Digital Commons Network^™

Restricting Bioenergetic Efficiency Enhances Longevity And Mitochondrial Redox Capacity In Drosophila Melanogaster, Analisa L. Taylor, Olga Dubuisson, Pritika Pandey, Elizabeth R.M. Zunica, Bolormaa Vandanmagsar, Wagner S. Dantas, Alyssa Johnson, Christopher L. Axelrod, John P. Kirwan

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Mitochondria are essential for survival and as such, impairments in organelle homeostasis significantly accelerate age-related morbidity and mortality. Here, we determined the contribution of bioenergetic efficiency to life span and health span in Drosophila melanogaster utilizing the mitochondrial uncoupler BAM15. Life span was determined in flies fed a normal diet (ND) or high fat diet (HFD) supplemented with vehicle or BAM15. Locomotor function was determined by negative geotaxis assay in middle-aged flies fed vehicle or BAM15 under ND or HFD conditions. Redox capacity (high-resolution respirometry/fluorometry), citrate synthase (enzyme activity), mtDNA content (qPCR), gene expression (qPCR), and protein expression (western blot) …

Breaking The Spatial Justice Emergency Cycle: The Role Of Foresight Planning, Fabio Capra-Ribeiro

Faculty Publications

This paper examines the critical need to integrate prospective planning into territorial development processes for achieving spatial justice and sustainable urban futures. It highlights the limitations of a reactive approach to urban governance, particularly prevalent in Latin America, where weak institutions and unstable political systems often hinder long-term perspectives. The research emphasizes the importance of strategic foresight as a complementary tool to traditional planning practices. Territorial foresight facilitates the exploration of complex future scenarios, fostering collaborative learning and a shared vision among stakeholders. The study proposes a shift towards a proactive, foresight-driven approach that can help break the vicious cycle …

Speech, Voice, And Language Outcomes Following Deep Brain Stimulation: A Systematic Review, Fatemeh Tabari, Joel I. Berger, Oliver Flouty, Brian Copeland, Jeremy D. Greenlee, Karim Johari

Faculty Publications

Background Deep brain stimulation (DBS) reliably ameliorates cardinal motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and essential tremor (ET). However, the effects of DBS on speech, voice and language have been inconsistent and have not been examined comprehensively in a single study. Objective We conducted a systematic analysis of literature by reviewing studies that examined the effects of DBS on speech, voice and language in PD and ET. Methods A total of 675 publications were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, CINHAL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Scopus databases. Based on our selection criteria, 90 papers were included in our analysis. The …

Clear Speech Effects In Production Of Sentence-Medial Mandarin Lexical Tonesa), Jack Rittenberry, Irina A. Shport

Faculty Publications

Adding to limited research on clear speech in tone languages, productions of Mandarin lexical tones were examined in pentasyllabic sentences. Fourteen participants read sentences imagining a hard-of-hearing addressee or a friend in a casual social setting. Tones produced in clear speech had longer duration, higher intensity, and larger F0 values. This style effect was rarely modulated by tone, preceding tonal context, or syllable position, consistent with an overall signal enhancement strategy. Possible evidence for tone enhancement was observed only in one set of analysis for F0 minimum and F0 range, contrasting tones with low targets and tones with high targets.

Exploring Pathways Toward Open-Hardware Ecosystems To Safeguard Genetic Resources For Biomedical Research Communities Using Aquatic Model Species, Yue Liu, Jack C. Koch, Lucía Arregui, Allyssa Oune, Sarah Bodenstein, Maria T. Gutierrez-Wing, Terrence R. Tiersch

Faculty Publications

Development of reliable germplasm repositories is critical for preservation of genetic resources of aquatic species, which are widely utilized to support biomedical innovation by providing a foundational source for naturally occurring variation and development of new variants through genetic manipulations. A significant barrier in repository development is the lack of cryopreservation capability and reproducibility across the research community, posing great risks of losing advances developed from billions of dollars of research investment. The emergence of open scientific hardware has fueled a new movement across biomedical research communities. With the increasing accessibility of consumer-level fabrication technologies, such as three-dimensional printers, open …

Sexual Orientation-Based Microaggressions And Cannabis Use Outcomes Among Sexual Minority Individuals: The Impact Of Negative Affect And Coping-Motivated Cannabis Use, Evan M. Threeton, Paige E. Morris, Julia D. Buckner

Faculty Publications

Introduction: Sexual minority individuals report significantly more cannabis use and problems than their heterosexual peers, possibly due to their frequent experiences with sexual orientation-based microaggressions. As a result, sexual minority individuals may turn to cannabis use to cope with the negative affect associated with these experiences. No known studies have tested this hypothesis; therefore, the current study tested if sexual orientation microaggressions are positively associated with negative affect (anxiety and depression), cannabis coping motives, and cannabis-related outcomes (frequency, problems); if coping motives are positively associated with cannabis-related outcomes; and if negative affect and cannabis use to cope with negative affect …

Transitioning From A Research Protocol To A Scalable Applied Pathway For Xenopus Laevis Sperm Cryopreservation At A National Stock Center: The Effect Of Cryoprotectants, Lucía Arregui, Jack C. Koch, Terrence R. Tiersch

Faculty Publications

Sperm cryopreservation is a critical tool for safeguarding and managing valuable genetic resources. Protocols for cryopreservation of Xenopus laevis sperm were available but lacking sperm quality evaluation and scalability and the outcomes were inconsistent. The goal of this study was to begin developing a center-level cryopreservation pathway for this species by integrating French straws as containers that would facilitate germplasm repository development. The objectives were to analyze the effect of: (1) three sperm concentrations (33, 50, and 100 × 106 sperm/mL) on post-thaw fertilization, (2) three final concentrations (2.5%, 5%, and 10%) of dimethyl sulfoxide, methanol, and dimethylformamide (DMFA) on …

Song And Genetic Divergence Within A Subspecies Of White-Crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia Leucophrys Nuttalli), Amy Rongyan Luo, Sara Lipshutz, Jennifer Phillips, Robb T. Brumfield, Elizabeth Perrault Derryberry

Faculty Publications

Animal culture evolves alongside genomes, and the two modes of inheritance-culture and genes-interact in myriad ways. For example, stable geographic variation in culture can act as a reproductive barrier, thereby facilitating genetic divergence between "cultural populations."White-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys) are a well-established model species for bird song learning and cultural evolution, as they have distinct, geographically discrete, and culturally transmitted song types (i.e., song dialects). In this study, we tested the hypothesis that divergence between culturally transmitted songs drives genetic divergence within Nuttall's white-crowned sparrows (Z. l. nuttalli). In accordance with sexual selection theory, we hypothesized that cultural divergence between …

The Roles Of Perceived Safety Climate And Innovativeness In The Performance Of Sport And Recreation Organizations, Minjung Kim, Han Soo Kim, Brent D. Oja, Jasamine Hill, Claire Zvosec, Paul Yuseung Doh

Faculty Publications

The recent COVID-19 pandemic created an unpredictable environment regarding the safety operations of sport and recreation organizations. This study was designed to examine how safety climate and organizational innovativeness could promote preferred organizational behavior outcomes in college campus sport and recreation centers. A total of 227 sport and recreation employees were recruited through the National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association. With the collected data, we employed structural equation modeling to assess the research hypotheses. The results indicated that safety climate and innovativeness positively influenced job engagement, therefore leading to enhanced safety compliance and employee innovativeness, which ultimately resulted in higher …

Editorial Introduction: Exploring The Frontier Of Policy Theory Research, Geoboo Song, Melissa K. Merry, Saba Siddiki, Gwen Arnold, Aaron Smith-Walter, Holly L. Peterson, Creed Tumlison, Heasun Choi, Briana Huett, Davor Mondom, Christopher Giller, Meerim Seiitova

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Early-Season Postemergence Co-Applications Of Foliar And Residual Herbicides On Crop Injury, Growth, And Yield In 2,4-D- And Dicamba-Tolerant Cotton (Gossypium Hirsutum L.), Logan N. Vallee

LSU Master's Theses

Studies were conducted in 2021 through 2023 at the LSU AgCenter Dean Lee Research and Extension Center near Alexandria, LA to determine the sensitivity of 2,4-D- or dicamba- tolerant cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) to an early season application of a Group 15 and foliar-only herbicides. Both studies were randomized complete block designs with a two-factorial arrangement of treatments with four replications. In the dicamba-tolerant cotton study, Factor A consisted of no foliar-herbicide, dicamba alone, glyphosate alone, or dicamba plus glyphosate. Factor B consisted of either no Group 15 residual herbicide, acetochlor, or S-metolachlor. In the 2,4-D- tolerant cotton …

60th Student Senate Org Session 2 Meeting Minutes, Zoe Joubert

Student Senate Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Totoro: A Scalable Federated Learning Engine For The Edge, Cheng Wei Ching, Xin Chen, Taehwan Kim, Bo Ji, Qingyang Wang, Dilma Da Silva, Liting Hu

Faculty Publications

Federated Learning (FL) is an emerging distributed machine learning (ML) technique that enables in-situ model training and inference on decentralized edge devices. We propose Totoro, a novel scalable FL engine, that enables massive FL applications to run simultaneously on edge networks. The key insight is to explore a distributed hash table (DHT)-based peer-to-peer (P2P) model to re-architect the centralized FL system design into a fully decentralized one. In contrast to previous studies where many FL applications shared one centralized parameter server, Totoro assigns a dedicated parameter server to each individual application. Any edge node can act as any application's coordinator, …

Single-Cell Transcriptional Landscapes Of Bovine Peri-Implantation Development, Giovanna Nascimento Scatolin, Hao Ming, Yinjuan Wang, Rajan Iyyappan, Emilio Gutierrez-Castillo, Linkai Zhu, Masroor Sagheer, Chao Song, Kenneth Bondioli, Zongliang Jiang

Faculty Publications

Supporting healthy pregnancy outcomes requires a comprehensive understanding of the molecular and cellular programs of peri-implantation development, when most pregnancy failure occurs. Here, we present single-cell transcriptomes of bovine peri-implantation embryo development at day 12, 14, 16, and 18 post-fertilization. We defined the cellular composition and gene expression of embryonic disc, hypoblast, and trophoblast lineages in bovine peri-implantation embryos, and identified markers and pathway signaling that represent distinct stages of bovine peri-implantation lineages; the expression of selected markers was validated in peri-implantation embryos. Using detailed time-course transcriptomic analyses, we revealed a previously unrecognized primitive trophoblast cell lineage. We also characterized …

The Lowest Discriminant Ideal Of Cayley-Hamilton Hopf Algebras, Zhongkai Mi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Discriminant ideals are defined for an algebra R with central subalgebra C and trace tr : R → C. They are indexed by positive integers and more general than discriminants. Usually R is required to be a finite module over C. Unlike the abundace of work on discriminants, there is hardly any literature on discriminant ideals. The levels of discriminant ideals relate to the sums of squares of dimensions of irreducible modules over maximal ideals of C containing these discriminant ideals. We study the lowest level when R is a Cayley-Hamilton Hopf algebra, i.e. C is also a Hopf subalgebra, …

60th Student Senate Org Session 1 Meeting Minutes, Zoe Joubert

Student Senate Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

59th Student Senate Week 10 Meeting Minutes, Zoe Joubert

Student Senate Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Probing The Electrode-Electrolyte Interface Of Sodium/Glyme-Based Battery Electrolytes, Dodangodage Ishara Senadheera, Orlando Carrillo-Bohorquez, Ernest O. Nachaki, Ryan Jorn, Daniel G. Kuroda, Revati Kumar

Faculty Publications

Sodium-ion batteries (NIBs) are promising systems for large-scale energy storage solutions; yet, further enhancements are required for their commercial viability. Improving the electrochemical performance of NIBs goes beyond the chemical description of the electrolyte and electrode materials as it requires a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms that govern the interface between electrodes and electrolytes. In particular, the decomposition reactions occurring at these interfaces lead to the formation of surface films. Previous work has revealed that the solvation structure of cations in the electrolyte has a significant influence on the formation and properties of these surface films. Here, an experimentally …

Enhancement Of Applied Rice Breeding Programs: Exploring Factors Impacting Genomic Selection Accuracy And Discovery Of A Novel Gene For Grain Shape, Maria G. Montiel

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Plant breeding is a crucial tool in addressing global challenges such as climate change, population growth, and the need for more resilient crops. Rice serves as a staple food for a significant portion of the global population and has served as a model crop for genetic and genomic studies. Genomic selection (GS) has become valuable tool in plant breeding, allowing breeders to predict breeding lines’ performance based on their genotypes. The training (TS) set is a central component of genomic selection and the optimization of the training set is crucial for efficient implementation of genomic selection. The first two objectives …

Magnetic Control Of Nonmagnetic Living Organisms, Ahmed Al Harraq, Min Feng, Hashir M. Gauri, Ram Devireddy, Ankur Gupta, Qing Sun, Bhuvnesh Bharti

Faculty Publications

Living organisms inspire the design of microrobots, but their functionality is unmatched. Next-generation microrobots aim to leverage the sensing and communication abilities of organisms through magnetic hybridization, attaching magnetic particles to them for external control. However, the protocols used for magnetic hybridization are morphology specific and are not generalizable. We propose an alternative approach that leverages the principles of negative magnetostatics and magnetophoresis to control nonmagnetic organisms with external magnetic fields. To do this, we disperse model organisms in dispersions of Fe3O4 nanoparticles and expose them to either uniform or gradient magnetic fields. In uniform magnetic fields, living organisms align …

“Everything Is Not What It Seems”: Discovering Public Relations In Business Sectors In Vietnam, Ba-Anh-Tu Truong

LSU Master's Theses

Vietnam is a shining star in emerging markets, with an annual economic growth rate of 6-7%. Its abundant labor supply, stable political climate, and geographic proximity to major global supply chains make it an ideal candidate for manufacturer planning in advanced economies such as the United States, Europe, Australia, Japan, China, and Korea. Investing in public relations and communication management, especially understanding the Vietnamese market, effectively prepares multinational corporations for future business expansion. This mission is difficult for academia and industrial professionals since Vietnam is a “silent country” in public relations research. To fill the gap, this thesis employs the …

The Oracle Of The Pig's Head, Taylor L. Denton

LSU Master's Theses

The Oracle of the Pig’s Head is a collection of two poems, a short story, and a novel centered around themes of the role of the feminine body in society, monstrosity, disgust, divinity, and human impact on the environment. Inspired by other works of eco-criticism, gothic literature, surrealism, Appalachian folklore, and Greco-Roman mythology, this collection explores how marginalized bodies interact in a world forever altered by climate change.

Denton is primarily interested in how severe climate change has influenced not only human’s overall relationship to the environment, but also how writers are meant to engage with a world riddled with …

Post-Modeling Adjustments And Delivered Dose Verification Of The 6fff Beam Model Commissioned For The Monaco Treatment Planning System, Grant C. Debevec

LSU Master's Theses

External beam radiation therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment method for tumors and abnormalities of the spine and vertebral region. Treating the spine using a stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) technique can reduce toxicity to the spinal cord. The 6 MV flattening filter free (6FFF) beam model is currently used to plan and calculate dose for SBRT treatment plans, and the treatment plans are delivered using a linear accelerator (LINAC).

The commissioned beam model represents an invariant component of a LINAC. For volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) treatment plans, the multileaf collimator (MLC) positions are changing throughout …

Gut Microbial Dysbiosis Differs In Two Distinct Cachectic Tumor-Bearing Models Consuming The Same Diet, Lauri O. Byerley, Brittany Lorenzen, Hsiao Man Chang, William G. Hartman, Michael J. Keenan, Ryan Page, Meng Luo, Scot E. Dowd, Christopher M. Taylor

Faculty Publications

The impact of cancer cachexia on the colonic microbiota is poorly characterized. This study assessed the effect of two cachectic-producing tumor types on the gut microbiota to determine if a similar dysbiosis could be found. In addition, it was determined if a diet containing an immunonutrient-rich food (walnuts) known to promote the growth of probiotic bacteria in the colon could alter the dysbiosis and slow cachexia. Male Fisher 344 rats were randomly assigned to a semi-purified diet with or without walnuts. Then, within each diet group, rats were further assigned randomly to a treatment group: tumor-bearing ad libitum fed (TB), …

The Effects Of Global Temperature Change On Radon Exposure In Permafrost Areas, Melaan Bender

LSU Master's Theses

Global temperature increase leads to thawing of permafrost that protects local populations from radiation exposure by blocking radon-222 migrating into dwellings. This study aims at assessing the effects of permafrost thawing on the concentrations of radon in indoor air. An approach is developed to predict the evolution of the ²²²Rn concentrations by various processes including radon exhalation from thawed soil. It is found that as frozen soil thaws, more radon can enter dwellings, increasing the concentration of ²²²Rn in indoor air and elevating radiation-induced health risks. This study provides useful insight that will enhance understanding of potential climate …

Phonic Faces As An Intervention To Improve Decoding Skills Of Children With Persistantly Poor Decoding Abilities, Kayla Therese Martin

LSU Master's Theses

Background: Orthographic rules, phonological awareness, and the ability to process morphemes and phonemes from speech and language begins with verbal speech and the child unknowingly recognizes words from his or her environment as early as the senses can process their surroundings. Some children have difficulty integrating these processes to learn how to read. As Ehri (1979) mentions the importance of establishing mental processes, such as amalgamation and phonological recoding, are essential as a basis for establishing reading fundamentals. Decoding occurs through a complex integration of phonological and orthographic knowledge (Ehri 1992). Early readers typically have well-established amalgams for spoken words …

Examination Of The Effects Of Ultraviolet Radiation On The Toxicity Of An Array Of Pesticides, Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons, And Pharmaceuticals Via In-Vitro Bioassays, Jessica R. Stephens

LSU Master's Theses

Chemicals are often released via anthropogenic means both intentionally and unintentionally into aquatic environments. The chemical fate of these compounds can vary greatly depending on numerous factors that can include but are not limited to salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, and exposure to ultraviolet radiation. The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of UV radiation on the level of toxicity of different chemicals over time. Chemicals were selected based on previous studies of the toxicity of both parent and metabolites formed as a result of photolysis. Anthracene, phenanthrene, anthraquinone, dicloran, chlorothalonil, hydroxy chlorothalonil, benzobicyclon hydrolysate, and sertraline were …

Race And Racism Through The Lens Of Black Men: Exploring The Talk And Lessons Black Fathers Teach Their Children About Race And Racism In America., Conial C. Caldwell Jr

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The history of racism and racial violence is embedded in the fabric of America and has driven Black people to develop strategies to navigate society that racism has produced. “The Talk” is a racial socialization practice and cultural phenomenon that has existed within Black families for centuries and remains a necessity due to the ongoing acts of racism and violence of Black Americans. Prior research has found that parents rear their children based on their own lived experiences, which many Black Americans have experienced or have been exposed to racism and racial violence. Yet, there are few empirical studies that …

Mind The Time: A Synthesis Of Pedagogical Approaches For Improving Rhythm And Meter For Instrumentalists As Applied To Bassoon, Annalea Milligan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Rhythm is imperative for the performing musician. This project aims to provide bassoonists with a resource for a rhythmic or metric-focused approach to their applied study. Pedagogical resources for improving rhythm in music through the lens of four categories are identified: experiential, pattern and phrasing, mapping, and repetition. Exercises created from a synthesis of each pedagogical approach demonstrate possible application to bassoon literature by exploring the ways in which an intentional awareness of rhythm can improve technical playing and build practice and performance confidence. By emphasizing the importance of rhythm, its components, and the various approaches to teaching and understanding …

Assessment Of Engineering Performance And Environmental Impacts Of High Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (Rap) Asphalt Mixtures In Flexible Pavements, Ibrahim A.I.E. Elnaml

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Due to the critical role of asphalt pavements in national infrastructure development, there is a pressing need to investigate more sustainable materials and approaches. The use of natural aggregates and asphalt binders in asphalt pavement presents sustainability challenges due to the depletion of finite resources. Recycling Asphalt Pavement (RAP) offers a promising sustainable solution by substituting virgin aggregates and asphalt binders with recycled ones. However, increasing RAP contents in asphalt mixtures (>25%) can lead to premature cracking, insufficient durability, and limited longevity due to the presence of aged RAP-asphalt binder. To address these concerns, the application of novel recycling …