Digital Commons Network^™

Understanding Motivations Among Sustained Cooperative Extension Partners For Obesity Prevention In Rural Louisiana, Catherine R. Losavio

LSU Master's Theses

Louisiana consistently has one of the highest rates of obesity in the nation with higher concentrations of obesity in many rural parishes (i.e., counties). Due to over a century of visibility and engagement in rural communities, Cooperative Extension (Extension) is uniquely poised to reach remote rural communities disproportionately impacted by obesity. As Extension increases its use of community coalitions and implements its new National Framework for Health Equity and Well-Being, understanding motivations and communication preferences among long-term rural coalition partners for obesity prevention and health promotion has become essential for duplicating successful local-level policy, system, and environmental (PSE) changes. This …

Overcoming Gifted Student Underachievement Through Teacher Best Practices, Samantha Simmons Webre

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The goal of this study is to collect the best practices being utilized by gifted teachers affecting change amongst their gifted underachieving students. Data collected will explore trends deemed significant among the successful best practices being utilized by academically gifted certified teachers.

The researcher will administer surveys, conduct interviews, and classroom observations to collect data from a sample of participants who are currently employed as academically gifted certified teachers. This study will focus on these academically gifted certified teacher’s definitions and recognition of underachievement, identified causes for underachievement, best practices employed to re-engage underachieving students, as well as perceptions of …

The Degree Gini Index Of Several Classes Of Random Trees And Their Poissonized Counterparts—Evidence For Duality, Carly Domicolo, Panpan Zhang, Hosam Mahmoud

Journal of Stochastic Analysis

No abstract provided.

Experience That Works: An Investigation Uncovering Essential Elements Of Field Experiences And Internships Within Principal Preparation Programs That Significantly Impact And Contribute To Principal Effectiveness, Nathan Wayne Hite

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study applied situational leadership and transformational leadership theories to discern essential elements of principal preparation program field experiences and internships that contributed most to principal effectiveness. Identifying critical components of principal preparation field experiences and internships were imperative to ensure principal effectiveness within the ever-changing landscape of education. The objective of this study was to discover essential components of field experiences and internships provided by principal preparation programs that contributed most to principal effectiveness, increasing the likelihood public school districts hired principal candidates who were equipped with the skills necessary to step into the position with minimal on-the-job training. …

Simulation Modeling Of A High-Throughput Oyster Cryopreservation Pathway, Sarah Bodenstein, Isabelina Nahmens, Terrence R. Tiersch

Faculty Publications

The genetic resources of oysters in Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico are threatened due to high unexplained oyster mortality. Germplasm repositories are collections of cryopreserved genetic material stored alongside associated information that are used to protect genetics resources and facilitate breeding programs in agricultural industries. Therefore, there is great need for oyster repositories. Development of repositories has been slow despite research on high-Throughput cryopreservation protocols because of logistical complexities. The goal of this study was to begin to address the gap between cryopreservation research and repository development in oyster aquaculture by modeling a cryopreservation protocol to understand and improve …

A Sharp Rate Of Convergence In The Functional Central Limit Theorem With Gaussian Input, S.V. Lototsky

Journal of Stochastic Analysis

No abstract provided.

Identity Composition: A Qualitative Study Of Community College English Composition And Lgbtq-Inclusive Pedagogical Practices, Lucas Michel Gassen

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research investigates the identity-based practices and experiences of English composition instructors who teach at community colleges and assesses the extent to which LGBTQ-inclusive pedagogical approaches are undertaken to meet the needs of sexual and gender minority students. The participant pool was comprised of community college instructors within the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) who have taught English composition courses within the past five years. This study aims to answer the following research questions: 1. In what ways and to what extent is identity-based instructional content incorporated in community college English composition courses? 2. In what ways and …

Investigating The Theoretical Orientations Of Select Louisiana Preservice Teachers Regarding Teaching Reading: A Mixed-Methods Study, Megan Jenny

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Teacher quality is one of the most significant factors contributing to student success, and Teacher Preparation Programs (TPPs) are traditionally responsible for teaching preservice teachers how to teach reading. Effective reading instruction is responsive, complex, and equitable. Acknowledgement of a disconnect between preparation programming and critical teacher knowledge for teachers of reading indicated a need for this exploratory mixed-methods study. The purpose of the current study, grounded by the theoretical framework of Sociocultural Theory, was to investigate what a select group of 21 preservice grades 1-3 elementary teachers were taught about teaching reading, preservice teachers’ theoretical orientations for teaching reading, …

Are Teachers Prepared For Writing? Insight On The Training And Development Of Teachers For Writing Instruction In K-2 Classrooms, Denise Shillingsburg Rueter

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This multiple case study examined the degree to which pre-service teachers were prepared to teach writing and how these skills were further developed in the beginning years of teaching to ensure students were receiving foundational literacy skills to be successful in both reading and writing. The setting for this study took place in an urban charter school and a suburban traditional public school in southeastern Louisiana. The participants for this study included two university instructors of teacher preparation programs who taught literacy methods courses. Also included were four K-2 classroom teachers, one kindergarten teacher, one second-grade teacher, and two first-grade …

Quantization Of The Free Poisson Central Limit Theorem, Yungang Lu

Journal of Stochastic Analysis

No abstract provided.

Fashion Or Function: Examining Consumers' Perceived Values Of Mass-Customized Menswear Via A Content Mining Approach, Yuli Liang, Snigdha Rangineni, Chuanlan Liu

Faculty Publications

Mass customization has been used in various clothing products including T-shirts, dress shirts, jeans, sports shoes, accessories, etc. However, even though the concept of mass customization has been accepted among scholars and business practitioners, and the application of mass customization has been practiced in the fashion industry for more than two decades, the acceptance among ultimate consumers and the market of MC in the apparel industry has not taken off yet. To this end, this study intends to fill the identified gap through a content mining exploratory qualitative study using customer value theory to evaluate individual consumers' actual customization experiences. …

Low Levels Of Hybridization Between Domestic And Wild Mallards Wintering In The Lower Mississippi Flyway, J. Brian Davis, Diana C. Outlaw, Kevin M. Ringelman, Richard M. Kaminski, Philip Lavretsky

Faculty Publications

The Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) duck is a ubiquitous and socio-economically important game bird in North America. Despite their generally abundant midcontinent population, Mallards in eastern North America are declining, which may be partially explained by extensive hybridization with human-released domestically derived game-farm Mallards. We investigated the genetic composition of Mallards in the middle and lower Mississippi flyway, key wintering regions for the species. We found that nearly 30% of wild Mallards carried mitochondrial (mtDNA) haplotypes derived from domestic Mallards present in North America, indicating that the individuals had female game-farm Mallard lineage in their past; however, nuclear results identified only …

Novel Texture-Based Probabilistic Object Recognition And Tracking Techniques For Food Intake Analysis And Traffic Monitoring, Robert Jacob Dibiano

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

More complex image understanding algorithms are increasingly practical in a host of emerging applications. Object tracking has value in surveillance and data farming; and object recognition has applications in surveillance, data management, and industrial automation. In this work we introduce an object recognition application in automated nutritional intake analysis and a tracking application intended for surveillance in low quality videos. Automated food recognition is useful for personal health applications as well as nutritional studies used to improve public health or inform lawmakers. We introduce a complete, end-to-end system for automated food intake measurement. Images taken by a digital camera are …

Transitioning In A Time Of Crisis: Understanding The Impact Students’ Prior Online Learning Experiences Have On Online Course Achievement, Clayton F. Benton

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This quantitative study examines the impact that selected academic and personal demographic characteristics had on the successful completion of online coursework during the Covid-19 pandemic. Focused on a high-research university in the Southeastern United States during the Fall of 2020, this research looked the potential influence that prior online learning experiences had on students’ abilities to transition to the online modality during a time of crisis.

Data for this study was retrieved from institutional sources and the sample consisted of 5,739 second-year students at the institution. After describing the sample and population, exploratory regressions were conducted to establish models for …

Are Existing Modeling Tools Useful To Evaluate Outcomes In Mangrove Restoration And Rehabilitation Projects? A Minireview, Victor H. Rivera-Monroy, Xiaochen Zhao, Hongqing Wang, Zuo George Xue

Faculty Publications

Ecosystem modeling is a critical process for understanding complex systems at spatiotemporal scales needed to conserve, manage, and restore ecosystem services (ESs). Although mangrove wetlands are sources of ESs worth billions of dollars, there is a lack of modeling tools. This is reflected in our lack of understanding of mangroves’ functional and structural attributes. Here, we discuss the “state of the art” of mangrove models used in the planning and monitoring of R/R projects during the last 30 years. The main objectives were to characterize the most frequent modeling approach, their spatiotemporal resolution, and their current utility/application in management decisions. …

Fall Facts, 2022, Louisiana State University

Fall Facts

No abstract provided.

Coupled Situational Awareness System To Improve Transportation Infrastructure Performance During Extreme Events, Hatim Sharif, Samer Dessouky, Md Jobair Bin Alam, Raghava Kommalapati, Hongbo Du Ph.D

Publications

The dense road networks and numerous low water crossings throughout Texas may be contributing to the higher recurrence rates of floods that pose a danger to vehicles. A timely issue that should be addressed by researchers is the compounding of disaster. Flooding can be combined with other life-threatening occurrences such as power loss and interruptions of health and emergency services. During these events, rescue requests from the stranded communities overwhelm the emergency response facilities; impassable roadways and the paucity of reliable information on the affected areas and their accessibility hamper emergency response operations, causing several detours and delays that put …

F22rs Sgcr No. 2-7, 10-49, 51-85 (Appointments And Vacancies), Olivia Devall

Student Senate Enrolled Legislation

To appoint a member or fill a vacancy

Louisiana Agriculture Fall, 2022

Louisiana Agriculture

Livestock industries contribute $2.5 billion to the state’s economy, and beef cattle production is one of the most important sectors of the state’s agricultural enterprise. LSU AgCenter researchers study how to improve cattle production at research stations across the state. AgCenter Extension agents in every parish connect producers with their findings.

In this issue of Louisiana Agriculture magazine, livestock agents and research faculty describe the many programs they have developed to educate cattle producers and help 4-H’ers raise and show animals. Producers discuss what they have learned from Master Cattleman classes, and writer V. Todd Miller details how some cattle …

Re-Training Of Convolutional Neural Networks For Glottis Segmentation In Endoscopic High-Speed Videos, Michael Döllinger, Tobias Schraut, Lea A. Henrich, Dinesh Chhetri, Matthias Echternach, Aaron M. Johnson, Melda Kunduk, Youri Maryn, Rita R. Patel, Robin Samlan, Marion Semmler, Anne Schützenberger

Faculty Publications

Endoscopic high-speed video (HSV) systems for visualization and assessment of vocal fold dynamics in the larynx are diverse and technically advancing. To consider resulting “concepts shifts” for neural network (NN)-based image processing, re-training of already trained and used NNs is necessary to allow for sufficiently accurate image processing for new recording modalities. We propose and discuss several re-training approaches for convolutional neural networks (CNN) being used for HSV image segmentation. Our baseline CNN was trained on the BAGLS data set (58,750 images). The new BAGLS-RT data set consists of additional 21,050 images from previously unused HSV systems, light sources, and …

Microhabitat And Landscape Drivers Of Richness And Abundance Of Freshwater Mussels (Unionida: Unionidae) In A Coastal Plain River, Corinne T. Bird, Michael D. Kaller, Tiffany E. Pasco, William E. Kelso

Faculty Publications

Although rivers support significant unionid mussel (Unionida: Unionidae) diversity, Gulf of Mexico tributary rivers have been subject to changes in water quality and habitat due to altered watershed land use. We quantified mussel species richness and relative abundance and environmental factors in small tributary streams of the Pearl River, Mississippi-Louisiana. Freshwater mussel and habitat surveys were conducted at 27 stream sampling sites over two summers (9 sites revisited), and coverage of seven land use categories and seven geological categories above each reach were calculated. Mussels were patchily distributed (53% of sites sampled yielded mussels) and typically not abundant (only 26% …

Cryopreservation Of Hydractinia Symbiolongicarpus Sperm To Support Community-Based Repository Development For Preservation Of Genetic Resources, Aidan L. Huene, Jack C. Koch, Lucía Arregui, Yue Liu, Matthew L. Nicotra, Virginia M. Weis, Terrence R. Tiersch

Faculty Publications

Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus is an emerging model organism in which cutting-edge genomic tools and resources are being developed for use in a growing number of research fields. One limitation of this model system is the lack of long-term storage for genetic resources. The goal of this study was to establish a generalizable cryopreservation approach for Hydractinia that would support future repository development for other cnidarian species. Specific objectives were to: (1) characterize basic parameters related to sperm quality; (2) develop a generalizable approach for sperm collection; (3) assess the feasibility of in vitro fertilization (IVF) with sperm after refrigerated storage; (4) …

Social Influences On Physical Activity For Establishing Criteria Leading To Exercise Persistence, Ensela Mema, Everett S. Spain, Corby K. Martin, James O. Hill, R. Drew Sayer, Howard D. Mcinvale, Lee A. Evans, Nicholas H. Gist, Alexander D. Borowsky, Diana M. Thomas

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Despite well-documented health benefits from exercise, a study on national trends in achieving the recommended minutes of physical activity guidelines has not improved since the guidelines were published in 2008. Peer interactions have been identified as a critical factor for increasing a population’s physical activity. The objective of this study is for establishing criteria for social influences on physical activity for establishing criteria that lead to exercise persistence. A system of differential equations was developed that projects exercise trends over time. The system includes both social and non-social influences that impact changes in physical activity habits and establishes quantitative conditions …

Antimicrobial Resistant Bacteria In Shrimp And Shrimp Farms Of Bangladesh, Murshida Khan, Sulav Indra Paul, Md Mahbubur Rahman, Julie Anderson Lively

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of pathogenic bacteria, specifically Escherichia coli and Salmonella and Vibrio species, and their antimicrobial resistance in shrimp aquaculture facilities of Bagerhat (Bangladesh). Sediment samples were collected from both Penaeus monodon and Macrobrachium rosenbergii farms and shrimp samples from the Macrobrachium rosenbergii facility. The abovementioned bacteria were not found, but five Enterobacterales (Proteus penneri, Proteus alimentorum, Morganella morganii, Enterobacter hormaechei subsp. xiangfangensis and Plesiomonas shigelloides) were detected. This is the first documented case of Enterobacter hormaechei subsp. xiangfangensis in a shrimp farm. Nine antibiotics—ampicillin, gentamicin, chloramphenicol, oxytetracycline, nitrofurantoin, levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, …

Event-Triggered Control Of Robotic Fish With Reduced Communication Rate, Wenyu Zuo, Animesh Chakravarthy, Michael Malisoff, Zheng Chen

Faculty Publications

Underwater robots often need to communicate with external localization sensors. The low bandwidth in such communications is one of the bottlenecks in achieving accurate tracking control. Toward this end, we adopt a novel periodic event-triggered control (PETC) which allows a robotic fish to reduce its communication load in tracking a desired heading angle with position feedback from an external sensor. To design the PETC, a linear state-space model is derived from a nonlinear dynamic model of the robotic fish with a small perturbation assumption. The PETC consists of an observer, state-feedback controller, integrator, event-trigger rule, and predictor. The observer and …

Academic Program Recommendations For Graduate Degrees In Medical Physics: Aapm Report No. 365 (Revision Of Report No. 197), Jay W. Burmeister, Nathan C. Busse, Ashley J. Cetnar, Rebecca R. Howell, Robert Jeraj, A. Kyle Jones, Steven H. King, Kenneth L. Matthews, Victor J. Montemayor, Wayne Newhauser, Anna E. Rodrigues, Ehsan Samei, Timothy V. Turkington, Mary P. Gronberg, Brian Loughery, Alison R. Roth, Michael C. Joiner, Edward F. Jackson, Paul A. Naine, Leonard H. Kim

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Parametrized Topological Complexity Of Collision-Free Motion Planning In The Plane, Daniel C. Cohen, Michael Farber, Shmuel Weinberger

Faculty Publications

Parametrized motion planning algorithms have high degrees of universality and flexibility, as they are designed to work under a variety of external conditions, which are viewed as parameters and form part of the input of the underlying motion planning problem. In this paper, we analyze the parametrized motion planning problem for the motion of many distinct points in the plane, moving without collision and avoiding multiple distinct obstacles with a priori unknown positions. This complements our prior work Cohen et al. [3] (SIAM J. Appl. Algebra Geom. 5, 229–249), where parametrized motion planning algorithms were introduced, and the obstacle-avoiding collision-free …

Contrasts Among Cationic Phytochemical Landscapes In The Southern United States, Luis Y. Santiago-Rosario, Kyle E. Harms, Dylan Craven

Faculty Publications

Understanding the phytochemical landscapes of essential and nonessential chemical elements to plants provides an opportunity to better link biogeochemical cycles to trophic ecology. We investigated the formation and regulation of the cationic phytochemical landscapes of four key elements for biota: Ca, Mg, K, and Na. We collected aboveground tissues of plants in Atriplex, Helianthus, and Opuntia and adjacent soils from 51, 131, and 83 sites, respectively, across the southern United States. We determined the spatial variability of these cations in plants and soils. Also, we quantified the homeostasis coefficient for each cation and genus combination, by using mixed-effect models, with …

Design Of Crack-Free Laser Additive Manufactured Inconel 939 Alloy Driven By Computational Thermodynamics Method, Congyuan Zeng, Huan Ding, Uttam Bhandari, S. M. Guo

Faculty Publications

This paper examined the effect of Si addition on the cracking resistance of Inconel 939 alloy after laser additive manufacturing (AM) process. With the help of CALculation of PHAse Diagrams (CALPHAD) software Thermo-Calc, the amounts of specific elements (C, B, and Zr) in liquid phase during solidification, cracking susceptibility coefficients (CSC) and cracking criterion based on |dT/dfs1/2| values (T: solidification temperature, fs: mass fraction of solid during solidification) were evaluated as the indicators for composition optimization. It was found that CSC together with |dT/dfs1/2| values provided a better prediction for cracking resistance. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].

Measuring The Effect Of Bipartisan Support For Foreign Policy Initiatives In The Senate On U.S. Policy Success, Emily Fitkin

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.