Digital Commons Network^™

From Exit To Apathy: Migration, Remittances, And The Erosion Of Political Participation, Sanjida Mehrin

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis offers new perspectives on migration and political behavior in Latin America by analyzing how remittances affect political engagement and how economic perceptions influence migration intentions. While classic models focus on structural economic conditions, this study emphasizes the independent significance of subjective economic judgments as well as the different political implications of remittances across national contexts. The first chapter challenges traditional models that mainly link migration with objective economic indicators by examining how migration intentions are influenced by retrospective economic views. Using individual-level data from the 2018 LAPOP survey across 19 Latin American countries, the analysis employs country fixed …

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

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

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

The Recusant's Dream, Isabella Temperville

LSU Master's Theses

The Recusant’s Dream is a collection of works that portray the overarching lore of an original narrative by Isabella Temperville. Inspired by Biblical narratives, The Recusant’s Dream tells the story of Lucifer’s rebellion against an order of power-hungry archangels and the consequences that follow in the form of an all-consuming curse. The curse is both a marker and a death sentence, as those who bear it are called “demons” and are fated to eventually succumb to it. Lucifer was the first to fall victim to the consumption and his death sparked an infernal war amongst the cursed and the order …

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

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

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

Understanding The Experiences Of Biology Teachers During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amber R. Collins

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic has caused the world to focus on the transition of learning environments that are more digital and virtual than any other time in educational history. Schools all over the world were required to adjust not only the mode of instruction, such as in virtual, hybrid, or in-person, but also create guidelines and procedures that reduce the amount of interaction between the teacher and the student (Garbe, Ogurlu, Uzeyir, & Cook, 2020). The research questions that guided this study were: 1) What are the experiences of five Biology teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic in transitioning to …

The Role Of Mental Health Literacy And Social Media In Shaping University Students’ Intentions To Use Telehealth Services: A Theory Of Planned Behavior Approach In A Post-Pandemic Society, Jena R. Anderson

LSU Master's Theses

This study examined the relationships between mental health literacy and social media use as an informational resource in college students and their intentions to use teletherapy. Using the theory of planned behavior as the framework, this research explores how attitudes towards teletherapy, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control influence students' willingness to seek out mental health services such as teletherapy. Findings revealed that mental health literacy is a strong predictor of students' attitudes and perceived behavioral control, reinforcing prior research that links literacy to better health management among patients. Social media was also a strong predictor of subjective norms, highlighting …

Quantitative Risk Analysis For Elections, George A. Buras

LSU Master's Theses

This paper examines risk analysis and risk management in the field of election security. The purpose of this paper is not to enumerate risks to election security or explain how they might be mitigated, but rather to understand and improve how we measure and communicate those risks.

First, I contextualize election security risks by establishing what it means for an election to be secure and I give an overview of the types of events that might threaten election security. Then, I explore different methods that we can use to model electoral risks. Existing resources for managing electoral risks use qualitative …

The Effects Of Disclosure Of Genai Use In The Production Of Advertising In High And Low Involvement Settings, Shawn Griffin

LSU Master's Theses

This study explores the effects of GenAI disclosure on advertising effectiveness and how these influences interact with consumers’ involvement in advertised products using a 2×2 experimental design with 83 participants, manipulating AI disclosure (disclosed vs. not disclosed) and involvement level (high vs. low). Findings indicate that disclosure negatively impacts brand attitude but has no significant effect on ad attitude, purchase intention, or sharing intention. An interaction effect was also found that in high-involvement conditions, disclosure increased the intention to share the ad. These results, framed through the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) and Persuasion Knowledge Model (PKM), offer insights into the …

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

LSU Master's Theses

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

Stochastic Analysis And White Noise Calculus Of Nonlinear Wave Equations With Application To Laser Generation And Propagation, Sivaguru S. Sritharan, Saba Mudaliar

Journal of Stochastic Analysis

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Glufosinate On Sugarcane Yield And Yield Components When Applied Post-Directed And Its Efficacy In Controlling Emerged Itchgrass (Rottboellia Cochinchinensis), Warner R. Simon

LSU Master's Theses

Weed control is extremely important in the Louisiana sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) industry, as it is a perennial crop that grows back after each harvest. Fields are kept weed free using mechanical and chemical methods to prevent weed-crop competition and further establishment of weed populations. The weed itchgrass (Rottboellia cochinchinensis) has become problematic for Louisiana sugarcane producers. Sometimes, itchgrass can still emerge after farmers have made a pre-emergence (PRE) herbicide application. These weeds are usually controlled using the herbicide paraquat dichloride (paraquat) in post-emergence (POST) directed applications. In recent year, 2016-2024, the United States Environmental Protection Agency …

The Design, Construction, And Testing Of Mrna Vaccine Against Equine Herpes Virus, Bhawana Devkota

LSU Master's Theses

Equine Herpesvirus-1 (EHV 1) is a worldwide significant pathogen that causes respiratory illness, abortion, and neurological disorders in equine. Current vaccines, including live attenuated, inactivated, and subunit platforms, do not prevent viral latency, mucosal shedding, or cross-strain immunity, requiring alternative approaches. To address these gaps, this project explores the design, synthesis, and in vitro testing of an mRNA vaccine targeting immunogenic EHV 1 glycoprotein (gB, gC, gD, gG, and gM). Epitopes were computationally predicted using the Immune Epitope Database (IEDB), codon-optimized for Bos taurus, and cloned into pUCIDT vectors using SP6/T7 promoters. In vitro transcription (IVT) used nucleotide modifications …

Desired Student Learning Outcomes For Middle School Agricultural Education: A Modified Delphi Study, Jacob P. Englin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Middle school agricultural education programs across the U.S. have continued to increase, but modern systems have failed to provide support for the preparation of middle school agricultural education teachers. For instance, middle school teachers have expressed concern regarding the development and implementation of middle school agricultural curriculum. In response, this investigation sought to identify learning outcomes related to agricultural content, technical skills, and career readiness for middle school agricultural education. A modified, three-round modified Delphi study was used to identify these learning outcomes. The expert panelists consisted of 19 middle school agricultural education teachers who completed a teacher certification program …

Variation In Response To Phosphorus Among Sweetpotato (Ipomoea Batatas L.) Cultivars, Jeffrey Cole Denis Gregorie

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Phosphorus (P) is essential for plant growth and is often a major limiting nutrient in agriculture. In sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas), studies on the role of P on storage root yield have been limited because of the lack of response and inconsistent results across cultivars and years. Growing evidence shows that current phosphate (Pi) fertilizer rates can be reduced while maintaining productivity. Newly published molecular evidence shows differential expression of phosphate starvation response genes among sweetpotato cultivars, further supporting the hypothesis of cultivar-specific Pi sensitivity. The research herein sought to characterize root system architecture and yield response to Pi …

In The Thick Of It, Mark T. Leavens

LSU Master's Theses

In this exhibition, In The Thick Of It, my paintings and sculptures serve as a visual diary of my experience moving to and navigating life in Louisiana. Through art, I document this new landscape and atmosphere, capturing my evolving emotional state, shifting focus, and emerging ideas. As an outsider, the process of discovery introduces layers of tension, curiosity, and fragmentations in my paintings. The spaces within my paintings reflect a constant flux, mirroring the ongoing adjustments to Louisiana’s cultural cues, history, and environment. The complexity of this rich yet challenging place permeates my art, creating dynamic, layered compositions that echo …

An Interdisciplinary Analysis Framework For Found Object Experimental Music, Erin Demastes

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Found object experimental music consists of compositions and performances created with objects not intended for musical performance. Found objects can range from appliances and household items to power tools and consumer products to souvenirs and heirlooms. Although these objects are used with the intent of creating musical compositions, new characteristics that are not found in traditional music emerge. One major characteristic that differentiates found object music from traditional music is that the objects have inherent cultural associations and meaning outside of their use in the composition. While an analysis of the sonic structures and scores of found object experimental music …

A Case For The Original Setting Of Rachmaninoff’S Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 36, Alexias L. Ferrer

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This document aims to examine both the original 1913 and revised 1931 settings of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Sonata No. 2 Op. 36, and to present a case in favor of the lesser-known 1913 rendition of the piece as the more definitive setting of the work. The study begins with historical background information on the work and shows how the piece originated from a mature composer at the most productive period in his life and contrasts this to the historical background of the work’s revision. In a deeper analysis of form and content, the positives and negative qualities of each version …

From The Mountains To The Beach: Water Purification Ecosystem Services And Recreational Beach Use In Puerto Rico, Maya Corridore, Rebeca De Jesús Crespo, Mariam Valladares-Castellanos, Thomas Douthat

Faculty Publications

Recreational beach use is important for coastal economies and is influenced by water clarity, a trait that may be maintained by water purification ecosystem services (ESs). However, few studies have addressed these linkages. In this study, we ask the following questions: (1) Do watershed-scale water purification ecosystem services influence coastal water quality? (2) Does coastal water quality help explain beach visitation rates? To address these questions, we focused on Puerto Rico (PR), where coastal tourism has economic and cultural importance. We estimated water purification ESs using the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST), coastal water quality using long-term …

A 3d Superposition Approximation For Gamma Knife Dose Calculation, Payton H. Stone, Lam M. Lay, Raymi Ramirez, Daniel Neck, Connel Chu, Joyoni Dey, David Solis

Faculty Publications

Effective dose calculation is essential for optimizing Gamma Knife (GK) stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) treatment plans. Modern GK systems allow independent sector activation, enabling complex dose distributions per shot. This study presents a dose approximation method designed to account for shot flexibility and generate 3D doses external to GammaPlan. A treatment plan was created with the TMR10 calculation for individual sector activations using a Radiosurgery Head Phantom. The resulting dose arrays established a basis set of sector-specific distributions, which were then referenced by shot parameters from the plan, allowing dose accumulation through superposition. This superposition approximation (SA) was compared to the …

Religious Nationalism: Narendra Modi’S 2019 Election Victory Speech, Nihar Sreepada

Faculty Publications

The ideology of nationalism is permeating and ascending across societies, eventually manifesting materially in several nations across the world. In this essay, I analyze the religious manifestation of nationalism within the context of India’s Hindu nationalism. I argue that Modi, in his 2019 election victory speech, constructs a grand narrative of Hindu nationalistic unification by positioning himself as a Hindu sanyasi (ascetic) and by alluding to Hindu mythologies. First, I present the historical context of India’s Hindu nationalism (Hindutva). Second, I explicate the formation of an ideological discourse through Kenneth Burke’s focus on identification and the constitutive rhetoric of calling …

Modulating The Aqueous Micellar Reorganization Of Sequence-Defined Ionic Peptoid Block Copolymers By Ionizable Monomer Position And Solution Ph, Bailee N. Barrett, Pedram Azizihariri, Vijay T. John, Donghui Zhang

Faculty Publications

The micellar aggregation of singly charged sequence-defined ionic peptoid block copolymers can be finely tuned by adjusting the position of the ionizable monomer along the chain and varying the solution pH. The pH-induced structural reorganization of these micelles was found to depend on the position of the ionizable monomer along the chain, influencing the balance of the hydrophobic interactions, excluded volume effect, and electrostatic forces (i.e., charge repulsion, solvation of the ionic monomers, counterion association) that govern the micellar structure. As the solution pH increases, positioning the ionizable monomer closer to the junction of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic blocks causes …

Threat Perceptions, Defensive Behaviors, And The Perceived Suicide Prevention Value Of Specific Firearm Storage Practices, Michael D. Anestis, Craig J. Bryan, Anna Belle O. Bryan, Daniel W. Capron

Faculty Publications

Introduction: Secure firearm storage has been proposed as a suicide prevention method within the military; however, secure storage practices are uncommon. Service members may perceive limited value in secure storage as a suicide prevention tool and threat-related factors may influence such perceptions. Method: A nationally representative sample of firearm-owning military service members (n = 719) was recruited between December 3, 2021 and January 4, 2022 to complete a self-report survey by Ipsos using their KnowledgePanel calibration approach to optimize representativeness. Results: Threat sensitivity was associated with less perceived suicide prevention value across all within-home storage practices as well as out-of-home …

Butterfly Species Vary In Sex-Specific Sodium Accumulation From Larval Diets, Luis Y. Santiago-Rosario, Alexander M. Shephard, Emilie Snell-Rood, Achim D. Herrmann, Kyle E. Harms

Faculty Publications

Sodium is essential for animals, and its heterogeneous distribution can cause a range of phenomena, from sodium-seeking behaviours to impacting their performance. Although sodium content in soils and plants is relatively well documented, data for higher trophic levels are limited. Knowledge of the variation in sodium in lower trophic levels could have implications for understanding the behaviour and physiology of species at higher levels. We investigated the variation in tissue sodium concentration between males and females of four butterfly species. Puddling behaviour of Lepidoptera suggests sodium needs of males are generally greater than females, thus, we predicted males would accumulate …

Splitting Quintiles: Exploring The Relationship Between Income Inequality And Political Participation In The American Electorate, Laura E. Kaehler

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The connection between economic inequality and unequal democratic engagement has inspired an enduring vein of interest since academic antiquity. Research suggests income inequality has a negative effect on political participation, yet a question remains among the American electorate: Do individuals across income groups share economic insecurities from increasing inequality or do distinct groups democratically disengage?

To empirically investigate, I consider the context of election salience and the contingent role that voter turnout misreporting or “faux-voters” play in this relationship. I dissect the “rich” verses “poor” distinction into five income groups to explore electoral motivations and malaise of middle-income individuals and …

Simulations Of Attosecond Metallization In Quartz And Diamond Probed With Inner-Shell Transient Absorption Spectroscopy, Lucas Kurkowski, Adonay Sissay, Mengqi Yang, Alexander Meyer, Kenneth Lopata

Faculty Publications

When dielectrics are hit with intense infrared (IR) laser pulses, transient metalization can occur. The initial attosecond dynamics behind this metallization are not entirely understood. Therefore, simulations are needed to understand this process and to help interpret experimental observations of it, such as with attosecond transient absorption (ATA). In this paper, we present first-principles simulations of ATA based on bulk-mimicking clusters and real-time time-dependent density functional theory (RT-TDDFT), with Koopmans-tuned range-separated hybrid functionals and Gaussian basis sets. Our method gives good agreement with the experiment for the breakdown threshold in silica and diamond. This breakdown voltage corresponds to a Keldysh …

A Socioeconomic Analysis Of Fashion Entrepreneurs And The Use Of Self-Branding To Influence Consumer Behavior, Jasmine Gibbs-Stepter

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The fashion industry is widely recognized as a significant sector within the global economy, crucially driving trends, creating jobs, and shaping culture. Despite its prominence, entrepreneurs from marginalized socioeconomic backgrounds often encounter considerable hurdles in establishing their businesses and sustaining them over time. These challenges manifest in various forms, including access to vital financial resources, insufficient networking opportunities, and restricted entry into lucrative markets, making it difficult for these entrepreneurs to compete in a dynamic and competitive landscape.

The rise of social media, with platforms like Instagram leading the charge, has ushered in a new era for fashion entrepreneurs. As …

The Eastern Oyster Behavioral Response To Low Salinity And Hypoxia In Controlled And Natural Settings, Siyah Yongue

LSU Master's Theses

Oyster aquaculture is expanding in the northern Gulf of Mexico, but climate change may challenge the sustainability of this industry. Projected increases in the frequency and intensity of low salinity and low dissolved oxygen (DO) periods could impact the behavior, metabolism, growth, and survival of oysters. Characterizing how oyster behavior links to environmental stressors could help better identify thresholds in their tolerance and inform predictive tools for aquaculture professionals. In this research, the effect of separate and concomitant exposures to low salinity and DO on the behavioral response of oysters was examined in the lab. The impact of other environmental …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Bimetallic Plasmonic Nanoparticles Using Linear And Nonlinear Spectroscopy, Daniel Babayode

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Recent exploration in the field of nanomaterials has led to the investigation of noble metal nanoparticles for various nanomedical applications. The spectroscopy of these nanoparticles is studied using both linear and nonlinear optical processes such as second harmonic generation (SHG), two-photon fluorescence (TPF), and extinction spectroscopy. Details pertaining to the growth dynamics of silver-gold core-shell (Ag@Au CS) nanoparticles (NPs) and gold-silver-gold core-shell-shell (Au@Ag@Au CSS) nanoparticles (NPs) are currently being investigated in order to obtain better control and optimization of the nanoparticle size and surface morphology. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images show that the nanoparticles have tunable core and shell sizes …

Photogrammetric Determination Of Movement Speed Of Invasive Indo-Pacific Lionfish In The Florida Keys, Neal Kolonay, Cassandra N. Glaspie

Faculty Publications

As a key determinant of how efficiently lionfish (Pterois sp.) locate and capture prey, swimming speed plays a crucial role in shaping the predator-prey interactions and broader ecological dynamics within the invaded ecosystems. Swimming speed on a small temporal and spatial scale is difficult to measure because of the need for precise measurements of both distance and duration of the behavior. Using photogrammetry by way of stereo-camera setups is ideal for analyzing the minutiae of lionfish behaviors because it can include the benefits of remote video traps coupled with precise measurements of movements in three-dimensional space and time. The primary …

Petroleum Reservoir Dynamics, Mehdi Zeidouni

E-Textbooks

The book is structured into nine chapters, each designed to build a comprehensive understanding of reservoir engineering principles. Chapter 1 introduces the discipline and its connections with other areas of petroleum engineering. Chapters 2 through 5 address steady-state flow and its various complexities: Darcy’s equation and its limitations (Chapter 2); flow geometries and skin factor concepts (Chapter 3); compressible oil and gas flow (Chapter 4); and non-horizontal flow using the flow potential concept (Chapter 5).

In Chapter 6, the pressure diffusivity equation is explored alongside key concepts of radius of investigation and average reservoir pressure. Chapter 7 delves into the …