Digital Commons Network^™

Structuring Language And Community In An Online Space, Christopher Linder

LSU Master's Theses

Massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) present an interesting area for linguistic and social research, being a setting for of computer-mediated communication (CMC) that is task-oriented in nature and often requires high level of cooperation between players. This study investigates how Spanish-speaking players of the MMO Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn use the linguistic phenomena of discourse markers, laughter and politeness to structure their communication and their community. Through analysis of in-game conversations gathered from a community of said players, this study demonstrates how each of these phenomena work together to build a community based on inclusive language and positive …

Early Horizon Defensive Structures And The Role Of Warfare In The Lower Nepeña Valley, Peru, James Steven Treloar

LSU Master's Theses

In this thesis I examine the presence and distribution of defensive structures in Nepeña, Ancash, Peru, during the Early Horizon (ca. 900-200 B.C.). Data are gathered from pedestrian surveys, GPS coordinates, drawings, and photographs. I analyze architectural and spatial data using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools. I integrate these methods to investigate the organization and distribution of defensive structures in the lower Nepeña, in particular at the archaeological complexes of Caylán, Samanco, and Huambacho. Caylán is a multi-component archaeological complex with a major Early Horizon occupation, and serves as the primary site while the others are used to draw a …

Synthesis, Characterization, And Investigation Of The Catalytic Activity Of Nio, Cuo, And Nio-Cuo Nanoparticles On Silica As Surrogates Of Combustion-Generated Nanoparticles, Nuwan Nilanka Balapitiya Liyanage

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Transition metal oxide nanoparticles contained in fly ash are known to catalyze the formation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) during the waste incineration process. The potential catalytic activity of silica-supported NiO, CuO, and NiO-CuO nanoparticles for the formation of PCDD/Fs will be discussed in this dissertation. The successful synthesis of silica-supported NiO, CuO, and NiO-CuO nanoparticles as surrogates of combustion-generated nanoparticles was important to this study. The synthesis was followed by the characterization of the nanoparticle surrogates by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Finally, the catalytic …

Liberty Against Itself: British Freedoms In North America, Matthew Charles Connell

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

My dissertation explores the theoretical foundations of what I refer to as the Canadian liberal ethos. Taking the British parliamentary revolution of 1688 as pivotal event I examine the development of political liberty in its English incarnations and trace its development as it was expressed in colonial British North America. This dissertation hopes to provide an explanatory analysis the of the liberal ethos that can: (a) contribute to understanding the pre-suppositions of liberty in a liberal democratic order, (b) contribute to an understanding of diversity and competing philosophical principles that informed the settlement of British North America and the institutionalization …

A Performance Guide To Jake Heggie's From 'The Book Of Nightmares', Kristen Bauer Marchiafava

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The document will examine the four songs of the cycle, From ‘The Book of Nightmares,’ in detail and give suggestions for stylistic interpretation and performance. The written document contains four chapters: Chapter One provides biographical information and a stylistic overview of the composer Jake Heggie. Chapter Two contains biographical information and a stylistic overview for the poet Galway Kinnell. Chapter Three will provide information about the premiere and recording of From ‘The Book of Nightmares,’ as well as biographical information about soprano Lisa Delan, for whom the song cycle was written, and reviews of her recording “The Hours Begin to …

Numerical Investigation Of Cryopreserved Zebrafish Sperm Cell Activation In Microchannels, Thomas Foster Scherr

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This aim of this research project is to probe the activation process of zebrafish spermatozoa. Zebrafish are a model species for biological engineering applications, and the cryopreservation of their reproductive cells allows for inexpensive cataloging and maintenance of valuable biological material. Evaluation of cryopreservation protocols for aquatic sperm cells is typically accomplished by motility analysis after subjecting cells to a cryopreservation treatment. In zebrafish sperm cells, motility is initiated when cells come into contact with a hypo-osmotic environment. Subsequent activation analysis is currently done manually and brings with it an inherent difficulty and error. This process is slow and not …

Challenging Behaviors In Children With Comorbid Autism Spectrum Disorder And Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Katherine Margaret Macmillan

LSU Master's Theses

Challenging behaviors, such as aggression, destruction, self-injurious behaviors, or stereotypic movements, affect the majority of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. One factor that is known to influence the frequency at which challenging behaviors occur is the presence of a comorbid disorder. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is thought to be one such disorder. This study aimed to compare the prevalence rates of challenging behaviors, according to the Autism Spectrum Disorder-Behavior Problems, Child Version (ASD-BPC), in children ages 6-16 with parent reported symptoms of ASD, ADHD, comorbid ASD/ADHD, and no diagnosis. Differences existing overall were examined as well as differences on the ASD-BPC’s …

Effect Of Hydrologic, Geomorphic, And Vegetative Conditions On Avian Communities In The Middle Rio Grande Of New Mexico, Sarah G. Hamilton

LSU Master's Theses

Anthropogenic regulation of the Middle Rio Grande (MRG) of New Mexico has altered the hydrogeomorphology of the system and led to a rapid decline in breeding riparian-obligate birds as native riparian forests are replaced by exotic tamarisk stands. In this study, I evaluated the relationships among hydrogeomorphology, vegetation structure and composition, and avian communities of the San Acacia Reach (SAR) of the MRG. I conducted avian point count surveys and collected habitat data to determine avian community structure and abundance, geomorphic feature, surface flooding, and vegetation structure and composition along 44 transects throughout the SAR. A total of 999 point …

Electrical Resistivity Employed At The Livonia Mound Site (16pc1), Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana, Jennifer Patricia Gardner

LSU Master's Theses

Electrical resistivity was used at the Livonia Mound site (16PC1) to identify construction breaks, possible human burials, and other cultural activity below the surface. Resistivity transects traveled across the mound and the level surface directly south of the mound; this latter section was called Area A. Four transects stretched across the north, south, west, and east slopes of the mound; as a result, four vertical profiles were created from the apparent resistivity (ƒâa) values. The standard deviation of each transect was computed using the ƒâa values from the four pseudo-sections to establish the base-line for analysis. ƒâa values for Area …

Analysis Of The Mineral Composition Of Louisiana Wild Caught Shrimp By Icp-Oes And Classification Of Geographical Origin, Samantha Nichole Stein

LSU Master's Theses

Nationwide, seafood consumers are paying close attention to their seafood options and demanding transparency on point of origin. Recent studies have shown that shrimp can reflect the mineral content of the waters from which they are harvested. Mineral analysis was conducted using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry on the tail muscle from each coastal group and imported farmed raised samples. Analysis of variance was used to detect differences among catch locations and seasons along the Louisiana coast, as well as differences in the mineral profile of farm raised imported shrimp. Multivariate analysis of variance and descriptive analysis was used …

The Effect Of Cooking Methods On The Quality Of Refrigerated And Frozen Whole Crawfish Procambarus Clarkii Girard And Procambarus Zonangulus, John Bradley Shackelford

LSU Master's Theses

Louisiana is famous for its diverse food, culture, and festivals. Crawfish are synonymous with Louisiana cuisine. Approximately 90% of the crawfish harvested in the United States are harvested in Louisiana, but their availability is seasonal (NOAA 2014). Both in-state and out-of-state demand for whole cooked crawfish and for their availability outside the normal harvest season has increased. There is interest from crawfish processors on whether or not steaming of crawfish results in a higher yield than boiling, as traditionally done. This study measures yield, quality parameters, and shelf life of whole boiled and steamed crawfish held in either refrigerated or …

Bayesian Model-Building In Phylogenetics, Bradley Nelson

LSU Master's Theses

DNA sequencing costs have decreased dramatically over recent decades, resulting in a flood of phylogenetic information available to researchers. While it is often assumed that additional data will lead to more accurate conclusions, it also raises a number of problems for phylogeneticists, including mundane computational issues such as data management and complex statistical problems such as obtaining a single species tree from multiple conflicting gene trees. Developing new methods to make better use of existing data and probe the causes of conflicting signal will be necessary to confidently resolve phylogenies in the genomic era.

Here, we examine two current problems …

Methods For The Characterization Of Deep-Sea Benthic Megafauna In The Vicinity Of The Deepwater Horizon Macondo Well, Stephanie Marie Sharuga

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Soft-sediment benthic environments are amongst the largest marine ecosystems in the world and play important roles in many ecosystem functions. In recent years, exploitation of resources and unintentional impacts on deep-sea benthic environments has increased. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010 in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) represented a prime example of this. The oil spill not only highlighted deficiencies of data and information on baseline conditions, but also represented an opportunity to learn more and develop better methods for the future. Deep-sea imaging platforms such as autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) have been …

Chemistry And Application Of Pulses As Value-Added Ingredients In Processed Foods, Darryl Holliday

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Chemical characterization of pulses allows for varying rates of water absorption, least gelation capacity, and retrogradation depending on species. Nutritionally, pulses are good sources of protein while being low in fat. Pulses deliver a readily bioavailable food form of several key minerals. Additionally, they deliver fiber. The insoluble fiber components are both natural and formed resistant starch in addition to the oligosaccharide content. Therefore, pulses can serve both a nutritional and functional role when used as a value-added ingredient. Meat patties were produced from beef and 23 different pulses at 35%, 42.5%, and 50% ratios. Each patty was tested for …

Built To Play, Forrest Sincoff Gard

LSU Master's Theses

Built to Play is an interactive art exhibition featuring four participatory installations. Each installation transforms non-playful objects and activities into handmade porcelain replicas used for exciting gallery made games. Focusing on the carry over from child’s play to adult play the exhibition emphasizes the importance of play in our adult lives. As gallery visitors risk breaking handmade ceramic objects for a moment of fun and a chance to win art as a prize, their interaction completes the exhibition.

Differential Examination Of Disgust In Spider, Blood-Injection, And Contamination Fear: Self-Reported And Attention-Based Assessment Of Differences, Whitney Shay Jenkins

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Biased attention toward threat has been demonstrated across anxiety disorders as well as among nonclinical samples. While such studies have produced findings of attentional bias for fear-related or threatening stimuli, other types of emotionally laden stimuli have been ignored. This study sought to examine the experience and impact of disgust on individuals experiencing various types of anxiety, which may play a more significant role than fear in some disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and some specific phobias. Specifically, this study examined self-reported disgust and attentional bias in relation to disgust and threatening stimuli. A modified dot-probe task with pictorial …

Wonderland, Jeremy Joseph Grassman

LSU Master's Theses

Wonderland is a film about a fictitious, alternate dark society, free of original thought and action. The people toil day to day in a mechanized fashion. All characters are predictable and unquestioning except for our protagonist. He seems to think something is not quite right, and possibly he discovers it too late. Wonderland is a world in which the people work, sleep and repeat this procedure daily with no end until retirement. The story takes place on the last day before our hero’s retirement. What is the next adventure to come? It must be better than the past comprised of …

The Role Of Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 In Innate Immunity Against Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Pneumonia, Mary Katherine Leissinger

LSU Master's Theses

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 is critical for monocyte recruitment to the lungs in response to bacterial infection. MCP-1 is also essential for protective neutrophil recruitment to the lungs during Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae infection. Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia, specifically strain USA300, carries a high morbidity and mortality rate and is an important pathogen in hospital/ventilator and community acquired pneumonia. In the current study, we investigated the role of MCP-1 in pulmonary innate immunity to S. aureus in C57Bl/6, MCP-1-/- and MCP-1 AB blocked mice. As compared to C57Bl/6, MCP-1-/- mice showed increased concentrations of neutrophils in the airways and lung parenchyma …

Effects Of Forest Fragmentation On Central Amazonian Bird Demography, Jared Desmond Wolfe

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Avian diversity in degraded fragmented Amazonian landscapes depends on the persistence of species in cleared and disturbed areas. Regenerating forest facilitates bird dispersal within degraded Amazonian landscapes and may tip the balance in favor of persistence in previously depauperate habitat patches. Despite the potential value of Amazonian second growth, we lack comparisons of demography among second growth, continuous forest, forest fragments in regenerating landscapes, and truly isolated fragments. Here, we used point-count and capture data to compare Amazonian bird communities among continuous forest plots, 100 ha forest fragments with adjacent second growth, 100 ha forested islands bounded by water, young …

Systematics And Species Delimitation In New Guinea Skink Species Complexes (Squamata: Scincidae), Eric Nikolaus Rittmeyer

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Though among the most controversial topics in systematic and evolutionary biology, species are a fundamental unit in biology, and are utilized by and critical to a wide variety of studies in the life sciences. Despite this importance, little work has focused on developing and examining objective methods for species delimitation until recently. Further, New Guinea and the surrounding regions are among the most diverse and geologically complex regions globally, yet the region remains poorly explored biologically, and little work has examined the evolutionary history of the fauna in the region. To investigate the influence of factors such as sampling intensity, …

Chatting About Science : A Qualitative Study On Increasing The Number And Depth Of Science-Based Conversations Among Aquarium Visitor Groups, Erika Kristen Poarch

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Informal science education centers, including aquariums, are often tasked with educating the general public on conservation issues, natural environments, and general science topics. The public tends to see these centers as entertaining leisure destinations in which they have the opportunity to learn something about the presented information. It is widely accepted that learning in informal environments is shaped by the learner’s motivations, interests, background knowledge, and social interactions. However, these impacting factors are rarely studied in depth, particularly across different types of visitors. This qualitative case study project integrates original research on visitor interests, motivations, and self-reported learning into the …

Evidence Of Methane Cycling Beneath The Western Margin Of The Greenland Ice Sheet, Erik L. J. E. Broemsen

LSU Master's Theses

The greenhouse gas methane mainly regulated by microbial processes. Methanogenic archaea, a major biological source of methane, are a diverse group of organisms that produce methane as a metabolic byproduct. The generation of methane takes place in diverse anoxic environments using CO2 and other reduced substrates. The release of methane into oxic environments often is regulated by methanotrophic Proteobacteria and Archaea, specialized groups of bacteria that use methane as sole sources of carbon and energy. These organisms can play major roles in the regulation of methane transport into the atmosphere and make up one part of the methane cycle. Pools …

Physical Stability Of Poly (Lactic-Co-Glycolic Acid) And Plga/Chitosan Nanoparticles And Chemical Stability Of Entrapped Alpha-Tocopherol And Lutein, Meocha Whaley

LSU Master's Theses

The published benefits of polymeric nanoparticles as a system for antioxidant delivery have encompassed topics of improved oral delivery, bioavailability, and modified release to name a few. Generally accepted as safe polymers Poly(lactic-coglycolic acid) and the mucoadhesive chitosan were selected to entrap alpha-tocopherol and lutein. This study proposed to assess the physical stability of PLGA and Chi/PLGA nanoparticles with entrapped bioactives in varying biological suspension medias ( water, pbs, hbss and cell media). Also, to assess the chemical stability of the entrapped antioxidants lutein and alpha-tocopherol within the same media as deemed relevant for in-vitro and and in-vivo studies. Of …

Autism Severity And Comorbid Symptoms In Children With Asd, Jina Jang

LSU Master's Theses

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are reported to evince high rates of comorbid symptoms. Co-occurring disorders among individuals with ASD are often difficult to assess and diagnose accurately. Also, comorbid conditions frequently exacerbate symptoms of ASD. Different treatment regimens may be effective for comorbid symptoms in ASD; however, research looking at comorbid symptoms and ASD is limited. The current study aimed to extend the literature in this area by examining the relationship between ASD and comorbid symptoms. First, the current study assessed how often and how severely comorbid symptoms were endorsed. Further, autism severity was used to predict comorbid …

Phylogenetic And Morphological Community Structure Of North American Desert Bats, Lorelei Elizabeth Patrick

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Patterns of community structure may be examined using phylogenetic and morphological data; these patterns can then be used to infer the processes that gave rise to these patterns. Communities made up of similar species may be structured by habitat filtering, wherein only species with traits necessary to survive in a particular location are found there. Communities made up of dissimilar species may have been structured by competition, which reduces overlap in resource use. I examined the sensitivity of phylogenetic community structure (PCS) metrics to changes in phylogeny and community delimitation method, investigated patterns of PCS and correlation to environmental variables …

Phytoplankton Response To South Louisiana Crude Oil Exposure: Determining Impacts At Individual, Community, Toxin Production, Enzymatic-Activity And Gene-Expression Levels, Koray Ozhan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) raised an important question. What is the ecological impact of the oil, the dispersant, and the dispersed oil to the GoM ecosystem? Significant and varying research efforts have contributed answers to this question. However, to better understand the complete ecological consequences of the spill in the GoM, the impact of the spill at the base of marine food web should be examined. This research aims to understand impact of the spilled oil, South Louisiana crude oil (LSC), the chemical dispersant, Corexit® EC9500A, and the dispersed oil on phytoplankton communities …

Echoes And Artifacts, Molly Elizabeth Miller

LSU Master's Theses

Architecture has many different contexts and meanings, but regardless of time and place, buildings act as a physical container of memory. This body of work explores the use of large facades as residue of a personal memory and uses physical deterioration to parallel the distortion of memory as a result of time and emotion. The work makes use of warping and tearing of materials and is created through the combination of large-scale relief prints, drawing, sewing, and the cutting away of materials. The exhibition includes an installation of fabric-based prints, a series of wall-based altered paper prints, and several artist …

Dissolved Oxygen Dynamics And Modeling - A Case Study In A Subtropical Shallow Lake, Zhen Xu

LSU Master's Theses

As one of the most valued and treasured natural resources, today many lakes in the world face degradation of their water quality due to nutrient enrichment, toxic contamination, and hydrological modification from their drainage areas. Among various water quality impairments, dissolved oxygen (DO) depletion is often a leading stressor in lake systems. Despite numerous studies on DO in deep water lakes in temperate regions, the knowledge of DO dynamics in eutrophic shallow lakes in subtropical regions is still limited. This thesis research conducted intensive DO monitoring in an eutrophic shallow lake in south Louisiana to characterize diel cycles of DO …

Development Of Remote Sensing Assisted Water Quality Nowcasting And Forecasting Models For Coastal Beaches, Zaihong Zhang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A remote sensing assisted water quality modeling framework is developed in this dissertation for nowcasting and forecasting recreational water quality of Holly Beach in Louisiana, USA. The modeling framework is composed of four models/systems: (1) an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model (Model 1) and an US EPA Virtual Beach (VB) Program-based model for predicting early morning enterococci (ENT) levels in beach waters; (2) an ANN model (Model 2) and an VB model for predicting early morning Fecal Coliform (FC) levels in beach waters; (3) a remote sensing assisted modeling system (Model 3) for predicting near real time ENT levels during …

Relationship Of Total Phenolic Contents, Dpph Activities And Anti-Lipid-Oxidation Capabilities Of Different Bioactive Beverages And Phenolic Antioxidants, Yongchao Zhu

LSU Master's Theses

Polyphenol compounds are widely used as antioxidants in food processing. The conventional phenolic content, scavenging DPPH free radical assays have been widely used for antioxidant evaluation. This research aimed to study the correlation between scavenging DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical activity, total phenolic content and anti-lipid-oxidation capability of natural and synthetic antioxidants and four beverages drinks. Synthetic phenol antioxidants, BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), PG (propyl gallate), TBHQ (tert-butylhydroquinone) and naturally occurring phenolics ƒÑ-T(£\-tocopherol), CA(Chlorogenic acid), GA(Gallic acid), QCT(Quercetin), RSV(Resveratrol), and SA(Syringic acid) were examined for their total phenolic content (TPC) and scavenging DPPH free radical activity. The anti-lipid-oxidation …