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Articles 121 - 135 of 135

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

The Use Of A Chiral Fluorescent Resorcinarene For The Enantiomeric Recognition Of Amino Acids, Gerald I. Richard Jan 2007

The Use Of A Chiral Fluorescent Resorcinarene For The Enantiomeric Recognition Of Amino Acids, Gerald I. Richard

LSU Master's Theses

The spectroscopic properties of a chiral boronic acid based resorcinarene macrocycle employed for chiral analysis were investigated. Specifically, the emission and excitation characteristics of tetraarylboronate resorcinarene macrocycle (TBRM) and its quantum yield were evaluated. The chiral selector TBRM was investigated as a chiral reagent for the enantiomeric discrimination of amino acids using steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy. Chiral recognition of amino acids in the presence of the macrocycle was based on diastereomeric complexes. Results demonstrated that TBRM had better chiral discrimination ability for lysine as compared to the other amino acids. Partial-least-squares regression modeling (PLS-1) of spectral data for macrocycle-lysine host-guest complexes …


Evaluation Of Anuran Richness In Restored Wetlands Of Central Louisiana, Sarah Jane Barlow Jan 2007

Evaluation Of Anuran Richness In Restored Wetlands Of Central Louisiana, Sarah Jane Barlow

LSU Master's Theses

Bottomland hardwood forests and associated fauna, including frogs, are disappearing. The 1990 Farm Bill created a wetland restoration program on private lands called the Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) that has the potential to reverse the declines in species associated with bottomland hardwood forests. As of September 2005, nearly 85,000 ha had been enrolled in Louisiana, but the structure and value of these wetlands to frogs is not known. I evaluated 22 restored and 8 reference wetlands from January through May in 2004 and 2005 to determine the effects of local and landscape scale habitat characteristics on frog species richness and …


Nest Success And Nest Site Selection Of Shorebirds In North Dakota, Darren Kirk Wiens Jan 2007

Nest Success And Nest Site Selection Of Shorebirds In North Dakota, Darren Kirk Wiens

LSU Master's Theses

I compared nest success estimates for both shorebirds and Sharp-tailed Grouse between controls and 36 square-mile blocks that were trapped for intermediate mammalian predators. I also investigated shorebird nest site selection by comparing vegetation visual obstruction and species composition between nest sites and the surrounding field. Nest success (Mayfield estimate ± SE) was not different between trapped and control blocks for shorebirds (trap: 50.8% ± 6.3%; control: 69.1% ± 17.5%) or Sharp-tailed Grouse (trap: 61.3% ± 8.3%; control: 48.7% ± 10.0%). This indicates that trapping intermediate mammalian predators is not an efficient method of increasing shorebird or Sharp-tailed Grouse nest …


Survival, Habitat Use, And Movements Of Female Mallards Wintering In Southwestern Louisiana, Paul Thomas Link Jan 2007

Survival, Habitat Use, And Movements Of Female Mallards Wintering In Southwestern Louisiana, Paul Thomas Link

LSU Master's Theses

Little information is available concerning survival, habitat use, and movements of mallards (Anas platyrhychos) wintering on the Gulf Coast Chenier Plain (GCCP). Quantitative data on these parameters would be useful in making effective management decisions by GCCP waterfowl managers. Accordingly, I radio-marked 135 female mallards during winters 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 in southwestern Louisiana. My estimated survival rate for both winters combined was 0.68 ± 0.06 and did not differ by female age. Hazard ratios indicated that radio-marked females were 21-24 times more likely to die during hunted time periods than during non-hunted time periods. Estimated hunting and non-hunting mortality rates …


Empirical Modeling Of Late Quaternary Sediment Supply To The Gulf Of Mexico Shelf Margin In A Cool Lowstand World, Jill Hattier Womack Jan 2007

Empirical Modeling Of Late Quaternary Sediment Supply To The Gulf Of Mexico Shelf Margin In A Cool Lowstand World, Jill Hattier Womack

LSU Master's Theses

During the last glacial period, river systems responded to the lowering of sea level by incising valleys, extending across the continental shelf, and depositing deltas on the shelf margin and upper slope of surrounding basins. These deltas represent important repositories for sediment delivered to the coastal ocean and provide partial records of sediment discharged from continental landmasses. Over relatively short time scales, like that of the last glacial-interglacial cycle, hinterland drainage areas, relief and lithology can be considered constants while the primary variable of significance is climate change (Syvitski and Milliman, 2007). It is reasonable to assume, therefore, that supply …


Sediment Transport On A River-Dominated Shallow Water Shelf: Atchafalaya Bay Region, Louisiana, Renee T. Bellotte Jan 2007

Sediment Transport On A River-Dominated Shallow Water Shelf: Atchafalaya Bay Region, Louisiana, Renee T. Bellotte

LSU Master's Theses

Cold front passage impacts on sediment transport on the inner continental shelf near Atchafalaya Bay were studied, combining satellite imagery and in-situ meteorological and oceanographic measurements. An empirical model relating atmospherically corrected MODIS imagery reflectance to surface measurements of suspended sediment concentration was developed and successfully applied to the coastal waters. An equation for predicting total suspended sediment from Nephelometric Turbidity Units was also applied to the water column at 1, 2, and 3 meters from the seabed. Five case study weeks were selected to examine the dynamics of pre-frontal and post-front forcing mechanisms on sediment transport in a fine-grained …


Spatial Ecology Of Gray Foxes On A Longleaf Pine Forest And The Surrounding Landscape In Southwestern Georgia, Danielle Lolene Temple Jan 2007

Spatial Ecology Of Gray Foxes On A Longleaf Pine Forest And The Surrounding Landscape In Southwestern Georgia, Danielle Lolene Temple

LSU Master's Theses

In the southeastern United States, industrial agriculture dominates the landscape, and much of the native land cover is in decline. Longleaf pine forests were once a dominant ecosystem in this region, but have largely disappeared. However, little research has been conducted on how this loss affects wildlife, especially mammalian predators. With increasing restoration efforts for longleaf pine it is important to assess the impact on species that inhabit those landscapes. Gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) are native to the Southeast, but are adaptable to a wide range of habitats. Therefore, during 2002-2006 I studied a population of gray foxes on land …


Quantum Dynamics Of Loop Quantum Gravity, Muxin Han Jan 2007

Quantum Dynamics Of Loop Quantum Gravity, Muxin Han

LSU Master's Theses

In the last 20 years, loop quantum gravity, a background independent approach to unify general relativity and quantum mechanics, has been widely investigated. The aim of loop quantum gravity is to construct a mathematically rigorous, background independent, nonperturbative quantum theory for the Lorentzian gravitational field on a four-dimensional manifold. In this approach, the principles of quantum mechanics are combined with those of general relativity naturally. Such a combination provides us a picture of "quantum Riemannian geometry", which is discrete at a fundamental scale. In the investigation of quantum dynamics, the classical expressions of constraints are quantized as operators. The quantum …


Environmental Factors Influencing The Siting Of Temporary Housing In Orleans Parish, Philip J. Chandler Jan 2007

Environmental Factors Influencing The Siting Of Temporary Housing In Orleans Parish, Philip J. Chandler

LSU Master's Theses

The disaster in New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina showcased the city's many environmental problems. The industrial history of the city, subsidence of the city causing it to be below sea-level, and the fact that the city is protected by levees and pumps were critical elements of the disaster and played a large role in the emergency response. The disaster led to an enormous emergency response by many entities, but the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has the lead in these actions. In response to the large number of homes being flooded and unlivable in Orleans Parish, FEMA implemented its …


Evaluation Of Harvesting Disturbance And Establishment Practices On Early Height Growth Of Loblolly Pine (Pinus Taeda L.), Shanna Marie Mccarty Jan 2007

Evaluation Of Harvesting Disturbance And Establishment Practices On Early Height Growth Of Loblolly Pine (Pinus Taeda L.), Shanna Marie Mccarty

LSU Master's Theses

Land for forest plantations is declining while demand for forest products is increasing, creating concern over sustainable forest management. Maintenance of site productivity is fundamental to forest sustainability, and an assessment of cumulative height growth is a useful index of productivity. Loblolly pine height data were used from four research plantations installed by the project Cooperative Research in Sustainable Silviculture and Soil Productivity from Texas to Georgia. The sites vary in soil characteristics, management history, nutrient status at time of planting, and age (from 4 to 9 years). Each site is a randomized complete block design with a factorial treatment …


Hurricane Modeling In Gis: An Investigation Of Threshold Storm Events Affecting Special Medical Needs Populations In Coastal Louisiana, Kathryn Emily Streva Jan 2007

Hurricane Modeling In Gis: An Investigation Of Threshold Storm Events Affecting Special Medical Needs Populations In Coastal Louisiana, Kathryn Emily Streva

LSU Master's Theses

Recent hurricane events in coastal Louisiana have emphasized the severe vulnerability of medical special needs (MSN) patients during flood disasters. MSN populations may be comprised of hospital, nursing home or hospice patients; the physically or mentally disabled; medically-dependent individuals requiring life-sustaining equipment or medicines; and frail elderly. Over 150 hospital and nursing home fatalities resulted from Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. More than four hundred elderly over the age of seventy perished. Chronic diseases and mental health illness were among the top conditions reported in field hospitals, emergency rooms and shelters immediately following the storm. Louisiana MSN facilities and residences …


Biogeomorphic Evaluation Of Caminada-Moreau Maritime Beach Ridges With Respect To Future Restoration Initiatives, Hannon Didier Jan 2007

Biogeomorphic Evaluation Of Caminada-Moreau Maritime Beach Ridges With Respect To Future Restoration Initiatives, Hannon Didier

LSU Master's Theses

Restoration efforts within the coastal zone of southern Louisiana have assumed greater importance in the wake of recent storms and ever increasing sea level rise. A poorly studied geomorphic structure known as the Caminada-Moreau maritime beach ridge complex exists along the southeastern Louisiana coastline between Grand Isle and the Port of Fourchon. Active subsidence in the area has reduced the overall elevation of these structures, decreasing the live cover of its most noticeable feature, stands of Quercus virginiana (live oak), along the ridge spines. Elevation data was gathered along and across four randomly selected ridges in the study area with …


Protocol Development For Pro-Active Emergency Responses By Veterinary Clinics And Hospitals, Laura Marie Basirico Jan 2007

Protocol Development For Pro-Active Emergency Responses By Veterinary Clinics And Hospitals, Laura Marie Basirico

LSU Master's Theses

The Gulf Coast hurricanes of 2005 necessitated the development of a guidance document concerning emergency preparedness and response for veterinary clinics and hospitals. The aftermaths of the largest natural disasters in United States' history, namely Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, brought to light the need for a protocol designed specifically for veterinarians and veterinary practitioners. Disaster management information was synthesized and modified to be subject-specific for the veterinary community. This synthesis resulted in the creation of the Veterinary Emergency Preparedness and Response (VEPR) manual and website. Two types of data were collected to develop the emergency protocol; interviews with veterinarians and …


Experimental Investigation Of An Electronically Collimated Radiation Detector For Location Of Gamma-Ray Sources, William H. Hill Jr. Jan 2007

Experimental Investigation Of An Electronically Collimated Radiation Detector For Location Of Gamma-Ray Sources, William H. Hill Jr.

LSU Master's Theses

A electronically collimated prototype detector was built with commercially available cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) modules and assessed by experiment and simulation. Sensitivity was roughly equivalent to a common hand held 1"x1" NaI(Tl) detector. The maximum useful count rate was 300 counts per second (cps) per module. Overall angular error was less than 7°, which is generally less than source placement uncertainty, and angular resolution was between 20° and 40° for several common isotopes with photon energies between 511 keV and 1333 keV. Prototype data and backprojections were used to verify a simple three dimensional model of charge induction in pixellated …


Denitrification Capacity And Denitrifying Bacteria In A Restored Bottomland Hardwood Forest, Mississippi River Alluvial Valley: Hydrological Impacts, Yan Li Jan 2007

Denitrification Capacity And Denitrifying Bacteria In A Restored Bottomland Hardwood Forest, Mississippi River Alluvial Valley: Hydrological Impacts, Yan Li

LSU Master's Theses

Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (MAV) is one of the most important ecosystems in the United States, and bottomland hardwood forests (BLHs) are a major components of this ecosystem. The ecological and hydrological functions of BLHs can help maintain the diversity of species, groundwater balance, and nutrient removal etc. However, due to the increased human activities in the area, most of the BLHs were converted to agricultural land. Realizing the seriousness of the situation of the ecosystem, a series of programs have been carried out by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to …