Digital Commons Network^™

Desire Paths In The Information Landscape, Victoria Van Hyning, Mason A. Jones, Travis Wagner

Journal of Critical Digital Librarianship

Libraries and archives serve so many different users who come to information institutions with various perspectives, needs, experiences, and desires around accessing physical or digital collections. While our users may find what they are looking for immediately, many have to beat their own paths through complex systems and metadata that doesn’t align with their needs. Their search strategies may leave digital “desire paths”–alternative routes through the information landscape that can show us how to better meet their needs. This article covers three scenarios where users’ desire paths can be seen or where gaps around user experience can be better addressed. …

A Microfluidic Approach To Study Variations In Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii Alkaline Phosphatase Activity In Response To Phosphate Availability, Alireza Rahnama, Manibarathi Vaithiyanathan, Luis Briceno-Mena, Travis M. Dugas, Kelly L. Yates, Jose A. Romagnoli, Adam T. Melvin

Faculty Publications

Algal growth depends strongly on phosphorus (P) as a key nutrient, underscoring the significance of monitoring P levels. Algal species display a sensitive response to fluctuations in P availability, notably through the expression of alkaline phosphatase (AP) when challenged with P-depletion. As such, alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) serves as a valuable metric for P availability, offering insights into how algae utilize and fix available P resources. However, current APA quantification methods lack single cell resolution, while also being time- and reagent consuming. Microfluidics offers a promising cost-effective solution to these limitations, providing a platform for precise single-cell analysis. In this …

Age, Growth, And Mortality Of Blackfin Tuna In The Gulf Of Mexico, E. M. Gutierrez, E. T. Lang, M. S. Lovell, J. Lang, B. J. Falterman, S. R. Midway, M. A. Dance

Faculty Publications

Objective: An otolith-based aging approach was used to evaluate age and growth relationships, sexual dimorphism in growth, and derive mortality estimates for Blackfin Tuna Thunnus atlanticus in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Methods: Blackfin Tuna (n = 395) were sampled from recreational fisheries and aged from 0 to 13 years, representing an increase over previous estimates of longevity for the species. Result: Rapid growth was exhibited during the first two years of life, and the Richards growth function provided a better fit (L∞ = 907 mm, k = 0.112 /year, a = 1.05, b = 0.25) to the data compared …

Consumer Engagement In Fashion Circularity In China: Exploring Consumer Online Fashion Resale Through The Lens Of Social Practice Theory, Sujun Liu, Chuanlan Liu, Chunmin Lang

Faculty Publications

Fashion resale has emerged as a notable strategy for the fashion industry to reduce its environmental footprint by promoting fashion circularity. Despite extensive research on consumer awareness of resale and the purchase of pre-owned items, there remains a gap in understanding the factors that influence consumers’ participation in resale markets, encompassing both selling and buying practices. Drawing on social practice theory (SPT), this qualitative study examines the nuanced factors influencing consumers’ online resale practices and investigates how online fashion resale practices (OFRPs) have become integrated into their daily consumption patterns. In-depth interviews were conducted with thirty experienced Chinese consumers engaged …

Recycling Functional Fillers From Waste Tires For Tailored Polystyrene Composites: Mechanical, Fire Retarding, Electromagnetic Field Shielding, And Acoustic Insulation Properties—A Short Review, Jinlong Zhang, Hang Liu, Shyam S. Sablani, Qinglin Wu

Faculty Publications

Polymer waste is currently a big and challenging issue throughout the world. Waste tires represent an important source of polymer waste. Therefore, it is highly desirable to recycle functional fillers from waste tires to develop composite materials for advanced applications. The primary theme of this review involves an overview of developing polystyrene (PS) composites using materials from recycled tires as fillers; waste tire recycling in terms of ground tire rubbers, carbon black, and textile fibers; surface treatments of the fillers to optimize various composite properties; and the mechanical, fire retarding, acoustic, and electromagnetic field (EMI) shielding performances of PS composite …

Estrogen Counteracts Age-Related Decline In Beige Adipogenesis Through The Nampt-Regulated Er Stress Response, Jooman Park, Ruoci Hu, Yanyu Qian, Shaolei Xiong, Asma Sana El-Sabbagh, Meram Ibrahim, Jaden Wang, Ziqiao Xu, Zhengjia Chen, Qing Song, Zhenyuan Song, Gege Yan, Abeer M. Mahmoud, Yanlin He, Brian T. Layden, Jiwang Chen, Sang Ging Ong, Pingwen Xu, Yuwei Jiang

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Thermogenic beige adipocytes are recognized as potential therapeutic targets for combating metabolic diseases. However, the metabolic advantages that they offer are compromised with aging. Here we show that treating mice with estrogen (E2), a hormone that decreases with age, can counteract the age-related decline in beige adipogenesis when exposed to cold temperature while concurrently enhancing energy expenditure and improving glucose tolerance in mice. Mechanistically, we found that nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (NAMPT) plays a pivotal role in facilitating the formation of E2-induced beige adipocytes, which subsequently suppresses the onset of age-related endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Furthermore, we found that targeting NAMPT …

Leveraging Designed Simulations And Machine Learning To Develop A Surrogate Model For Optimizing The Gas–Downhole Water Sink–Assisted Gravity Drainage (Gdws-Agd) Process To Improve Clean Oil Production, Watheq J. Al-Mudhafar, Dandina N. Rao, Andrew K. Wojtanowicz

Faculty Publications

The Gas and Downhole Water Sink–Assisted Gravity Drainage (GDWS-AGD) process addresses gas flooding limitations in reservoirs surrounded by infinite-acting aquifers, particularly water coning. The GDWS-AGD technique reduces water cut in oil production wells, improves gas injectivity, and optimizes oil recovery, especially in reservoirs with high water coning. The GDWS-AGD process installs two 7-inch production casings bilaterally. Then, two 2-3/8-inch horizontal tubings are completed. One tubing produces oil above the oil–water contact (OWC) area, while the other drains water below it. A hydraulic packer in the casing separates the two completions. The water sink completion uses a submersible pump to prevent …

Evaluating The Relationship Between Parent-Adolescent Communication, Social Media Use, And Psychological Well-Being In Adolescents, Johannah Smith

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Adolescents, particularly teenage girls, use social media substantially more than any other age group (Boneva et al., 2006; Gross, 2004; Padilla-Walker et al., 2020). Greater social media use has been linked to internalizing and externalizing problems; however, specific social media behavior and the relation to internalizing and externalizing problems is unknown. Additionally, how parent-adolescent communication impacts the relationships has not been explored. This is concerning as specific social media behavior, such as ruminating with peers and general social media addiction, has been linked to adolescents’ psychological well-being. (Sarmiento et al., 2020; Shensa et al., 2017; Nesi et al., 2020). The …

Molecular-Level Studies Of Nanopatterned Biomolecules With Atomic Force Microscopy, Ashley R. Walker

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is an analytical technique in which a tipped probe is gently scanned across the surface in a raster pattern to generate digital images of a sample at the nanoscale. The AFM instrument has three general operational modes, which are contact, non-contact and tapping-mode, that can be used to examine materials at the atomic level. Single-molecular details of biological molecules and other soft organic materials can be captured with minimal denaturation in either ambient or liquid environments when using tapping-mode AFM. In tapping-mode, the probe is driven to oscillate vertically while the tip is scanned across the …

Veneers And Vignettes: Staging The Mountain West, Matthew Jones

LSU Master's Theses

Veneer (noun): An attractive appearance that covers or disguises someone or something's true nature or feelings.

Vignette (noun): A small illustration or portrait photograph which fades into its background without a definite border.

This exhibition, Veneers and Vignettes: Staging the Mountain West embodies my pursuits to contextualize my place in the Mountain West, my home. These works seek to understand how the extents of time, circumstance, and people have shaped the contemporary cultures, environment, and implied trajectory of the decades ahead. What legacies have we imprinted upon this place and with what repercussions? I feel uneasy for my home in …

Trophic Interactions In Microbiomes Influence Plant Host Population Size And Ecosystem Function, Jiaqi Tan, Na Wei, Martin M. Turcotte

Faculty Publications

Plant microbiomes that comprise diverse microorganisms, including prokaryotes, eukaryotes and viruses, are the key determinants of plant population dynamics and ecosystem function. Despite their importance, little is known about how species interactions (especially trophic interactions) between microbes from different domains modify the importance of microbiomes for plant hosts and ecosystems. Using the common duckweed Lemna minor, we experimentally examined the effects of predation (by bacterivorous protists) and parasitism (by bacteriophages) within microbiomes on plant population size and ecosystem phosphorus removal. Our results revealed that the addition of predators increased plant population size and phosphorus removal, whereas the addition of parasites …

Scaling The Wall: Math Attitudes And Mindsets Of Middle School High-Achievers, Stephanie R. Gullage

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This intrinsic case study examined groups of gifted and high achieving middle school mathematics students in one school’s advanced and honors program. The purpose of this study was to determine how the students view themselves in light of noncognitive constructs, how they regard and apply those constructs in their mathematics studies, how the work of those constructs can affect their attitudes toward mathematics, and how they believe educators can help foster success in math via noncognitive factors. The researcher employed a questionnaire, observations, focus group interviews, and interviews with key informants to gather study data. With the theoretical lenses of …

Sexual Abuse: A Multi-Faceted Problem, Marcus Venable

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

On average, US citizens have experienced approximately 400,000 sexual assaults per year, which results in enormous immediate and long-term consequences for individuals, as well as society in general.

In the U.S., the principal method of combatting this crime has been the creation of Sex Offender Registries used to notify the public of the identity and location of convicted sex offenders who may be living in proximity to their residence. In addition to the Registry, laws have been passed forbidding convicted sex offenders from residing within buffer zones around areas of high child concentration [schools/parks/etc.].

The efficacy and consequences of these …

Pregnant Black Bodies In Peril: A Multi-Method Analysis Of Obstetric Outcomes And Gestational Experiences, Courtney E. Williams

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

My multi-method three-paper dissertation provides a better understanding of the relationship between maternal racial identity, obstetric outcomes, and gestational experiences. Using birth certificate data from the 2016 U.S. National Vital Statistics System and binary logistic regression models, in the first paper I explore heterogeneity in severe maternal morbidity (SMM) by maternal race, maternal education, and maternal age. To complement the first paper, in the second paper I allow 35 Black and White women/birthing people to describe pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood in their own words. I situate the Covid-19 pandemic as a unique cultural backdrop in this qualitative paper to …

The Effect Of A Lactobacillus Containing Gel On The Clitoral Microbiome Of The Mare, Fiona E. Herzog

LSU Master's Theses

The equine lower reproductive tract harbors bacterial populations that serve as a reservoir for potential pathogens. Dysbiosis of urogenital sites may play a role in reproductive disease of the mare, including endometritis. Metagenetic studies have evaluated microbiomes in the uterus, vagina and placenta, while the clitoral microbiome has yet to be described. In this study, the following hypotheses were tested; 1) the clitoris harbors a unique microbiome, 2) topical Lactobacillus genus complex (LGC) probiotic will alter this microbiome, 3) acceptable per cycle pregnancy rates (PCPR) following probiotic application will be achieved. Reproductively normal mares (n=14) were selected, and clitoral fossa …

Identifying Self-Efficacy Factors Of Agriscience Teachers When Working With Supervised Agricultural Experiences For Students With Disabilities, Saralyn L. Smith

LSU Master's Theses

The number of students receiving disability services annually in the U.S. has increased in the last decade. Even with this growing population of students with disabilities, research continues to show a lack of confidence of School Based Agricultural Education (SBAE) teachers in their ability and skills to include these students. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the factors that influence how SBAE teachers support students with disabilities in Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs and identify perceived obstacles SBAE teachers have regarding working with students with disabilities. Semi-structed interviews were conducted with twelve SBAE teachers to understand their lived …

Coordination Numbers And Grain Texture From Micro-Xray Tomography Of Angular Unconsolidated Sediments: Velocity Prediction Using Hertz-Mindlin Model., Kwabena Poku-Agyemang

LSU Master's Theses

Elastic properties of unconsolidated sediments depend on parameters such as porosity, grain texture (i.e., grain shape and sizes), sorting and coordination number. Coordination is the average number of grains each grain has with touching grains, is a critical parameter in rock physics models for estimating elastic moduli of materials. While previous works have focused on the influence of porosity and sorting on coordination numbers within well-rounded grains, natural sediments have a wide range of grain shapes and sizes, and it remains unclear how these parameters influence coordination numbers within angular unconsolidated sediments.

We investigate the impact of porosity, sorting and …

It’S Britney, Bitch, Mary Hyepock

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation engages public rhetorics surrounding pop princess Britney Spears as a case study for examining the rhetoricity of bodily autonomy. Bodily autonomy is commonly understood as the legal right to control what happens to one’s body without external influence or coercion. However, one’s legal access to bodily autonomy is produced, negotiated, and maintained through discourse. In other words, one’s access to so-called “ownership” over their body and agency to make decisions about it is deeply tied to the gendered and racialized symbolic production of citizenship in the United States. Utilizing a reproductive justice framework, I investigate how Britney Spears’ …

Vibrato Rate And Extent In The Baritone Voice Through The Twentieth And Early Twenty-First Century, Scott Purcell

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Observations of vibrato rate and extent through the twentieth and early twenty-first century point to an overall decrease in rate and increase in extent. This descriptive analysis studied fifty-five randomly selected recordings of professional operatic baritones, five from each decade from 1910 to 2021, and analyzed their vibrato rate and extent with VoceVista Video Pro. Results showed a consistent decrease in mean vibrato rate from 1910 to 1960, with small increases and decreases from 1960-2021. Vibrato extent was less consistent, but still increased from 1910-2021. The mean vibrato rate was 5.84 Herz (Hz), with a coefficient of variation (CV) of …

Examining The Use Of Vr As A Study Aid For University Students With Adhd, Isabelle Cuber, Juliana G. Goncalves De Souza, Irene Jacobs, Caroline Lowman, David Shepherd, Thomas Fritz, Joshua M. Langberg

Faculty Publications

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by patterns of inattention and impulsivity, which lead to difficulties maintaining concentration and motivation while completing academic tasks. University settings, characterized by a high student-to-staf ratio, make treatments relying on human monitoring challenging. One potential replacement is Virtual Reality (VR) technology, which has shown potential to enhance learning outcomes and promote fow experience. In this study, we investigate the usage of VR with 27 university students with ADHD in an efort to improve their performance in completing homework, including an exploration of automated feedback via a technology probe. Quantitative results show significant …

Restricting Bioenergetic Efficiency Enhances Longevity And Mitochondrial Redox Capacity In Drosophila Melanogaster, Analisa L. Taylor, Olga Dubuisson, Pritika Pandey, Elizabeth R.M. Zunica, Bolormaa Vandanmagsar, Wagner S. Dantas, Alyssa Johnson, Christopher L. Axelrod, John P. Kirwan

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Mitochondria are essential for survival and as such, impairments in organelle homeostasis significantly accelerate age-related morbidity and mortality. Here, we determined the contribution of bioenergetic efficiency to life span and health span in Drosophila melanogaster utilizing the mitochondrial uncoupler BAM15. Life span was determined in flies fed a normal diet (ND) or high fat diet (HFD) supplemented with vehicle or BAM15. Locomotor function was determined by negative geotaxis assay in middle-aged flies fed vehicle or BAM15 under ND or HFD conditions. Redox capacity (high-resolution respirometry/fluorometry), citrate synthase (enzyme activity), mtDNA content (qPCR), gene expression (qPCR), and protein expression (western blot) …

Exploring Pathways Toward Open-Hardware Ecosystems To Safeguard Genetic Resources For Biomedical Research Communities Using Aquatic Model Species, Yue Liu, Jack C. Koch, Lucía Arregui, Allyssa Oune, Sarah Bodenstein, Maria T. Gutierrez-Wing, Terrence R. Tiersch

Faculty Publications

Development of reliable germplasm repositories is critical for preservation of genetic resources of aquatic species, which are widely utilized to support biomedical innovation by providing a foundational source for naturally occurring variation and development of new variants through genetic manipulations. A significant barrier in repository development is the lack of cryopreservation capability and reproducibility across the research community, posing great risks of losing advances developed from billions of dollars of research investment. The emergence of open scientific hardware has fueled a new movement across biomedical research communities. With the increasing accessibility of consumer-level fabrication technologies, such as three-dimensional printers, open …

Energy Compensation For Crop Growth Under Plastic Mulching: Theories, Models, And Limitations, Dianyuan Ding, Ting Li, Lihong Wu, Xi Zhang, Ying Zhao, Hao Feng, Chao Zhang, Ole Wendroth

Faculty Publications

Plastic film mulching (PM) is a useful agronomic means to adapt to the environmental conditions of dryland agriculture and improve crop production. To improve the theoretical framework of PM technology, this study focuses on the interaction between the soil temperature change caused by PM and crop growth. The definition, action mechanism, and simulation of the compensatory effect of PM on growing degree days are introduced to reveal the effect of soil temperature under PM on crop development and growth. Our summary shows that the strength of the warming effect changes with the growth and development of crops, strengthening during the …

Associations Of Epigenetic Age Acceleration With Cvd Risks Across The Lifespan: The Bogalusa Heart Study, Xiao Sun, Wei Chen, Alexander C. Razavi, Mengyao Shi, Yang Pan, Changwei Li, Maria Argos, Brian T. Layden, Martha L. Daviglus, Jiang He, Owen T. Carmichael, Lydia A. Bazzano, Tanika N. Kelly

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Although epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) might serve as a molecular signature of childhood cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and further promote midlife subclinical CVD, few studies have comprehensively examined these life course associations. This study sought to test whether childhood CVD risk factors predict EAA in adulthood and whether EAA mediates the association between childhood CVD risks and midlife subclinical disease. Among 1,580 Bogalusa Heart Study participants, we estimated extrinsic EAA, intrinsic EAA, PhenoAge acceleration (PhenoAgeAccel), and GrimAge acceleration (GrimAgeAccel) during adulthood. We tested prospective associations of longitudinal childhood body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, lipids, and glucose with EAAs …

The Roles Of Perceived Safety Climate And Innovativeness In The Performance Of Sport And Recreation Organizations, Minjung Kim, Han Soo Kim, Brent D. Oja, Jasamine Hill, Claire Zvosec, Paul Yuseung Doh

Faculty Publications

The recent COVID-19 pandemic created an unpredictable environment regarding the safety operations of sport and recreation organizations. This study was designed to examine how safety climate and organizational innovativeness could promote preferred organizational behavior outcomes in college campus sport and recreation centers. A total of 227 sport and recreation employees were recruited through the National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association. With the collected data, we employed structural equation modeling to assess the research hypotheses. The results indicated that safety climate and innovativeness positively influenced job engagement, therefore leading to enhanced safety compliance and employee innovativeness, which ultimately resulted in higher …

Cellulose Nanofiber As Mask/Personal Protective Equipment Surface Agent For Enhanced Anti-Bacterial Performance, Sophia Jackson, Jonathan Chen

Faculty Publications

The utilization of face-covering masks as an extended form of personal protective equipment has led to exponential waste measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, with estimations of up to 7200 tons of medical-type waste daily. A primary cause of this waste is surgical layered disposable masks that are constructed by melt-blown nonwovens usually made of non-biodegradable thermoplastic polymers like polypropylene. To increase widespread sustainable options to the public, commercialized or do-it-yourself-based fabric masks serve as a solution, but their resistance to harmful molecules is less than that of the medical-grade masks due to the fabric structure that leaves space for penetration. …

Aerial, Surface, And Subsurface Multimodal Mapping In Coastal Peru: Insights From Cerro San Isidro, Moro Region, Nepeña Valley, Kayla Golay Lausanne, David Chicoine, Jeisen Navarro Vega, George F. Lau

Faculty Publications

This article describes a series of steps to integrate multiple modes of archaeological mapping in arid and agricultural settings. We use the coastal region of Peru as a case study and share our recent field experience at Cerro San Isidro, a multicomponent hill site located in the agriculture-intensive and mid-elevation (about 500 m asl) Moro region of the Nepeña Valley. In June and July 2022, we spent eight weeks deploying a combination of drone aerial imagery, pedestrian GPS reconnaissance, and GPR survey to map the surface and subsurface features at the site and in the adjacent agricultural fields. Our efforts …

Editorial Introduction: Exploring The Frontier Of Policy Theory Research, Geoboo Song, Melissa K. Merry, Saba Siddiki, Gwen Arnold, Aaron Smith-Walter, Holly L. Peterson, Creed Tumlison, Heasun Choi, Briana Huett, Davor Mondom, Christopher Giller, Meerim Seiitova

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

60th Student Senate Org Session 2 Meeting Minutes, Zoe Joubert

Student Senate Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Ammonium Chemotaxis In Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii, Gabela Nelson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Analysis of ammonium chemotaxis in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is largely hindered, compared to that of phototaxis, despite equal importance on flagellated microalgal physiology. A major contribution of this shortfall is the lack of proper assay method. We developed a simple Petri dish assay method in which light is homogenously exposed while patterns of the cellular migration are tracked with a function of time. Using the method, new findings were revealed. First, this research presented that a strain lacking the eyespot organelle required for light gradient-sensing exhibits similar chemotactic behavior compared to a wild-type strain, suggesting Chlamydomonas sense an ammonium gradient not …