Digital Commons Network^™

Development And Applications Of A Real-Time Magnetic Electron Energy Spectrometer For Use With Medical Linear Accelerators, Paul Ethan Maggi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Purpose – This work presents a design for a real-time electron energy spectrometer, and provides data analysis methods and characterization of the real-time system. This system is intended for use with medical linear accelerators (linacs). The goal is 1 Hz acquisition of the energy range 4-25 MeV, reconstructed in 0.1 MeV increments.

Methods – Our spectrometer uses a nominal 0.54 T permanent magnet block as the dispersive element and scintillating fibers coupled to a CCD camera as the position sensitive detector. A broad electron beam produced by a linac is collimated by a 6.35 mm dimeter aperture at the entrance …

Modifiable And Non-Modifiable Factors Related To The Macular Pigment Optical Density (Mpod) In A Population Of College-Aged Adults, Genesis Gisselle Guerra Gaitan

LSU Master's Theses

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of blindness among the elderly worldwide. Retinal problems, specifically in the macula, hold potential for development of AMD. Macular pigment optical density (MPOD) gives a measure of the thickness of the macula and therefore health of the macula. Some of the populations at risk for development of AMD include being white, female, and having light eye color. Factors related to the development of the disease have been divided into modifiable and non-modifiable; non-modifiable include a genetic predisposition. Control of modifiable factors, including body mass index (BMI) and diet [dietary intake …

A Comparison Of Pass Rates Across Three Language Screeners For Spanish-English Bilingual Children, Mariajose Bosanko

LSU Master's Theses

There is limited research regarding the efficacy of the language screening process, especially for bilingual populations. The purpose of this study was to examine the pass rates of three language screeners when administered to Spanish-English bilingual and ELL children. A total of ten Spanish-English bilingual children enrolled in either Pre-K, kindergarten, or first grade completed each screener. The screeners were: the Preschool Language Scales Spanish Screening Test-Fifth Edition (PLSSST-5; Zimmerman et al., 2012a), the Bilingual English Spanish Oral Screener (BESOS; currently in development; Lugo-Neris et al., n.d.), and the Diagnostic Evaluation of Language Variation-Screening Test (DELV-S; Seymour et al., 2003). …

Performance Profiles Of Collegiate And Master’S Swimmers: A Validation Study, Lyle Edmond Robelot

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this proposal is to link the gold standard power test on land (Wingate test) to an in-water power test. There is a lack of information on power in the water and would be beneficial in tracking swimmers progress throughout a season and between seasons. Power curves of individuals on the Wingate test will be compared to those of In-water tests to see weather this water test is valid. The experiment will follow IRB rules and regulation and the staff will adhere to the safety conditions set forth by the IRB.

Preschool Alphabet And Word Learning: Are Visual Representations Beneficial?, Amanda Ann Holley

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Gender-Related Differences In Child Speakers’ Use Of Nonmainstream English Forms, Anneliese K. Moore

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Music And Memory: Effects On Language Quantity And Agitation In People With Dementia, Bonnie Duprè

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Can Individualized Music Reduce Agitation And Increase Meaningful Communication In Dementia Center Clients?, Catherine Pinas

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Performance Profiles Of Collegiate And Master’S Swimmers: A Validation Study, Lyle E. Robelot Mr.

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this proposal is to link the gold standard power test on land (Wingate test) to an in-water power test. There is a lack of information on power in the water and would be beneficial in tracking swimmers progress throughout a season and between seasons. Power curves of individuals on the Wingate test will be compared to those of In-water tests to see weather this water test is valid. The experiment will follow IRB rules and regulation and the staff will adhere to the safety conditions set forth by the IRB.

Pronoun Marking In African American English-Speaking Children With And Without Specific Language Impairment, Gayatri Ramamoorthy Brown

LSU Master's Theses

The present study was designed to describe and quantify patterns of pronoun use by African American English (AAE)-speaking children with specific language impairment (SLI) relative to their AAE-speaking typically developing (TD) peers. Pronouns were of interest because: they are produced frequently in everyday speech, they are often targeted when a child’s language abilities are evaluated by a speech-language pathologist, and limited pronoun data exists for AAE-speaking children. The data were language samples that had been elicited from 96 children (35 SLI, 61 TD) enrolled in kindergarten. The samples were searched for 11 different pronoun forms, and these were coded as …

Medication Use In Adults Who Stutter, Hailey Renee Guillot

LSU Master's Theses

Previous studies have associated stuttering with increased levels of self-stigma. Prior research has shown that high levels of self-stigma may relate to increased medication usage. Therefore, in the present study, the authors sought to determine an association between levels of self-stigma and medication usage among adults who stutter. Results suggest that although there is not a significant difference for lifetime medication use between AWS versus AWNS, the self-imposed stigma by AWS could predict the likelihood of medication use. Findings provide insight into additional pharmacological factors to consider during clinical intervention, and highlight the importance of stigmatized beliefs when addressing the …

Immune Response In The Mouse Cornea Elicited By Herpes Simplex Vaccine Vc2, Logan C. Kinamore

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Chemical Reagents And Physical Environment On The In Vitro And In Vivo Properties Of Adipose-Derived Multipotent Stromal Cells Isolated From Different Species, Wei Duan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Adult adipose derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ASCs) have been characterized in various species. Many factors may affect ASC fate and ASCs from different species may have different response to these factors. The first study was to identify the differences of the canine ASCs isolated from subcutaneous and infrapatellar adipose tissues, and evaluate the impact of cryopreservation on the cells. Based on paired comparisons of fresh and cryopreserved ASCs, cryopreserved ASCs had lower CD29 and CD44 protein expression and lower proliferation rates. The cryopreserved ASCs had relative lower mitochondria in the cytoplasm compared to the fresh ASCs regardless of tissue sources. …

Pharmacokinetics Of Micronized Progesterone Administration In Female Dogs, Raphael Anthony Malbrue

LSU Master's Theses

Hypoluteoidism in the bitch is described as a reproductive condition in which insufficient levels of endogenous progesterone are present resulting in failure to maintain a functional secretory endometrium. This condition can prevent normal embryo implantation, development, and ultimately end in pregnancy loss. Hypoluteoidism in the bitch is a rising concern in small animal theriogenology and current medical therapies available to veterinarians are limited. The aim of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics (PK) of intravaginally (Crinone®, Serono Laboratories, Norwell, MA) and orally delivered micronized progesterone (Prometrium®, Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Marietta, GA) in the bitch. We hypothesized that both vaginal …

Quantitation Of Anti-Pythium Insidiosum Antibodies Before And After Immunotherapy In Healthy Dogs, Carmen Beatriz Arsuaga

LSU Master's Theses

Pythium insidiosum is an aquatic oomycete that causes invasive, progressive granulomatous lesions of the skin in dogs, horses, and cats, and of the gastrointestinal tract in dogs. Quantitation of anti-P. insidiosum IgG antibodies can be used in dogs to both confirm a suspected diagnosis and to monitor response to therapy. Recently, an immunotherapeutic product (IP) has been marketed for the treatment of pythiosis in dogs, horses, and people. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of administration of this product on anti-P. insidiosum IgG concentrations in dogs. The IP was administered to seven, healthy hound mixes on …

Development Of Mouse Models For The Study Of Zika Virus Pathogenesis And Antibody Response, Anna Beatriz Kawiecki

LSU Master's Theses

After the emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV) in the Americas in 2015, ZIKV infection was associated for the first time since its discovery with severe symptoms in both adults and congenital cases, including neurological, ocular, and developmental manifestations. Previous ZIKV circulation in Africa and Southeast Asia has been characterized by mild symptoms and small-scale case-counts. It is unclear whether the unprecedented size and severity of the ZIKV outbreak in the Americas are the consequence of a change in the virus, different background flaviviral immunity in the population, or a reporting issue. In addition, ZIKV has been shown to be transmitted …

Evaluation Of Broad Anti-Herpesviral Activity With Α-Hydroxytropolones, Shannon David Dehghanpir

LSU Master's Theses

Herpesviruses are ubiquitous in animals and cause economic losses concomitant with many diseases, including upper respiratory disease, keratitis, abortion, neonatal death, and neurologic disease. The majority of the domestic animal herpesviruses are within the subfamily Alphaherpesvirinae, along with the prototypical human herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). Suppression of HSV-1 replication has been reported with α-hydroxytropolones (αHTs), which are aromatic ring compounds that have broad bioactivity due to potent chelating activity. It is postulated that αHTs inhibit enzymes within the nucleotidyltransferase superfamily (NTS), similarly structured enzymes that require divalent cations for nucleic acid cleavage activity. One potential herpesviral target includes the …

Microscopic Evaluations Of Bone In Equine And Muroid Models, Heather Ashley Richbourg

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The use of advanced imaging techniques has greatly improved orthopedic research and education. Histology of bone is a method of evaluating bone morphology, bony cells, and bone remodeling in two-dimensions, while micro-computed tomography (microCT) is a three-dimensional analysis of bone morphology. Combined, these methods assist in providing a comprehensive analysis of bone. In this dissertation, these techniques were utilized to answer questions currently outstanding in veterinary medicine: the effect of bisphosphonates on equine bone, and variation in murine tarsal anatomy. Bisphosphonates are drugs that reduce osteoclast-mediated bone resorption and have recently been approved for the use in horses. Despite prolific …