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Evaluation Of Ammonia, Greenhouse Gas Emissions And Characterization Of Different Particulate Matter During Sugarcane Production In Southern Louisiana, Sanku Dattamudi Jan 2015

Evaluation Of Ammonia, Greenhouse Gas Emissions And Characterization Of Different Particulate Matter During Sugarcane Production In Southern Louisiana, Sanku Dattamudi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Application of N fertilizers and special land management practices during agricultural production could have significant implication in influencing the air quality. In this study, field experiments were established at different research sites in Louisiana to evaluate the emission of ammonia (NH3), greenhouse gases (GHG), and fine particulates from sugarcane cultivation and harvesting. Specifically, this study was planned to (i) evaluate the effect of different N sources (urea and urea ammonium nitrate) and residue management schemes (residue burned, RB; and residue retained, RR) on NH3 and GHG emissions, (ii) characterize the chemical and morphological characteristics of fine particles generated during sugarcane …


Recovery From Exercise: The Influences Of Supplementation And Rest Interval, Ryan Miskowiec Jan 2015

Recovery From Exercise: The Influences Of Supplementation And Rest Interval, Ryan Miskowiec

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Recovery from exercise is immensely important and under studied. The experiments conducted throughout this research have focused on testing the effects of rest interval during resistance exercise and the efficacy of acetic acid feeding on recovery rate. To elucidate the relationship between rest interval and recovery energy expenditure two experiments were undertaken. These experiments were designed to alter only rest interval while maintaining work intensity and volume. No difference in the total energy expenditure during the short phase of recovery (first hour) was found, but energy expenditure during the prolonged phase (days post exercise) was minorly increased by lowering rest …


Parental Age At Conception: An Examination Of Risk Factors Related To Autism Severity And Comorbid Psychopathology, Robert D. Rieske Jan 2015

Parental Age At Conception: An Examination Of Risk Factors Related To Autism Severity And Comorbid Psychopathology, Robert D. Rieske

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Many researchers have cited the continuing increase in the prevalence of autism worldwide and have speculated on the potential causes of that increase. One theory that suggests at least a contributory effect is the general trend for parents to have children at later ages. Previous research has begun to examine the relationship between advanced parental age at conception and the incidence of autism and have noted strong relationships between advanced parental age and other developmental disabilities. The purpose of this study was to not only confirm the relationship between advanced parental age and autism risk but to extend that knowledge …


Wavelets, Coorbit Theory, And Projective Representations, Amer Hasan Darweesh Jan 2015

Wavelets, Coorbit Theory, And Projective Representations, Amer Hasan Darweesh

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Banach spaces of functions, or more generally, of distributions are one of the main topics in analysis. In this thesis, we present an abstract framework for construction of invariant Banach function spaces from projective group representations. Coorbit theory gives a unified method to construct invariant Banach function spaces via representations of Lie groups. This theory was introduced by \Fch\, and \Gro\, in \cite{FG,FG1, FG2,FG3} and then extended in \cite{CO2}. We generalize this concept by constructing coorbit spaces using projective representation which is first studied by O. Christensen in \cite{O1}. This allows us to describe wider classes of function spaces as …


Developing Recognition Criteria For Current-Wave-Enhanced Sediment Gravity Flows, Kathryn Christine Denommee Jan 2015

Developing Recognition Criteria For Current-Wave-Enhanced Sediment Gravity Flows, Kathryn Christine Denommee

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Sedimentary fabrics preserved in the rock record provide some of the best evidence for interpreting paleo-depositional conditions. Muddy sediments in particular are important paleoenvironmental archives, preserving the most complete stratigraphic record of any rock type in basinal settings. However, the full range of mechanisms responsible for the deposition of muddy sediments, particularly in high-energy settings, remains poorly understood. Although frequently observed in modern settings, muddy prodeltaic deposits are rarely identified in the rock record, in part because no catalogue of easily distinguishable recognition criteria exists for this class of mudstones. In order to help overcome this deficiency, this dissertation project …


Bullying In Schools: The Relationship Between Educational Staff Burnout And Staff Response To Bullying, Katherine Marie Harrison Jan 2015

Bullying In Schools: The Relationship Between Educational Staff Burnout And Staff Response To Bullying, Katherine Marie Harrison

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Bullying among school-aged youth is associated with negative short- and long-term consequences. Research suggests that teachers can be influential in reducing bullying but that they often do little to address it. Occupational burnout is high among educators and can significantly affect students’ motivation, learning, and feelings of support. The current study examines the effect of occupational burnout on educational staff’s likelihood of responding to bullies and victims of physical, verbal, relational, and cyber bullying. Participants (N = 109) were administrators, teachers, and other school staff serving secondary-level students. Overall, most participants reported experiencing low levels of burnout, viewed bullying as …


Engagement Levels During Implementation Of Co-Teaching Models, Cathy Lee Eschete Jan 2015

Engagement Levels During Implementation Of Co-Teaching Models, Cathy Lee Eschete

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Student engagement in the classroom is a priority for educators and policy makers because disengaged students are more likely to perform poorly in school. Students with disabilities, particularly those with high-incidence disabilities, are a subset of that population of potentially disengaged and definitely poor-performing students. When attending school, they are served increasingly in inclusive, co-taught settings, allowing for inquiry into engagement practices in these instructional arrangements. One purpose of this study was document levels of student engagement for six commonly described co-teaching models implemented in a teacher education course for both special education and general education preservice teacher candidates and …


Expertise And Disbelief: Post-1945 American Attitudes Toward The Authority Of Knowledge, Terry Wagner Jan 2015

Expertise And Disbelief: Post-1945 American Attitudes Toward The Authority Of Knowledge, Terry Wagner

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

“You can’t beat brains,” said President John Kennedy of the intellectuals and technicians he assembled in his cabinet. Kennedy was perhaps the greatest political champion for the virtues of expertise. However, all over America during the 1960s and ‘70s, diverse groups voiced doubts about how much experts, such as social scientists, policy specialists, and others, actually improved life. This dissertation examines how movements on the political left and right, and spiritual ruptures such as the rise of ‘60s counterculture and of evangelicalism, spoke in different language to express a similar point: human mastery over the world is profoundly limited. Many …


Ernst Mahle: A Pedagogical Edition Of His Four Concertinos For Piano And Orchestra, Joao Paulo Casarotti Jan 2015

Ernst Mahle: A Pedagogical Edition Of His Four Concertinos For Piano And Orchestra, Joao Paulo Casarotti

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

German-born composer Ernst Mahle (b. 1929) holds a respected position in the music field in Brazil, his adopted country since 1951. Mahle is the artistic director and co-founder of the “Escola de Musica de Piracicaba,” one of the most important musical institutions in Brazil. His work has focused on conducting, composition, and elementary music education. The main focus of this research will be to examine Mahle’s four concertinos for piano and orchestra intended for young performers. This paper will also provide information regarding Mahle’s sixty years of musical legacy in Brazil and his pedagogical idiom for piano solo. For a …


Platinum Complexes With Tridentate Ligands As Models For Active Monofunctional Anticancer Drugs, Chase Koby Andrepont Jan 2015

Platinum Complexes With Tridentate Ligands As Models For Active Monofunctional Anticancer Drugs, Chase Koby Andrepont

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Pt(II) complexes bind preferentially at N7 of G residues of DNA, causing DNA structural distortions associated with anticancer activity. Some distortions induced by difunctional cisplatin are also found for monofunctional Pt(II) complexes with carrier ligands having bulk projecting toward the guanine base. This ligand bulk can be correlated with impeded rotation about the Pt–N7(guanine) bond. The objective of this study is to understand the influences of in-plane bulk of Pt(Ltri)G adducts (Ltri = tridentate carrier ligand, G = guanine derivative bound to a metal, but not tethered to another nucleobase). NMR spectroscopy provided conclusive evidence that Pt(Ltri)G (Ltri = di-(2-picolyl)amine …


A Spatial Dynamic Model Of Population Changes In A Vulnerable Coastal Environment, Kenan Li Jan 2015

A Spatial Dynamic Model Of Population Changes In A Vulnerable Coastal Environment, Kenan Li

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Achieving coastal sustainability in low-lying coastal areas is a great challenge. This study developed a spatial dynamic model to study the coupled natural-human responses in the form of population changes in the Lower Mississippi River Basin region. The goal was to identify the key social-economic factors (utility) and selected environmental factors (such as hazards damage, elevation, and subsidence rate) that affect population changes, as well as how population changes affect the local utility and the local environment reciprocally. The study area was partitioned into the “north’ and the “south” by a hypothetical boundary to test the differences of the emergence. …


Does The Pcaob Inspection Have An Effect On Audit Fees And Audit Quality?, Elizabeth Schwartzhoff Johnson Jan 2015

Does The Pcaob Inspection Have An Effect On Audit Fees And Audit Quality?, Elizabeth Schwartzhoff Johnson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

I investigate the effects of the issuance of the PCAOB Part II report on audit fees and audit quality. The PCAOB replaced the peer review auditor program with an independent inspection of audit firms. Upon completion of each inspection, the PCAOB issues inspection reports that include a public portion (Part I) of identified audit deficiencies, and most include a nonpublic portion (Part II) of identified quality control weaknesses which is not disclosed publicly unless the audit firm does not sufficiently complete remediation during the next 12 months. Upon issuance of the Part II report, I find that audit firms experience …


Visual Representations Of Gender In Engineering Trade Journals Of Professional Societies During 1998-2012: A Content Analysis Of Hierarchy And Stereotypes, Tracy Ettel Morris Jan 2015

Visual Representations Of Gender In Engineering Trade Journals Of Professional Societies During 1998-2012: A Content Analysis Of Hierarchy And Stereotypes, Tracy Ettel Morris

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Recruiting and retaining women in engineering have stagnated since the mid-1990's partially due to the marginalization of women in education and the workforce. This research analyzed the quality and quantity of representation of women and men in visual images of professional science and engineering trade journals to illuminate the marginalizing climate of engineering. A mixed methods approach using visual content analysis was performed for a 15-year period during 1998-2012 of three different trade journals of professional societies representing various disciplines of engineering: the first has a low percentage of women, the second has a higher percentage of women, and the …


Effects Of Inbreeding On Endangered Red Wolves (Canis Rufus), Kristin E. Brzeski Jan 2015

Effects Of Inbreeding On Endangered Red Wolves (Canis Rufus), Kristin E. Brzeski

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Inbreeding depression, the reduction in offspring fitness caused by mating among close relatives, is widespread in small populations and a major concern in conservation biology because it can affect population persistence. The negative effects of inbreeding results in the evolution of inbreeding avoidance behaviors; within small populations, such behaviors may encourage individuals to select mates outside of their respective species. Mate choice may also be facilitated by variation at major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes, a gene group critical for immune response and disease resistance. Given broad impacts of inbreeding and MHC variation on fitness and behavior, evaluating their effects is …


Connected Vehicle Technology: User And System Performance Characteristics, Osama Abdulmonaem Thabet Osman Jan 2015

Connected Vehicle Technology: User And System Performance Characteristics, Osama Abdulmonaem Thabet Osman

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The emerging connected vehicle (CV) technology plays a promising role in providing more operable and safer transportation environments. Yet, many questions remain unanswered as to how various user and system characteristics of CV-enabled networks can shape the successful implementation of the technology to maximize the return on investment. This research attempts to capture the effect of multiple factors such as traffic density, market penetration, and transmission range on the communication stability and overall network performance by developing a new CONnectivity ROBustness (CONROB) model. The model was tested with data collected from microscopic simulation of a 195 sq-mile traffic network and …


Development Of New Linking Chemistry With The Fac-{Re(Co)3}+ Core For Eventual Applications In Radiopharmaceuticals In Imaging And Therapy, Aponsu Meregngna Pramuditha Lakmi Abhayawardhana Jan 2015

Development Of New Linking Chemistry With The Fac-{Re(Co)3}+ Core For Eventual Applications In Radiopharmaceuticals In Imaging And Therapy, Aponsu Meregngna Pramuditha Lakmi Abhayawardhana

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The facile labeling of biomolecules with a radionuclide is a key goal in radiopharmaceutical development. This study explores two different ligand systems for fac-[Re(CO)3L]+ complexes, that could be used in bioconjugation. The first approach uses a tridentate ligand having a sulfonamide linkage and modeled on previously evaluated fac-[Re(CO)3(N(SO2R)dpa)]PF6 complexes. The present goal was to develop new related sulfonamide complexes with more hydrophilic ligands designed to avoid the bioavailability problems that would plague the N(SO2R)dpa ligand system. A series of fac-[Re(CO)3(N(SO2R)dien)]PF6 complexes with different R groups linked to the central nitrogen of a symmetric tridentate sulfonamides were synthesized with the aim …


Selective Enrichment Through Capture (Sec): A Technology For Retrieving Specific Dna Sequences From Complex Mixtures, Kelley Gwin Nunez Jan 2015

Selective Enrichment Through Capture (Sec): A Technology For Retrieving Specific Dna Sequences From Complex Mixtures, Kelley Gwin Nunez

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The capacity to selectively target DNA sequences within a complex mixture is a useful feature for genomic studies. Several methods aimed at undertaking this feat have utilized biotinylated oligonucleotides and streptavidin beads to capture DNA but have low efficiencies, require PCR, or cannot be combined with high-throughput sequencing. The work presented here developed a protocol referred to as selected enrichment through capture (SEC) that uses a biotinylated “capture primer” to target and concentrate specific DNA sequences at high efficiencies, eliminates the use of PCR, and can be combined with high-throughput sequencing. The effectiveness of SEC was evaluated in a series …


Integrated Multiple-Tactic Management Of The Redbanded Stink Bug On Soybeans In Louisiana, Miyanda Nzala Moonga Jan 2015

Integrated Multiple-Tactic Management Of The Redbanded Stink Bug On Soybeans In Louisiana, Miyanda Nzala Moonga

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) are major pests of soybeans in Louisiana and heavy infestations often lead to economic losses. The stink bug species complex has changed in the past decade with the prevalence of the invasive redbanded stink bug, Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood), which causes greater damage than other stink bug species. Moreover, control of the redbanded stink bug has been faced with challenges because it is less sensitive to recommended insecticides. Therefore, studies were conducted to evaluate different control options for P. guildinii. Among the studies conducted was the current status of egg parasitoids of stink bugs in Louisiana. Telenomus …


Evaluating Technical Adequacy Features Of Sentence Verification Technique As A General Outcome Measure Of Content Knowledge, Ren&Eacutee E. Lastrapes Jan 2015

Evaluating Technical Adequacy Features Of Sentence Verification Technique As A General Outcome Measure Of Content Knowledge, Ren&Eacutee E. Lastrapes

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Once students have mastered the mechanics of reading, they are expected to learn new material by reading. This new material, however, becomes increasingly more complex as students enter upper elementary and especially middle and high school. If students fail to comprehend what they read, they risk failure in content courses such as science and social studies. Early assessment of risk and appropriate response to that risk is a goal of effective education. One problem with the risk reduction sequence is that there are limited formative assessments that have been validated as technically adequate for assessing content knowledge. The present study …


Two Essays On Institutional Investors And U.S. Bank Holding Companies, Hui Wang Jan 2015

Two Essays On Institutional Investors And U.S. Bank Holding Companies, Hui Wang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation studies institutional investment in U.S. bank holding companies (BHCs). The first essay examines institutional investing preferences in U.S. banks and the impact of expansion of bank power on the preferences. Institutional investors prefer BHCs that hold more liquid assets, are better capitalized and larger in size, have better loan quality, lower stock return volatility and less derivative trading. In addition, the expansion of bank power is welcomed by various types of institutional investors, except for long-term institutions. Institutional investors also become less risk-averse when investing in BHCs that have expanded into non-banking business. However, the increased complexity and …


Fish Assemblage Structure, Distribution, And Trophic Ecology At Northwestern Gulf Of Mexico Banks, Todd Langland Jan 2015

Fish Assemblage Structure, Distribution, And Trophic Ecology At Northwestern Gulf Of Mexico Banks, Todd Langland

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The northwest Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) shelf-edge banks both provide unique hard bottom habitat and support the northernmost coral reefs on the North American continental shelf in a region that is generally characterized by low relief, soft sediments. The habitat value of many of these banks has led to their designation as Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPC) and the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS). However, little is known about the fisheries resources and dynamics of the banks outside the FGBNMS. This study had three main objectives: 1) define reef fish assemblages at northwestern Gulf shelf-edge banks and …