Digital Commons Network^™

A Metacognitive Approach To Reconsidering Risk Perceptions And Uncertainty: Understand Information Seeking During Covid-19, Yan Huang, Chun Yang

Faculty Publications

The study examined the psychological drivers of information-seeking behaviors during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. Employing a two-wave (from April 16, 2020, to April 27, 2020) survey design (N= 381), the study confirmed that both risk perceptions and uncertainty were important antecedents to information seeking and that their effects were linked to emotional appraisals of the risk situation. Findings revealed nuanced relationships between these two constructs and emotional appraisals. Danger appraisal was positively associated with perceived susceptibility and susceptibility uncertainty but negatively related to severity uncertainty; hope appraisal depended on the interaction between uncertainty and risk perceptions. Implications of …

Urban Crime Mapping And Analysis Using Gis, Alina Ristea, Michael Leitner

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Design Of A Randomized Clinical Trial To Evaluate A Pragmatic And Scalable Ehealth Intervention For The Management Of Gestational Weight Gain In Low-Income Women: Protocol For The Smartmoms In Wic Trial, Emily W. Flanagan, Abby D. Altazan, Natalie R. Comardelle, L. Anne Gilmore, John W. Apolzan, Jessica St. Romain, Julie C. Hardee, Renee S. Puyau, Christy L. Mayet, Robbie A. Beyl, S. Ariel Barlow, Sarah Surber Bounds, Kelsey N. Olson, Betty M. Kennedy, Daniel S. Hsia, Leanne M. Redman

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Background: Less than one-third of women gain an appropriate amount of weight during pregnancy, which can influence the long-term health of both the mother and the child. Economically disadvantaged women are the most vulnerable to maternal obesity, excessive weight gain during pregnancy, and poor birth outcomes. Effective and scalable health care strategies to promote healthy weight gain during pregnancy specifically tailored for these women are lacking. Objective: This paper presents the design and protocol of a biphasic, community-based eHealth trial, SmartMoms in WIC, to increase the adherence to healthy gestational weight gain (GWG) recommendations in low-income mothers receiving women, infant, …

Insights Into Nanoscalewettability Effects Of Low Salinity And Nanofluid Enhanced Oil Recovery Techniques, Dayo Afekare, Jayne C. Garno, Dandina Rao

Faculty Publications

© 2020 by the authors. In this study, enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques-namely low salinity and nanofluid EOR-are probed at the nanometer-scale using an atomic force microscope (AFM). Mica substrates were used as model clay-rich rocks while AFM tips were coated to present alkyl (-CH3), aromatic (-C6H5) and carboxylic acid (-COOH) functional groups, to simulate oil media. We prepared brine formulations to test brine dilution and cation bridging effects while selected concentrations (0 to 1 wt%) of hydrophilic SiO2 nanoparticles dispersed in 1 wt% NaCl were used as nanofluids. Samples were immersed in fluid cells and chemical force mapping was …

Synergisms In Science: Climate Change And Integrated Pest Management Through The Lens Of Communication-2019 Student Debates, Jocelyn R. Holt, Lina Bernaola, Kadie E. Britt, Chirs Mccullough, Morgan Roth, Jennie Wagner, Max Ragozzino, Leslie Aviles, Zhilin Li, Forest Huval, Manoj Pandey, Benjamin W. Lee, Megan Asche, Abigail Hayes, Abigail Cohen, Adrian Marshall, Hannah E. Quellhorst, Rachel V. Wilkins, Valerie Nguyen, Jacqueline Maille, Rachel K. Skinner, John J. Ternest, Sarah Anderson, Scott W. Gula, Kayleigh Hauri, Julius Eason, Megan Mulcahy, Scott Lee, James Michael Villegas, Patricia Shorter

Faculty Publications

Every year, the Student Debates Subcommittee (SDS) of the Student Affairs Committee (SAC) for the annual Entomological Society of America (ESA) meeting organizes the Student Debates. This year, the SAC selected topics based on their synergistic effect or ability to ignite exponential positive change when addressed as a whole. For the 2019 Student Debates, the SAC SDS identified these topic areas for teams to debate and unbiased introduction speakers to address: 1) how to better communicate science to engage the public, particularly in the area of integrated pest management (IPM), 2) the influential impacts of climate change on agriculturally and …

The Validity, Time Burden, And User Satisfaction Of The FoodimageTm Smartphone App For Food Waste Measurement Versus Diaries: A Randomized Crossover Trial, Brian E. Roe, Danyi Qi, Robbie A. Beyl, Karissa E. Neubig, Corby K. Martin, John W. Apolzan

Faculty Publications

© 2020 Elsevier B.V. The FoodImageTM smartphone app transmits users’ photographs of food selection and food waste to researchers, and includes user-tagged information about waste reasons and destination. Twenty-four participants were trained to record food waste using FoodImage, food waste diaries requiring visual estimation of waste quantities, and diaries requiring scale weights. Participants used each method during three staged food-waste scenarios (food preparation, eating, and clean-out) in a randomized crossover trial. Two participants had extreme values for the weighed diary method; therefore, accuracy results are reported with and without these two participants’ data. Error was calculated as waste estimated with …

Selection, Intake, And Plate Waste Patterns Of Leftover Food Items Among U.S. Consumers: A Pilot Study, Brian E. Roe, Danyi Qi, John W. Apolzan, Corby K. Martin

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Many campaigns promote the preservation and consumption of leftover food items as a critical household strategy to accomplish national consumer food waste reduction goals. We fill a gap in knowledge about the consumption and creation of leftovers in the United States by analyzing data from a pilot study in which 18 subjects tracked food selection, intake, and plate waste across all eating occasions for about one week. Subjects noted which items selected for consumption were leftovers, i.e., previously prepared but uneaten items that were stored for future consumption, and which unfinished items were saved to become leftovers. We found that …

Effectiveness Of Aqueous Chlorine Dioxide In Minimizing Food Safety Risk Associated With Salmonella, E. Coli O157:H7, And Listeria Monocytogenes On Sweet Potatoes, Phillip Luu, Vijay Singh Chhetri, Marlene E. Janes, Joan M. King, Achyut Adhikari

Faculty Publications

Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) is a commonly used sanitizer in the produce industry despite its limited effectiveness against contaminated human pathogens in fresh produce. Aqueous chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is an alternative sanitizer offering a greater oxidizing potency with greater efficacy in reducing a large number of microorganisms. We investigated the effect of aqueous chlorine dioxide treatment against human pathogens, Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes seeded on sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes were spot inoculated (4.2 to 5.7 log CFU/cm2) with multi-strain cocktails of Salmonella spp., E. coli O157:H7, and L. monocytogenes and treated for 10-30 min with 5 ppm aqueous …

Video Game Development In A Rush: A Survey Of The Global Game Jam Participants, Markus Borg, Vahid Garousi, Anas Mahmoud, Thomas Olsson, Oskar Stalberg

Faculty Publications

Video game development is a complex endeavor, often involving complex software, large organizations, and aggressive release deadlines. Several studies have reported that periods of 'crunch time' are prevalent in the video game industry, but there are few studies on the effects of time pressure. We conducted a survey with participants of the Global Game Jam (GGJ), a 48-h hackathon. Based on 198 responses, the results suggest the following: iterative brainstorming is the most popular method for conceptualizing initial requirements; continuous integration, minimum viable product, scope management, version control, and stand-up meetings are frequently applied development practices; regular communication, internal playtesting, …

A Signaling Theory Approach To Relationship Recovery, Hunsi Kharouf, Donald J. Lund, Alexandra Krallman, Chris Pullig

Faculty Publications

Purpose: Drawing on signaling theory, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the strength and framing of firm signals sent to repair relationships following relationship violations. Design/methodology/approach: Three 2 × 2 scenario-based experiments (total n = 527) manipulate signal strength × violation type (Study 1); signal frame × violation type (Study 2); and signal strength × brand familiarity (Study 3) to examine their dynamic impacts on relationship recovery efforts. Findings: Stronger signals are more effective at relationship repair and are especially important following integrity (vs competence) violations. Signals framed as customer gains (vs firm costs) lead …

Protein Discrimination Using A Fluorescence-Based Sensor Array Of Thiacarbocyanine-Gumbos, Rocio L. Perez, Mingyan Cong, Stephanie R. Vaughan, Caitlan E. Ayala, Waduge Indika S. Galpothdeniya, John K. Mathaga, Isiah M. Warner

Faculty Publications

Sensitive and selective detection of proteins from complex samples has gained substantial interest within the scientific community. Early and precise detection of key proteins plays an important role in potential clinical diagnosis, treatment of different diseases, and proteomic research. In the study reported here, six different compounds belonging to a group of uniform materials based on organic salts (GUMBOS) have been synthesized using three thiacarbocyanine (TC) dyes and employed as fluorescent sensors. Fluorescence properties of micro- and nanoaggregates of these TC-based GUMBOS formed in phosphate buffer solutions are studied in the absence and presence of seven proteins. Fluorescence response patterns …

Noncollinear Enhancement Cavity For Record-High Out-Coupling Efficiency Of An Extreme-Uv Frequency Comb, Chuankun Zhang, Stephen B. Schoun, Christoph M. Heyl, Gil Porat, Mette B. Gaarde, Jun Ye

Faculty Publications

We demonstrate a femtosecond enhancement cavity with a crossed-beam geometry for efficient generation and extraction of extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) frequency combs at a 154 MHz repetition rate. We achieve a record-high out-coupled power of 600 μW, directly usable for spectroscopy, at a wavelength of 97 nm. This corresponds to a >60% out-coupling efficiency. The XUV power scaling and generation efficiency are similar to that achieved with a single Gaussian-mode fundamental beam inside a collinear enhancement cavity. The noncollinear geometry also opens the door for the generation of isolated attosecond pulses at >100 MHz repetition rate.

Computer Implemented System And Method For High Performance Visual Tracking, Supratik Mukhopadhyay, Saikat Basu, Malcolm Stagg, Robert Dibiano, Manohar Karki, Jerry Weltman

College of the Coast & Environment Patents

A computer implemented system and method of tracking objects and motion in video using techniques for agile switching between a number of tracking techniques, detecting and analyzing periodic motion, and using regular expression techniques for identifying patterns.

Activity And Regeneration Of Electrodeposited Fe-Ni-Co-Based Electrocatalysts For The Alkaline Oxygen Evolution Reaction, Yujia Zhang, Orhan Kizilkaya, Hubert K. Bilan, Richard Kurtz, Elizabeth J. Podlaha

Faculty Publications

A methodology to recover the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics of aged, electrodeposited Fe-Ni-Co thin films is presented. The electrodeposits were fabricated galvanostatically onto rotating copper electrodes and contained a small amount of Co. The OER characterized in 1 M KOH was a function of the deposit composition. The Tafel slope and the overpotential at 10 mA/cm2 observed with ohmically corrected linear sweep voltammetry were both a function of the deposit metal ratio, Fe/(Ni + Co), with the lowest values occurring at a ratio of 1.2. An Fe-rich deposit was purposely altered upon aging to degrade the OER kinetics. The …

The Effects Of Radical Containing Combustion Derived Particulate Matter In Adult Mouse Respiratory System, Jeffrey Harding

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Epidemiological data associates high levels of combustion-derived particulate matter (PM) with deleterious respiratory outcomes, but the mechanism underlying those outcomes remains elusive. It has been acknowledged by the World Health Organization that PM exposure contributes to more than 4.2 million all-cause mortalities worldwide each year. Current literature demonstrates that PM exacerbates respiratory diseases, impairs lung function, results in chronic respiratory illnesses, and is associated with increased mortality. The proposed mechanisms revolve around oxidative stress and inflammation promoting pulmonary physiological remodeling. Our data demonstrate that environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) stabilized on the surface of PM are capable of inducing oxidative …

List-Wise Fairness Criterion For Point Processes, Jin Shang, Mingxuan Sun, Nina S.N. Lam

Faculty Publications

Many types of event sequence data exhibit triggering and clustering properties in space and time. Point processes are widely used in modeling such event data with applications such as predictive policing and disaster event forecasting. Although current algorithms can achieve significant event prediction accuracy, the historic data or the self-excitation property can introduce biased prediction. For example, hotspots ranked by event hazard rates can make the visibility of a disadvantaged group (e.g., racial minorities or the communities of lower social economic status) more apparent. Existing methods have explored ways to achieve parity between the groups by penalizing the objective function …

Influence Of External Nacl Salt On Membrane Rigidity Of Neutral Dopc Vesicles, Judith U. De Mel, Sudipta Gupta, Rasangi M. Perera, Ly Ngo, Piotr Zolnierczuk, Markus Bleuel, Sai Venkatesh Pingali, Gerald J. Schneider

Faculty Publications

Copyright © 2020 American Chemical Society. Sodium chloride (NaCl) is a very common molecule in biotic and abiotic aqueous environments. In both cases, variation of ionic strength is inevitable. In addition to the osmotic variation posed by such perturbations, the question of whether the interactions of monovalent ions Na+ and Cl-, especially with the neutral head groups of phospholipid membranes are impactful enough to change the membrane rigidity, is still not entirely understood. We investigated the dynamics of 1,2-di-(octadecenoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) vesicles with zwitterionic neutral head groups in the fluid phase with increasing external salt concentration. At higher salt concentrations, we …

Second Harmonic Generation Spectroscopy And Microscopy Of Liposomes, Nanoparticles, And Cells, Prakash Hamal

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Second harmonic generation (SHG) is used to investigate the factors that impact nanoparticle-based drug-delivery applications. In the first study, molecular adsorption and transport kinetics of a positively-charged dye, malachite green isothiocyanate (MGITC), is characterized at the surface of different colloidal liposomes in water using SHG spectroscopy. The molecular interactions of MGITC is compared to our previous investigations with malachite green (MG). In comparison to MG, MGITC demonstrates stronger adsorption and faster transport through lipid membranes. Correspondingly, the SHG experimental results are in excellent agreement with the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations results. A key finding illustrates the importance of functional groups, …

Isolation And Characterization Of Bacteria In A Toluene-Producing Enrichment Culture Derived From Contaminated Groundwater At A Louisiana Superfund Site, Madison Mikes

LSU Master's Theses

In an effort to better understand the role that various microbes may play in toluene production, bacteria from a toluene-producing enrichment culture derived from contaminated groundwater at a Superfund site were cultivated and isolated on low nutrient solid media. A total of 14 solid medium formulations containing varying pH ranges, carbon sources, solidifying agents, and incubation gas headspaces were used to obtain 278 isolates in pure culture. Isolated bacteria, identified using partial 16S rRNA gene sequences, were most closely related with the genera Anoxybacillus, Azospira, Bacillus, Bradyrhizobium, Cellulosimicrobium, Micrococcus, and Propionicimonas.

Further attempts …

Global Health In Preconception, Pregnancy And Postpartum Alliance: Development Of An International Consumer And Community Involvement Framework, Heidi J. Bergmeier, Virginia Vandall-Walker, Magdalena Skrybant, Helena J. Teede, Cate Bailey, Jo Anna B. Baxter, Ana Luiza Vilela Borges, Jacqueline A. Boyle, Ayesha Everitt, Cheryce L. Harrison, Margely Herrera, Briony Hill, Brian Jack, Samuel Jones, Laura Jorgensen, Siew Lim, Cynthia Montanaro, Leanne M. Redman, Judith Stephenson, Hildrun Sundseth, Shakila Thangaratinam, Paula Thynne, Ruth Walker, Helen Skouteris

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Background: The goal of the Global Health in Preconception, Pregnancy and Postpartum (HiPPP) Alliance, comprising consumers and leading international multidisciplinary academics and clinicians, is to generate research and translation priorities and build international collaboration around healthy lifestyle and obesity prevention among women across the reproductive years. In doing so, we actively seek to involve consumers in research, implementation and translation initiatives. There are limited frameworks specifically designed to involve women across the key obesity prevention windows before (preconception), during and after pregnancy (postpartum). The aim of this paper is to outline our strategy for the development of the HiPPP Consumer …

3-D Printed Customizable Vitrification Devices For Preservation Of Genetic Resources Of Aquatic Species, Connor J. Tiersch, Yue Liu, Terrence R. Tiersch, William T. Monroe

Faculty Publications

Sperm vitrification as an alternative approach to conventional cryopreservation (equilibrium freezing) allows quick and low-cost sample preservation and is suitable for small-bodied aquatic species with miniscule testis, fieldwork at remote locations, and small-scale freezing for research purposes. The goal of this present study was to develop operational prototypes of 3-dimensional (3-D) printed vitrification devices with innovative components that can provide comprehensive functionalities for practical repository development for aquatic species. The design featured an elongated loop to suspend a thin film of sperm sample in cryoprotectant, a retractable sleeve to protect the vitrified samples and allow permanent labeling, a handle to …

Adaptive Fat Oxidation Is Coupled With Increased Lipid Storage In Adipose Tissue Of Female Mice Fed High Dietary Fat And Sucrose, Scott Fuller, Yongmei Yu, Timothy D. Allerton, Tamra Mendoza, David M. Ribnicky, Z. Elizabeth Floyd

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Western diets high in fat and sucrose are associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Although the prevalence of MetS in women is comparable to that in men, metabolic adaptations in females to Western diet have not been reported in preclinical studies. This study investigates the effects of Western diet on risk factors for MetS in female mice. Based on our earlier studies in male mice, we hypothesized that dietary supplementation with extracts of Artemisia dracunculus L. (PMI5011) and Momordica charantia (bitter melon) could affect MetS risk factors in females. Eight-week-old female mice were fed a 10% kcal fat, 17% kcal sucrose …

Birds In Fragmented Amazonian Rainforest: Lessons From 40 Years At The Biological Dynamics Of Forest Fragments Project, Philip C. Stouffer

Faculty Publications

For decades, ecologists have studied fundamental questions of how Amazonian biodiversity is maintained, and whether that diversity can persist following deforestation. The long history of avian research at the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, near Manaus, Brazil, has helped advance this understanding in the context of a broader research program focused on rainforest fragments embedded in a dynamic matrix. By sampling birds beginning before fragments were isolated, in the late 1970s, and continuing the protocol to the present, our work has revealed community dynamics driven not just by area and isolation, but also by larger landscape patterns, particularly second …

Temporal And Concentration Effects Of Methanol On Cryopreservation Of Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) Sperm, Huiping Yang, E. Hu, Terrence Tiersch, Carrie Carmichael, Jen Matthews, Zoltan M. Varga

Faculty Publications

We evaluated the cryoprotective effects of methanol on zebrafish sperm at different concentrations, exposure times, and stages during cryopreservation. Samples were collected by crushing of dissected testes or abdominal stripping. After exposure to 0%, 2%, 5%, 8%, and 10% methanol for 0-11 min, fresh sperm (1 × 106 cells/mL) did not show changes in plasma membrane integrity (measured by flow cytometer), but cell size changes (light scatter) were observed after exposure to 8% or 10%. After exposure for 0-60 min, fresh sperm (1 × 108 cells/mL) did not show significant changes in survival or membrane integrity. Sperm cryopreserved in 5%, …

Left Ventricular Mass Index Is Associated With Cognitive Function In Middle-Age: Bogalusa Heart Study, Alexander C. Razavi, Camilo Fernandez, Jiang He, Tanika N. Kelly, Marie Krousel-Wood, Seamus P. Whelton, Owen T. Carmichael, Lydia A. Bazzano

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Background: Elevated cardiovascular disease risk factor burden is a recognized contributor to poorer cognitive function; however, the physiological mechanisms underlying this association are not well understood. We sought to assess the potential mediation effect of left ventricular (LV) remodeling on the association between lifetime systolic blood pressure and cognitive function in a community-based cohort of middle-aged adults. Methods: Nine hundred sixty participants of the Bogalusa Heart Study (59.2% women, 33.8% black, aged 48.4±5.1 years) received 2-dimensional echocardiography to quantify relative wall thickness, LV mass, and diastolic and systolic LV function; and a standardized neurocognitive battery to assess memory, executive functioning, …

The Criminal Justice Response To The Opioid Crisis In East Baton Rouge Parish, Elizabeth Winchester, Kristina Little, Timothy T. Reling, Gabriele Richardson, Judith F. Rhodes

Reports

This report describes: 1) the history and current state of the opioid crisis in East Baton Rouge Parish; 2) the current and planned efforts of the Innovative Prosecution Solutions for Combating Violent Crime and Illegal Opioids (IPS) grant to respond to the crisis; and 3) recommendations for criminal justice practitioners regarding the opioid crisis in our community. The goal of the IPS grant is to reduce opioid-related deaths by fostering interagency collaboration to disrupt local opioid supply chains, educate the community about the dangers of opioid abuse and addiction, and provide support for individuals with opioid use disorder.

The rising …

Evaluating The Implementation And Effectiveness Of The Switch-Ms: An Ecological, Multi-Component Adolescent Obesity Prevention Intervention, Senlin Chen, Richard R. Rosenkranz, Gabriella M. Mcloughlin, Spyridoula Vazou, Lorraine Lanningham-Foster, Douglas A. Gentile, David A. Dzewaltowski

Faculty Publications

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of an ecological, multi-component adolescent obesity prevention intervention called School Wellness Integration Targeting Child Health-Middle School (SWITCH-MS).Methods: Following the effectiveness-implementation hybrid type 3 quasi-experimental design, seven middle schools (377 students) in Iowa, United States, were stratified into "experienced" (n= 3; 110 students) or "inexperienced" (n= 4; 267 students) groups to receive the 12-week SWITCH-MS intervention. To evaluate implementation, school informants (n= 10) responded to a survey and students completed behavioral tracking in the classroom on a website. For effectiveness evaluation, students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades …

Welcome To The Fourth International Workshop On Crowd-Based Requirements Engineering (Crowdre'20), Muneera Bano, Eduard C. Groen, Irit Hadar, Anas Mahmoud

Faculty Publications

Welcome to the 4th International Workshop on Crowd-Based Requirements Engineering (CrowdRE'20), where scientists and representatives of industry meet to exchange ideas, experiences, and other contributions regarding the state of the art of Crowd-Based Requirements Engineering (CrowdRE). The discipline of CrowdRE seeks to address the challenges of traditional requirements engineering (RE) in scaling up to settings with thousands to millions of users of (software) products or (softwaredriven) services, who form a large and heterogeneous group that can be denoted as a 'crowd' [1],[2]. The user feedback generated by the crowd, such as texts or usage data, can be a valuable source …

African-Americans Abroad: Josephine Baker And The Controversy Surrounding African-American Figures Outside Of America, Ferin E. Jones

LSU Master's Theses

This paper is about the complexities surrounding the African American experience in other countries. Josephine Baker was one of many figures with important stories.

Attosecond Synchronization Of Extreme Ultraviolet High Harmonics From Crystals, Giulio Vampa, Jian Lu, Yong Sing You, Denitsa R. Baykusheva, Mengxi Wu, Hanzhe Liu, Kenneth J. Schafer, Mette B. Gaarde, David A. Reis, Shambhu Ghimire

Faculty Publications

The interaction of strong near-infrared (NIR) laser pulses with wide-bandgap dielectrics produces high harmonics in the extreme ultraviolet (XUV) wavelength range. These observations have opened up the possibility of attosecond metrology in solids, which would benefit from a precise measurement of the emission times of individual harmonics with respect to the NIR laser field. Here we show that, when high-harmonics are detected from the input surface of a magnesium oxide crystal, a bichromatic probing of the XUV emission shows a clear synchronization largely consistent with a semiclassical model of electron-hole recollisions in bulk solids. On the other hand, the bichromatic …