Digital Commons Network^™

Functional And Multi-Omics Effects Of An Optimized Crispr-Mediated Furin Depletion In U937 Monocytes, Ruiming Chua, Lijin Wang, Roshni Singaraja, Sujoy Ghosh

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

The pro-protein convertase FURIN (PCSK3) is implicated in a wide range of normal and pathological biological processes such as infectious diseases, cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Previously, we performed a systemic inhibition of FURIN in a mouse model of atherosclerosis and demonstrated significant plaque reduction and alterations in macrophage function. To understand the cellular mechanisms affected by FURIN inhibition in myeloid cells, we optimized a CRISPR-mediated gene deletion protocol for successfully deriving hemizygous (HZ) and nullizygous (NZ) FURIN knockout clones in U937 monocytic cells using lipotransfection-based procedures and a dual guide RNA delivery strategy. We observed differences in monocyte and macrophage …

Preferential Hydrologic States And Tipping Characteristics Of Global Surface Soil Moisture, Vinit Sehgal, Binayak P. Mohanty

Faculty Publications

A dynamic transition in soil hydrologic states through meteorological variability and terrestrial feedback governs soil-vegetation-climate (SVC) interactions, constrained by critical soil moisture (SM) thresholds. However, observational and scaling constraints limit critical SM threshold estimation at the remote-sensing (RS) footprint scale. Using global surface SM (θRS) from NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite, we characterize the seasonal preferential hydrologic states of θRS and derive three tipping characteristics to estimate the intensity (Mean Tipping Depth, (Formula presented.)), frequency (Tipping Count, η), and duration (Mean Tipped Time, (Formula presented.)) of the excursion of θRS from wet- to dry-average conditions. The preferential state …

Human Milk Components And The Infant Gut Microbiome At 6 Months: Understanding The Interconnected Relationship, Maryam Kebbe, Kartik Shankar, Leanne M. Redman, Aline Andres

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Background: Human milk oligosaccharides have been shown to relate to the infant gut microbiome. However, the impact of other human milk components on infant gut bacterial colonization remains unexplored. Objectives: Our cross-sectional analysis aimed to investigate associations between human milk components (energy, macronutrients, free amino acids, inflammatory markers, and hormones) and infant gut microbiome diversity and composition (phylum, family, and genus) at 6 mo of age. Methods: Human milk and infant stool samples were collected at 6 mo postpartum. The infant gut microbiome was profiled using 16S rRNA sequencing. Linear regression models were performed to examine associations, adjusting for pregravid …

Prevalence And Predictors Of Female Sexual Dysfunction Among Sexually Active Women In The Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study, Priyanka Gupta, Lindsay Doherty, Marinella Temprosa, Rodica Pop-Busui, Kishore M. Gadde, Prachi Singh, Arthur H. Owora, Hunter Wessells, Aruna V. Sarma

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Objective: To determine the burden and identify correlates of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) among women with prediabetes (PreD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) enrolled in the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) Outcomes Study (DPPOS). Methods: The DPPOS visit included the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) to determine sexual function. Of 1464 participants, 1320 (90%) completed the (FSFI) and 426 were sexually active. A backward selection multivariable logistic regression model estimated the odds of FSD for sociodemographic, clinical, and diabetes-related covariates. Results: One hundred and eighty-five (43%) had a score of ≤26.55 and met the criteria for FSD. After adjustment for DPP …

Evaluation Of Organic And Synthetic Herbicide Applications On Weed Suppression In A Conventional Cropping System In Louisiana, Caitlin Denux, Aixin Hou, Lisa Fultz

Faculty Publications

Synthetic herbicides, with their varying modes of action, are well known for their efficiency in the suppression and control of weed species in U.S. agriculture. However, the consequences of using synthetic herbicides without attention to the surrounding environment produce chemical run-off, changes in soil health and soil health conditions, and create herbicide-resistant weeds. These outcomes have encouraged growers to seek alternative methods for their weed management programs or farming operations. Organic production systems and organic pesticides have helped address these challenges related to sustainability and environmental health. However, the use of organic herbicides in a conventional cropping system is not …

Stimulation Of Small Phytoplankton Drives Enhanced Sinking Particle Formation In A Subtropical Ocean Eddy, Haoran Liu, Thomas J. Browning, Edward A. Laws, Yibin Huang, Lei Wang, Yiwei Shang, Xiaogang Xing, Kuanbo Zhou, Zong Pei Jiang, Xin Liu, Bangqin Huang, Minhan Dai

Faculty Publications

Nutrient transfer into the sunlit surface ocean by cyclonic eddies is potentially crucial for sustaining primary productivity in the stratified subtropical gyres. However, the nature of productivity enhancements, including the flow of matter to higher trophic levels and its impact on carbon fluxes, remain poorly resolved. Here, we report a detailed assessment of the biogeochemical response to a cyclonic eddy in the subtropical Northwest Pacific via a combination of ship-based and autonomous platforms. Primary production was enhanced twofold within the eddy core relative to reference sites outside, whereas phytoplankton biomass even decreased. Pico-phytoplankton (< 2 μm) dominated (> 80%) both phytoplankton biomass and primary …

The Association Between Diet Quality And Glycemic Outcomes Among People With Type 1 Diabetes, Melanie B. Gillingham, Martin Chase Marak, Michael C. Riddell, Peter Calhoun, Robin L. Gal, Susana R. Patton, Peter G. Jacobs, Jessica R. Castle, Mark A. Clements, Francis J. Doyle, Michael R. Rickels, Corby K. Martin

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Background: The amount and type of food consumed impacts the glycemic response and insulin needs of people with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Daily variability in consumption, reflected in diet quality, may acutely impact glycemic levels and insulin needs. Objective: Type 1 Diabetes Exercise Initiative (T1DEXI) data were examined to evaluate the impact of daily diet quality on near-term glycemic control and interaction with exercise. Methods: Using the Remote Food Photography Method, ≤8 d of dietary intake data were analyzed per participant. Diet quality was quantified with the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI), where a score of 100 indicates the highest-quality …

Cyber Attacks Against Industrial Control Systems, Adam Kardorff

LSU Master's Theses

Industrial Control Systems (ICS) are the foundation of our critical infrastructure, and allow for the manufacturing of the products we need. These systems monitor and control power plants, water treatment plants, manufacturing plants, and much more. The security of these systems is crucial to our everyday lives and to the safety of those working with ICS. In this thesis we examined how an attacker can take control of these systems using a power plant simulator in the Applied Cybersecurity Lab at LSU. Running experiments on a live environment can be costly and dangerous, so using a simulated environment is the …

Clare Of Assisi As A Maternal Figure For Franciscan Women, Colette Campbell

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Quantitative Comparison Of Tddft-Calculated High Harmonic Generation Yields In Ringshaped Organic Molecules, Stephanie Armond

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Bistro Mélange Business Plan, Cade Acosta

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Politics Of Non-State Provisioning In The Middle East And North Africa, E Celeste Cavell

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Analysis And Improvement Of Efficient Charge Recovery Logic Adiabatic Circuits, William Morell

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Power consumption has been an ever-present concern since the dawn of electronic computing. Every operation that a device performs consumes some amount of energy and as the demand for computation increases, both in scale and ubiquity, reducing this energy loss becomes more important. While modern devices are orders of magnitude more efficient than their ancestors on a per-operation basis, they are increasingly used in more resource constrained applications. Tiny, Internet of Things (IoT) machines are prevalent these days and demanded to perform data collection and analysis at all hours of the day for days at a time on small battery. …

Interactive Effects Of Co2, Temperature, And Nitrate Limitation On The Growth And Physiology Of Marine Cyanobacterium Synechococcus Sp. Ccmp 1334, Alyssa K. Sharbaugh

LSU Master's Theses

The marine cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. CCMP 1334 was grown in a continuous culture system on a 12:12 h light:dark cycle at all combinations of low and high pCO2 (400 and 1000 ppmv, respectively), nitrate availability (nitrate-limited and nutrient-replete conditions), and temperatures of 21°C, 24°C, 28°C, 32°C, and 35°C. The maximum median nutrient-replete growth rate was ~1.15 d−1 at 32 –35°C. Median growth rates at 1000 ppmv pCO2 were higher than those at 400 ppmv at all temperatures, but most of the differences were statistically insignificant. Carbon:nitrogen ratios were independent of pCO2 at a fixed relative growth rate but decreased with …

Supply And Distribution Of Flow And Sediment In River And Delta System, Kazi M. Sadid

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

River deltas are valuable ecosystems that have been essential in supporting human populations and the economy across the world for centuries. However, climate change and human activities have caused significant land loss in delta areas. A prime example of a region that has suffered severe land loss is Louisiana in the United States. Coastal restoration is therefore essential for the livelihoods of its residents. To address this issue, the Lower Mississippi River (LMR) channel bar has been regularly dredged to rebuild degraded marsh areas. Additionally, sediment diversions off LMR have been designed to build marsh areas sustainably. This dissertation investigates …

Gut Microbiota And Blood Metabolites Related To Fiber Intake And Type 2 Diabetes, Zheng Wang, Brandilyn A. Peters, Bing Yu, Megan L. Grove, Tao Wang, Xiaonan Xue, Bharat Thyagarajan, Martha L. Daviglus, Eric Boerwinkle, Gang Hu, Yasmin Mossavar-Rahmani, Carmen R. Isasi, Rob Knight, Robert D. Burk, Robert C. Kaplan, Qibin Qi

Population and Public Health Science Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Consistent evidence suggests diabetes-protective effects of dietary fiber intake. However, the underlying mechanisms, particularly the role of gut microbiota and host circulating metabolites, are not fully understood. We aimed to investigate gut microbiota and circulating metabolites associated with dietary fiber intake and their relationships with type 2 diabetes (T2D). METHODS: This study included up to 11 394 participants from the HCHS/SOL (Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos). Diet was assessed with two 24-hour dietary recalls at baseline. We examined associations of dietary fiber intake with gut microbiome measured by shotgun metagenomics (350 species/85 genera and 1958 enzymes; n=2992 at …

The Power Of Social Capital: A Case Study Of The Louisiana State University Agcenter’S Agricultural Leadership Development Program, Andrew Schade

LSU Master's Theses

The Louisiana State University Agricultural Center’s Agricultural Leadership Development Program (LSU AgCenter ALDP) is a two-year nonformal education program for participants connected to various aspects of the agricultural and natural resources sectors. The purpose of the study was to describe the perspectives of graduates of the LSU AgCenter ALDP since 2005 regarding their self-reported outcomes after completing the program. The study used a qualitative, instrumental case study design, based on 12 semi-structured interviews, observation, and document analysis. The study employed adult learning theory and social capital theory as the theoretical frameworks to understand the impact of the program on participants. …

Role Of Electronegativity In Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals (Epfrs) Formation On Zno, Syed Monjur Ahmed, Reuben A. Oumnov, Orhan Kizilkaya, Randall W. Hall, Phillip T. Sprunger, Robert L. Cook

Faculty Publications

Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs), a group of emerging pollutants, have significantly longer lifetimes than typical free radicals. EPFRs form by the adsorption of organic precursors on a transition metal oxide (TMO) surface involving electron charge transfer between the organic and TMO. In this paper, dihalogenated benzenes were incorporated to study the role of electronegativity in the electron transfer process to obtain a fundamental knowledge of EPFR formation mechanism on ZnO. Upon chemisorption on ZnO nanoparticles at 250 °C, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) confirms the formation of oxygen adjacent carbon-centered organic free radicals with concentrations between 10¹⁶ and 10 …

17O-Excess In Tropical Cyclones Reflects Local Rain Re-Evaporation More Than Moisture Source Conditions, Chijun Sun, Timothy Shanahan, Shaoneng He, Adriana Bailey, Jesse Nusbaumer, Jun Hu, Aubrey Hillman, Erika Ornouski, Jacob Warner, Kristine Delong

Faculty Publications

17O-excess is a relatively new water isotope parameter that could potentially provide useful information about the hydrological cycle. Previous works focusing on 17O-excess in polar regions suggest that it primarily tracks moisture source relative humidity, but little is known about how to interpret 17O-excess data in lower latitudes. Here we present quasi-hourly triple oxygen isotope data of precipitation collected from two tropical cyclones in Texas and Louisiana in 2020 to understand the impacts of environmental and meteorological processes on the 17O-excess of low-to mid-latitude precipitation. We find that at both hourly timescales and the event scale, 17O-excess is strongly correlated …

Coming To America: Exploring The Cross-Cultural Adaptation Of African International Students At A Pwi And Hbcu In The U.S. South, Adwoa F. Baffour

LSU Master's Theses

African international students undergo significant challenges in their cross-cultural adaption in the United States. The cross-cultural adaptation of international students, particularly those from African countries, in a new environment assumes paramount importance due to its direct correlation with their mental and social well-being (Shafaei and Razak, 2016). Furthermore, the mental and social well-being of African international students attending universities in the southern United States has a profound impact on their overall success and overall college experience. This underscores the urgent need for future research to delve deeper into the cross-cultural adaptation experiences of African international students at United States universities, …

Sensor Analytics For Subsea Pipeline And Cable Inspection: A Review, Connor R. Vincent

LSU Master's Theses

Submarine pipelines and cables are vital for transmitting physical and digital resources across bodies of water, necessitating regular inspection to assess maintenance needs. The safety of subsea pipelines and cables is paramount for sustaining industries such as telecommunications, power transmission, water supply, waste management, and oil and gas. Incidents like those involving the Nord Stream subsea pipeline and the SEA-ME-WE 4 subsea communications cable exemplify the severe economic and environmental consequences of damage to these critical infrastructures. Existing inspection methods often fail to meet accuracy requirements, emphasizing the need for advancements in inspection technologies. This comprehensive survey covers the sensors …

An Analysis And Ontology Of Teaching Methods In Cybersecurity Education, Sarah Buckley

LSU Master's Theses

The growing cybersecurity workforce gap underscores the urgent need to address deficiencies in cybersecurity education: the current education system is not producing competent cybersecurity professionals, and current efforts are not informing the non-technical general public of basic cybersecurity practices. We argue that this gap is compounded by a fundamental disconnect between cybersecurity education literature and established education theory. Our research addresses this issue by examining the alignment of cybersecurity education literature concerning educational methods and tools with education literature.

In our research, we endeavor to bridge this gap by critically analyzing the alignment of cybersecurity education literature with education theory. …

59th Student Senate Week 8 Meeting Minutes, Zoe Joubert

Student Senate Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Prescribed Fire Effects On Microbial Communities And Functions In Managed Ecosystems, Viet Dao

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Microbes (both fungi and bacteria) serve important ecosystem functional roles in nutrient cycling and decomposition, which affect ecosystem response following disturbances such as prescribed fire. A multitude of abiotic and biotic factors influence microbial community compositions, which then drive microbial ecosystem functions. The factors driving microbial communities further change due to fire disturbances and progression with time. Although prescribed fire is commonly used as a technique for ecosystem management, the effects of fire on microbial communities or their functions are simply understudied. Ecosystem management decisions tend to focus on plant and ecosystem post-fire responses. Thus, incorporation of fire effects on …

Problem-Solving In The Preparation Of Teachers For Agricultural Education: A Mixed Methods Study Investigating The Effect Of Metacognitive Awareness And Cognitive Ability On Students Enrolled In An Introductory Agricultural Mechanics Course, Whitney Figland

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Cognitive and metacognitive ability have been identified as a critical factor that influences individuals to successfully problem-solve. However, recent research has indicated that students do not have the necessary 21st-century skills to be successful in the workplace. This issue has been confounded by the lack of school-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers’ limited knowledge regarding effectively teaching decision-making skills and the use of teaching methods that promote problem-solving. Therefore, this study sought to understand the effect that cognitive and metacognitive ability had on the problem-solving of students who are enrolled in an Introduction to Agricultural Mechanics course at Louisiana State University. …

Aggressive Behaviors Related To Delirium In Hospitalized Older Adults: A Systematic Review, Julia D. Trahan

LSU Master's Theses

This is a systematic review of the aggressive behaviors related to delirium in hospitalized older adults. The objective of this study was to review relevant literature regarding the moderation of delirious related aggressive behaviors within a hospital setting and examining the extent of interventions being conducted with aggression being a main factor. The eligibility factors for studies to be included were as follows: diagnosis of delirium, aggressive behaviors or agitation present, study occurring within a hospital setting, the goal of preventing aggressive behaviors, and participants must be over the age of 65. Academic Search Complete, PsychINFO, MEDLINE, SocINDEX, CINHAL Complete …

The Impacts Of Nature-Based Sediment Restoration Practices On Coastal Wetland Soil Biogeochemistry, Jacob Z. Cheng

LSU Master's Theses

Coastal marshes provide many valuable ecosystem services. However, these wetlands are threatened worldwide, being subject to sea level rise, sediment starvation, subsidence, coastal edge erosion, etc. Many efforts are being made to counteract this wetland loss and preserve the ecosystem services. Two such methods are sediment diversion and the thin layer placement (TLP) of dredged sediment.

Sediment diversion involves reconnecting the main channel of a river body to disconnected wetlands, supplying much needed soil-building materials. However, this method affects the salinity of the waters, introducing large amounts of freshwater into the system. Salinity changes can affect marsh biogeochemistry. Most ecological …

Selective Vapor Condensation For The Synthesis And Assembly Of Spherical Colloids With A Precise Rough Patch, Kennedy A. Guillot, Philip J. Brahana, Ahmed Al Harraq, Nduka D. Ogbonna, Nicholas S. Lombardo, Jimmy Lawrence, Yaxin An, Michael G. Benton, Bhuvnesh Bharti

Faculty Publications

Patchy particles occupy an increasingly important space in soft matter research due to their ability to assemble into intricate phases and states. Being able to fine-tune the interactions among these particles is essential to understanding the principles governing the self-assembly processes. However, current fabrication techniques often yield patches that deviate chemically and physically from the native particles, impeding the identification of the driving forces behind self-assembly. To overcome this challenge, we propose a new approach to synthesizing spherical colloids with a well-defined rough patch on their surface. By treating polystyrene microspheres with vapors of a good solvent, here an acetone-water …

Language Beliefs And Practices Of Caregivers In The Deep South, Maria Maldonado

LSU Master's Theses

The 30 million word gap refers to the disparity in early language exposure between low socioeconomic status (SES) children and their higher SES peers; a gap that is thought to negatively impact children’s language development and future academic success. Although many early intervention approaches have proven effective in promoting language development among low SES children, they often fall short in terms of cultural responsiveness, which in turn affects caregiver buy-in. Culturally and linguistically diverse children disproportionately live in poverty, as such there is a need for research to inform more responsive interventions that take a strengths- based approach and build …

The Homotopy Cardinality Of The Representation Category, Justin Murray

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Given a Legendrian knot in (R^3, ker(dz − ydx)) one can assign a combinatorial invariants called ruling polynomials. These invariants have been shown to recover not only a (normalized) count of augmentations but are also closely related to a categorical count of augmentations in the form of the homotopy cardinality of the augmentation category. In this article, we prove that that the homotopy cardinality of the n-dimensional represen- tation category is a multiple of the n-colored ruling polynomial. Along the way, we establish that two n-dimensional representations are equivalent in the representation category if they are “conjugate homotopic”. We also …