Digital Commons Network^™

The White-Black Disparity In Maternal Mortality And Morbidity: An Evaluation Of Risk Factors, Ann Gilbert

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Origins Of Facultative Heterotrophy In Cyanobacteria, Emily A. Brown

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Nbp35/Apbc Homolog Acts As A Nonessential [4fe-4s] Transfer Protein In Methanogenic Archaea, Cuiping Zhao, Zhe Lyu, Feng Long, Taiwo Akinyemi, Kasidet Manakongtreecheep, Dieter Söll, William B. Whitman, David J. Vinyard, Yuchen Liu

Faculty Publications

© 2019 Federation of European Biochemical Societies The nucleotide binding protein 35 (Nbp35)/cytosolic Fe-S cluster deficient 1 (Cfd1)/alternative pyrimidine biosynthetic protein C (ApbC) protein homologs have been identified in all three domains of life. In eukaryotes, the Nbp35/Cfd1 heterocomplex is an essential Fe-S cluster assembly scaffold required for the maturation of Fe-S proteins in the cytosol and nucleus, whereas the bacterial ApbC is an Fe-S cluster transfer protein only involved in the maturation of a specific target protein. Here, we show that the Nbp35/ApbC homolog MMP0704 purified from its native archaeal host Methanococcus maripaludis contains a [4Fe-4S] cluster that can …

Potential Population Growth Of Melanaphis Sacchari (Zehntner) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) Under Six Constant Temperatures On Grain Sorghum (Sorghum Bicolor L.), M. F. Souza, J. A. Davis

Faculty Publications

Sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari Zehntner (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is now widely established in sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench (Poaceae), production areas of the USA, and is an important economic pest. To calculate economic thresholds, population growth parameters under varied temperature conditions are needed. However, detailed laboratory studies of temperature effects on the biology and population parameters of M. sacchari since the sorghum outbreak in the US have not been performed previously. Therefore, this study evaluated the response of M. sacchari to 6 different constant temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30, 32, and 35 °C) on sorghum tissue. Aphid development, age-specific survivorship, fecundity, …

Insect Herbivores Associated With Nymphaea Mexicana (Nymphaeaceae) In Southern United States: Potential Biological Control Agents For South Africa, Megan K. Reid, Julie A. Coetzee, Martin P. Hill, Rodrigo Diaz, Lyn A. Gettys, James P. Cuda, Christopher S. Reid

Faculty Publications

Nymphaea mexicana Zuccarini (Nymphaeaceae) (Mexican waterlily) is an emergent floating-leaved aquatic plant from the southeastern USA that is invasive in South Africa. In invaded waterbodies this plant restricts water movement, increases siltation, decreases recreational activities, and can deplete water oxygen levels, which in turn negatively impacts aquatic fauna. Currently there are no chemical, mechanical, or biological control programs in place for N. mexicana in South Africa, but the sustainability of biological control makes this the most desirable option. Field surveys for potential biological control agents were conducted in the native range of N. mexicana in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas from …

An Economic And Ecological Analysis Of Three Land Building Approaches Using Mississippi River Sediment, Madison Hasenkampf

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Gnrh As A Neuromodulator In Midbrain Sensory Regions During The Female Cichlid Reproductive Cycle, Mark Anthony Maier Ii

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Guiding And Trapping Cracks With Compliant Inclusions For Enhancing Toughness Of Brittle Composite Materials, Neal R. Brodnik, Chun Jen Hsueh, Katherine T. Faber, Blaise Bourdin, Guruswami Ravichandran, Kaushik Bhattacharya

Faculty Publications

The problem of toughening heterogeneous materials with a stiff matrix and compliant inclusions is investigated through numerical simulations and experiments. Specifically, the problem of optimizing a combination of effective toughness and effective elastic modulus in the context of a square array of compliant inclusions in a stiff matrix is explored. Crack propagation in the heterogeneous material is simulated using a variational phase-field approach. It is found that the crack can meander between or get attracted to and trapped in the inclusions. Composite specimens with a stiff matrix and compliant circular inclusions were 3D printed, and their fracture toughness was measured …

Why Are Children Different In Their Moderate-To-Vigorous Physical Activity Levels? A Multilevel Analysis, Sara Pereira, Ana Reyes, Marcos A. Moura-Dos-Santos, Carla Santos, Thayse N. Gomes, Go Tani, Olga Vasconcelos, Tiago V. Barreira, Peter T. Katzmarzyk, José Maia

Population and Public Health Science Faculty Publications

Objective: Children's differences in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels are not at random. This study investigates the relevance of individual- and school-level characteristics in explaining these differences. Methods: In total, 307 children (154 girls) aged 5–10 years, from 19 Portuguese schools, were sampled. Height and weight were measured, and body mass index was calculated. Time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was measured by accelerometry. Gross motor coordination was assessed with the KörperkoordinationsTest für Kinder battery and socio-economic status was obtained via the school social support system. School characteristics were obtained with an objective school audit. A multilevel analysis was used as …

Spatial And Pregnancy-Related Changes In The Protein, Amino Acid, And Carbohydrate Composition Of Bovine Oviduct Fluid, Beatriz Rodríguez-Alonso, Veronica Maillo, Omar Salvador Acuña, Rebeca López-Úbeda, Alejandro Torrecillas, Constantine A. Simintiras, Roger Sturmey, Manuel Avilés, Patrick Lonergan, Dimitrios Rizos

Faculty Publications

Knowledge of how the biochemical composition of the bovine oviduct is altered due to the oviduct anatomy or the presence of an embryo is lacking. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of (І) oviduct anatomy and (ІІ) embryo presence on oviductal fluid (OF) protein, amino acid, and carbohydrate composition. Cross-bred beef heifers (n = 19) were synchronized and those in standing estrus were randomly allocated to a cyclic (non-bred) or pregnant (artificially inseminated) group. All heifers were slaughtered on Day 3 after estrus. The oviducts ipsilateral to the corpus luteum from each animal were isolated, …

Ecogeomorphic Evolution Of Muddy Coastlines: How Biota On A Range Of Scales, From Microscopic Biofilms To Landscape-Scale Vegetation Zonation Patterns, Interact With Physical Processes, Kendall Cole

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Coastal wetland ecosystems are inherently interdisciplinary; in these spaces, the physical forces of wind and water meet to interact with stabilizing and fortifying vegetation and biota, as well as mud. The combination of these factors build and sustain wetland ecosystems and without the complex feedbacks, they would cease to exist. In this dissertation, I present three studies that focus on ecogeomorphic interactions within coastal wetlands on a range of scales, from microscopic to the entire landscape and highlight the importance of these interactions when predicting future coastal change. The first study examined how biofilms, matrixes of photosynthetic diatoms and their …

Concerto For Violin And Orchestra And "Nevertheless, She Composed: A Contemporary Survey Of Women Composers Of The Twenty-First Century", Elizabeth Anne Knox

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation consists of two parts: the first part includes an original composition titled, “Concerto for Violin and Orchestra.” This twenty-minute work is composed for traditional orchestral instrumentation and solo violin. Motivic variation is the primary focus of this piece with a goal to show evidence of a thorough understanding and use of this technique. In music composition, variation is a technique achieved by restating musical material in an altered form. Schoenberg describes a motive as, “a unit which contains one or more features of interval and rhythm [whose] presence is maintained in constant use throughout a piece.” Therefore, motivic …

Three Essays On The Economics Of Education, Tianheng Wang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation consists of three essays related to the field of economics of education. In chapter 2, using data from middle school students in China and exploiting the random assignment of students to classrooms within schools, I investigate the causal effect of peer groups on students’ scholastic achievement. I find that female student proportion in the classroom positively affects male students’ test scores and that the education level of peers’ parents improves the academic achievement of both male and female students. Students with highly-educated parents benefit more from classmates with higher parental education compared to students with relatively lower parental …

A Performance Guide To Kurt Erickson's Song Cycle Here, Bullet, André Yong Chun Chiang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this document is to supply a comprehensive performer’s guide to American composer Kurt Erickson’s Here, Bullet, a song cycle consisting of four songs for baritone and piano set to the poetry of American poet Brian Turner. Additionally, an overview of its unique consortium-based commissioning process will be included in examination of the entrepreneurial nature of its creation.

Here, Bullet focuses on the soldier’s interaction with the bullet, suicide, foreign lands, and deployment in Iraq. The text comes from a book of poetry, which originated the song cycle’s name, and was written during Turner’s yearlong deployment to …

A Randomized Controlled Trial To Reduce Sedentary Time In Rheumatoid Arthritis: Protocol And Rationale Of The Take A Stand For Health Study, Ana Jessica Pinto, Tiago Peçanha, Kamila Meireles, Fabiana Braga Benatti, Karina Bonfiglioli, Ana Lúcia De Sá Pinto, Fernanda Rodrigues Lima, Rosa Maria Rodrigues Pereira, Maria Claudia Costa Irigoyen, James Edward Turner, John P. Kirwan, Neville Owen, David W. Dunstan, Hamilton Roschel, Bruno Gualano

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Background: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis spend most of their daily hours in sedentary behavior (sitting), a predisposing factor to poor health-related outcomes and all-cause mortality. Interventions focused on reducing sedentary time could be of novel therapeutic relevance. However, studies addressing this topic remain scarce. We aim to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of a newly developed intervention focused on reducing sedentary time, and potential clinical, physiological, metabolic and molecular effects in rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: The Take a STAND for Health study is a 4-month, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial, in which postmenopausal patients with rheumatoid arthritis will set individually tailored, progressive …

Renal Glomerular Mitochondria Function In Salt-Sensitive Hypertension, Mark Domondon, Iuliia Polina, Anna B. Nikiforova, Regina F. Sultanova, Claudia Kruger, Valeriia Y. Vasileva, Mikhail V. Fomin, Gyda C. Beeson, Anna Liisa Nieminen, Nancy Smythe, Eduardo N. Maldonado, Krisztian Stadler, Daria V. Ilatovskaya

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Salt-sensitive (SS) hypertension is accompanied with an early onset of proteinuria, which results from the loss of glomerular podocytes. Here, we hypothesized that glomerular damage in the SS hypertension occurs in part due to mitochondria dysfunction, and we used a unique model of freshly isolated glomeruli to test this hypothesis. In order to mimic SS hypertension, we used Dahl SS rats, an established animal model. Animals were fed a 0.4% NaCl (normal salt, NS) diet or challenged with a high salt (HS) 4% NaCl diet for 21 days to induce an increase in blood pressure (BP). Similar to previous studies, …

Developing A Fanbase In Niche Sport Markets: An Examination Of Nhl Fandom And Social Sustainability In The Sunbelt, Brandon Mastromartino, Tyreal Y. Qian, Jerred J. Wang, James J. Zhang

Faculty Publications

In the modern day sport marketplace, professional sport teams face tough competition to build and sustain a viable fan base. This study sought to address three research questions: (a) what are the factors that contribute to the socialization of sports fans in niche sport markets? (b) How do team-led and fan-led initiatives work to socialize fans? Finally, (c) to what extent do the socialization factors affect identify as a sports fan for a niche sport and overall fan consumption behavior? A questionnaire was administered to 535 NHL fans and data were analyzed through conducting an Exploratory Factor Analysis, Exploratory Factor …

School-Based Sedentary Behavior, Physical Activity, And Health-Related Outcomes Among Hispanic Children In The United States: A Cross-Sectional Study, Xiangli Gu, Tao Zhang, Senlin Chen, M. Jean Keller, Xiaoxia Zhang

Faculty Publications

The main purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between school-based sedentary behavior, physical activity, and health-related outcomes, including cardiorespiratory fitness, weight status, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among Hispanic children. The participants were 374 children (192 boys, 182 girls; Mage = 9.64) recruited from four elementary schools from 3rd grade through to 5th grade. Sedentary behavior and physical activity behaviors (light physical activity [LPA] and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA)) during school were measured by accelerometers. Cardiorespiratory fitness and weight status were measured using the FITNESSGRAM®, while HRQOL was measured using the PedsQL 4.0™ Spanish version, a …

Bromodomain And Extraterminal Inhibition By Jq1 Produces Divergent Transcriptional Regulation Of Suppressors Of Cytokine Signaling Genes In Adipocytes, Paula Mota De Sá, Allison J. Richard, Jacqueline M. Stephens

Faculty Publications

© 2019 Endocrine Society 2019. All rights reserved. The Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) signaling pathway has cell-specific functions. Suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins are negative-feedback regulators of JAK-STAT signaling. STAT5 plays a significant role in adipocyte development and function, and bromodomain and extraterminal (BET) proteins may be involved in STAT5 transcriptional activity. We treated 3T3-L1 adipocytes with the BET inhibitor JQ1 and observed that growth hormone (GH)-induced expression of 2 STAT5 target genes from the SOCS family, Socs3 and Cish, were inversely regulated (increased and decreased, respectively) by BET inhibition. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses revealed that …

Bromodomain And Extraterminal Inhibition By Jq1 Produces Divergent Transcriptional Regulation Of Suppressors Of Cytokine Signaling Genes In Adipocytes, Paula Mota De Sá, Allison J. Richard, Jacqueline M. Stephens

Faculty Publications

© Endocrine Society 2019. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: [email protected]. The Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) signaling pathway has cell-specific functions. Suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins are negative-feedback regulators of JAK-STAT signaling. STAT5 plays a significant role in adipocyte development and function, and bromodomain and extraterminal (BET) proteins may be involved in STAT5 transcriptional activity. We treated 3T3-L1 adipocytes with the BET inhibitor JQ1 and observed that growth hormone (GH)-induced expression of 2 STAT5 target genes from the SOCS family, Socs3 and Cish, were inversely regulated (increased and decreased, respectively) by BET inhibition. Chromatin …

Mitochondrial Pyruvate Carriers Are Not Required For Adipogenesis But Are Regulated By High-Fat Feeding In Brown Adipose Tissue, Jasmine A. Burrell, Allison J. Richard, William T. King, Jacqueline M. Stephens

Faculty Publications

© 2020 The Obesity Society. Objective: The objectives of this study were to assess the role of mitochondrial pyruvate carriers (MPCs) in adipocyte development in vitro and determine whether MPCs are regulated in vivo by high-fat feeding in male and female C57BL/6J mice. Methods: This study utilized small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown to assess the requirement of MPC1 for adipogenesis in the 3T3-L1 model system. Treatment with UK-5099, a potent pharmacological MPC inhibitor, was also used to assess the loss of MPC activity. Western blot analysis was performed on adipose tissue samples from mice on a low-fat diet or a high-fat …

Genomic Analysis For Virulence Determinants In Feline Herpesvirus Type-1 Isolates, Andrew C. Lewin, Lyndon M. Coghill, Gillian J. Mclellan, Ellison Bentley, Konstantin G. Kousoulas

Faculty Publications

© 2019, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature. Feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1) is a widespread cause of respiratory and ocular disease in domestic cats. A spectrum of disease severity is observed in host animals, but there has been limited prior investigation into viral genome factors which could be responsible. Stocks of FHV-1 were established from oropharyngeal swabs obtained from twenty-five cats with signs of infection housed in eight animal shelters around the USA. A standardized numerical host clinical disease severity scoring scheme was used for each cat from which an isolate was obtained. Illumina MiSeq was used …

Perinatal Maternal Antibiotic Exposure Augments Lung Injury In Offspring In Experimental Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia, Kent A. Willis, David T. Siefker, Michael M. Aziz, Catrina T. White, Naiha Mussarat, Charles K. Gomes, Amandeep Bajwa, Joseph F. Pierre, Stephania A. Cormier, Ajay J. Talati

Faculty Publications

Copyright © 2020 the American Physiological Society. During the newborn period, intestinal commensal bacteria influence pulmonary mucosal immunology via the gut-lung axis. Epidemiological studies have linked perinatal antibiotic exposure in human newborns to an increased risk for bronchopulmonary dysplasia, but whether this effect is mediated by the gut-lung axis is unknown. To explore antibiotic disruption of the newborn gut-lung axis, we studied how perinatal maternal antibiotic exposure influenced lung injury in a hyperoxia-based mouse model of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. We report that disruption of intestinal commensal colonization during the perinatal period promotes a more severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia phenotype characterized by increased …

Quartz Crystal Microbalance Based Sensor Arrays For Detection And Discrimination Of Vocs Using Phosphonium Ionic Liquid Composites, Stephanie R. Vaughan, Rocío L. Pérez, Pratap Chhotaray, Isiah M. Warner

Faculty Publications

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Herein, we examine two sensing schemes for detection and discrimination of chlorinated volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In this work, phosphonium ionic liquids (ILs) were synthesized and vapor sensing properties examined and compared to phosphonium IL‐polymer composites. Pure IL sensors were used to develop a QCM‐based multisensory array (MSA), while IL‐polymer composites were used to develop an MSA and virtual sensor arrays (VSAs). It was found that by employing the composite MSA, five chlorinated VOCs were accurately discriminated at 95.56%, which was an increase in accuracy as compared to pure ILs MSA …

Body Composition During Pregnancy Differs By Obesity Class, Jasper Most, Abby D. Altazan, Daniel S. Hsia, Robbie A. Beyl, Leanne M. Redman

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Objective: The aim of this study is to characterize changes in body composition during pregnancy in women with obesity. Methods: Fifty-four healthy women with obesity (class 1, 30-34.9 kg/m2: n = 25; class 2, 35-39.9 kg/m2: n = 21; class 3, ≥ 40.0 kg/m2: n = 8) expecting a singleton pregnancy were studied. Body composition was measured in early pregnancy (13-16 weeks), midpregnancy (24-27 weeks), and late pregnancy (35-37 weeks) using air displacement plethysmography, stable isotopes, and skinfold thickness measurements. Fasting glucose, insulin, and leptin were measured. Results: The gain in fat-free mass was lower in the second trimester compared …

Minor Preoccupations, Major Endeavors: The Community Of Poets And Painters, Adelaide M. Russo

Faculty Publications

In Au fond des images (2003), Jean-Luc Nancy introduces concepts about the image, pertinent to understanding the minor genre of poets’ writings on painting. Nancy begins by stating that the image is sacred, clarifying that the sacred should not be confused with the religious, which is based on rituals. The sacred signifies that which is separated, excluded, distanced. The image’s attraction is derived from this, from its untouchable nature. Because of its separation from the viewer, the image inspires a desire for intimacy, and draws the spectator to it. Poets’ texts on painting constitute minor forms: prefaces to catalogs, criticism, …

Plumage Patterns: Ecological Functions, Evolutionary Origins, And Advances In Quantification, Nicholas A. Mason, Rauri C.K. Bowie

Faculty Publications

Birds exhibit remarkable variation in plumage patterns, both within individual feathers and among plumage patches. Differences in the size, shape, and location of pigments and structural colors comprise important visual signals involved in mate choice, social signaling, camouflage, and many other functions. While ornithologists have studied plumage patterns for centuries, recent technological advances in digital image acquisition and processing have transformed pattern quantification methods, enabling comprehensive, detailed datasets of pattern phenotypes that were heretofore inaccessible. In this review, we synthesize recent and classic studies of plumage patterns at different evolutionary and organismal scales and discuss the various roles that plumage …

National Guard Familes: The Relationship Between Institutional Discourses And Lived Experiences, Kimberly Saunier Boudreaux

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

National Guard families live in two different worlds. On the one hand, they are civilians with civilian jobs. On the other hand, they are also part of the military that can be activated at any time. Living in these two worlds simultaneously affects these families differently than families who live either entirely in the civilian world or the military world. The purpose of this qualitative study was to take an ethnographic look at how National Guard families navigate and adapt to these conditions. This study utilized three methods of data collection: analysis of self-help books aimed at helping military spouses …

Inter-War Maharajas As Art Patrons Betwen Traditionalism And Modernism, Humaira Hossain

LSU Master's Theses

India had carried a traditional history, some of those grew through time and some were fetched from Persia during the Mughal period. From the time of the British-Raj, India had experienced a completely diverse culture derived from western. This Thesis discusses the interests of Indian Maharajas in European culture which grew their attraction towards European art. More precisely I am going to talk about Maharaja Yashwant Rao Holker of Indore and Maharaja Jagjit Singh from Kapurthala, their changing taste away from the tradition. Both Maharaja was highly convinced by the European lifestyle, which reflects their changing tastes towards art. They …

Emerson's Idealist Poetics: Emerson, Rödl, And The Life Of Nature, Robert Darren Hutchinson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation, I articulate a hermeneutics for reading Ralph Waldo Emerson’s seminal text Nature through drawing on the insights of the contemporary philosopher Sebastian Rödl. Particularly, the performative, literary characteristics of Rödl’s quite conceptual work resonate with the poetic strategies that Emerson employs in Nature. In the section on the work of Rödl, I make the performative aspects of his philosophy explicit through a close reading of the way self-consciousness happens in his texts through the language he employs. Rödl refers to his elucidation of self-consciousness as idealism. In the section on Emerson, I show how Emerson’s project …