Digital Commons Network^™

Droid: Dose-Ranging Approach To Optimizing Dose In Oncology Drug Development, Beibei Guo, Ying Yuan

Faculty Publications

In the era of targeted therapy, there has been increasing concern about the development of oncology drugs based on the “more is better” paradigm, developed decades ago for chemotherapy. Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) initiated Project Optimus to reform the dose optimization and dose selection paradigm in oncology drug development. To accommodate this paradigm shifting, we propose a dose-ranging approach to optimizing dose (DROID) for oncology trials with targeted drugs. DROID leverages the well-established dose-ranging study framework, which has been routinely used to develop non-oncology drugs for decades, and bridges it with established oncology dose-finding designs to …

Taxonomic Profiling Of Nasutitermes Takasagoensis Microbiota To Investigate The Role Of Termites As Vectors Of Bacteria Linked To Ironwood Tree Decline In Guam, Garima Setia, Junyan Chen, Robert Schlub, Claudia Husseneder

Faculty Publications

The ironwood tree (Casuarina equisetifolia, family Casuarinaceae), an indigenous agroforestry species in Guam, has been threatened by ironwood tree decline (IWTD) since 2002. Formation of bacterial ooze by the wilt pathogen from the Ralstonia solanacearum species complex and wetwood bacteria (primarily Klebsiella species) has been linked to IWTD. In addition, termite infestation of trees was statistically associated with IWTD. Termites are known carriers of a diverse microbiome. Therefore, we hypothesized that termites could be vectors of bacteria linked to IWTD. To investigate the potential role of termites as pathogen vectors, we employed next-generation 16S rRNA gene sequencing to describe the …

Modeling Of Cryopreservation Pathway Operation At An Aquatic Biomedical Stock Center For Zebrafish, Sarah Bodenstein, Fidan Abdullayeva, Joy M. Murphy, Zoltan M. Varga, Terrence R. Tiersch

Faculty Publications

Aquatic biomedical model organisms play a substantial role in advancing our understanding of human health, however, comparably little work has been directed towards developing dependable, high-throughput storage programs for valuable genetic resources. The Zebrafish International Resource Center (ZIRC) has developed a standardized cryopreservation pathway and stored thousands of genetic lines in their repository for use by the biomedical research community. This has yet to be replicated in other facilities, and an overall repository-level pathway has never been analyzed for aquatic species. To encourage repository development for other biomedical models and to improve the ZIRC storage process and system, this study …

Protocol To Evaluate The Effectiveness And Cost-Effectiveness Of An Environmental Nutrition And Physical Activity Intervention In Nurseries (Nutrition And Physical Activity Self Assessment For Child Care - Nap Sacc Uk): A Multicentre Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial, Ruth Kipping, Miranda Pallan, Kim Hannam, Kate Willis, Alex Dobell, Chris Metcalfe, Russell Jago, Laura Johnson, Rebecca Langford, Corby K. Martin, William Hollingworth, Madeleine Cochrane, James White, Pete Blair, Zoi Toumpakari, Jodi Taylor, Dianne Ward, Laurence Moore, Tom Reid, Megan Pardoe, Liping Wen, Marie Murphy, Anne Martin, Stephanie Chambers, Sharon Anne Simpson

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Background: One in seven UK children have obesity when starting school, with higher prevalence associated with deprivation. Most pre-school children do not meet UK recommendations for physical activity and nutrition. Formal childcare settings provide opportunities to deliver interventions to improve nutritional quality and physical activity to the majority of 3–4-year-olds. The nutrition and physical activity self-assessment for childcare (NAP SACC) intervention has demonstrated effectiveness in the USA with high acceptability in the UK. The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the NAP SACC UK intervention to increase physical activity, reduce sedentary time and improve nutritional intake. Methods: …

Acute Exercise Increases Nk Cell Mitochondrial Respiration And Cytotoxicity Against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells Under Hypoxic Conditions, Eunhan Cho, James Stampley, Rachel Wall, Rachel Matthews, Elizabeth Zunica, Justin C. Brown, Neil M. Johannsen, Brian A. Irving, Guillaume Spielmann

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Purpose Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive, highly metastatic malignancy with high recurrence rates. Hypoxia is a hallmark of the TNBC tumor microenvironment, which promotes tumor growth while impairing natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxic functions. Although acute exercise improves NK cell function under normoxic conditions, the effect of exercise on NK cell cytotoxic functions under hypoxic conditions mimicking O2 tensions observed in solid tumors is unknown. Methods The cytotoxic functions of resting and postexercise NK cells isolated from thirteen young inactive healthy women were assessed against breast cancer cells expressing different levels of hormone receptors (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) under …

Weight-Independent Effects Of Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery On Remission Of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease In Mice, Christopher L. Axelrod, Ingeborg Langohr, Wagner S. Dantas, Elizabeth C. Heintz, Bolormaa Vandanmagsar, Shengping Yang, Elizabeth R.M. Zunica, R. Leigh Townsend, Vance L. Albaugh, Hans Rudolf Berthoud, John P. Kirwan

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Objective: Obesity is a driver of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and interventions that decrease body weight, such as bariatric surgery and/or calorie restriction (CR), may serve as effective therapies. This study compared the effects of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGB) and CR on hepatic function in mice with obesity and NAFLD. Methods: C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat diet to promote obesity. At 16 weeks of age, mice were randomized to sham surgery (sham), RYGB, or CR weight matched to RYGB (WM). Body weight/composition, food intake, and energy expenditure (EE) were measured throughout treatment. Liver histopathology was evaluated from …

Genotype-Stratified Treatment For Monogenic Insulin Resistance: A Systematic Review, Robert K. Semple, Kashyap A. Patel, Sungyoung Auh, Paul W. Franks, Stephen S. Rich, Robert Wagner, Tina Vilsbøll, Kimberly K. Vesco, Miriam S. Udler, Tiinamaija Tuomi, Arianne Sweeting, Emily K. Sims, Jennifer L. Sherr, Rebecca M. Reynolds, Maria J. Redondo, Leanne M. Redman, Richard E. Pratley, Rodica Pop-Busui, Toni I. Pollin, Wei Perng, Ewan R. Pearson, Susan E. Ozanne, Katharine R. Owen, Richard Oram, Rinki Murphy, Viswanathan Mohan, Shivani Misra, James B. Meigs, Nestoras Mathioudakis, Chantal Mathieu, Ronald C.W. Ma, Ruth J.F. Loos, Siew S. Lim, Lori M. Laffel

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Background: Monogenic insulin resistance (IR) includes lipodystrophy and disorders of insulin signalling. We sought to assess the effects of interventions in monogenic IR, stratified by genetic aetiology. Methods: Systematic review using PubMed, MEDLINE and Embase (1 January 1987 to 23 June 2021). Studies reporting individual-level effects of pharmacologic and/or surgical interventions in monogenic IR were eligible. Individual data were extracted and duplicates were removed. Outcomes were analysed for each gene and intervention, and in aggregate for partial, generalised and all lipodystrophy. Results: 10 non-randomised experimental studies, 8 case series, and 23 case reports meet inclusion criteria, all rated as having …

Impact Of Individual And Environmental Factors On Dietary Or Lifestyle Interventions To Prevent Type 2 Diabetes Development: A Systematic Review, Dhanasekaran Bodhini, Robert W. Morton, Vanessa Santhakumar, Mariam Nakabuye, Hugo Pomares-Millan, Hugo Pomares-Millan, Christoffer Clemmensen, Stephanie L. Fitzpatrick, Marta Guasch-Ferre, James S. Pankow, Mathias Ried-Larsen, Paul W. Franks, Stephen S. Rich, Robert Wagner, Tina Vilsbøll, Kimberly K. Vesco, Miriam S. Udler, Tiinamaija Tuomi, Arianne Sweeting, Emily K. Sims, Jennifer L. Sherr, Robert K. Semple, Rebecca M. Reynolds, Maria J. Redondo, Leanne M. Redman, Richard E. Pratley, Rodica Pop-Busui, Toni I. Pollin, Wei Perng, Ewan R. Pearson, Susan E. Ozanne, Katharine R. Owen, Richard Oram, Rinki Murphy

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Background: The variability in the effectiveness of type 2 diabetes (T2D) preventive interventions highlights the potential to identify the factors that determine treatment responses and those that would benefit the most from a given intervention. We conducted a systematic review to synthesize the evidence to support whether sociodemographic, clinical, behavioral, and molecular factors modify the efficacy of dietary or lifestyle interventions to prevent T2D. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases for studies reporting on the effect of a lifestyle, dietary pattern, or dietary supplement interventions on the incidence of T2D and reporting the results stratified by any effect …

The Use Of Precision Diagnostics For Monogenic Diabetes: A Systematic Review And Expert Opinion, Rinki Murphy, Rinki Murphy, Kevin Colclough, Toni I. Pollin, Jennifer M. Ikle, Pernille Svalastoga, Kristin A. Maloney, Kristin A. Maloney, Cécile Saint-Martin, Janne Molnes, Paul W. Franks, Stephen S. Rich, Robert Wagner, Tina Vilsbøll, Kimberly K. Vesco, Miriam S. Udler, Tiinamaija Tuomi, Arianne Sweeting, Emily K. Sims, Jennifer L. Sherr, Robert K. Semple, Rebecca M. Reynolds, Maria J. Redondo, Leanne M. Redman, Richard E. Pratley, Rodica Pop-Busui, Wei Perng, Ewan R. Pearson, Susan E. Ozanne, Katharine R. Owen, Richard Oram, Viswanathan Mohan, Shivani Misra, James B. Meigs

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Background: Monogenic diabetes presents opportunities for precision medicine but is underdiagnosed. This review systematically assessed the evidence for (1) clinical criteria and (2) methods for genetic testing for monogenic diabetes, summarized resources for (3) considering a gene or (4) variant as causal for monogenic diabetes, provided expert recommendations for (5) reporting of results; and reviewed (6) next steps after monogenic diabetes diagnosis and (7) challenges in precision medicine field. Methods: Pubmed and Embase databases were searched (1990-2022) using inclusion/exclusion criteria for studies that sequenced one or more monogenic diabetes genes in at least 100 probands (Question 1), evaluated a non-obsolete …

Disease-Modifying Therapies And Features Linked To Treatment Response In Type 1 Diabetes Prevention: A Systematic Review, Jamie L. Felton, Kurt J. Griffin, Kurt J. Griffin, Richard A. Oram, Richard A. Oram, Cate Speake, S. Alice Long, Suna Onengut-Gumuscu, Stephen S. Rich, Stephen S. Rich, Gabriela S.F. Monaco, Carmella Evans-Molina, Linda A. Dimeglio, Heba M. Ismail, Andrea K. Steck, Dana Dabelea, Randi K. Johnson, Marzhan Urazbayeva, Stephen Gitelman, John M. Wentworth, Maria J. Redondo, Emily K. Sims, Emily K. Sims, Paul W. Franks, Robert Wagner, Tina Vilsbøll, Kimberly K. Vesco, Miriam S. Udler, Tiinamaija Tuomi, Arianne Sweeting, Jennifer L. Sherr, Robert K. Semple, Rebecca M. Reynolds, Leanne M. Redman

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Background: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) results from immune-mediated destruction of insulin-producing beta cells. Prevention efforts have focused on immune modulation and supporting beta cell health before or around diagnosis; however, heterogeneity in disease progression and therapy response has limited translation to clinical practice, highlighting the need for precision medicine approaches to T1D disease modification. Methods: To understand the state of knowledge in this area, we performed a systematic review of randomized-controlled trials with ≥50 participants cataloged in PubMed or Embase from the past 25 years testing T1D disease-modifying therapies and/or identifying features linked to treatment response, analyzing bias using a …

Author Correction: Predicting Alzheimer’S Disease Progression Using Multi-Modal Deep Learning Approach (Scientific Reports, (2019), 9, 1, (1952), 10.1038/S41598-018-37769-Z), Garam Lee, Kwangsik Nho, Byungkon Kang, Kyung Ah Sohn, Dokyoon Kim, Michael W. Weiner, Paul Aisen, Ronald Petersen, Clifford R. Jack, William Jagust, John Q. Trojanowki, Arthur W. Toga, Laurel Beckett, Robert C. Green, Andrew J. Saykin, John Morris, Leslie M. Shaw, Zaven Khachaturian, Greg Sorensen, Maria Carrillo, Lew Kuller, Marc Raichle, Steven Paul, Peter Davies, Howard Fillit, Franz Hefti, Davie Holtzman, M. Marcel Mesulam, William Potter, Peter Snyder, Tom Montine, Ronald G. Thomas, Michael Donohue, Sarah Walter

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Correction to: Scientific Reports, published online 13 February 2019 This Article contains errors. A Supplementary Information file was omitted from the original version of this Article. The Supplementary Information file is now linked to this correction notice.

Increased Lipogenesis Is Important For Hexavalent Chromium-Transformed Lung Cells And Xenograft Tumor Growth, James T.F. Wise, Kazuya Kondo

Faculty Publications

Hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), is a known carcinogen and environmental health concern. It has been established that reactive oxygen species, genomic instability, and DNA damage repair deficiency are important contributors to the Cr(VI)-induced carcinogenesis mechanism. However, some hallmarks of cancer remain under-researched regarding the mechanism behind Cr(VI)-induced carcinogenesis. Increased lipogenesis is important to carcinogenesis and tumorigenesis in multiple types of cancers, yet the role increased lipogenesis has in Cr(VI) carcinogenesis is unclear. We report here that Cr(VI)-induced transformation of three human lung cell lines (BEAS-2B, BEP2D, and WTHBF-6) resulted in increased lipogenesis (palmitic acid levels), and Cr(VI)-transformed cells had an increased …

Deep Learning For Enhanced Free-Space Optical Communications, M. P. Bart, N. J. Savino, P. Regmi, L. Cohen, H. Safavi, H. C. Shaw, S. Lohani, T. A. Searles, B. T. Kirby, H. Lee, R. T. Glasser

Faculty Publications

Atmospheric effects, such as turbulence and background thermal noise, inhibit the propagation of light used in ON-OFF keying (OOK) free-space optical (FSO) communication. Here we present and experimentally validate a convolutional neural network (CNN) to reduce the bit error rate of FSO communication in post-processing that is significantly simpler and cheaper than existing solutions based on advanced optics. Our approach consists of two neural networks, the first determining the presence of bit sequences in thermal noise and turbulence and the second demodulating the bit sequences. All data used for training and testing our network is obtained experimentally by generating OOK …

Author Correction: Multiphoton Quantum Van Cittert-Zernike Theorem (Npj Quantum Information, (2023), 9, 1, (50), 10.1038/S41534-023-00720-W), Chenglong You, Ashe Miller, Roberto De J. León-Montiel, Omar S. Magaña-Loaiza

Faculty Publications

Correction to: npj Quantum Information, published online 26 May 2023 In the abstract for this article, the sentence “This fundamental theorem demonstrates that the quantum statistical fluctuations, which define the nature of diverse light sources, can be modified upon propagation in the absence of light-matter interactions” was inadvertently truncated after the text ‘quantum statistical fluctuations; the following text was missing ‘which define the nature of diverse light sources’. The original article has been corrected.

Multiphoton Quantum Van Cittert-Zernike Theorem, Chenglong You, Ashe Miller, Roberto De J. León-Montiel, Omar S. Magaña-Loaiza

Faculty Publications

Recent progress on quantum state engineering has enabled the preparation of quantum photonic systems comprising multiple interacting particles. Interestingly, multiphoton quantum systems can host many complex forms of interference and scattering processes that are essential to perform operations that are intractable on classical systems. Unfortunately, the quantum coherence properties of multiphoton systems degrade upon propagation leading to undesired quantum-to-classical transitions. Furthermore, the manipulation of multiphoton quantum systems requires nonlinear interactions at the few-photon level. Here, we introduce the quantum van Cittert-Zernike theorem to describe the scattering and interference effects of propagating multiphoton systems. This fundamental theorem demonstrates that the quantum …

Thermally Initiated Cationic Frontal Polymerization Of Epoxies And Vinyl Ethers Through A Lone Onium Salt, Brecklyn R. Groce, Madison M. Ferguson, John A. Pojman

Faculty Publications

Frontal polymerization (FP) of epoxy monomers is typically achieved with a radical-induced cationic frontal polymerization (RICFP) process that combines a thermal radical initiator with an onium salt superacid generator. In this paper, we show that both thermal and UV-initiated cationic frontal polymerizations are possible for common epoxy and vinyl ether monomers with only an iodonium superacid generator in the absence of a standalone thermal radical initiator. Increasing superacid generator concentration resulted in an increase in front velocity, as did the addition of vinyl ether to epoxies. The front velocity is reduced by the addition of 4-methoxyphenol (MeHQ), indicating free-radicals play …

Dna Methylation Is Differentially Associated With Glycemic Outcomes By Different Types Of Weight-Loss Interventions: An Epigenome-Wide Association Study, Xiaoxiao Wen, Helena Palma-Gudiel, Guanhong Miao, Mingjing Chen, Zhiguang Huo, Hao Peng, Stephen Anton, Gang Hu, Ricky Brock, Phillip J. Brantley, Jinying Zhao

Population and Public Health Science Faculty Publications

Background: Alterations in DNA methylation (DNAm) have been reported to be a mechanism by which bariatric surgeries resulted in considerable metabolic improvements. Previous studies have mostly focused on change in DNAm following weight-loss interventions, yet whether DNAm prior to intervention can explain the variability in glycemic outcomes has not been investigated. Here, we aim to examine whether baseline DNAm is differentially associated with glycemic outcomes induced by different types of weight-loss interventions. Methods: Participants were 75 adults with severe obesity who underwent non-surgical intensive medical intervention (IMI), adjustable gastric band (BAND) or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) (n = 25 each). …

Mid-Miocene Sea Level Altitude Of The Qaidam Basin, Northern Tibetan Plateau, Yuanyuan Sun, Yu Liang, Hu Liu, Jun Liu, Junliang Ji, Xue Ke, Xiaobo Liu, Yuxin He, Huanye Wang, Bin Zhang, Yongsu Zhang, Guangsheng Zhuang, Junling Pei, Yongxiang Li, Cheng Quan, Jianxing Li, Jonathan C. Aitchison, Weiguo Liu, Zhonghui Liu

Faculty Publications

A detailed uplift history of the Tibetan Plateau is essential for disentangling the proposed geodynamical models and assessing its impacts on climate and biodiversity. However, when and how the plateau formed remains highly controversial. Here, we present unusual geochemical indicators of marine signatures in the Cenozoic terrestrial strata of the Qaidam Basin, northern Tibetan Plateau, with strong implications for the basin altitude. Our investigations across the basin reveal typical marine alkenones and anomalously high carbonate carbon isotopic values during the mid-Miocene, but not at earlier stages, which are accompanied by a divergent trend in the paired carbonate oxygen and leaf …

African Bovid Tribe Classification Using Transfer Learning And Computer Vision, Manuel Domínguez-Rodrigo, Juliet Brophy, Gregory J. Mathews, Marcos Pizarro-Monzo, Enrique Baquedano

Faculty Publications

Objective analytical identification methods are still a minority in the praxis of paleobiological sciences. Subjective interpretation of fossils and their modifications remains a nonreplicable expert endeavor. Identification of African bovids is a crucial element in the reconstruction of paleo-landscapes, ungulate paleoecology, and, eventually, hominin adaptation and ecosystemic reconstruction. Recent analytical efforts drawing on Fourier functional analysis and discrimination methods applied to occlusal surfaces of teeth have provided a highly accurate framework to correctly classify African bovid tribes and taxa. Artificial intelligence tools, like computer vision, have also shown their potential to be objectively more accurate in the identification of taphonomic …

Morphodynamic Modeling Of Fourleague Bay In Mississippi River Delta: Sediment Fluxes Across River-Estuary-Wetland Boundaries, Nan Wang, Qin Chen, Kelin Hu, Kehui Xu, Samuel J. Bentley, Jiaze Wang

Faculty Publications

To mitigate land losses in the Mississippi River Delta, sediment diversions are being employed to enable the flow of river water and sediments into wetlands experiencing degradation. A two-dimensional coupled flow-wave Delft3D model was used in this study to explore the hydrodynamics and sediment transport in Fourleague Bay (FLB), Louisiana, USA, which has been considered an analog site for studying the efficiency of sediment diversion projects. In-situ measurements of sediment accretion and hydrodynamic characteristics from 2015 to 2016 were utilized to calibrate and validate the morphodynamic model. The validated model was then applied to quantify sediment transport in FLB and …

Single-Cell Analysis In Hypersaline Brines Predicts A Water-Activity Limit Of Microbial Anabolic Activity, Emily R. Paris, Nestor Arandia-Gorostidi, Benjamin Klempay, Jeff S. Bowman, Alexandra Pontefract, Claire E. Elbon, Jennifer B. Glass, Ellery D. Ingall, Peter T. Doran, Sanjoy M. Som, Britney E. Schmidt, Anne E. Dekas

Faculty Publications

Hypersaline brines provide excellent opportunities to study extreme microbial life. Here, we investigated anabolic activity in nearly 6000 individual cells from solar saltern sites with water activities (aw) ranging from 0.982 to 0.409 (seawater to extreme brine). Average anabolic activity decreased exponentially with aw, with nuanced trends evident at the single-cell level: The proportion of active cells remained high (>50%) even after NaCl saturation, and subsets of cells spiked in activity as aw decreased. Intracommunity heterogeneity in activity increased as seawater transitioned to brine, suggesting increased phenotypic heterogeneity with increased physiological stress. No microbial activity was detected in the …

Breaking Boundaries In Wind Engineering: Lsu Wise Open-Jet Facility Revolutionizes Solar Panel And Building Design, Aly Mousaad Aly

Faculty Publications

Featured Application: The Louisiana State University (LSU) Windstorm Impact, Science, and Engineering (WISE) Open-Jet Testing facility is instrumental in enhancing structural resilience under windstorms. The facility represents a Mid-Scale Research Infrastructure to address grand challenges and the need for experimental capabilities in the mid-scale range. Its unique capabilities enable the comprehensive testing and evaluation of critical infrastructure components, encompassing low- and high-rise buildings, photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, wind turbines, bridges, vegetation (nature-based solutions), power transmission lines, and more. Through controlled wind conditions, researchers can gain invaluable insights into the behaviour and performance of these critical infrastructures. The facility is pivotal …

Early Effects Of The Emergency Rental Assistance Program: Evidence From A Natural Experiment, Logan Kern

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Do Contributing Files Provide Information About Oss Newcomers' Onboarding Barriers?, Felipe Fronchetti, David C. Shepherd, Igor Wiese, Christoph Treude, Marco Aurélio Gerosa, Igor Steinmacher

Faculty Publications

Effectively onboarding newcomers is essential for the success of open source projects. These projects often provide onboarding guidelines in their 'CONTRIBUTING' files (e.g., CONTRIBUTING.md on GitHub). These files explain, for example, how to find open tasks, implement solutions, and submit code for review. However, these files often do not follow a standard structure, can be too large, and miss barriers commonly found by newcomers. In this paper, we propose an automated approach to parse these CONTRIBUTING files and assess how they address onboarding barriers. We manually classified a sample of files according to a model of onboarding barriers from the …

Light-Driven And Nutrient-Driven Displacements Of Subsurface Chlorophyll Maximum Depth In Subtropical Gyres, Xiaogang Xing, Peng Xiu, Edward A. Laws, Guo Yang, Xin Liu, Fei Chai

Faculty Publications

The mechanism that determines the dynamics of subsurface chlorophyll maximum depth (zSCM) has long been debated. Although a coupling between zSCM and the top of nitracline (znit) has been widely observed in the open ocean, a co-location of zSCM and an isolume depth (ziso) has often been reported in oligotrophic waters. In this study, based on continuous observations of ten BGC-Argo floats, we found that the seasonal displacement of zSCM in all subtropical gyres was driven mainly by light, but zSCM displayed a nutrient-driven pattern occasionally when znit became shallower than ziso. We therefore proposed a “two-group competition framework”: zSCM …

Vegetation And Habitat Classification Of Created And Natural Brackish Marshes Via Unoccupied Aerial Systems And Potential Monitoring Applications, Seth T. Chapman

LSU Master's Theses

Louisiana’s coastal marshes are some of the most valuable natural, economic, and cultural state resources that however, have been severely deteriorating over the last century. Federal and state agencies have pooled billions of dollars into coastal restoration projects in Louisiana of which marsh creation is a primary focus. Traditional monitoring of created marshes involves in-situ vegetation sampling and aerial imagery from fixed-wing occupied aircraft, but these methods have limitations and/or can negatively impact sites. My thesis explores the use of Unoccupied Aerial Systems (UAS; i.e., drones) to classify vegetation and habitat in coastal marsh systems, compare habitat and vegetation cover …

Investing In Farmland And Farmland Derivatives, Damilola Stephen Adebayo

LSU Master's Theses

Investing in farmland has evolved from the traditional ownership of farmland for farming to alternatives such as direct farmland purchases for rental income, farmland real estate investment trusts (Farmland REITs), investing in farmland stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, and crowdfunding platforms. This study analyzes the dynamic relationship between physical farmland values, farmland derivative prices, and the S&P 500 using annual data from 1970 to 2021. Cointegration methods are used to analyze dynamics and the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) and Sharpe ratios to measure risk-return properties of farmland assets. It is found that real farmland values, derivatives prices, and the S&P …

Induction Heating Driven Heterogeneous Catalysis: Magnetically Induced Nanoparticle Catalysts, Cameron Lee Roman

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Heterogeneous catalysis has been and continues to be highly studied due to being one of the cornerstones of the chemical industry. With an increasing demand for chemicals and rising costs, there is a growing need to adapt to changing feed stocks and increase production efficiency. Polymers, oxygenates, and other chemical intermediates are predicted to experience continued growth, corresponding to an increased need for olefines. Due to the abundance of shale gas, researchers and producers are interested in meeting this demand via the dehydrogenation of light alkanes.

While dehydrogenation catalysts are a valuable tool in olefin production, selectivity and deactivation remain …

Understanding And Modeling Drivers’ En-Route Diversion Behavior During Congestion, Mohammad Shapouri

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In the field of transportation, traffic assignment models primarily have been used to forecast driver route preferences, translating their choices into traffic flow patterns across networks. These models are grounded in distinct behavioral theories and strive to explain how drivers navigate routes based on network features and personal tendencies. Using an aggregation approach, conventional traffic assignment models distribute demand among paths, considering utility and attractiveness. Despite their prevalent use in transportation planning and operations, the fundamental behavioral assumptions of these models have rarely been thoroughly explored. This gap is further compounded by their limited consideration of real-time adjustments and choices …

Evaluating Hpx And Kokkos On Risc-V Using An Astrophysics Application Octo-Tiger, Patrick Diehl, Gregor Daiss, Steven Brandt, Alireza Kheirkhahan, Hartmut Kaiser, Christopher Taylor, John Leidel

Faculty Publications

In recent years, computers based on the RISC-V architecture have raised broad interest in the high-performance computing (HPC) community. As the RISC-V community develops the core instruction set architecture (ISA) along with ISA extensions, the HPC community has been actively ensuring HPC applications and environments [10, 29] are supported. In this context, assessing the performance of asynchronous many-task runtime systems (AMT) is essential. In this paper, we describe our experience with porting of a full 3D adaptive mesh-refinement, multi-scale, multi-model, and multi-physics application, Octo-Tiger, that is based on the HPX AMT, and we explore its performance characteristics on different RISC-V …