Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Evaluation Of Methods To Predict Weibull Parameters For Characterizing Diameter Distributions, Krishna Prasad Poudel

LSU Master's Theses

Compared to other distribution functions, the Weibull distribution has been more widely used in describing diameter distributions because of its flexibility and relative simplicity. Parameters of the Weibull distribution are generally predicted either by the parameter prediction method or by the parameter recovery method. The coefficients of the regression equations for predicting Weibull parameters, moments, or percentiles are often estimated by use of different approaches such as ordinary least squares (OLS), seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) or cumulative distribution function regression (CDFR). However, there is no strong rationale for preferring one method over the other. We developed and evaluated different methods …

An Overview Of Green Jobs In The Louisiana Forest Sector, Ryan D. Olson

LSU Master's Theses

The term “green job” is a relatively new definition that defines employment activities that are likely to have occurred since the beginning of human existence. The push to identify, to quantify and to drive the growth of these jobs has recently been brought on by climate change and the depletion of Earth’s natural resources. According to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, green jobs are either (a) Jobs in businesses that produce goods or provide services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources or (b) Jobs in which workers’ duties involve making their establishment’s production …

Comparison Of The Age And Growth Of Red Snapper (Lutjanus Campechanus) Amongst Habitats And Regions In The Gulf Of Mexico, Courtney Rose Saari

LSU Master's Theses

The Gulf of Mexico (GOM) red snapper stock has been exploited since the mid 1800s; yet it is still one of the most economically important fisheries in the GOM. Red snapper have been managed as a unit stock and are currently overfished, but perhaps no longer undergoing overfishing. Habitat varies greatly throughout the GOM and while numerous studies have aged red snapper, none have simultaneously compared the age and size structure and growth rates among standing and toppled oil and gas platforms with natural habitats. The objectives of this study were to examine the size and age structure and growth …

Cure-On Demand Wood Adhesives Using Frontal Polymerization Of Acrylates, Treyvon Holt

LSU Master's Theses

Frontal polymerization (FP) is when the monomer is polymerized by a zone of reaction propagating through the monomer. The reaction zone is fueled by the heat given off by the polymerization of the monomer. FP is a promisig method for curing adhesives because it allows for cure-on-demand and fast cure times. The monomers selected for the adhesive is the main factor in determining the adhesive’s properties. Trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA), pentaerythritol tetraacrylate (PETA), and other multifunctional monomers make the polymer formed more brittle. The brittleness can be reduced by using trimethylolpropane ethoxylate triacrylates (TMPEOTA) in the place of the other multifunctional …

Development Of A Monte Carlo Based Correction Strategy For A Tg-43 Based Brachytherapy Treatment Planning System To Account For Applicator Inhomogeneities, Bobby Chon Mathews

LSU Master's Theses

Purpose: The purpose of this work was to investigate the use of pre-calculated Monte Carlo (MC) ovoid and source-based attenuation-correction factors that would correct a commercially-available brachytherapy treatment planning system (TPS) generated plan in order to account for any dosimetric effects due to the presence of intracavitary brachytherapy (ICBT) applicators during treatment delivery. Methods: A MC model of an ICBT CT-MR compatible ovoid applicator set was confirmed utilizing radiochromic film (RCF). MC was used to simulate dose distributions resulting from eight source-dwell-positions within the ICBT applicator. Also, the American Association of Physicist in Medicine Task Group 43 Report (AAPM TG-43) …

Single-Molecule Detection And Microfluidics: Generating Systems For The In Vitro Diagnostics Of Stroke, Brandon M. Young

LSU Master's Theses

There is currently no available molecular diagnostic test for stroke; the common modality for diagnosis consists of computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. Unfortunately, the use of these diagnostic regimens can delay proper therapeutic treatment, which requires administration within the first 3 h of a stroke event. We are developing a molecular assay that can report, in near real time and at the point-of-care, the presence or absence of biomarkers specifically targeted for the diagnosis of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. The proposed strategy uses blood-borne mRNAs that are either under-expressed or over-expressed as a result of tissue damage within the …

Comparison Of Tld Dose And Reconstructed Dose For Post-Mastectomy Radiation Therapy With Tomotherapy, Matthew Roberts

LSU Master's Theses

Purpose: To determine the dosimetric accuracy of TomoTherapy’s database technique for delivery verification and dose reconstruction in post-mastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) treatments. Methods and Materials: Archived treatment data for 5 patients treated at MBPCC were restored to the TomoTherapy research computer system. Pretreatment MVCT images and exit detector dosimetry data collected during treatment of these patients were used to calculate the DV sinogram for each treatment fraction. The DV sinogram and MVCT image for each fraction were used to reconstruct the delivered dose for that fraction using a convolution/superposition algorithm. The reconstructed doses were compared to previously acquired TLD doses …

Delivery Accuracy Of Image Guided Radiation Therapy Using Elekta Infinity's On-Board Imaging, Matthew William Sutton

LSU Master's Theses

Using the technique developed by Vinci et al. (2007), this project quantified the accuracy and precision of the Elekta Infinity using an end-to-end test for the entire image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) treatment process. The IGRT capabilities of the on-board imaging systems for megavoltage (MV) planar imaging and kilovoltage cone beam computed tomography (kVCBCT) were both evaluated. The accuracy of the on-board imaging systems will impact the size of planning treatment margins. A CIRS Radiosurgery head phantom with a Gafchromic EBT2 film dosimetry block insert was used to measure the dose distributions in the three orthogonal planes. A coplanar, isocentric, …

The Design Of A Computer System To Determine The Causes Of Edema Using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Carl Allen Fink

LSU Master's Theses

Diabetes is a growing problem in the U.S.A., closely linked to the current obesity epidemic. Two common complications of diabetes, osteomyelitis of the foot, and Charcot's joint, are impossible to differentiate via traditional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The background of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, which transforms the time-domain MRI signal into the frequency domain spectrum, is explored, and its use to aid in this differentiation is proposed. Artificial Neural Networks can be employed to evaluate the MRS data and to automate the process.

Laboratory Scale Seismic Analysis Of A Spatially Variable Hydrological Surface In Unconfined, Unconsolidated Sand, David E. Smolkin

LSU Master's Theses

The ability to measure the depth to the water table can provide information such as reservoir characteristics, soil conditions for agriculture, and actions to be taken with contaminant flow and removal. We attempt to detect this boundary in a larger-than-lab scale experiment. We attempt to simulate a spatially variable water level and attempt to image changes in the depth of this water level. We try to reduce the normally complex natural conditions to those of a nominally homogeneous and isotropic, unconfined sand volume for modeling. These simplified conditions help isolate the effects of remaining complexities such as the variable saturation …

Evaluating The Duration Of Post-Lgm Grounding Events In The Glomar Challenger Basin Paleotrough, Eastern Basin Antarctica, Using Sediment Flux Calculations, Boluwatife Owolana

LSU Master's Theses

Previously acquired geological and geophysical data from the eastern Ross Sea outer shelf support the view that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) deposited three large-volume grounding zone wedges (GZWs) during the relatively short time since the onset of ice sheet retreat began at approximately 11 ka 14C BP. Here, GZW sediment volumes were estimated from seismic data correlations to evaluate the different possible durations of the individual grounding events. The two end-member fluxes used correspond to 1) a modern flux active at Whillans Ice Stream and 2) a larger flux accounting for the larger size of the drainage basin …

Population Characteristics Of A White-Tailed Deer Herd In An Industrial Pine Forest Of North-Central Louisiana, John Henry Harrelson

LSU Master's Theses

White-tailed deer are the most important game species in Louisiana, and throughout the southeastern United States. Likewise, the forest products industry represents the most important agricultural commodity in Louisiana, and industrial landowners frequently lease their properties to sportsmen specifically for white-tailed deer hunting. I conducted research assessing survival, space use, and habitat selection of white-tailed deer on a 3885 ha industrial forest owned by Plum Creek Timber Company. I captured 61 deer in Union Parish, Louisiana in 2009-2010, radio-marked 24 females and 23 males, and ear-tagged 7 females and 6 males. Season and sex interacted to affect home range and …

Developing A Gulf-Wide Oyster Reef Restoration Plan: Identification Of Spatial, Socio-Economic And Geo-Political Constraints, Elizabeth Ashby Nix

LSU Master's Theses

Oyster reefs have recently been identified as one of the most endangered coastal ecosystems, fueling efforts to restore and enhance these systems. Oyster reefs located in the northern Gulf of Mexico have been identified as some of the healthiest of reefs globally, and current efforts focus on devising an approach to Gulf-wide restoration of these reefs. As with all natural resource management and restoration, success is dependent on more than simply understanding the biological requirements of the resource; rather, they are equally dependent on understanding and working within the social and political context in which these management and restoration activities …

Effects Of Row Spacing And Debris Distribution On Small Mammal And Vegetation Communities In Newly Established Loblolly Pine Plantations, Louisiana, Joshua Lee Grace

LSU Master's Theses

Commercial pine (Pinus spp.) forests in the southeastern United States are key to providing fiber for global wood supply needs. Concern has arisen over possible effects of intensive forest management techniques, including row spacing and distribution of woody debris after logging, on plant and wildlife communities. Therefore, we quantified response of plant and small mammal communities in replanted loblolly pine (P. taeda) stands to mechanical site preparation including 2 levels of row spacing and 2 methods of distributing woody debris following harvest in north and southeastern Louisiana, USA. Sites (n=16) were prepared with a combination of row spacing between planting …

Expression, Identification, And Bioactivity Of Recombinant Human Erythropoietin From Lmh/2a (Leghorn Male Hepatoma)Cell Line, Amanda Cecile Broussard

LSU Master's Theses

Erythropoietin (EPO) is the main cytokine regulator for red blood-cell production in the human by binding to erythropoietin receptors to promote erythroid proliferation, survival and differentiation. Administration of recombinant human EPO (rhEPO) as a therapeutic has been shown to improve renal and non-renal anemia and this success has led to a high medical global demand. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, yeast, and bacteria have been used to produce rhEPO but nevertheless there is still a need for a low-cost and high quality expression system for rhEPO. LMH/2A cells, as an alternative model, were transfected with the codon optimized human EPO …

West Antarctic Ice Sheet Retreat Chronology Of Two Middle-Shelf Grounding-Zone Wedges In Eastern Basin, Ross Sea, Antarctica, Lenora Nicole Copeland

LSU Master's Theses

This study isolated a small number of large, in situ and reworked foraminifera from diamicts deposited in two grounding zone wedges on the middle continental shelf in Eastern Basin, Ross Sea, Antarctica. All samples were of sufficient weight to yield Holocene dates if the samples were indeed of Holocene age. Of the twelve small samples sent for radiocarbon analysis, the two heaviest were for reworked foraminifera which yielded dates of >22,200 14C BP and >22,500 14C BP. None of the other ten samples yielded radiocarbon dates. The lack of Holocene radiocarbon dates for the six in situ and four reworked …

Improving Math Instruction In Schools That Serve The Poor, John, L. Jr. Sims

LSU Master's Theses

Public alarm concerning how well U.S. schools are performing in mathematics compared to other developed nations is increasing. Reports of inadequate teaching, poor curriculum design, and low performance on standardized test have been fueled by the media. These issues in American mathematics classrooms are far compounded in schools that serve the poorest in America. When comparing mathematical proficiency rates of U.S. schools with other countries, schools with less than 25% free and reduced lunch score competitively with counterparts in other countries. In contrast, schools with rates of free and reduced lunch higher than 50% score dismally in comparison. Conditions such …

Teaching High School Geometry With Tasks And Activities, Margaret Ann Fazekas

LSU Master's Theses

Task-based learning is an instructional method in which students complete coherently-structured activities in order to meet objectives set by the educator. This thesis illustrates learning communities as the ideal environment for a task-based learning classroom. It discusses the teacher’s role in a task-based classroom. This paper also describes three examples of tasks performed in my high school geometry classroom along with my observations of students’ interactions and discussions.

Transport Properties Of Nanometer-Sized Assemblies Through Nanofluidic Channels With Single Entity Electrical Detection, Franklin Ifeanyichukwu Uba

LSU Master's Theses

Recently, there have been reports on biological and solid-state nanopores that identify single biopolymers or their constituent monomers by analyzing changes in ionic current blockades when they block the flux of buffer ions while travelling through the nanopores. Nevertheless, there have been several limitations in their application, especially as DNA detectors; Poor confinement of the DNA strand within the nanopore (~0.1 % of a 10 kilobase (kb) DNA), poor signal sensitivity and random motion experienced by the DNA in solution that results in a large amount of noise in the signal. These have led to the development of nanochannel-based devices, …

Miscible Column Studies Of Unfractured And Saturated Cores Of Topopah Spring Tuff From Yucca Mountain, Nevada Using Hydrophobic Organic Pollutants, Kody V. Kramer

LSU Master's Theses

Miscible displacement column studies were conducted on unfractured cores of Topopah Spring Tuff to quantify transport characteristics of bromide&44; pentafluorobenzoic acid &40;PFBA&41;&44; trichloroethylene &40;TCE&41;&44; and naphthalene. Three 5 cm diameter by 2 cm long cores were flushed with pulses of simulated groundwater containing these tracers&44; followed by tracer&45;free solution. Effective porosities were gravimetrically measured as 11&37;&44; 10.6&37;&44; and 9.5&37;. The tracers achieved full breakthrough in an order correlating to their hydrophobicities. Bromide and PFBA sorbed least&44; achieving full breakthrough in fewer than 10 pore volumes. As water analogues&44; both exhibited no quantifiable sorption. Delay to full breakthrough was contributed to …

A Partial Order On Classical And Quantum States, Arka Bandyopadhyay

LSU Master's Theses

In this work we extend the work done by Bob Coecke and Keye Martin in their paper “Partial Order on Classical States and Quantum States (2003)”. We review basic notions involving elementary domain theory, the set of probability measures on a finite set {a1, a2, ..., an}, which we identify with the standard (n-1)-simplex ∆n and Shannon Entropy. We consider partial orders on ∆n, which have the Entropy Reversal Property (ERP) : elements lower in the order have higher (Shannon) entropy or equivalently less information . The ERP property is important because of its applications in quantum information theory. We …

Evaluation Of Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (Vmat) Patient Specific Quality Assurance, Gordon Mark Mancuso

LSU Master's Theses

Purpose: The purpose of this work was to perform a comprehensive comparison of fixed-beam intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) patient specific quality assurance (QA) results, in order to investigate the appropriateness of applying IMRT QA methods and action levels to VMAT treatment plans.

Methods: QA measurements were evaluated for the test geometries provided in AAPM Task Group Report 119. The structure sets were copied onto a cylindrical water-equivalent phantom. Using the Philips Pinnacle³ treatment planning system, fixed-beam IMRT and VMAT treatment plans were constructed. The plans were delivered to the phantom and …

Carbon Sequestration And Uneven-Aged Management Of Loblolly Pine Stands In The Southern Usa: A Joint Optimization Approach, Rajan Parajuli

LSU Master's Theses

Forest carbon sequestration is regarded as a viable and cost effective option for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. Several research studies analyzed the effects of joint management of carbon and timber under different even-aged forest management scenarios, and concluded that carbon benefits can alter forest management schedules significantly. However, research specifically focused on the inclusion of carbon sequestration benefits into uneven-aged management has received little attention. This study determined the optimum joint management regime of timber and carbon in uneven-aged loblolly pine stands in Louisiana, and assessed management and financial effects resulting from the integration of carbon benefits into uneven-aged …

A Comparative Study Of Cellulose I And Ii And Fibers And Nanocrystals, Yiying Yue

LSU Master's Theses

The influence of sodium hydroxide treatment on the structure of cotton fibers was studied. Compared to raw cotton fibers, the entire bundles of mercerized fibers were converted into a swollen and roughened state. Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) indicated that intermolecular hydrogen bonding was enhanced by mercerization treatment. Wide-angle X ray diffraction (WXRD) results showed decreased fiber crystallinity after mercerization. The structure of cellulose II fibers was more thermally stable than cellulose I fibers. Mechanical properties of cotton fiber-reinforced polyethylene oxide (PEO) composites demonstrated that both raw and mercerized cotton fibers enhanced their tensile strength of the PEO matrix, but …

An Intelligent Othello Player Combining Machine Learning And Game Specific Heuristics, Kevin Anthony Cherry

LSU Master's Theses

Artificial intelligence applications in board games have been around as early as the 1950's, and computer programs have been developed for games including Checkers, Chess, and Go with varying results. Although general game-tree search algorithms have been designed to work on games meeting certain requirements (e.g. zero-sum, two-player, perfect or imperfect information, etc.), the best results, however, come from combining these with specific knowledge of game strategies. In this MS thesis, we present an intelligent Othello game player that combines game-specific heuristics with machine learning techniques in move selection. Five game specific heuristics, namely corner detection, killer move detection, blocking, …

Modeling The Population Effects Of Hypoxia On Atlantic Croaker (Micropogonias Undulatus) In The Northwestern Gulf Of Mexico, Sean Brandon Creekmore

LSU Master's Theses

The northwestern Gulf of Mexico currently experiences a large hypoxic area (“dead zone”) during the summer. While the local effects of hypoxia on organisms have been documented, the population-level effects are largely unknown. I developed a spatially-explicit, individual-based model to analyze how hypoxia effects on Atlantic croaker reproduction, growth, and mortality in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico could lead to population-level responses. The model follows the hourly growth, mortality, reproduction, and movement of individuals on a 300 x 800 spatial grid of 1 km2 cells for 100 years. Chlorophyll-a concentration, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen were specified daily for each …

Investigation Into The Cause Of Earthen Embankment Instability Along The "V-Line" Artificial Levee In Marrero, Louisiana, Usa, Jason Hicks

LSU Master's Theses

The “V-line” levee, located in Marrero, LA, has a crack along its crest, measuring approximately 100 meters in length, 30 centimeters in depth, and 30 centimeters in width. This crack is a sign of levee instability. Seismic shear wave, CPT, and laboratory shear strength data were collected and processed to identify the cause of the instability. A zone of low seismic shear wave velocity was interpreted approximately 3 meters deep from the berm of the levee. Because of the large spacing between laboratory shear strength test sampling and CPT sites, a similar zone of low shear strength was not found …

Temporal Changes Of Coastal Community Resilience In The Gulf Of Mexico Region, Kenan Li

LSU Master's Theses

The Gulf of Mexico Region is a region where coastal hazards are frequently occurring. To study the resilience of the counties along the Gulf of Mexico is of great importance to its sustainable planning and development. It also plays a huge role in coastal hazard mitigation. This study assesses the temporal changes of coastal community resilience of 132 counties along the Gulf of Mexico. The basic analytical framework to assess resilience consists of three dimensions (exposure, damage, and recovery) and two relationships (vulnerability and adaptability). Vulnerability refers to the relationship between exposure and damage, whereas the relationship between damage and …

Are Local Chemical Releases Causing An Increase In Cancer Rates In East Baton Rouge Parish?, India T. Anderson

LSU Master's Theses

Environmental pollution has become a steadily growing problem in today’s society. East Baton Rouge alone has 13 chemical plants in the parish. The goal of this research is to find out if the chemical releases in the parish are having an effect on the cancer rates in East Baton Rouge Parish. I gathered data from all 64 parishes in Louisiana. The four chemicals I chose to study specifically, Benzene, Dioxin, Formaldehyde, and Xylene. Chemical release data was taken from the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) website and software from the years1988 to 2009, which was the last reporting year. The cancers …

Antarctic Plant And Phytoplankton Response To The First Phase Of The Mid Miocene Climatic Optimum At South Mcmurdo Sound, Lee Foersterling

LSU Master's Theses

The Antarctic Drilling Program (ANDRILL) recovered 1138.54 m of sub-seafloor marine sediments with 98% core recovery at the AND2-2A drill site in South McMurdo Sound. Biostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy, and isotopic dating (Acton et al., 2008) indicated that an Early to Middle Miocene section (223-1138.54 mbsf) was recovered. This study focuses on an interval with high concentrations of palynomorphs, located between 460.57 and 403.48 mbsf and dated to 16.7 Ma to 16.2 Ma according to the updated Acton et al. (2008) ANDRILL SMS age model. Palynological results show a pronounced increase in organic microfossils between 434.01 and 431.91 mbsf, compared to levels …