Digital Commons Network^™

Revealing The Native Status Of Conyza Bonariensis: Specialization Of Insect Herbivores Associated With Conyza And Erigeron Spp. (Asteraceae) In Louisiana, Texas, And Mississippi, Carlos Wiggins

LSU Master's Theses

Flaxleaf fleabane [Conyza bonariensis (L.) Cronquist] (Asterales: Asteraceae) is an annual herb which grows up to 1.0 m in height and is native to South America. Due to introduction and subsequent development of herbicide resistance, C. bonariensis has become a major agricultural weed in Australia. The purpose of this study was to catalog herbivorous insects associated with local populations of C. bonariensis in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi in order to establish comparisons with the Australian fauna and identify potential biological control agents. Leaves, roots, stems, and flowers of C. bonariensis were inspected for signs of insects and pathogens. Results …

Memory Forensics Comparison Of Apple M1 And Intel Architecture Using Volatility Framework, Joshua Duke

LSU Master's Theses

Memory forensics allows an investigator to get a full picture of what is occurring on-device at the time that a memory sample is captured and is frequently used to detect and analyze malware. Malicious attacks have evolved from living on disk to having persistence mechanisms in the volatile memory (RAM) of a device and the information that is captured in memory samples contains crucial information for full forensic analysis by cybersecurity professionals. Recently, Apple unveiled computers containing a custom designed system on a chip (SoC) called the M1 that is based on ARM architecture. Our research focused on the differences …

Deep Learning Based Super Resolution Of Gravity Data For Geophysical Exploration, Yi Zhang

LSU Master's Theses

Gravity measurement from ground can be obtained by precision gyrostabilized gravimeters. However, land-based gravity measurements can be challenging in many hard-to-reach regions. By contrast, satellite-based gravity measurement is considered to be a very promising for large-scale exploration since it opens up the possibilities for geophysical study of remote regions. However, comparing with the gravity from ground, the resolution and precision of satellite-based gravity measurements is lower, which limits its application for geological explorations. The novel and effective methods in improving the low spatial resolution and precision of satellite-based gravity data are active quest.

Super resolution is used for naming any …

Parallel Coordinates-Based Visualization Of Covid-19 Data, Puja Bhandari

LSU Master's Theses

The number of COVID-19 cases has been continuously increasing worldwide since the beginning of 2020. A lot of efforts have been made in identifying, predicting, and mitigating this deadly virus infection. This requires gaining insight into large collections of the related data, which are multivariate in nature involving many variables/attributes. Here we develop a parallel coordinates system to visualize the COVID-19 data in an interactive manner considering all variables, including location and time. The challenges with this approach include mapping many variables of different types (parallel axes) and occlusion associated with highly cluttered data lines. We adopt several functionalities to …

Growth, Characterization, And Mechanical Testing Of Diamond-Like Carbon Films, Tailei Qi

LSU Master's Theses

The high residual stresses within diamond-like carbon (DLC) films limit its thickness and make the film tend to delaminate from the substrate and be defective on the surface. To address this problem, a new plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition system (PECVD) was set up to investigate the effects of different film growth parameters on the DLC films, such as chromium doping, gas fluxes, depositing pressures, bias voltages, and depositing times. After the film growth parameters were optimized, this condition was transferred from silicon wafer to SS316 steel plate to deposition of DLC films with some adjustments. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) …

Characteristics And Causal Factors For The Receptive-Expressive Gap In Typically Developed Spanish-English Adult Bilinguals, Rachael Janelle Javaherian

LSU Master's Theses

A receptive-expressive language gap occurs when a standardized receptive score is statistically greater than an expressive score in either a primary or a second language. In bilingual children, gap studies already exist for determining language impairment. In adults, there are few studies; nevertheless, one needs to distinguish between typical language patterns of bilingualism due to non-pathological loss of L1 skills versus problems resulting from accidents, disease, or age. To this end, the present study attempted to expand findings of studies by Gibson et al. (2012 and 2014) that focused on analysis of the gap and possible factors influencing its existence …

Cfd Simulations Of Macroscopic And Microscopic Multiphase Fluid Flow And Droplet Interaction, Aaron Harrington

LSU Master's Theses

Multiphase flow is a complex phenomenon which can be modeled on numerous different length scales, both macroscopically and microscopically. The use of a Euler-Euler model for Computation Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations of subcooled boiling phenomena is discussed in detail. The CFD conditions have been set up to mimic previous experimental conditions. A cylindrical vessel with subcooled liquid flow is heated along part of the axial wall of the vessel. A constant heat flux is applied to produce subcooled boiling. We discuss the development of the phase change within the vessel as well as the temperature profile, and validate the results …

Evaluating Consumers’ Perception Of Gluten-Free/Clean-Label Muffins, Vanesa Chicaiza

LSU Master's Theses

The gluten-free-natural-ingredient (GF/NCL) product demand is globally increasing and driven by the growing prevalence of celiac-diseases. Nevertheless, the quality of GF product is often inferior compared to wheat-flour counterparts due to the removing of gluten, which, compromises the appearance, structure, and nutritional value. The addition of fiber into GF/NCL products has been considered to improve nutritional values while maintaining quality attributes. According to the US-FDA, a product containing ≥2.5 grams of fiber/serving can be claimed as a “good-source-of-fiber.” However, adding dietary fiber to baked products affects their qualities, and hence possibly lowering product acceptability.

The main objective of this research …

Effects Of Freshwater Input On Nutrient Loading, Toxic Cyanobacteria Bloom Development And Cyanotoxin Production In Lake Pontchartrain Estuary, Louisiana, Callie L. Snow

LSU Master's Theses

Estuaries in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) are undergoing profound alterations due to changes in climate and implementation of coastal restoration activities and these may lead to the increasing frequency of harmful algal blooms (HABs). The introduction of large volumes of nutrient-rich, fresh Mississippi River water into nutrient-poor Lake Pontchartrain Estuary is known to substantially change the chemistry and ecology of the estuary, and warm temperatures paired with the persistent nutrient loading into the estuary supports the proliferation of potentially toxic cyanobacteria blooms (CyanoHABs). Throughout 2019, a long-term opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway (BCS), initially from February to …

Examining The Effectiveness Of “Turn Around Don’T Drown”, Chance D. Bryant

LSU Master's Theses

Extreme heat is the deadliest weather hazard in the U.S. Flooding is the second worst, and flash flooding is the deadliest form of flooding. The nature of these flood deaths contains a human element that deserves greater study. Since 2004, the National Weather Service has attempted to educate the public with its slogan, ``Turn Around Don’t Drown". Vehicle related mortality rates in Texas since 1996 were examined to answer the question of whether ``Turn Around Don’t Drown" has been effective. The slogan has a large footprint on the social media platform Twitter, with most of the Tweets coming from private …

Hemp Microgreen Mineral Content, Cannabinoids, Total Phenolics, And Antioxidants, Cheston T. Schayot

LSU Master's Theses

Hemp (Cannabis sativa) L. microgreens were grown to 7 and 12 days with and without supplemental lighting and/or fertilizer. The principal macronutrient found in hemp microgreens was nitrogen (N), followed by potassium (K), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), and sulfur (S). The principal micronutrient found in hemp microgreens was iron (Fe), followed by manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), boron (B), and copper (Cu). Hemp microgreens were similar to other commonly grown microgreen species in minerals except for P and Mg, where they could potentially be an excellent source, and Zn, where they fell below previously reported amounts. The …

An Evaluation Of The Break Up With Salt Community-Based Hypertension Education Program, Helena L. Salgado

LSU Master's Theses

Introduction: Hypertension is a primary risk factor for heart disease and stroke, and contributes to renal disease, premature death, and disability. More recently, hypertension has also been identified as a risk factor for serious symptoms or as an underlying cause of death from Covid-19. Break up with salt (BUWS) is a 4-session, community-based nutrition education program of the LSU AgCenter, developed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, to help Louisiana’s adults prevent or mange hypertension. The BUWS curriculum focuses on the DASH diet, healthy food selection and preparation skills, and physical activity and stress management. BUWS was piloted in a …

Response Of Roseau Cane (Phragmites Australis) To Two Biotic Stresses: Hyalopterus Pruni And Bipolaris Yamadae, Heather E. Cizek

LSU Master's Theses

Roseau cane (Phragmites australis) is considered an invasive plant because of its ability to replace native plant species. However, in Louisiana it plays an important role protecting coastal infrastructure and being part of the marsh ecosystem in the lower Mississippi River Delta. In recent years, Roseau cane has been affected by a die-off, a problem that has also been reported in some European countries. Possible biotic and abiotic factors that have been associated with the die-off include scale insects, climate change, pollution, salinity levels, and pathogens.

In this research, the individual and combined effect of a foliar disease …

Regional Expansion And Evaluation Of Potential Chemical Control For Invasive Apple Snails (Pomacea Maculata) In Southwest Louisiana, Julian M. Lucero

LSU Master's Theses

The integration of monitoring and chemical control is an efficient strategy for managing invasive apple snails, Pomacea maculata, in the rice (Oryza sativa L.) and crawfish systems of southwest Louisiana. However, their current distribution, expansion rates, and susceptibility to chemical control methods in this area are not well known. This study evaluated the expansion of P. maculata in southwest Louisiana and assessed potential chemical control for P. maculata among toxicity assays using various application rates. The effects of potential chemical control were also assessed on a non-target species, the red swamp crawfish (Procambarus clarkii). P. maculata …

Brood Abundance And Invertebrate Availability In Crop-Dominated Landscapes In The Prairie Pothole Region, Catrina V. Terry

LSU Master's Theses

The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) is the most important region for ducks in North America, producing over half the ducks on the continent, and it is a priority landscape for wetland and grassland conservation. Agricultural expansion has changed the PPR, and the majority of grasslands and potholes have been converted into row-crops. The loss of nesting habitat has directly caused nest success to decline. Most of the remaining wetlands are surrounded by row-crops, and are considered lower quality because they receive runoff of sediment and chemicals, which may decrease primary forage for young ducklings as well as inhibit wetland vegetation. …

The Predictive Influence Of Challenging Behavior On Parent Stress In Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Paige Weir

LSU Master's Theses

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication, restricted interest, and repetitive patterns of behavior. Individuals with ASD also exhibit challenging behaviors that affect parent and caregiver stress directly. However, researchers have not yet examined the predictive influence of specific challenging behaviors on parent stress, particularly in young children (i.e., infants and toddlers) with ASD. Therefore, the current study expands existing literature by a) investigating the influence that challenging behaviors of young children with ASD have on parent stress and b) examining the unique contribution that each behavior (i.e., aggressive/disruptive behavior, stereotypy, and self-injurious …

Role Of Aim2 Inflammasome In Pulmonary Host Defense Against Staphylococcus Aureus-Induced Pneumonia, Bibek Dhakal

LSU Master's Theses

Bacterial pneumonia is the leading cause of death in children under the age of five, claiming the lives of two million children each year. Staphylococcus aureus is the extracellular Gram-positive bacteria that causes necrotizing pneumonia. Moreover, the spread of antibiotic-resistant and hypervirulent strains has made treatment more challenging. Absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) is a dsDNA-sensing cytosolic innate immune receptor that activates inflammasomes and is crucial for host defense against intracellular bacteria and DNA viruses. However, its role in extracellular bacterial pathogen-induced pneumonia is unclear. Therefore, understanding how AIM2 initiates host responses during Staphylococcus aureus is crucial for the development …

Looking Down From The Top Of A Redwood Tree, Keri Pertuit

LSU Master's Theses

“Looking Down from the Top of a Redwood Tree” was a collaboration with my brother, Fabein Miguel Disedare. From the onset of this project, I reached out to him about the possibility of him creating the poetry, functioning as the lyrics of this piece. When working with Fabein, he suggested the topic of global warming, and we agreed to incorporate this theme through the telling of a story from the perspective of Redwood Tree located on the California coast. This song cycle follows the story of a family of trees inhabiting the coastline, their struggles with deforestation, their lack of …

Willingness Of Non-Industrial Private Forest Landowners To Obtain A Private Versus Public Consultation, Erika Largacha

LSU Master's Theses

Promoting conservation practices among family forests landowners play a critical role to enhance forest health and ecosystem services. Several certification programs recognize such efforts, but participation among landowners varies based on their characteristics, program requirements, and incentives. One crucial step of certification is to obtain a forest management plan, but acquisition among landowners remains extremely low. Several studies suggest connecting landowners with foresters as the key element towards the adoption of forest management plans. Because foresters are typically employed by public forestry agencies or as private self-employed consultants, landowners' willingness to work with either may differ. As far as we …

Developing A Watershed-Based Plan Evaluation Framework For Socio-Ecological Network Analysis In The Upper Pontchartrain Basin, Lindsey R. Lamana

LSU Master's Theses

Louisiana's efforts to create regional watershed planning under the Louisiana Watershed Initiative (LWI) suggest the need to evaluate existing governance systems such as the coordination, development, and implementation of plans. The Network Analysis and Plan Evaluation (NAPE) Framework developed in this study answers initial questions related to the LWI’s long-term resilience outcomes from the content analysis and extraction of relational data in plans of LWI Region 7 located in the Upper Pontchartrain Basin. Actor-Plan Coordination Networks reveal the coordination and collaboration of entities, and a Network of Plans presents the integration of planning documents in the Region. Local government organizations …

Incorporating Student Reading Interests Into The Curriculum, Tia Denise Walker

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this research was to examine the reading habits and interests of secondary school students in an urban community in order to discover ways to increase student reading interests. The researcher wanted to understand why adolescents choose to read or not to read certain texts and understand the reading behaviors of these students. The study focused on students’ intent to read certain texts such as traditional books and non-traditional texts. To gain knowledge on a larger population of students, a questionnaire based on student reading habits was distributed to all students enrolled in English 1 at the research …

Corn Nitrogen Management Under Different Tillage Systems, Akshara Athelly

LSU Master's Theses

Adoption of no-tillage (NT) and cover crops (CC) significantly effect soil physicochemical properties and nutrient cycling that necessitates modified nutrient management to maximize crop yields. Two field experiments were conducted to evaluate N-sources Urea Ammonium Nitrate (UAN), urea, and urea+ N-stabilizer (urea+ stab) and N-split applications 100%N at V2 (S1), 25%N at V2+75%N at V6 (S2), 25%N at V2+ 50%N at V6+ 25%N at VT (S3) in a sandy loam soil and three CC wheat (Triticum aestivum), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) , and radish (Raphanus sativus) and their combinations along with three N-rates ( …

Using Uav Technology Paired With Multispectral Cameras To Assess Crown Rust Epidemics In Oats, Turner A. Graham

LSU Master's Theses

Crown rust, caused by Puccinia cornonata f. sp. avenae, is a common disease of oats (Avena sativa) found virtually everywhere oats are cultivated. This disease has caused yield losses of 10 to 40% worldwide. Early detection is important for effective management. A more recently utilized technology in agriculture is unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). UAVs, or drones, equipped with cameras are now being used as a resource to take images of fields to identify pests and other issues that may be occurring. Normalized differentiated vegetative index (NDVI) is a numerical indicator used to determine the vegetative health of …

What The Shell? The Zooarchaeology Of Cerro San Isidro, Peru, Monica Fenton

LSU Master's Theses

Zooarchaeologists have documented the importance of marine resources in the ancient Andes, and the first field season at Cerro San Isidro (Ancash, Peru) proves no different. The multi- component hilltop archaeological complex lies in the agriculturally rich Moro Pocket of the middle Nepeña Valley, at least an eight-hour walk from the ocean on the north-central coast. Between June and August 2019, members of the Proyecto de Investigación Arqueológica Cerro San Isidro carried out the first scientific excavations at this important ancient human settlement. Block excavations focused on a hypothesized elite compound, documenting intermittent occupations from the Late Formative (c. 600 …

Efficiency Of Teaching Sight Words In Similar Vs Dissimilar Sets, Jensen Chotto

LSU Master's Theses

Early reading intervention can decrease the likelihood that children who struggle with reading develop long-term reading problems. Due to the prevalence of words that cannot be read phonetically in the English language, sight word instruction is required to supplement phonics instruction. In this study, we compared the effects of creating sets of sight words with the same starting letter (3 words per set, 3 total sets) versus distributing words with the same starting letter across sets when assessing acquisition of the combined set (9 words) in five 4-to-6-year-old children using a combined adapted alternating treatments design and pre-posttest design. All …

Evaluating Substrate Stratification Practices For Enhanced Water Resource Management In Nursery Production, Kristopher S. Criscione

LSU Master's Theses

The nursery and greenhouse industries have continued to increase in production and sales over the past two decades. This increase in horticultural production necessitates a greater demand for finite natural resources, specifically water. Sustainable water resource management will be critical to the success and continual growth of the nursery industry. Strategic irrigation scheduling and innovative substrate management practices can improve nursery resource efficiency. Soilless substrates were originally utilized by the industry to increase substrate air-filled porosity, to ensure adequately drained container systems. Thus, the implementation of these soilless substrates can lead to an inefficient use of water and fertilizer. Substrate …

Consumers' Perception Of Food Containing Insect Protein Affected By Serving Condition And Questionnaire Protocol, Yupeng Gao

LSU Master's Theses

Edible insects are a new sustainable protein source compared to meat. Western consumers show aversion to the prospect of insects as food due to unfamiliarity, food neophobia, and negative emotions. This dissertation research explored consumers’ emotional perception of insect-based food products presented under different testing conditions and examined the influence of other people’s emotional expressions towards consumers’ purchase decisions. To identify and rate emotion intensities, tests were conducted using three presenting formats including text, image, and an actual product; all of which were applied for both cookies containing insects and without insects. In addition to these presenting formats, news of …

Investigation Of Sand-Biochar Mixtures As A Potential Roadway Fill Material, Katia J. Lele Lagmago

LSU Master's Theses

Biochar is a sustainable and lightweight carbon-rich material with a high surface area and porosity. Previous studies reported that biochar can reduce soil erosion and cracking, retain contaminants, and enhance soil aggregation. Given these favorable properties, soil-biochar mixtures have the possibility to serve as a multifunctional lightweight fill material for roadway embankment applications. The purpose of this research is to develop sand-biochar mixtures as a sustainable and multifunctional lightweight fill material for roadway embankment applications.

This research investigated the consolidation and hydraulic properties of sand-biochar mixtures by (1) performing 1D consolidation tests, (2) performing permeability tests, and (3) assessing the …

A Systematic Review And Reflection On The Dimensions Of Diversity Represented In Behavior Analytic Research, Jodie Waits

LSU Master's Theses

The United States continues to transition towards a majority-minority composition and this trend has most rapidly emerged for school-aged children. Work with diverse populations calls for specialized skills and training experiences, but these are not strongly reflected in most training programs in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). The present review was conducted to evaluate the scope and range of the dimensions of diversity included in Behavior Analytic research (e.g. race/ethnicity, gender, sexuality, etc.), as well as to compile recommendations related to culturally responsive practice in ABA. The search revealed a total of 50 publications featuring a dimension of diversity. These works …

Ontogeny And Resource Use Of Invasive Lionfish, Pterois Volitans, In Shallow Water Habitats Surrounding Summerland Key, Emily Shallow

LSU Master's Theses

The invasive red lionfish, Pterois volitans, has been shown to considerably reduce reef biomass via predation and competition in non-native ranges. Primary maintenance of lionfish is through human removal (e.g., culling), which does not sufficiently control the population due to deep-water spawning, recolonization of recently culled reefs, and ontogenetic migrations to mesophotic waters. Here, I investigated the diets and primary energy pathways during ontogeny in lionfish from the Florida Keys using stomach contents and stable isotope (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) analysis to better understand their role in the trophic food web. Additionally, isotopic overlap between lionfish …