Digital Commons Network^™

Novel Non-Blocking Approach For A Concurrent Heap, Rashmi Niyolia

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

We present a non-blocking algorithm for a concurrent heap in asynchronous shared memory multiprocessors. Processors in these machines often execute instructions at varying speeds and are subject to arbitrarily long delays. Our implementation supports Non-blocking Insert, Delete, and Find-Min operations on a heap. Non-blocking techniques avoid the drawbacks associated with mutual exclusion and also admit improved parallelism. Insert and DeleteMin operations in heap take more than one atomic instruction to complete, thus, it is possible that a new operation may be started before the previous one completes, leaving heap inconsistent between operations. We have represented heap as an array of …

Occurrence And Proliferation Of Antibiotics And Antibiotic Resistance In Wastewater Treatment Plants, Majid Neyestani

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Solids retention time (SRT) is one of the most important factors in designing and operating activated sludge systems for biological wastewater treatment. Longer SRTs have been shown to alter the structure and function of microbial communities, thereby leading to improved treatment efficacy with respect to bulk and trace organics, nutrient removal, and membrane fouling. However, research has also shown that longer SRTs lead to increased prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria, perhaps due to increased exposure to antibiotics present in influent wastewater. The purpose of this study was to characterize changes in microbial community structure in a laboratory-scale activated sludge system …

Radiation Therapy And Dosing Material Transport Methodology, Robert O'Brien

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A technique is examined here that utilizes high energy beta decays from a short lived radioisotope to treat medical conditions such as shallow cancerous lesions. A major benefit of beta particle interaction in tissue is a fixed penetration depth for the charged particle, with dose limited to the ultimate range of the beta particle. This method improves on some current techniques of radioactive brachytherapy, where "seeds" are placed inside patients through temporary or permanent implantation in order to kill cancerous cells or inhibit growth of tissue. The use of low energy gamma-rays is the most common method of treatment currently …

An Investigation Of The Testing Effect On Motor Learning, Aaron Leonard Pauls

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Optimization of learning processes is the goal many educators strive to achieve with their students. One of the potential methods used towards optimizing this process is what’s known as the testing effect. The testing effect is the improved performance on a retention test as a result of prior testing during some period of practice. Previously, the testing effect was investigated using mostly cognitive tasks such as the learning of a number of words. In this paper, we examine the impact the testing effect has on learning the motor skill of putting. The study used a 2 x 2 mixed design, …

Canovas Canyon Rhyolites, Jemez Volcanic Field, New Mexico: Discrete Source Magmas, Or A Potential Caldera Forming Magma System?, Penelope Marie Padmore

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Jemez volcanic field (JVF), New Mexico, is a caldera-forming volcanic field located at the junction of the Rio Grande Rift and the Jemez Lineament. The JVF is one of three large North American caldera-forming systems, including Long Valley, California and Yellowstone Plateau volcanic field, Wyoming, which have been active during the Quaternary. Because portions of the JVF are unusually well preserved, it offers a rare opportunity to study how such systems develop. Insight into the history of caldera-forming systems will contribute to the understanding of their potential future behavior. In the case of Yellowstone and Long Valley, that insight …

A Case Study On Enterprise Content Management Using Agile Methodology, Rohit Raj

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Every organization has the need to create, classify, manage and archive information so that it is accessible when they need it. The amount of data or information needed for an organization to build their business and for them to be more positive in today’s business world is increasing exponentially, which also includes unstructured data or unstructured content. It is not appropriate only to “manage” content, but whether the correct version of the data or document or record can be accessed. Enterprise Content Management is an efficient collection and planning of information that is to be used by a very particular …

The Intergenerational Effects Of Parental Divorce On Young Adult Relationships, Skyler William Roper

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Due to the current high rates of divorce, many young adults have experienced the effects of parental divorce. Although a variety of research has investigated both the positive and negative implications of divorce for individuals, relatively little research has looked at the relationship effects of parental divorce. Yet divorce likely influences both parent-child relationships (especially with a non-custodial parent) and young adult romantic relationships. The purpose of this study was to explore more fully how parental divorce affects young adult relationships by investigating the relationship between divorce and parent-child relationship quality, perceived comfort within close relationships (i.e., attachment), romantic relationship …

Image, Narrative, & Concept Of Time In Valerie Capers's Song Cycle Song Of The Seasons, Lillian Channelle Roberts

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Once I was a classical pianist, then I was a jazz pianist, but now I’m a pianist – No label. And in my writing, I’m not concerned with any particular style. I’ve found that if you have musical groundwork and some idea of the emotional impact the music should have, the musical style will hang together.

—Valerie Capers

Primarily known as a renowned jazz pianist, Valerie Capers is a blind, African-American woman composer who defied all odds by becoming the first blind graduate of The Juilliard School. Dr. Capers also became valedictorian of the New York Institute for the Education …

Process Development For The Fabrication Of Semiconductor Devices And Circuits Using Spin-On Dopant, Richard R. Ryan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Traditional approaches to semiconductor device fabrication are expensive and time consuming, making them out of reach for most universities and colleges. The objective of this thesis is to develop a process by which semiconductor devices and circuits can be implemented completely in-house using spin-on dopants (SODs), and low-cost transparency masks, to significantly reduce the lead time, complexity, and cost associated with device fabrication. This will allow hands on fabrication experience for students at universities and colleges without the traditional expensive device fabrication facilities. In addition, it will also allow students and professors to design, fabricate and test semiconductor devices and …

Bursting The Backpacker Bubble: Exploring Backpacking Ideology, Practices, And Contradictions, Mark J. Salvaggio

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In this dissertation, I discuss the growing development of international backpacking in Central America. I focus on backpackers because they are a significant, yet understudied and undertheorized, part of the newly mobile world. Drawing from more than 12 months of ethnographic data collected in Central America, I explore backpacking as a youth subculture. I used a subcultural framework to explain backpacking ideology, practices, and contradictions. Understanding backpacking as a youth subculture tells us a lot about the myths and realities of 21st century adventure in the context of global mobility, globalization, and economic changes in international tourism that shape what …

Evaluation Of Electron Donors For Perchlorate And Nitrate Biodegradation In Contaminated Groundwater Applications, Mayra Alejandra Sarria Cortes

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In the United States, perchlorate contamination has been widely reported, including in Las Vegas, Nevada, where perchlorate has been detected at concentrations of 34.7 mg/kg in vadose zone soil and 0.18-3.7 g/L in groundwater. Once this groundwater reaches the Las Vegas Wash, there is potential for widespread contamination of drinking water sources throughout the Southwest, including in Nevada, Arizona, and California. This issue is becoming increasingly important because even at low perchlorate concentrations, sensitive populations such as infants and pregnant women can be potentially impacted due to perchlorate’s ability to hinder iodine uptake into the thyroid glands, which leads to …

Shakespeare's Dowry: Subjectivity And Resistance In The Taming Of The Shrew, Romeo And Juliet, And The Merchant Of Venice, Homer Lee Simms

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation analyzes dowry in three Shakespeare plays—The Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet, and The Merchant of Venice. The analysis aims to show that the dowry negotiations and agreements are the most important component of the patriarchal structure of marriage depicted in Shakespeare’s plays. Since dowry agreements signal the impending transition from feme sole to feme covert, they are appropriated by the women in the three plays under consideration as the first stage in a process to assure subjectivity after their marriages. To maintain subjectivity, Katharina, Bianca, Juliet, Portia, and Jessica seek to create and occupy a liminal …

Ionic Electroactive Polymer Devices: Physics-Based Modeling With Experimental Investigation And Verification, Tyler Paul Stalbaum

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The primary focus of this study is to examine, understand, and model ionic electroactive polymer based systems in attempt to further develop this field of study. Physics-based modeling is utilized, as opposed to empirical modeling, to achieve a deeper insight to the underlying physics. The ionic electroactive polymer system of primary interest in this study is ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) devices. Other similar devices, such as anion-exchange membrane (AEM) type actuators and flow battery systems are also investigated using the developed model. The underlying physics are in the studies of transport phenomenon for describing the ionic flow within the polymer …

The Effect Of Blackboard Tools On The Community Of Inquiry And Learner Satisfaction With Learning Management System-Enabled Courses, Alice Swift

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Online education has increased in popularity throughout higher education in recent decades, with learning management systems (LMSs) now being used by the majority of higher education institutions throughout the United States (Allen, Seaman, Poulin, & Straut, 2016). The Community of Inquiry (CoI) theoretical framework is composed of interrelated cognitive, teaching, and social presences, which make up a deeper learning experience (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2010). This study sought to further the theoretical and practical application of the CoI by evaluating learner satisfaction with LMS-enabled courses in vocational areas of study and additional course delivery formats (online, hybrid, and web-enhanced). Results …

Analyses Of Streamflow Change Patterns And Correlation Of These Changes With Sea-Surface Temperature Fluctuations, Kazi Ali Tamaddun

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis presents a comprehensive statistical analysis that determines the direction, rate, and interval of significant streamflow change patterns in the continental U.S. and correlates these changes with sea-surface temperature fluctuations. First, by using two non-parametric tests, namely, the Mann-Kendall trend test and the Pettitt’s test, the presence of long-term trends and abrupt shifts were determined at 10% significance level over continuously adjustable periods that stretched from 1903 to 2012. Modified versions of the tests were applied to account for the presence of persistence (autocorrelation) in data. Theil-Sen slope was determined to evaluate the rate of change across multiple temporal …

The Effects Of Cryopreservation On Human Dental Pulp-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Allison Elaine Tomlin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Many studies have demonstrated clinical applications for the use of dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) for the treatment of various conditions. This has driven medical and scientific interest in the collection, isolation and banking of DPSC tissues for research into these potential therapies. Few studies to date have evaluated the viability of DPSC following long-term cryopreservation. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of cryopreservation on dental pulp-derived stem cells (DPSC) viability over a period of three years. Dental pulp-derived stem cells were isolated and cultured from thirty-one healthy teeth. DPSC isolates were assessed for doubling-time and …

George Crumb’S Personal Response To The Golden Age Of Social Activism: Night Of The Four Moons, Black Angels, And Vox Balaenae, Yi Ling Tsai

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

American composer George Crumb (b. 1929) started to garner public attention in the 1960s with a new kind of message and sound. Crumb’s approach to composition has been to exploit music as a form of communication to convey the metaphysical and the psychological through various mediums. With the social movements in the 1960s, many Americans were inspired to fight for change; as for Crumb, composing became his platform for social commentary. His approach to social activism was to express his ideas through musical dialogues and symbolism. The subtle quotations that he often borrowed from other composers are typically short in …

Pendulum Based Impact Testing Of Athletic Helmets Using The Nocsae Headform, Bradley Thorne

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Concussions in organized sports can have detrimental short-term and long-term effects on player’s health. The focus of this research is the development of a new state of the art test and certification standard for protective headgear. Baseball helmets and soccer soft headgear were used in these tests, but the ultimate goal is to create a universal set of test guidelines for all types of protective headgear. Modifications to current test standards outlined by the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) employed the use of a pendulum impactor, which facilitated additional measurements during head impact tests using a …

Enhancing The Draft Assembly With Minhash, Saju Varghese

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In this thesis, we report on the use of minhash techniques to improve the draft assembly of a genome mapping. More specifically, we use minhash to compare the scaffolds of sea urchin and sea cucumber genomes.

One of the main contributions of this thesis is the implementation of minhash with the Message Passing Interface (MPI) utilizing Intel Phi co-processors. It is shown that our implementation significantly reduces the processing time for identification of k-mer similarities.

A Business Intelligence Framework For Network-Level Traffic Safety Analyses, Naveen Kumar Veeramisti

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Currently, there are both methodological and practical barriers that together preclude a substantial use of theoretically sound approaches, such as the ones recommended by the Highway Safety Manual (HSM), for traffic safety management. Although the state-of-the-art provides theoretically sound approaches such as the Empirical Bayes method, there are still various important capabilities missing. Methodological barriers include among others (i) lack of a theoretically sound approach for corridor-level network screening, (ii) lack of a comprehensive approach for estimation of Safety Performance Functions based on a simultaneous consideration of both crash patterns and associated explanatory variables, and (iii) lack of theoretically sound …

Thinking About Those Who Value You Based On How Smart You Are: Effects On Effort And Test Anxiety, Lucie Vosicka

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The work examined whether activating a domain of a close other’s contingency of acceptance leads to more anxiety in anticipation of an evaluative performance in that domain (Study 1), and greater effort toward improving oneself in that domain (Study 2). In a between-group experimental design, contingencies of acceptance were manipulated by a guided visualization of a close other whose acceptance was perceived either as non-contingent (intrinsic), contingent on a task-irrelevant domain (physical appearance), or contingent on a task-relevant domain (competence). The effects of the acceptance contingency condition on anxiety and effort were not statistically significant. However, in Study 1, six …

The Effects Of An Inclined And Declined Slope On Backward Locomotion: A Kinematic And Electromyographic Analysis Of Retrowalking, Song Dan Vo

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an inclined and declined slopeon kinematic properties and muscle activation magnitudes. This purpose was achieved by using a +10% grade for inclined backward walking (IBW) and -10% grade for declined backwardwalking (DBW) on a treadmill. Eleven participants (24.6 ± 4.1 yrs, 68.5 ± 14.6 kg, 1.7 ± 0.1 m) were recruited from the UNLV student body and were subject to a three day adaptation protocol to allow them to choose a preferred walking speed and to familiarize themselves with such a novel task. Two consecutive practice days included a …

Stay Brave My Hercules, Ernie Wang

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

“Stay Brave My Hercules” is a collection of nine original short stories separated into two sections: “Stay Brave My Hercules” and “Matsuri”.

In the first section, “Stay Brave My Hercules”, I explore the themes of hypermasculinity, loneliness, and insecurity, in particular the points in which they intersect. These stories are narrated by different male characters between the ages of seventeen and twenty-seven and who all struggle in different ways to conform to masculine norms.

In the second section, “Matsuri”, I explore the themes of family, loss, and devastation through the eyes of the Japanese and Japanese-Americans during World War II. …

Testing A Comprehensive Model Of Body Image, Anxiety, And Eating Pathology Among College Men, Emily Katherine White

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Historically, researchers conceptualized eating disorders, subclinical eating pathology, and negative body image as issues that only affected women. However, more recent research suggests that men experience significant body image concerns that mirror current Western cultural ideals of appearance (i.e., desire to attain a lean, muscular physique with very little body fat). Theoretically, men with a strong desire to achieve this cultural ideal (i.e., drive for muscularity) may experience dissatisfaction with their appearance (i.e., muscle dysmorphia), unpleasant psychological states (e.g., social physique anxiety), and engage in potentially harmful behaviors related to eating pathology (e.g., body checking) that lead to clinical impairment …

Statistical Inference Of Genetic Forces Using A Poisson Random Field Model With Non-Constant Population Size, Jianbo Xu

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The fidelity of DNA sequence data makes it a perfect platform for quantitatively analyzing and interpreting evolutionary progress. By comparing the information between intraspecific polymorphism with interspecific divergence in two sibling species, the well established Poisson Random Field theory offers a statistical framework with which various genetic parameters such as natural selection intensity, mutation rate and speciation time can be effectively estimated. A recently developed time-inhomogeneous PRF model has reinforced the original method by removing the assumption of stationary site frequency, but it preserves the condition that the two sibling species share same effective population size with their ancestral species. …

Harmonizing Multinational Parent Company Liability For Foreign Subsidiary Human Rights Violations, Vivian Grosswald Curran

Chicago Journal of International Law

A notable development in recent years has been the ubiquity of the giant multinational corporation and its ability, through legal structures, to insulate itself from liability for the conduct of its foreign subsidiaries. In effect, multinational corporations simultaneously become legally invisible in their home states while potentially present through subsidiaries in innumerable other states.This Article focuses on multinational corporations whose parent companies are at home in a developed country while their subsidiaries operate in states in the developing world, and specifically where the foreign subsidiaries are alleged to have violated norms of universal human rights. It examines current legal theory …

How The United States Uses The Trans-Pacific Partnership To Contain China In International Trade, Daniel C.K. Chow

Chicago Journal of International Law

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was signed on February 5, 2016 by its twelve members and is now open for ratification. If ratified, the TPP will be the largest mega free trade area in history and will encompass forty percent of world trade. The U.S. led the TPP negotiations and deliberately excluded China from the negotiations. This ploy by the U.S. was a calculated effort to contain China and to shift power in trade in the Asia-Pacific from China to the U.S. China now appears to face a difficult choice. China can join the already concluded TPP, with its text largely …

In The Child’S Best Interests: Examining International Child Abduction, Adoption, And Asylum, Hannah Loo

Chicago Journal of International Law

In the past few years, the number of cases involving international child abduction has risen significantly. But the primary purpose of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is to protect children against wrongful removal or retention by one parent against the will of the other parent. Under the Convention, the relevant courts are charged with determining where the child’s habitual residence is and whether the child should be returned to the left-behind country. However, in making this determination, courts have faced criticism due to the lack of consideration for the child’s best interests, an international …

Rivalry In Toyer: The Impact Of The Male Gaze And The Final Girl On Theatrical Conflict, Sento Ashby

Liberal Arts Capstones

Although much progress has been made in recent years, traditional gender roles still permeate society. This project investigated gender constructs in relation to choreographed violence and found that females are often victims unless they adopt masculine survival styles, while males are usually aggressors – particularly towards females. Analysis of the characters in the play Toyer by Gardner McKay supported this conclusion.

Ubiquitination Of Zeta-Associated Protein Of 70 Kda Regulates The Activation Of T Cell Receptor-Proximal Signaling Pathways, Elitza Ivanova

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The tyrosine kinase Zap-70 is a key regulator of T cell receptor (TCR) signaling downstream of antigen presentation. It plays an essential role in signaling pathways involved in T cell development and function. Loss of Zap-70 results in severe developmental and functional defects in the T cell compartment. Lack of Zap-70 or a complete loss of its function leads to the development of rare severe primary immunodeficiencies, while more common polymorphisms that lead to subtle defects in TCR signaling are paradoxically associated with autoimmunity. The coordinated regulation of Zap-70 kinase activity is critical for proper T cell proliferation, differentiation, and …