Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Louisiana State University

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 3121 - 3150 of 9751

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

The Effects Of Carbon Nanotubes On Cells In A Synthetic Oxygen Carrier Enriched Alginate Scaffold, Joshua Paul Tate Jan 2016

The Effects Of Carbon Nanotubes On Cells In A Synthetic Oxygen Carrier Enriched Alginate Scaffold, Joshua Paul Tate

LSU Master's Theses

Abstract Huge progress has been made in the development of three dimensionally printed tissue structures. With the use of cells, three dimensional printers, and CAD drawing software, donor identical structures can be fabricated. However, cell scaffolds currently lack significant mechanical integrity which can result in reduced cellular survival, attachment, and nutrient delivery. For this reason, multiple strategies have been developed to increase and improve mechanical stability within engineered constructs without having to sacrifice cell viability. The hypothesis of this paper was that incorporating Perfluorotributylamine (PFTBA), a greenhouse gas, with single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), a allotrope of carbon with a …


Vegetation Influences Microbial Community Structure And Methane Emissions In Southeastern Louisiana Wetlands, Anthony Jason Rietl Jan 2016

Vegetation Influences Microbial Community Structure And Methane Emissions In Southeastern Louisiana Wetlands, Anthony Jason Rietl

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Methane has a warming potential 28 times that of carbon dioxide and has been increasing in the Earth’s atmosphere since 1750. An understanding of the dynamics of methane emissions from natural sources is becoming increasingly important as we may need to mitigate emissions from these sources in the future to help reduce the effects of climate change. Wetlands are the single largest natural source of methane; however, little attention has been given to how plant species, biota, and interactions between above and belowground communities and microbial communities may affect methane emissions. First, microbial community structure and function was assessed for …


Mass Incarceration By Design: The Impacts Of Urban Renewal And Landscape Architecture's Absence On The Prison Industrial Complex And The Use Of Landscape Architecture As An Antidote To Mass Incarceration, Abigail P. Phillips Jan 2016

Mass Incarceration By Design: The Impacts Of Urban Renewal And Landscape Architecture's Absence On The Prison Industrial Complex And The Use Of Landscape Architecture As An Antidote To Mass Incarceration, Abigail P. Phillips

LSU Master's Theses

The work of landscape architects has both positive and negative social impacts and landscape architects can strive to intentionally design for positive social impact. This paper utilizes mass incarceration as a lens for discussing the social impact of landscape architecture. The crossroads of mass incarceration and design offer a unique opportunity for Landscape Architects to examine the impact of many urban renewal efforts on marginalized communities, the benefits of landscape architectural involvement in prison design, and the use of design as protest against inhumane structures. This paper is separated into three sections, one detailing the history of social justice and …


The Ability Of Bull And Stallion Thawed Spermatozoa Refrozen Without Cryoprotectants To Activate Intra- And Interspecies Oocytes, Jose Len Yin Jan 2016

The Ability Of Bull And Stallion Thawed Spermatozoa Refrozen Without Cryoprotectants To Activate Intra- And Interspecies Oocytes, Jose Len Yin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Semen cryopreservation has allowed the establishment of genome banks and the large scale propagation of species. The development of simple techniques to cryopreserve semen or alternatives to efficiently use cryopreserved semen from males of valuable genetics that have become infertile will permit continuous propagation of the genetics from these males and may serve as a model for preservation and propagation of endangered species. Sperm cryopreservation without cryoprotectants is a simple process, and offspring have been produced following intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI); however the ability of frozen-thawed sperm refrozen without the addition of cryoprotectants to activate oocytes following ICSI was unknown. …


The Effect Of Artificial Light On The Community Structure And Distribution Of Reef-Associated Fishes At Oil And Gas Platforms In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Victoria Anne Barker Jan 2016

The Effect Of Artificial Light On The Community Structure And Distribution Of Reef-Associated Fishes At Oil And Gas Platforms In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Victoria Anne Barker

LSU Master's Theses

The northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) contains approximately 2,500 oil and gas platforms, resulting in one of the largest de facto artificial reef systems in the world. As of 2013, 1,227 additional structures had ceased to produce oil and gas and have been decommissioned and removed. While active platforms are lit by high-pressure mercury vapor lights, inactive platforms are only minimally lit for navigation. The positively phototaxic behavior of many fish species causes lit oil platforms to act as fish attraction devices, especially at night. Though a variety of fish species have been reported near these structures, changes in fish …


Detection And Alleviation Of Pesticide Residue In Food And Water, Olubode James Adeniyi Jan 2016

Detection And Alleviation Of Pesticide Residue In Food And Water, Olubode James Adeniyi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Use of pesticide has become part of modern day agricultural practice. Some pesticides can remain in the environment for decades and contaminate surface water that is used for irrigation of produce. Two studies were conducted- first to examine possible pesticide residue in surface water and some fruits, vegetables and cereals in Louisiana; and second was to alleviate possible pesticide residues in the water using zeolite filtration. Samples of 8 foods (tomato, corn, rice, blueberry, cucumber, cabbage, wheat and melon) and 35 surface waters were studied using a QuEChERS extraction method for food samples and an EPA method for the water …


Fresh Flow: Where The City Meets The Sea, Wanqin Su Jan 2016

Fresh Flow: Where The City Meets The Sea, Wanqin Su

LSU Master's Theses

The significance of this site lies in its location. It is three miles away from French Quarter, the heart and origin of the city, and eight miles away from Lake Borgne, as well as the Gulf. Regardless of the size, it distinguishes itself on the map as a wedge of green space inserted sharply into densely developed urban space. The site was prosperous cypress swamp six decades ago, too dense to identify lands and water underneath. However, after the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet was dug in the 1960s, it took less than 30 years for it to transformed into brackish …


Arsenic Speciation And Phytoremediation Modeling For Environmental Management, Sidney Joseph Marlborough Jan 2016

Arsenic Speciation And Phytoremediation Modeling For Environmental Management, Sidney Joseph Marlborough

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Arsenic has been used throughout recorded history but during the industrial revolution widespread use led to global environmental impact. The two forms that should be considered in environment management are arsenate and arsenite. The calculations of environmental risk for arsenic exposure relies the toxicity of arsenite however, in well aeriated surface soils arsenate may be the predominate form. Ecological risk assessments based on arsenite studies will lead to restrictive remediation requirements that do not adequately reflect the level of risk. Arsenate resembles phosphate and as such has a greater affinity for phytoremediation. Phytoremediation is one of the most viable and …


Rickettsia Felis, Transmission Mechanisms Of An Emerging Flea-Borne Rickettsiosis, Lisa Diane Brown Jan 2016

Rickettsia Felis, Transmission Mechanisms Of An Emerging Flea-Borne Rickettsiosis, Lisa Diane Brown

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Rickettsia felis is an emerging insect-borne rickettsial pathogen and the causative agent of flea-borne spotted fever. First described as a human pathogen from the United States in 1991, R. felis is now identified throughout the world and considered a common cause of fever in Africa. The cosmopolitan distribution of this pathogen is credited to the equally widespread occurrence of cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis), the primary vector and reservoir of R. felis. Additionally, R. felis has been identified in other hematophagous arthropods (including numerous species of fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and mites). Most transmission cycles of pathogenic Rickettsia include transovarial and transstadial …


Genome-Wide Transcriptome Analysis Of Cotton (Gossypium Hirsutum L.) To Identify Genes In Response To Aspergillus Flavus Infection, And Development Of Rna-Seq Data Analysis Pipeline, Renesh Bedre Jan 2016

Genome-Wide Transcriptome Analysis Of Cotton (Gossypium Hirsutum L.) To Identify Genes In Response To Aspergillus Flavus Infection, And Development Of Rna-Seq Data Analysis Pipeline, Renesh Bedre

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Aflatoxins are toxic and potent carcinogenic metabolites produced by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. Aflatoxins can contaminate cottonseed under conducive environmental conditions. Much success has been achieved by the application of atoxigenic strains of A. flavus for controlling aflatoxin contamination in cotton, peanut and maize. Development of aflatoxin-resistant cultivars overexpressing resistance-associated genes and/or knocking down aflatoxin biosynthesis of A. flavus could be an effective strategy for controlling aflatoxin contamination in cotton. In this study, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in response to infection with both toxigenic and atoxigenic strains of A. flavus pericarp and seed of cotton through genome-wide …


Fishes Associated With Oil And Gas Platforms In Louisiana's River-Influenced Nearshore Waters, Ryan Thomas Munnelly Jan 2016

Fishes Associated With Oil And Gas Platforms In Louisiana's River-Influenced Nearshore Waters, Ryan Thomas Munnelly

LSU Master's Theses

A distinctive feature of coastal Louisiana is the unrivaled network of oil and gas installations (platforms) extending from inshore waters to the deep Gulf of Mexico. Since 2007 there has been a 38% reduction in platform numbers with the highest removal rates occurring in shallow (< 18 m) nearshore waters. Many fishes and invertebrates are attracted to platforms, presenting a unique opportunity to study detailed species-specific responses to the river-influenced hydrographic characteristics of Louisiana’s nearshore zone (5–25 km water depth). Prior studies of fishes around platforms focused on a few relatively large platforms in water depths ≥ 18 m. However, about one-third of all platforms are small, unmanned and non-drilling platforms located in waters < 18 m depth. Paired video and hydrographic data were collected at 150 small platforms in < 18 m water depth during the summers of 2013–2014. Fifty-four species of fishes were associated with small platforms. The assemblage(s) included juveniles of 29 species, indicating the importance of nearshore platforms as diverse nursery habitat. The coastal zone was divided into three regions based on broad-scale interactions between freshwater input and bathymetry driving major distinctions in interregional hydrography and fish assemblages. Co-occurring within this expansive artificial reef network is the second largest hypoxic area (dissolved oxygen (DO) < 2.0 mg l−1) on Earth. Platforms offer reef-like habitat features in the upper water column that may offer refugia for some reef-associated species during hypoxic events. Significant intraregional differences in physicochemical features were related to the presence of hypoxia (defined as DO < 50% saturation), as well as the distribution of sandy shoals. Eleven species accounted for most of the assemblage dissimilarities, composing ~93% of fishes observed. Habitat suitability indices for these 11 species provided information about habitat selection across horizontal and vertical physicochemical gradients throughout the coastal zone, and within hypoxic and well-oxygenated stratified water columns. East Bay, near the outlet of the Mississippi River, exhibited less hypoxia and a distinct fauna that included four adult goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara). This endangered fish was observed during spawning season (summer), suggesting that East Bay might support a spawning aggregation.


Influences On The Successful Implementation Of The Convention On Wetlands Of International Importance (Ramsar) Among Member Countries, Aziza Saud Al Adhoobi Jan 2016

Influences On The Successful Implementation Of The Convention On Wetlands Of International Importance (Ramsar) Among Member Countries, Aziza Saud Al Adhoobi

LSU Master's Theses

Wetlands are very dynamic ecosystems and are featured all over the world’s landscape. Recent studies suggested that wetlands are in continuous decline, both and quantity and quality and between 64-71% is the estimated global wetland loss in the 20th century (Davidson 2014; Gardner et al., 2015). Therefore, as wetland loss increases around the world, more effort to protect and restore wetland habitat, values, and services become crucial. For this reason, the Ramsar Convention was established four decades ago to highlight the severity of wetland loss and to produce guidelines that aim to guide Contracting Parties toward sustainable and efficient management …


Identification And Characterization Of A Relish-Type Nf-Kb, Dvrelish In Dermacentor Variabilis, The American Dog Tick, Victoria Irene Verhoeve Jan 2016

Identification And Characterization Of A Relish-Type Nf-Kb, Dvrelish In Dermacentor Variabilis, The American Dog Tick, Victoria Irene Verhoeve

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Ticks are important worldwide as vectors of bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Pathogenic and non-pathogenic Spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia are maintained and transmitted by ticks with specific hard tick-Rickettsia pairings evident in nature. The pathogenic SFG Rickettsia rickettsii is transmitted by the hard tick Dermacentor variabilis. In response to infection, D. variabilis is known differentially respond to SFG Rickettsia infection. The mechanisms of differential immune induction are currently unknown, and are likely involved in the establishment of specific tick-SFG Rickettsia pairings. It was hypothesized that the level of response by D. variabilis to SFG Rickettsia occurs in a species-specific manner, …


An Examination Of The Lived Experiences Of United States Military Veterans Who Have Been Diagnosed With Psychological Inflictions Of War Who Have Utilized Equine Assisted Therapy, Thomas Frederick Banner Jan 2016

An Examination Of The Lived Experiences Of United States Military Veterans Who Have Been Diagnosed With Psychological Inflictions Of War Who Have Utilized Equine Assisted Therapy, Thomas Frederick Banner

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

As the result of multiple psychological conditions that are inflicted by war, the need for veterans’ well-being is ever evident. “PTSD changes the body’s response to stress, often making it difficult for PTSD victims to live their lives as they normally would” (Stokes, 2013, p. 1). It is possible to touch individuals who do not react to traditional therapy with a different type of therapy. It is recommended that veterans besieged with these same symptoms could benefit from therapy with animals. Renson (2010) concluded that animals have delivered numerous benefits to people using therapy. The benefits that animals offer in …


Effect Of Increasing Levels Of Dietary Zinc (Zn), Manganese (Mn), And Copper (Cu) From Organic And Inorganic Sources On Egg Quality And Egg Zn, Mn, And Cu Content In Laying Hens, Nancy Katherine Rubio Zapata Jan 2016

Effect Of Increasing Levels Of Dietary Zinc (Zn), Manganese (Mn), And Copper (Cu) From Organic And Inorganic Sources On Egg Quality And Egg Zn, Mn, And Cu Content In Laying Hens, Nancy Katherine Rubio Zapata

LSU Master's Theses

Feeding laying hens or broiler breeder hens organic sources of trace minerals can improve egg quality, especially as related to shell quality. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the effect of increasing laying hen dietary zinc (Zn) levels on the content of Zn and other minerals in eggs (boron (Bo), iron (Fe), and calcium (Ca)), and to evaluate the effect of feeding increasing Zn, manganese (Mn) and copper (Cu) levels from inorganic (ITM) and organic (OTM) sources on egg quality and yolk content of Zn, Mn, and Cu. In the first experiment, a total of 64 (48 weeks …


Biomedical Applications Of Thiol-Acrylate Polymers, Leah Alyce Garber Jan 2016

Biomedical Applications Of Thiol-Acrylate Polymers, Leah Alyce Garber

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The development of biocompatible polymers using thiol-acrylate Michael addition reactions between not only acrylates and thiols but also between amines and acrylates were demonstrated. The synthesis of an in situ tertiary amine catalyst initiates the propagation steps of the polymerization process by subsequently reacting with trimethylolpropane tris (3-mercaptopropionate) (TMPTMP). A few notable characteristics of this reaction are tunable gel times, the capability of reaching high polymer conversion and suitable mechanical strength. With addition of hydroxyapatite to the polymeric phase and foaming, a porous bone composite was produced. Further osteogenisis and in vivo work using the PETA-co-TMPTMP (HA) composite material was …


Integrated Methods For Controlling Gastrointestinal Nematode Infections In Ewes And Lambs, Sarah Tammy Nicole Keeton Jan 2016

Integrated Methods For Controlling Gastrointestinal Nematode Infections In Ewes And Lambs, Sarah Tammy Nicole Keeton

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) parasites cause extensive damage to small ruminants, and Haemonchus contortus is a major concern to production worldwide. With the development of GIN resistance to anthelmintics, alternative strategies for control are needed. The major component of this study compared two strategies for effect on animal health and changes in GIN population. One flock of ewes and lambs (Strategy 1, S1) employed targeted selective treatment (TST) with an anthelmintic based on FAMACHA score, and one flock (Strategy 2, S2) employed sericea lespedeza (SL) supplement feeding and TST with copper oxide wire particles (COWP) based on FAMACHA score. S1 ewes/lambs …


Meeting Biopsychosocial Needs Of Individuals With Histories Of Multiple Adverse Childhood Experiences, Christine G. Morgan Jan 2016

Meeting Biopsychosocial Needs Of Individuals With Histories Of Multiple Adverse Childhood Experiences, Christine G. Morgan

LSU Master's Theses

According to Felitti and colleagues (1998), a significant portion of the general population has been exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) with subsequent and persistent, dose-related, negative consequences to physical and mental health. Debilitating disturbances to biopsychosocial well-being are significant and frequently lead to fatality in adulthood. After reviewing the prevalence and severity of ACEs, this thesis presents an overview of the literature outlining the biological, social, and psychological factors contributing to the development and progression of disease in the brain and body. Additionally, current trauma-informed interventions are summarized. Three experienced clinicians share practical advice for implementing evidence-based, trauma-informed mental …


Numerical Simulations Of Wind Effects On Wave Nonlinearity And Hurricane-Induced Sediment Transport On Louisiana Coast, Ke Liu Jan 2016

Numerical Simulations Of Wind Effects On Wave Nonlinearity And Hurricane-Induced Sediment Transport On Louisiana Coast, Ke Liu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The objective of this study is to model wind effects on wave nonlinearity and the sediment suspension, transport and redistribution caused by hurricanes. The following questions are addressed through numerical simulations: (1) How do winds affect wave triad interactions and wave shape in the shallow water? (2) What is the role of hurricanes in coastal landscape evolution? Do they create more erosion or deposition? (3) Where does the observed post-hurricane deposition on coastal wetlands come from? First, wind effects were incorporated into a Boussinesq-type wave model, and evolution equations were derived for triad interactions with winds. Second, a coupled modeling …


The Thomism Of Bartolomé De Las Casas And The Indians Of The New World, Thomas Francis Xavier Varacalli Jan 2016

The Thomism Of Bartolomé De Las Casas And The Indians Of The New World, Thomas Francis Xavier Varacalli

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines Bartolomé de Las Casas as a Thomistic political philosopher. It argues that Las Casas intentionally drew upon the philosophy of Thomas Aquinas in order to provide a robust philosophical anthropology that was able to defend Amerindian rationality and self-rule. He uses Thomas and the Classical tradition to disprove the notion that the Amerindians are natural slaves, to uphold the inherent goodness of politics, to protect Amerindian kingdoms from imperial claims and the direct power of the papacy, and to condemn the unjust wars of the Spanish Conquest of the Americas. Las Casas’ Thomism is particularly important because …


Exploring Teaching Approaches And Sociocultural Dynamics In The Middle And High School English Second Language Teaching Environment From The Perspective Of The Multicultural Educator, Nancy Laguna Luque Jan 2016

Exploring Teaching Approaches And Sociocultural Dynamics In The Middle And High School English Second Language Teaching Environment From The Perspective Of The Multicultural Educator, Nancy Laguna Luque

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

ABSTRACT The act of teaching in the middle and high school involves highly complex sociocultural dynamics in challenging environments. English second language specialists are the type of educators that closely work with the most at risk students in that context. This study explored middle and high school multicultural ESL instructors’ literacy delivery approaches, the understanding they have of difficulties in their field of action, and their particular awareness, interpretation of otherness and attitudes regarding the specific characteristics of their working milieu. This qualitative study utilized participant observation and Developmental Research Sequence (Spradley, 1980) as the systematic approach to gather and …


Truss Damage, Hira Tariq Jan 2016

Truss Damage, Hira Tariq

LSU Master's Theses

Truss Damage examines negative cultural restrictions are imposed on family structures. It is an exploration of experimental and interactive narratives formed within virtual and real spaces. My research and implementation includes creating multisensory experiences through immersive technologies. With the use of devices such as Microsoft's Kinect controller, large LCD panels, and framed digital prints I am to bringing forth fragments of my past in order to create an interactive experience through movement and discovery of symbolic features.


The Role Of Nadph Oxidase 2 (Nox2) In High-Fat Diet-Induced Adiposopathy And Brain Dysfunction In A Mouse Model, Jennifer Kathleen Pepping Jan 2016

The Role Of Nadph Oxidase 2 (Nox2) In High-Fat Diet-Induced Adiposopathy And Brain Dysfunction In A Mouse Model, Jennifer Kathleen Pepping

LSU Master's Theses

Obesity can have numerous detrimental consequences, namely metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. The pathogenesis and physiologic consequences of obesity are unknown, but they are often associated with increased inflammation and oxidative stress in both the body and in the brain. One factor that has been implicated in causing inflammation associated with a high fat diet is the enzyme NADPH oxidase, or NOX, specifically the subunit NOX2. Two studies were performed in order to assess the effects of a high fat diet in combination with a universal NOX2 deficiency and a NOX2 deficiency targeted to …


Characterization Of Rickettsial Infection Dynamics Within Dermacentor Variabilis And Amblyomma Maculatum, Emma Kate Harris Jan 2016

Characterization Of Rickettsial Infection Dynamics Within Dermacentor Variabilis And Amblyomma Maculatum, Emma Kate Harris

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia are primarily associated with their reservoir host and vector, the tick. Rickettsial colonization and maintenance within the arthropod is a key component of vector competence and pathogen transmission to the mammalian host. Contemporary detection of novel tick hosts for rickettsial species, combined with an unprecedented rise in human cases of SFG rickettsiosis, necessitates a deeper understanding of tick/Rickettsia interactions. The hypothesis for this work is that if primary tick/Rickettsia pairings do not exist then rickettsial determinants account for primary vector/pathogen relationships. To this end, Dermacentor variabilis and Amblyomma maculatum ticks were exposed to R. rickettsii, …


Peg3 Functions As A Repressor For Its Downstream Genes, An Ye Jan 2016

Peg3 Functions As A Repressor For Its Downstream Genes, An Ye

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Paternally expressed gene 3 (Peg3) is an imprinted gene that encodes a protein with twelve C2H2 zinc finger domains. Thus, PEG3 protein is predicted to serve as a transcription factor that may regulate other gene expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) experiment revealed a list of genes that are bound by PEG3, supporting PEG3 is a DNA-binding protein. Genome wide expression analysis using wild type and Peg3 knockout mouse models further suggested that a large number of genes were up-regulated in Peg3 knockout model, including imprinted genes and some tissue-specific genes, suggesting that PEG3 may mainly function as a repressor for its …


Tip-Enhanced Laser Ablation Sample Transfer For Mass Spectrometry, Chinthaka Aravinda Seneviratne Jan 2016

Tip-Enhanced Laser Ablation Sample Transfer For Mass Spectrometry, Chinthaka Aravinda Seneviratne

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In this research, atomic force microscope tip-enhanced laser ablation mass spectrometry (AFM TELA-MS), an ambient sub-micrometer scale sampling method for offline MS was developed. AFM TELA was used to transfer molecules from thin films to a suspended silver wire for off-line mass spectrometry using laser desorption ionization (LDI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI). An AFM with a 30 nm radius gold-coated silicon tip was used to image the sample and to hold the tip 15 nm from the surface for material removal using a pulsed Nd:YAG laser, which provides output at wavelengths of 532 nm in the visible, 1064 …


Efficacy And Feasibility Of Alginate Bait For The Louisiana Commercial Blue Crab (Callinectes Sapidus) Fishery, Elizabeth Lorraine Clowes Jan 2016

Efficacy And Feasibility Of Alginate Bait For The Louisiana Commercial Blue Crab (Callinectes Sapidus) Fishery, Elizabeth Lorraine Clowes

LSU Master's Theses

Louisiana leads all U.S. states in blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) landings, but high fuel and bait costs have hindered commercial fishing productivity of Louisiana in recent years. The primary baitfish, Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus), has steadily increased in price and decreased in availability, while crab prices remain low. To reduce costs for fishermen, an alternative bait was developed that incorporates shrimp waste into a semi-rigid alginate matrix. Lab testing and preliminary field tests show that shrimp-alginate bait may be a suitable alternative to menhaden for Louisiana crab fishermen. I evaluated bait performance by conducting field sampling to compare catch rates …


The Economic Burden Of Gluten-Free Products And The Potential Of Dietary Inhibitors Of Transglutaminase-2, Kristen Kramer Jan 2016

The Economic Burden Of Gluten-Free Products And The Potential Of Dietary Inhibitors Of Transglutaminase-2, Kristen Kramer

LSU Master's Theses

Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic immune-mediated disease of the small intestine caused by the ingestion of gluten. Gluten presents to the intestine largely intact where it is deamidated by Transglutaminase-2 (TG2), increasing affinity for Human Leukocyte Antigen DQ2 (HLA-DQ2) and forming a complex that elicits an inflammatory response ultimately leading to villous atrophy. The only current treatment is strict adherence to a gluten-free diet, though TG2 inhibition is an attractive therapy due its central role in CD pathogenesis. Cocoa contains procyanidin-B2, theobromine and caffeine and may be capable of inhibiting TG2-induced intestinal inflammation and reduce CD symptoms. Procyanidin-B2 rich …


La Cámara Insurrecta. La Fotografía Como Desobediencia Al Sistema Heteronormativo, Mariana Yanina Olivares Jan 2016

La Cámara Insurrecta. La Fotografía Como Desobediencia Al Sistema Heteronormativo, Mariana Yanina Olivares

LSU Master's Theses

The heteronormative society establishes a systematic foundation of oppression based on its construction of the sex/gender system. Teresa de Lauretis expresses the heteronormative system as the culprit for the dualistic division; which is reproduced and regulated as natural through technologies of gender. Gender can be deduced as a product of the heterocentric society’s performativity ideal as well as medical, juridical, cinema, cybernetic, and photographic technologies amongst others (Paul Preciado, “Biopolítica del género”). Said devices collaborate in the naturalization of the heterocentric discourse on the basis of the construction and diffusion of gender models. By virtue of this thesis, photography is …


Comparison Of Group Size, Abundance Estimates And Movement Patterns Of Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) In Mississippi Sound, Mississippi, Carrie Sinclair Jan 2016

Comparison Of Group Size, Abundance Estimates And Movement Patterns Of Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) In Mississippi Sound, Mississippi, Carrie Sinclair

LSU Master's Theses

Common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus; dolphins) inhabiting Mississippi Sound (MSS) in the north-central Gulf of Mexico (GMx) are considered a part of a single stock of dolphins that includes Bay Boudreau and Lake Borgne by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). MSS is bounded by the mainland (north) and several barrier islands (south). Dolphins inhabiting coastal waters directly south of the barrier islands constitute part of the Northern Coastal Stock. Abundance in MSS has been reported to fluctuate seasonally, with higher abundances of dolphins estimated in summer versus winter. Analysis of covariance was used to compare previous abundance estimates. Results …