas generation present an incentive to investigate energy use in WWTPs. This research investigated the impact of wastewater strength and the introduction of advanced treatment technologies, to replace traditional technologies on energy use to treat wastewater in WWTPs. Major unit processes were designed for a 100 …

Recycling And Reuse Of Radioactive Materials, Thomas Joseph O'Dou

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Radiochemistry Program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) has a Radiation Protection Program that was designed to provide students with the ability to safely work with radioactive materials in quantities that are not available in other academic environments. Requirements for continuous training and supervision make this unique program capable of turning out graduates that have an understanding of contamination and dose control techniques that complement their knowledge of the elements that they work with. The Program has also adopted a radionuclide recovery and reuse program that has provided materials from other universities, government agencies, and private companies …

2000 Year Moisture Source Record From A Central Nevada Speleothem, Paul Pribyl

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The goal of this study was to determine the moisture source of winter precipitation in the central Great Basin for the past 2000 years, and to elucidate the role of Pacific Ocean and North American climate variability modes in driving observed droughts of the region around the Medieval Climatic Anomaly (MCA, ~900-1300 CE). Here a high resolution (~2-4 year) precisely dated moisture source reconstruction is presented from the δ18O values of speleothem LC-1 collected from Leviathan Cave in central Nevada, which reveals significant δ18O variability. I attribute the δ18O variability to changes in winter-season moisture circulation over the past 2000 …

Image Segmentation For Quantification Of Air-Water Interface In Micro-Ct Soil Images, Kranthi Kumar Potteti

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Soils are complex environments comprising various biological (roots, water, air etc) and physical constituents (minerals, aggregates, etc). Synchrotron radiation based X-ray microtomography (XMT) is widely used in extracting qualitative and quantitative information regarding spatial distribution of biological and physical soil constituents. Segmentation of these micro-CT soil images is of interest to geologists, hydrologists, civil and petroleum engineers and soil scientists. In this present work, we study and implement segmentation algorithms for microhydrology studies, specifically for soil water conductivity. Three well-known image segmentation algorithms are studied for evaluating their performance for the task. We demonstrate the problems and ways to segment …

The Abundance And Distribution Pattern Of Quagga Mussels In The Las Vegas Bay Of Lake Mead, Nevada And Potential Correlation With Environmental Parameters, Scott Rainville

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The non-native quagga mussel [Dreissena bugensis (Andrusov, 1897)] was initially discovered in Boulder Basin of Lake Mead, Nevada-Arizona on January 6, 2007. This occurrence marked the first biological invasion of dreissenid mussels in the Western U.S., following a significant North American range expansion of invasive quagga mussels from populations that invaded and colonized the Great Lakes Region in the Northeastern U.S. during 1991. This nonindigenous mollusk species quickly spread from Boulder Basin and became established throughout the entire reservoir by the end of 2007, with the exception of the inner Las Vegas Bay. There was an apparent absence of settled …

Credentialing Success In Respiratory Therapy Education: Revisiting Bourdieu's Concepts Of Field And Capital, Karen Lightbody Shaw

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The field of Respiratory Therapy (RT) is expected to experience a workforce shortfall over the next decade. The numbers of both program applicants and graduates have declined in recent years, necessitating strategies to improve board exam pass rates for future graduates. In response to the pending employment crisis, the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care has published Programmatic Outcomes Data detailing individual program statistics. A theoretical framework adapted from Pierre Bourdieu's Concepts of Field and Capital was proposed to explain a possible re-stratification of RT programs. It states, in part, that a modification of position-takings within the RT educational field …

Division I Student-Athlete Degree Choice Assessment, Tony Terrell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Though the NCAA has established rules that require student-athletes to complete their college degree in an expeditious manner, the 40/60/80% rule may impinge on student-athlete academic decisions (i.e., degree choice).Yet limited empirical data exist regarding the nature and prevalence of student-athlete degree impingement. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the Student-Athlete Degree Choice Questionnaire (SA-DCQ). The SA-DCQ assesses factors that influence Division I student-athletes' degree choice. An initial 40 item, 4 component SA-DCQ instrument was piloted with 170 Division I student-athletes. In order to develop scales, Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was conducted. PCA results yielded 13 …

Topics In Galaxy Formation: Pairwise Velocities Of Dark Matter Halos And Molecular Hydrogen Regulated Star Formation In Cosmological Simulations, Robert Jo Thompson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In this dissertation we investigate two distinct challenges within the concordance LCDM model and an unrelated project.

The first is a discrepancy between theory and observation. A massive galaxy sub-cluster known as the `bullet' has fallen through a more massive parent galaxy cluster at a redshift of z=0.296.

Theory finds that in order to reproduce the observational quantities of this cluster, an unusually high relative velocity of v12=3000 km/s between the two cluster's parent halos is required.

We quantify the statistical probability of producing a `bullet-like' halo pair within large N-body simulations, and

conclude that either the LCDM model is …

On The Independent Domination Number Of Regular Graphs, Wayne Goddard, Michael A. Henning, Jeremy Lyle, Justin Southey

Faculty Publications

A set S of vertices in a graph G is an independent dominating set of G if S is an independent set and every vertex not in S is adjacent to a vertex in S. In this paper, we consider questions about independent domination in regular graphs.

Effects Of Stereo And Screen Size On The Legibility Of Three-Dimensional Streamtube Visualization, Jian Chen, Haipeng Cai, Alexander P. Auchus, David H. Laidlaw

Faculty Publications

We report the impact of display characteristics (stereo and size) on task performance in diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (DMRI) in a user study with 12 participants. The hypotheses were that (1) adding stereo and increasing display size would improve task accuracy and reduce completion time, and (2) the greater the complexity of a spatial task, the greater the benefits of an improved display. Thus we expected to see greater performance gains when detailed visual reasoning was required. Participants used dense streamtube visualizations to perform five representative tasks: (1) determine the higher average fractional anisotropy (FA) values between two regions, (2) …

Integrated Approach For Hydrogeologic Investigations In Africa: Inferences From Space-Borne And Land-Based Gravity, Aeromagnetic, Gis, And Remote Sensing Data, Mohamed El Sayed Ahmed Ahmed

Dissertations

An integrated (space-borne and land-based gravity, aeromagnetic, GIS, and remote sensing) approach was developed, tested, and applied to investigate the following on regional scales (Africa) or local scales (El Qaa Plain, Sinai): (1) assess the capability of GRACE data (04/2002 to 08/2011) for monitoring elements of hydrologic systems on the sub-basin level (Task 1); (2) address the nature and the controlling factors (e.g., climatic and/or human pressure-related) affecting the inter-annual GRACE-derived Terrestrial Water Storage (TWS) trends over a large suite of hydrologic systems and domains in (Africa) (Task 2); and (3) identify the structural, geologic and hydrologic settings as well …

Attitudes Toward Science And Stem Cell Research Based On Religious Worldview: Comparing The Views Of Theists, Naturalists, Skeptics, And Dualists Toward Science As An Institution, Method, And Application Of Knowledge, Jon Van Wieren

Dissertations

This dissertation is a study of attitudes toward science and stem cell research based on religious worldview. This study examines the relationship through General Social Survey data (2006).

Religious worldview is measured here through some of the most common measures of religiosity. This study differs from many other sociological studies of religiosity in that it includes the view of naturalism alongside other religious worldviews, including theism, dualism, and skepticism. Science is understood and measured here as multidimensional. Comparisons are made between attitudes toward science as a social institution, a research method, and as an application of knowledge - where attitudes …

From Expulsion To Success: Perceptions Of Expelled Students About Their Expulsion Process And Resumption Of Education, Julie Slocum Dahlgren

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods study examined expelled students in a Northwest public school district of 3,400 students. The purpose was to analyze perceptions of expelled students from 2003-2010 (N-68) regarding their expulsion process and experiences relating to the resumption of educational pursuits. Data was collected from a questionnaire designed by the researcher and distributed to 44 students and from transcribed and coded testimony from four students. The research centers on the whys and wherefores of student expulsions, asking questions that could help schools and school districts penetrate more deeply into the expulsion process, questions that focus on how students perceive their own …

Fabrication Of Solid Solution Tungsten-Rhenium Alloys By High Energy Ball Milling And Spark Plasma Sintering, Cory C. Sparks

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Tungsten-rhenium powders of varying compositions were fabricated by spark plasma sintering (SPS). In initial exploration of the parameter space, W-25 at% Re powders were blended and consolidated by SPS at 1500 to 1900°C with sintering dwell times of 0 to 60 minutes. In addition, the influence of milling was investigated. W-25 at% Re powders were high-energy ball milled at 200 to 400 rpm for 5 hours and consolidated at 1700°C with sintering dwell times of 0 to 60 minutes. The sample densities, grain sizes, porosities, contamination level, and hardness values were measured. The intermetallic content, specifically the fraction of σ-phase, …

A New Approach For Computing Wz Factorization, Effat Golpar-Raboky

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

Linear systems arise frequently in scientific and engineering computing. Various serial and parallel algorithms have been introduced for their solution. This paper seeks to compute the WZ and the ZW factorizations of a nonsingular matrix A using the right inverse of nested submatrices of A. We introduce two new matrix factorizations, the QZ and the QW factorizations, and compute the factorizations using our proposed approach.

Stretching A Surface Having A Layer Of Porous Medium In A Viscous Fluid, M. Sajid, Z. Abbas, N. Ali, T. Javed

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

The present analysis deals with the steady, incompressible flow of a viscous fluid over a stretching sheet having a layer of porous medium of uniform thickness. The two-dimensional flow equations are derived in a Cartesian coordinate system. The semi-infinite region filled with a viscous fluid is divided into two regions namely, a clear fluid region and a region having a uniform pores. Darcy's law has been used for the flow of fluid in the porous medium region. An exact similar solution of the problem is obtained. The obtained solution is constrained by a relation between the porosity parameter and the …

Generalizations Of Two Statistics On Linear Tilings, Toufik Mansour, Mark Shattuck

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

In this paper, we study generalizations of two well-known statistics on linear square-and-domino tilings by considering only those dominos whose right half covers a multiple of 􀝇, where 􀝇 is a fixed positive integer. Using the method of generating functions, we derive explicit expressions for the joint distribution polynomials of the two statistics with the statistic that records the number of squares in a tiling. In this way, we obtain two families of q -generalizations of the Fibonacci polynomials. When 􀝇 􀵌 1, our formulas reduce to known results concerning previous statistics. Special attention is payed to the case 􀝇 …

Two Reliable Methods For Solving The Modified Improved Kadomtsev-Petviashvili Equation, N. Taghizadeh, S. R. Moosavi Noori

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

In this paper, the tanh-coth method and the extended (G'/G)-expansion method are used to construct exact solutions of the nonlinear Modified Improved Kadomtsev-Petviashvili (MIKP) equation. These methods transform nonlinear partial differential equation to ordinary differential equation and can be applied to nonintegrable equation as well as integrable ones. It has been shown that the two methods are direct, effective and can be used for many other nonlinear evolution equations in mathematical physics.

Investigation Of Nonlinear Problems Of Heat Conduction In Tapered Cooling Fins Via Symbolic Programming, Hooman Fatoorehchi, Hossein Abolghasemi

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

In this paper, symbolic programming is employed to handle a mathematical model representing conduction in heat dissipating fins with triangular profiles. As the first part of the analysis, the Modified Adomian Decomposition Method (MADM) is converted into a piece of computer code in MATLAB to seek solution for the mentioned problem with constant thermal conductivity (a linear problem). The results show that the proposed solution converges to the analytical solution rapidly. Afterwards, the code is extended to calculate Adomian polynomials and implemented to the similar, but more generalized, problem involving a power law dependence of thermal conductivity on temperature. The …

Teacher Training For "Response To Intervention" At A Midwest University, Ladonna Jean Barnett

Dissertations

The compelling force behind education is improving teacher quality. This research study was designed to find out how improving teacher quality in terms of RTI knowledge occurred at differing levels of instruction and how faculty perceived the changing role of general education teachers and administrators with regard to RTI. Participants in the study included 13 faculty instructors and 196 of their students. Instructors had experience ranging from three to 14 years and experience in public school settings varied from eight to 17 years teaching K-12 and from four to 20 years as administrators. The instrumentation and data collection consisted of …

Piety And Profession: Simon Greenleaf And The Case Of The Stillborn Bowdoin Law School, 1850–1861, Alfred S. Konefsky

Journal Articles

In 1850, Bowdoin College turned to former Harvard professor Simon Greenleaf when it sought to establish a law school. Although the school did not materialize, Greenleaf wrote a remarkable report that reveals anxieties about the profession, competing visions of legal education, and controversies over the meaning of the science of law in antebellum New England.

Securing A Wireless Networked Control System Using Information Fusion, Brijesh Kashyap Chejerla, Sanjay Madria

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Security of a wireless sensor network practically governs its usability in several applications. Especially, in applications like Industrial control systems which use NCS and SCADA systems, the security affects the stability of the system. We propose to use an information fusion scheme which allows us to profile the different attacks in wireless sensor networks and study their effects on the control systems stability and feedback. We make use of the Bayesian Networks to obtain hypotheses as outputs which form the decisions. These decisions are made based on the feature extraction and estimation process of the entire information fusion scheme. This …