Digital Commons Network^™

From Colorism To Conjurings: Tracing The Dust In Beyoncé'S Lemonade, Cienna Davis

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

Colorism creates relentless tension and pressure in the lives of Black women. Pop-star Beyoncé Gisele Knowles-Carter is an interesting case in the discussion of colorism because her career has expressed a rich intimacy to Southern Black culture and female empowerment while also playing into tropes of the mulatta “fancy girl,” whose relative proximity to whiteness adheres social value within mainstream culture. Finding aesthetic and thematic parallels between Beyoncé’s recent project Lemonade (2016) and Julie Dash’s cult-classic film Daughters of the Dust (1991) I draw a critical connection between Yellow Mary Peazant and Beyoncé, the prodigal child and the licentious “post-racial,” …

Distributed Iterative Graph Processing Using Nosql With Data Locality, Ayam Pokhrel

LSU Master's Theses

A tremendous amount of data is generated every day from a wide range of sources such as social networks, sensors, and application logs. Among them, graph data is one type that represents valuable relationships between various entities. Analytics of large graphs has become an essential part of business processes and scientific studies because it leads to deep and meaningful insights into the related domain based on the connections between various entities. However, the optimal processing of large-scale iterative graph computations is very challenging due to the issues like fault tolerance, high memory requirement, parallelization, and scalability. Most of the contemporary …

Requiem For Orchestra And Choir, Luciano Vaz Correa

LSU Master's Theses

Five Movements of a Requiem is a composition for orchestra, solo soprano, solo alto, solo tenor, solo bass and choir, and is approximately 20 minutes in length. To compose it, I’ve studied many different requiem masses from Renaissance polyphony to our days, works from Tomás Luis de Victoria’s Missa Pro Defunctis to Schnittke’s Requiem. In this study, I’ve tried to understand which techniques they used in their compositions, and how these techniques could be useful on helping me to express my own music. In Christian liturgy, Requiem masses are offered for the dead and the name is derived from the …

Characterizing Putative Algal Bicarbonate Transporters In S. Cerevisiae & E. Coli Systems Using Transgenic Vectors, James J. Mickler

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Incremental Landscape At A Baton Rouge Oil Refinery: Temporal Framework For Phytoremediation In Louisiana Cancer Alley, Dahyung Yang

LSU Master's Theses

There is a rising need for clear guidance for phytoremediation applications in contaminated land, in anticipation of the severity of the pollution problem in the petrochemical industrial area. Results of a demographic survey of Louisiana neighborhoods adjacent to petrochemical plants indicated that both deep-rooted environmental issues and social inequity are an inherent part of many communities. This research simulated a temporal framework for incremental landscape at a Baton Rouge oil refinery and its surrounding neighborhood using phytoremediation principles with local plants and insects. Through this novel ecosystem, the site will become biodiverse, and community members will be able to explore …

Scavenge, Jessica B. Thames

LSU Master's Theses

Scavenge is an installment that blurs the boundaries of found and altered materials. What I define as "Left-overs" are abandoned materials taken from an enigmatic history. These Left-over objects are minimally altered, stacked or placed carefully pertaining to visual characteristics of the object, as well as the spatial relationship between each object inside the gallery. My work refuses to settle. Transporting an object from a large outdoor grouping into a gallery space changes our perception of the object. The newly created interior arrangement in the gallery space contrasts the arbitrariness of objects found in nature or discarded, inviting a viewer …

Effect Of Vitrification On Epigenetic Modifications And The Meiotic Spindle Of Bovine Oocytes, Emilio Jose Gutierrez-Castillo

LSU Master's Theses

While oocyte vitrification has become a common practice, it still faces some challenges such as the low survival rates after warming, probably related to cryoinjuries and cryoprotectant (CPA) toxicity. Evidence suggests that vitrification might have an effect on the patterns of some epigenetic marks including DNA methylation and histone acetylation. During fertilization and embryogenesis, key events for healthy and adequate embryo development take place, not only governed by the information contained within the DNA sequence, but also by epigenetic mechanisms.

This study was aimed at determining the effect of vitrification and CPA exposure, using a combination of ethylene glycol (EG) …

From The Water: Interpreting The Legacy Of Bayou Teche, Joni Elizabeth Emmons

LSU Master's Theses

The Bayou Teche, winding 135 miles from its origin in Port Barre to meet the Atchafalaya River in Patterson, has played an integral role in the environmental, economic, industrial, and cultural development of South Louisiana. The Teche has been called “Louisiana’s most famous bayou” and has been home to two Native American tribes, European settlers, Acadian exiles, African and Carribean slaves, and American colonists, each group contributing to the dynamic identity of the region. Current bayou conditions evidence such an exchange, bearing witness to the range of values that have shaped the bayou’s ecological and cultural context since its earliest …

Serving A Segregated City: Primary Medical Care Access Disparities In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Michael Vingiello

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Using Github In Large Software Engineering Classes: An Exploratory Case Study, Miroslav Tushev

LSU Master's Theses

GitHub has been recently used in Software Engineering (SE) classes to facilitate col- laboration in student team projects. The underlying tenet is that the technical and social feature of GitHub can help students to communicate and collaborate more effectively as a team as well as help teachers to evaluate individual student contribution more objectively. To shed more light on this, in this case study, we explore the benefits and drawbacks of using GitHub in SE classes. Our study is conducted in a software engineering class of 91 students divided into 18 teams. Our research method includes an entry and an …

Political Giving As Civic Participation: Identifying Donors And Motivating Giving, Robyn Lynn Stiles

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The study of political donations has previously been limited to surveys of identified donors and analysis of reported giving data, and oftentimes limited to higher-dollar donors. A comprehensive review of the current political giving literature yields two distinct questions: first, what role do resources play in determining who gives, and second, what ultimately prompts people to donate to a political organization? I utilize secondary survey data in my first chapter to examine the role of resources and gender in political giving. This chapter provides insight to whether gender merely represents the availability of resources necessary for participation, or whether it …

In-Between: The Spaces Of Modernity, Elisa Fabris Valenti

LSU Master's Theses

During the past three years as a graduate student, I have experienced loneliness. Having recently emigrated from Italy, I have often asked myself why I am experiencing such hard times adjusting to a different country. My thesis explores this question. Referring to Marc Augé’s idea of non-place, I have chosen a geographical and spatial starting point to approach my work. Italian cities are built around the central piazza where social, political, and economic life revolves. In my thesis, I depict American spaces that lack specific location and create solitude within the urban corridors. Private feelings, such as loneliness, are paradoxes …

"چقدر ایرانی هستم؟ در جستجوی هویتم" (How Iraniam Am I Still? In Search Of My Identity): 21st-Century Iranian Immigrant Identity Formation In The United States, Aram Emamjomeh

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis studies Iranian student immigrants in the United States in the special political tensions between the two countries from 2000 until present. This research provides a holistic view of understanding the new identity which Iranian students have reconstructed at the intersection of Iranian culture and U.S. culture through their past identity in confronting a new situation. It describes how Iranian students use individual, intellectual, and social resources to deal with the ignorance was that imposed on them when the governments of the two countries began to fight each other to achieve more political power. Data is collected from three …

Wonder Women: How Race And Gender Influenced News Coverage In The 2017 New Orleans And Atlanta Mayoral Elections, Sirdaria I. Williams

LSU Master's Theses

The few research studies that explore the media’s coverage of female and or minority candidates have primarily been limited to mix gender elections. Not much attention has been given to what coverage of elections featuring all female candidates looks like. Do atypical candidates lead to atypical coverage? To expand this area of research, this study examines local newspaper’s coverage in mayoral runoff elections. This study’s exploration of how the media portrays candidates running in all female races relies on a content analysis of the two cities examined primary newspapers. The findings from this study are varied and complex. The findings …

An Evaluation Of Pathophysiology And Biomechanics Of Selected Lamenesses In The Horse, Cole Barrett Sandow

LSU Master's Theses

INTRODUCTION-Laminitis and synovitis are two common causes of equine lameness. Laminitis is most often associated with hyperinsulinemia and osteoarthritis is most commonly the result of synovitis. The objective is to evaluate biomechanical and pathophysiologic events regarding laminitis and synovitis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS-The first study evaluated biomechanical effects of insulin on lamellar strength. For this experiment, lamellar explants were harvested, incubated in media only (serving as a control) or media with a high concentration of insulin for 8 hours. After incubation, structural integrity was evaluated with a mechanical testing device. Data included load to failure (N), stress to failure (MPa), elongation …

Press To Stop, Garrett Duncan Hazelwood

LSU Master's Theses

In the wake of a performance art piece in which the audience kills one of the performers and maims the other, the surviving artist is put on display in art galleries by his family. The public clamors to see him, protests against his exploitation rock the city, and intrigue surrounds his sudden rise to fame. In the end, a religion is founded in his honor and his best friend must make a terrible choice about whether or not to save him.

Feminism And The Black Church: A Qualitative Analysis Of Feminism Among Black Women In A Southern Baptist Church, Brianne Alexandra Painia

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Black women’s religious faith has been found to be integral to their survival (Harris-Perry 2011) in a world that many times chooses to marginalize them due to a host of factors, including their race, gender, and expressions of sexuality (Collins 1996; Morgan 2000) meaning that for black women religion is more than a simple denominational label (such as Lutheran, Catholic, or Baptist). Black women’s involvement in the Black Church has been covered from a variety of angles with researchers noting the importance of African American women to the success of many black churches (Evans 2001), the benefits such faith practice …

Nutrition Misconceptions And Awareness Among College Students In A University Community, Shervia Singleton Taylor

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Identification of misconceptions of macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein, and fat ) and awareness of ailments linked to micronutrients (potassium, fiber, Vitamin D. and food label use) based on certain demographics are vital to improving and developing long term health benefits, increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables, and decreasing healthcare cost associated with poor dietary lifestyles among non-major general biology college students at a historically black college and university located in the southern part of the United States. Misconception Identification (all groups) was determined using the pretest and posttest Nutrition Knowledge Test via Qualtrics that included two and three tiered question format …

Functional Plain Yogurt Enhanced With Inulin And Aloe Vera, Janny Melissa Mendoza Mencia

LSU Master's Theses

Yogurt has been recognized as a healthy food. Nutritional value of yogurt can be increased with the addition of aloe vera juice (AVJ) and inulin. People are interested in consuming products without artificial ingredients and with high content of bioactive compounds. The aims of this study were to develop a functional plain yogurt enhanced with inulin and AVJ, to evaluate the physicochemical properties, the enumeration of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, inulin content, and consumer acceptability. Six treatments were evaluated at day 1, 7, 14 and 30 at 4°C. Treatments were prepared using 2% fat milk, ABY culture, 5 …

The Effects Of Metal Speciation, Content And Cluster Size In Fly Ash On Pcdd/F Formation, Xia Guan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Transition metal oxides present in waste incineration systems have the ability to catalyze the formation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) through surface mediated condensation of organic dioxin precursors. Current studies have concentrated on the catalytic effects of individual transition metal oxides, while the complex composition of fly ash introduces the possibility of synergistic or antagonistic effects between multiple, catalytically active components. In addition, there is at present hardly a quantitative link between fly ash physical properties/chemical reactivity and PCDD/Fs yield.

We have tested fly ash surrogates containing different ratios of iron (III) oxide and copper (II) oxide …

Brewed Awakening: Re-Imagining Education In Three Nineteenth-Century New Orleans Coffee Houses, Robyn Rene Andermann

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In dominant narratives of the history of education in America, the icon of the American educated citizen has traditionally been rooted in Jeffersonian Democracy, eventually taking shape in the Northern, Anglo-Protestant, Common School Movement in which the availability and acceptance of state-supported public education was a key measure of democratic progress. Within the institution of common schools, individuals were taught how to participate in a democratic society.

This dissertation reimagines the dominant narrative by suggesting that the multiethnic and multilingual nature of New Orleans, which some early American leaders had framed as discordant and disorderly, was vital to constructing an …

Una Soldado En Cada Hija: An Analysis Of Women's Illicit Participation In The Mexican Revolution, Edrea Maria Mendoza Quintero

LSU Master's Theses

Women’s contributions during the violent phase of the Mexican Revolution (1910-1917) have historically been kept in the shadows. When stories of their heroism were finally brought to light, what emerged was a new brand of heroine: the soldadera. She was either a loyal camp follower or a brave soldier. These women’s stories are remarkable, but the contributions of other women were often overlooked because they did not fit the soldadera mold. Some of those women were journalists and activists, others were nurses. As time has passed, these other women have also received their due credit for their involvement in the …

La Elisión De La /-S/ En El Español Del Caribe Y Los Estados Unidos, Andreina Isabel Colina

LSU Master's Theses

This sociolinguistic study explores the articulation of /-s/ in syllable-final position in the speech of Venezuelans that reside in Southern Louisiana and residents from Cartagena, Colombia. The results show similarities between both Caribbean communities, such as not favoring retention, and elements that differentiate the communities based on their geolects. One of the most significant differences is that speakers from Cartagena promote elision while Venezuelans that reside in Louisiana promote aspiration. Furthermore, the results show a connection between the time of residence of Venezuelans in Louisiana and retention. There is a great variety of studies about elided consonantal articulation of Caribbean …

Effects Of Dimethyl Sulfoxide And Glycerol Based Vitrification Protocols On Zona Pellucida Hardening In Mature Bovine Oocytes, Kaci Denise Rogers

LSU Master's Theses

Zona pellucida hardening is a natural process that occurs after oocyte fertilization to prevent polyspermic fertilization and to protect embryonic development. Pre-fertilization hardening of the zona pellucida however, decreases fertilization rates. Cryoprotectants have also been shown to negatively affect fertilization rates, one possible mechanism of which being through zona hardening. This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of different cryoprotectants on hardening of the zona pellucida using fresh mature bovine oocytes and vitrified mature bovine oocytes. Oocytes were post-slaughter from mixed breed cows. After collection, oocytes were randomly assigned to three cryoprotectant treatment groups: dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), glycerol or …

Integrating Horticulture Therapy In A Juvenile Detention Center Using Raised Bed Gardening And Exploratory Substrate Research, Stephanie Rene Gravois

LSU Master's Theses

Bagged media products are readily available at garden retails. However, most need to be amended or have supplemental topsoil combined for use in raised beds. Three media mixes were evaluated for the growth and yields of lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower. Two tested media were commercially available purchased products and the third was developed at Louisiana State University Agriculture Center (LSU AgCenter) specially designed for raised bed vegetable production. The LSU AgCenter medium produced greater yield and plant growth in all three crops (p ≤ 0.05) as compared to the commercially available media. The commercial products without additional amendments were found …

Linguistic Political Ecology With The Ngäbe Indigenous People Of Panama, Ginés A. Sánchez Arias

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Indigenous communities from all corners of the globe live in uncertain times. From the vantage point of their “remote" lands, they undergo some of globalization’s most harmful externalities. Their homes become increasingly harder to maintain as extractive industries, development schemes, clandestine land grabs, and national bureaucracies encroach creating new colonial lands. First by assimilation, and then integration, these processes systematically undermine indigenous culture and autonomy. In place of such destructive coloniality, indigenous societies shelter unique ecological and linguistic knowledge that continues to serve their progress. This research applies lessons learned from studying with Ngäbe communities of western Panama, towards a …

An Annotated Bibliography Of Percussion Works By Stanley Leonard, Kyle Douglas Cherwinski

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Timpanist, pedagogue, and composer Stanley Leonard has written over one hundred and twenty pieces for percussion, including solos, ensemble pieces, and method books. Several musical techniques are represented in his body of work, including traditional harmony, twelve-tone technique, graphic notation, and improvisation. The purpose of this document is to catalog all of these items into one source as a reference for other percussionists.

The document begins with biographical information, including his impressive performing career, his years as an educator, and the circumstances that led to his composition career. This required interviewing Leonard as well as reading several of the articles …

Mobility Of Nano-Particles In Rock Based Micro-Models, Jagannath Upadhyay

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A confocal micro-particle image velocimetry (C-μPIV) technique along with associated post-processing algorithms is detailed for obtaining three dimensional distributions of nano-particle velocity and concentrations at select locations of the 2.5D (pseudo 3D) Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and ceramic micro-model. The designed and fabricated 2.5D micro-model incorporates microchannel networks with 3D wall structures with one at observation wall which resembles fourteen morphological and flow parameters to those of fully 3D actual reservoir rock (Boise Sandstone) at resolutions of 5 and 10 μm in depth and 5 and 25 μm on plane. In addition, an in-situ, non-destructive method for measuring the geometry of …

S18rs 11th Legislative Week Mintes, Julianne Wiley

Student Senate Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

S18rs 5th Legislative Week Minutes, Julianne Wiley

Student Senate Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.