Digital Commons Network^™

Mate Choice And Movement Ecology Of Plegadis Ibis In Louisiana, Ryan T. Klutts

LSU Master's Theses

In 1817, George Ord documented the first North American records of Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus), a species native to the Old World. Over the next 200 years, Glossy Ibis expanded its breeding range to include the Atlantic coast to southernmost Florida and thence up the Gulf coast to eastern Texas. Forty-five to 75 years ago, its range expansion brought it into secondary contact with White-faced Ibis (P. chihi) in Louisiana, a native species whose breeding range includes freshwater wetlands in Louisiana and eastern Texas. Hybridization between the two species resulted in a large hybrid zone in southern Louisiana, providing an …

Parts That Cannot Be Found, Amber Baggette

LSU Master's Theses

Parts That Cannot Be Found is a body of work where I use imagery of trees that are sick or injured, to show my struggles as a person who has been in survival mode their whole life. I use the facts I found in the book “The Hidden Life of Trees,” by Peter Wohlleben, where he describes what trees do and how and why they feel. Since I hold trees in high regard, I started researching how they function. Trees are living beings, and ignoring their presence is tragic. Throughout this paper, I contextualize my work by exploring specific printmaking …

Integration Of Hydrological Simulations Into The Design Process To Assess The Performance Of Green Infrastructure Designs, Clara Jimenez

Design Research

With the growing threat of flooding in coastal and inland communities, it is necessary to migrate nature-based solutions such as green infrastructure. However, one of the challenges that designers face with this strategy lies in the design phase where it is difficult to quantify the performance with traditional design tools. Thus, there is an incentive to incorporate hydrological models within GIS to aid designers in quantifying performance. The goal of this research is to demonstrate that hydrological simulations can be used as a design tool for designers–such as landscape architects & architects– to analyze the feasibility of green infrastructure designs …

Red Cows, Yellow Dogs: Political Identity, Political Polarization, And Media Skepticism In A Single-Party Socialist Republic, Huu Dat Tran

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines the interplay among political identity, trust in government and media, and patterns of media consumption in Vietnam, a single‐party socialist republic in Southeast Asia. Moving beyond the liberal democratic focus of existing scholarship, the dissertation challenges the assumption of political homogeneity in authoritarian settings and empirically explores the extent and character of polarization.

The dissertation takes a quantitative approach and employs multiple statistical techniques, including latent profile analysis (LPA) and structural equation modeling (SEM). It uncovers multiple latent political profiles within Vietnamese society, defined by varying degrees of trust in the government and ideological orientation. Further analysis …

Road Rage Or Road Cage: A Study Of The Ecological Impacts Of Roads On Wildlife Corridors And The Resultant Habitat Fragmentation, Addie Bagot

Design Research

As global road networks continue to expand, the resulting habitat fragmentation poses a significant threat to wildlife populations and ecological connectivity. In the United States, wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) account for approximately 10 million animal deaths and 40,000 human fatalities annually, with incidents increasing by 50% over the past 15 years. This research investigates the ecological impacts of transportation infrastructure through a case study of Interstate 10 in Louisiana, specifically a 15-mile segment between Sorrento and LaPlace that cuts through the Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area. This forested wetland, home to a rich diversity of species including the American alligator, has …

Nonnative Species Richness And Dominance Reveal Differing Support For Invasion Theory At A Continental Extent, Lily M. Thompson, William K. Annis, Stephen R. Midway, Julian D. Olden, Brandon K. Peoples

Faculty Publications

Aim: Empirical tests of conceptual hypotheses describing species invasions often differ depending on the spatial scale (spatial resolution and extent of study area) at which they were conducted. Some of this disparity may arise from tradeoffs in data quality necessitating the use of different indices of community invadedness among scales. Local-scale studies typically use fine-resolution, descriptive measures of community invadedness (‘dominance’, the proportion nonnative individuals) at limited spatial extents, while macroscale studies often aggregate datasets to cover large spatial extents but use coarser spatial resolution and less descriptive indices (nonnative species richness). We investigated the consequences of using different indices …

Testing For Normality In Regression Models: Mistakes Abound (But May Not Matter), Stephen Midway, J. Wilson White

Faculty Publications

This study examines the misuse of normality tests in linear regression within ecology and biology, focusing on common misconceptions. A bibliometric review found that over 70% of ecology papers and 90% of biology papers incorrectly applied normality tests to raw data instead of model residuals. To assess the impact of this error, we simulated datasets with normal, interval, and skewed distributions across various sample and effect sizes. We compared statistical power between two approaches: testing the whole dataset for normality (incorrect) versus testing model residuals (correct) to determine whether to use a parametric (t-test) or nonparametric (Mann-Whitney U test) method. …

Proteomic Comparison Of Canine Gallbladder Versus Hepatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms, Nadia Richmond

LSU Master's Theses

Hepatobiliary neuroendocrine neoplasms (HBNENs) are uncommon tumors in people and dogs, and the limited understanding of their biologic behavior often poses a diagnostic and prognostic challenge in the clinical setting. Though only a low number of cases have been described in dogs, there is evidence to indicate that primary gallbladder NENs may carry a more favorable prognosis compared to primary hepatic NENs. The emergence of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) in proteomic analysis has permitted large-scale analysis of neoplastic proteomes, allowing for better understanding of tumor pathophysiology while simultaneously enabling the rapid identification of protein biomarkers. Previous work in our laboratory …

Advanced Manufacturing Of Multifunctional Shape Memory Polymer Composites And Self-Healing Systems, John B. Konlan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The need for multifunctional light weight structures for engineering applications is on the rise. Multifunctional composites are desired because of their ability to combine multiple functionalities into one structure. The advantages of a high strength-to-weight ratio of multifunctional composites make them desirable and suitable for use in energy-efficient applications. Shape-memory polymers (SMPs) have attracted interest over the past several decades because of their multifunctional nature. They have found use in many applications such as aerospace, satellites, automobiles, textiles, and biomedical devices, where lightweight and multifunctionality are key. The self-healing nature of most SMPs makes them suitable for use in lightweight …

Fishing For Solutions: Compensation For Bycatch Reduction In The Gulf Of Mexico Shrimp Fishery, Daniel W. Harris

LSU Master's Theses

Bycatch, unintentionally caught non-target species, harms the profitability of commercial fishing operations and leads to death and injury of hundreds of thousands of marine animals per year. In the Gulf of Mexico, commercial shrimpers are required to use a bycatch reduction device (BRD). Better BRDs are being tested to further reduce bycatch. Because their use will not be mandatory, it is important to measure shrimper willingness to voluntarily adopt this conservation technology to predict potential fleet participation. This study uses contingent valuation to elicit commercial shrimpers’ willingness to accept compensation for using these new devices.

We employ an incentivized payment …

A Natural Short Sleep Mutation Promotes Longevity Through Mitochondrial Respiration In Drosophila, Pritika Pandey

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Aging is an irreversible process characterized by progressive physiological decline and an increased risk of metabolic disorders, cognitive impairment, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegeneration. Disruptions to the circadian clock—whether due to genetic mutations or behavioral factors—accelerate aging and age-related pathologies, highlighting a strong link between circadian regulation and longevity. However, certain individuals harbor a dec2^P384R mutation, which enables natural short sleep without the detrimental effects of chronic sleep deprivation. This suggests that these individuals have evolved adaptations that activate pro-health pathways, allowing them to function optimally with reduced sleep. To investigate the genetic mechanisms underlying these changes, we developed a …

Impacts Of Climate Change On Cannibalism And Disease Transmission In The Fall Armyworm, Kale Rougeau

LSU Master's Theses

Climate change may alter host-pathogen dynamics in terrestrial ecosystems due to rising global temperatures and carbon dioxide levels. Here, we examined cannibalism and disease transmission using the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), an invasive agricultural pest, and its species-specific lethal baculovirus, Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (SfMNPV), under various potential challenges of climate change. We used three temperature treatments (cooler, optimal, warmer) based on the fall armyworm’s thermal performance curve to simulate a changing climate and four artificial diets with various protein-to-carbohydrate ratios (low, equal, high, standard) to manipulate resource quality from altered carbon dioxide levels. We found that higher …

Animal-Assisted Therapy With Children In Hospitals And Schools: A Systematized Review, Tantine Kendig

LSU Master's Theses

It has been demonstrated that animals can offer humans significant health benefits. Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is a growing form of therapy used in various settings to enhance the health of children, encompassing both physical and mental wellness. The challenges of hospitalization and the school environment have been shown to pose different challenges for children, such as an increase in anxiety, stress, depression, and others that have the potential to affect their mental, physical, emotional, and social well-being. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy, specifically dog-assisted therapy, on children in hospital and school settings by conducting a …

Neuronal Cftr: A Study Of Subcellular Localization And Interactions With Implications For A Role In Synaptic Transmission, Brandon J. Leviskas

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Protein-protein interactions vary among cell types and the localization of these interactions help to define protein function. The function of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is well established in the context of epithelial tissue due to the debilitating effects of its mutations that cause the disease cystic fibrosis. While in neurons a role has been established in our lab for CFTR in the regulation of cytosolic Cl- in retinal amacrine cells (ACs). This research sets out to learn if CFTR has a synaptic role. Exploring this potential role, localization of CFTR was examined using fluorescent and immunogold labeled transmission …

From Roses To Pixels; Design For Kashan’S Golab Festival, Safiyeh Niknami

LSU Master's Theses

This research aims to elevate the visibility and appeal of the Kashan Rose Water Festival through innovative graphic design strategies and a user-friendly festival mobile application. The primary objective is to integrate the rich cultural heritage of Kashan with contemporary design elements to create a cohesive brand image that attracts both local and international visitors. By utilizing traditional Persian motifs and modern user experience design, the project seeks to enhance visitor engagement and provide a comprehensive digital interface for festival attendees.

Central to this research is the development of a mobile application that serves as an interactive guide and planning …

Stoicism As A Panacea For Contemporary Problems, Taiwo Oriyomi Akande

LSU Master's Theses

The contemporary world is battling with the persistent problems of racism and environmental crises that threaten human co-existence and constitute an existential threat in general. These pressing issues have led to injustice, disunity, and ecological destruction. Though human history has recorded some victories in the advancement of human rights and environmental policies yet, there are still some forms of racism that are entrenched in society's structure. Environmental degradation also continues due to the failure or limitation in policies meant to tackle it, and the unsustainably bad attitudes of humans toward the environment. This thesis argues that Stoicism, a philosophical tradition …

“They Love Our Rhythm, But Not Our Blues:” An Examination Of The Relationship Between Hip Hop On Depression, Anxiety, And Self-Care Among African American And Hispanic/Latinx Emerging Adults, Richard W. Wiley Jr.

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Depression and anxiety are among the most common mental health problems for emerging adults of color in higher education. Specifically, African American/Black and Hispanic/Latinx emerging adults on college campuses have poorer mental health than their White counterparts. Considering the systemic oppression and cultural stressors that impact mental health among African American/Black and Hispanic/Latinx students, Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Emerging Adulthood Theory were theoretical frameworks for this study. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between Hip Hop music and depression, anxiety, and intentional use as self-care among African American/Black and Hispanic/Latinx emerging adults who were college …

Can You See Nature?, Jalia M. Payne

LSU Master's Theses

Can You See Nature? is an 8-part song cycle designed for various voice types and flutes, accompanied by piano. This cycle explores themes of nature and emotion through vivid poetic imagery. It features poems by Victor Hugo, William Blake, Sara Teasdale, and Madison James Cawein, all of which are in the public domain. The cycle weaves together a narrative that reflects on humanity's relationship with the natural world. The cycle includes the following pieces: 1. Morning for Alto and Piano 2. Little Bird for Flute and Piano 3. Tyger for Soprano and Piano 4. Song of the Harbinger for Piccolo …

Revolting Drag: Filth, Horror, And The Queer Art Of Monstrosity, Claire-Scott A. Lynch

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis examines how The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula, a horror-themed reality drag competition series, uses monstrosity as a tool of queer resistance. In contrast to mainstream drag representations, which often promote assimilationist ideals, Dragula embraces filth, grotesqueries, and failure as strategies of disrupting normative structures. Grounded in queer theory and queer of color critique, this thesis uses thematic analysis to explore how Dragula mobilizes monstrosity to resist normative portrayals of queerness. Through close analysis of the show’s season finales, the study identifies three major themes: grotesque aesthetics, beyond the binary, and identity as resistance. These findings reveal how Dragula positions …

Metabolic Transitions In Embryos Of Artemia Franciscana: Regulation And Consequences For Oxidative Stress, Daniel Anthony Arabie

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Embryos of Artemia franciscana survive harsh conditions in diapause and anoxia-induced quiescence for years by undergoing deep metabolic transitions. I investigated the relationship between phosphorylation of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) and carbon flux to the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle during metabolic depression. The difference in catalytic activity of the PDH complex (PDC) in maximally phosphorylated and dephosphorylated samples was 16.5-fold. Western blot analysis confirmed the changes in phosphorylation of PDH. Analysis of PDH expression in diapause and post-diapause embryos via phospho-PDH showed no significant differences. Investigation of post-diapause embryos under anoxia showed that phosphorylation of PDH decreased and activated the enzyme. …

A Skill Assessment Framework For The Fisheries And Marine Ecosystem Model Intercomparison Project, Nina Rynne, Camilla Novaglio, Julia Blanchard, Daniele Bianchi, Villy Christensen, Marta Coll, Jerome Guiet, Jeroen Steenbeek, Andrea Bryndum-Buchholz, Tyler D. Eddy, Cheryl Harrison, Olivier Maury, Kelly Ortega-Cisneros, Colleen M. Petrik, Derek P. Tittensor, Ryan F. Heneghan

Faculty Publications

Understanding climate change impacts on global marine ecosystems and fisheries requires complex marine ecosystem models, forced by global climate projections, that can robustly detect and project changes. The Fisheries and Marine Ecosystems Model Intercomparison Project (FishMIP) uses an ensemble modeling approach to fill this crucial gap. Yet FishMIP does not have a standardised skill assessment framework to quantify the ability of member models to reproduce past observations and to guide model improvement. In this study, we apply a comprehensive model skill assessment framework to a subset of global FishMIP models that produce historical fisheries catches. We consider a suite of …

Astaxanthin Protects Against Environmentally Persistent Free Radical-Induced Oxidative Stress In Well-Differentiated Respiratory Epithelium, Ayaho Yamamoto, Peter D. Sly, Lavrent Khachatryan, Nelufa Begum, Abrey J. Yeo, Paul D. Robinson, Stephania A. Cormier, Emmanuelle Fantino

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) are combustion products present in substantial numbers on atmospheric particulate matter with half-lives of days to years. The mechanisms linking EPFR exposure and respiratory diseases are unclear, but likely involve oxidative stress. We investigated the mechanisms by which EPFR exposure impact on well-differentiated primary human nasal epithelial cells from subjects sensitive or resistant to oxidant stressors, cultured at an air-liquid interface. We found that EPFR exposure induced mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) production; increased mitochondrial DNA copy number; down-regulated mucus production gene, Mucin-5AC (MUC5AC); up-regulated detoxifying gene, cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related …

Tartans: Weaving A Warped History With Myths, Heritage And A Whole Lot Of Heather., Bethany Sassen

LSU Master's Theses

Scotland has many tartans throughout the whole of the country. Each has a different meaning and is used for different clans and purposes. Tartans are the plaids that are seen throughout the Highlands and the patterns and colors have a wide range depending on where and when the tartan was created. The purpose of this research is to investigate the history of the tartans and how they interact with our current culture. I also built two outfits to show how tartan is still being used. One a more traditional outfit and the other more avant garde. Tartans have a long …

Audience Participation Structures In The Concert Hall And D, Me, You, We, A Non-Opera For Actor, Chatbot, Musicians, And Audience, Treya Michelle Nash

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Audience participation in the concert hall space has developed into a rich participatory practice with specific characteristics and challenges. Though composers—especially since the 1960s—have written many pieces involving audience participation, asking the concert hall audience to participate remains uncommon. Attempting to shift the role of the audience in such a traditionally spectator-oriented space can lead to tensions that undermine the efficacy of the experience. This research categorizes participatory pieces into the structural elements of performance and facilitation forces, audience groupings, audience roles, and communication types. These structures are used to discuss the complicated relationship between control and agency within participatory …

The Passive-Active Interaction (Pai) Model: Redefining Audio Interactions In Video Game Music, Morgan A. Weeks

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Scholarship on music in video games has focused on the player in two main ways: the psychological effect music has on the player and the physical, kinesthetic relationship between the player’s inputs and the game’s music. This dissertation builds on this work by exploring gameplay moments in which the music informs the player’s inputs through rhythms, tempo, harmonic relationships, and changes in the musical texture. Using “analytical play” (Summers 2016), rhythmic analysis, looping analysis, and harmonic observations, alongside a variety of different video games, consoles and genres, I have developed an analytical Passive-Active Interaction (PAI) Model that is applicable to …

Geo-Ai For Wetland Classification And Evolutionary Analysis, Lirong Yin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Wetlands, as a crucial component of the Earth's ecosystem, play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance and preserving biodiversity. However, wetlands are currently facing severe challenges, as both natural and human-induced factors are contributing to their global degradation. Gaining a deep understanding of the species composition and biodiversity within wetland-covered areas and accurately analyzing their changing trends not only helps assess the current and future state of wetlands but also provides strong support for the formulation of scientifically sound wetland conservation strategies. In recent years, the rapid development of geospatial intelligence and remote sensing technologies has brought new opportunities …

Studies On Cell Cycle Regulation And Ecm Modification During Tubular Organ Formation In Drosophila Embryos, Jeffrey Matthew

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The formation of tubular organs—such as the heart and kidneys—is a complex developmental process that requires the precise coordination of tissue remodeling with dynamic changes in cellular behavior. Key processes including cell proliferation, apoptosis, and extracellular matrix (ECM) formation must be tightly synchronized with mechanisms that generate and transmit physical forces, transforming a flat epithelial sheet into a three-dimensional organ. Disruptions in the homeostasis of these processes during organogenesis can lead to congenital defects, such as pulmonary atresia and renal hypoplasia.

To investigate the mechanisms underlying epithelial morphogenesis, the Chung laboratory employs the Drosophila embryonic salivary gland (SG) as a …

Voices Of Heritage And Resilience: A Performance Guide To Soprano Arias Celebrating The Black Experience In Opera, Imani S. Francis

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Voices of Heritage and Resilience: A Performance Guide for Soprano Arias Celebrating the Black Experience explores a selection of soprano arias that illuminate the depth, complexity, and resilience of Black identity through opera. This study provides historical context, musical style, and vocal performance strategies for works that center around the African American experience, spanning both traditional and contemporary repertoire.

By examining the relations between text, music, and historical significance, this dissertation highlights how these arias convey themes of struggle, conflict, oppression, love, and perseverance. It also supplies guidance to the singer through the use of vocal methods, interpretation, and stylistic …

Rheological, Interfacial, And Filtration Behavior Of Lignocellulosic Nanomaterials In Suspension And Emulsion Drilling Fluids, Meen Sung Koo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In recent years, the rheological aspects of suspensions/emulsions applied by cellulose nanomaterials (CNMs) have been gained considerable interests due to high gel-forming properties ascribed by hydrophilicity, crystallinity, ease functionalization, and high aspect ratio. Introducing residual lignin in CNMs (LCNMs) seemed to be capable of achieving various advantages in the application of CNMs ascribed by hydrophobicity, binding effects, and abundant aromatic groups derived from complexity of lignin. This dissertation dedicates to the characterizations of (L)CNMs, and rheological properties of (L)CNMs applied fluids (i.e., suspension and emulsion). In the suspension system, the presence of lignin in LCNMs decreased gel strength, viscosity, and …

Abundance And Prevalence Of Antibiotic-Resistant Escherichia Coli In Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana Water Bodies Impacted By On-Site Wastewater Treatment System Effluent, Katherine Weise

LSU Master's Theses

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing public health concern, especially with the spread of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli. This study examined the prevalence and abundance of antibiotic-resistant E. coli in Yellow Water (YW) and Natalbany River (NR) in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, which receive effluent from decentralized wastewater treatment systems. Monthly surface water grab samples were collected at four sites on each river from February 2023 to July 2024 and screened for generic and antibiotic-resistant E. coli using membrane filtration with ceftriaxone and cefotaxime as screening agents per the WHO Tricycle Protocol. We evaluated resistance patterns of the …