Digital Commons Network^™

Development And Initial Validation Of The Adolescent Social Media Use Inventory, Johannah Smith

LSU Master's Theses

Adolescents are the largest population group that accesses social media applications (Boneva et al., 2006; Gross, 2004; Subrahmanyam, Reich, Waechter, & Espinoza, 2008). However, there is little known on how to measure the positive (i.e., enabling privacy settings, friending parents and other family members on social media platforms) and negative (i.e., public social media account, hiding posts from parents) adolescent social media use. This is an important oversight given the relationship between negative uses of social media and increased delinquency, aggression, and decreased parent-adolescent communication (Coyne et al., 2014). The present study sought to address this limitation in the research …

Louisiana Agriculture Summer, 2022

Louisiana Agriculture

LSU AgCenter researchers constantly search for ways to improve Louisiana agriculture by increasing yields and profitability. They also seek to understand new and less popular crops that could thrive in our region. Professor Yan Chen is helping develop the tea industry along the Gulf Coast, working closely with producers to understand how to grow tea (Camellia sinensis) in the region, and her work is featured in the latest issue of Louisiana Agriculture magazine. The magazine also includes a look into Grow Louisiana and Growing Farmers, two programs designed to help beginning farmers learn the business. Researchers from the …

Northwest - Summer 2022, Lsu Agcenter

Horticulture Hints

No abstract provided.

Northeast - Summer 2022, Lsu Agcenter

Horticulture Hints

No abstract provided.

Central - Summer 2022, Lsu Agcenter

Horticulture Hints

No abstract provided.

Southeast - Summer 2022, Lsu Agcenter

Horticulture Hints

No abstract provided.

Southwest - Summer 2022, Lsu Agcenter

Horticulture Hints

No abstract provided.

From Soils To Streams: Connecting Terrestrial Carbon Transformation, Chemical Weathering, And Solute Export Across Hydrological Regimes, Hang Wen, Pamela L. Sullivan, Sharon A. Billings, Hoori Ajami, Alejandro Cueva, Alejandro Flores, Daniel R. Hirmas, Aaron N. Koop, Katie Murenbeeld, Xi Zhang, Li Li

Faculty Publications

Soil biota generates carbon that exports vertically to the atmosphere (CO2) and transports laterally to streams and rivers (dissolved organic and inorganic carbon, DOC and DIC). These processes, together with chemical weathering, vary with flow paths across hydrological regimes; yet an integrated understanding of these interactive processes is still lacking. Here we ask: How and to what extent do subsurface carbon transformation, chemical weathering, and solute export differ across hydrological and subsurface structure regimes? We address this question using a hillslope reactive transport model calibrated using soil CO2 and water chemistry data from Fitch, a temperate forest at the ecotone …

Charging Of Radioactive And Environmental Airborne Particles, Gyoung G. Jang, Alexander I. Wiechert, Yong Ha Kim, Austin P. Ladshaw, Tyler Spano, Joanna Mcfarlane, Kristian Myhre, Joon Jin Song, Sotira Yiacoumi, Costas Tsouris

Faculty Publications

The charging of various airborne particles was investigated using single-particle levitation and charge-balance equations. Though radioactive decay and triboelectrification can induce charging, it is typically assumed that the aerosols in a radioactive plume will not carry significant charge at steady state since atmospheric particles can have their charge neutralized through the capture of adjacent counter-ions (i.e., diffusion charging). To assess this assumption, we directly measured the surface charge and charge density of various triboelectrically charged aerosols including radioactive uranium oxide (< 1 μm), urban dust, Arizona desert dust, hydrophilic and hydrophobic silica nanoparticles, and graphene oxide powders using an electric field-assisted particle levitator in air. Of these particles, uranium oxide aerosols exhibited the highest surface charge density. Charge balance equations were employed to predict the average charge gained from radioactive decay as a function of time and to evaluate the effects of diffusion charging on triboelectrically charged radioactive and non-radioactive particles in the atmosphere. Simulation results show that particles, initially charged through triboelectrification, can be quickly discharged by diffusion charging in the absence of radioactive decay. Nevertheless, simulation results also indicate that particles can be strongly charged when they carry radionuclides. These experimental and simulation results suggest that radioactive decay can induce strong particle charging that may potentially affect atmospheric transport of airborne radionuclides.

Exploring Toluene Biosynthesis In Microbial Consortia Derived From Sediments And Superfund Site Groundwater, Raymond J. Poche

LSU Master's Theses

While the aromatic hydrocarbon toluene is widely regarded as a contaminant associated with discharges of crude oil and refined petroleum products (e.g., gasoline), the enzyme phenylacetate decarboxylase catalyzes the decarboxylation of phenylacetate to yield toluene. Research described in this thesis further investigated toluene biosynthesis by a microbial consortium originating from chlorinated solvent-contaminated groundwater near Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In anoxic growth media supplemented with phenylacetate as a precursor, toluene accumulation was found to be maximal at near-neutral to slightly acidic pHs (toluene accumulation greater than 1 mg/L at pH in the range of 5.6 to 7.6, but was not observed for …

Readymades & Repertoires: Artifact-Mediated Improvisation In Tabletop Role-Playing Games, Philip Tchernavskij, Andrew M. Webb, Hayden Gemeinhardt, Wendy E. Mackay

Faculty Publications

Game masters (GMs) are creative practitioners who plan and orchestrate tabletop role-playing games. Through an interview study, we investigate how eight expert game masters adapt everyday technologies and materials as creativity support tools (CSTs) for improvisational and collaborative play. We integrate theories of improvisational and distributed creativity with the human-artifact model, which provides an activity-theoretical vocabulary for analyzing the mediating relationships between specialist practitioners and their tools. We show how GMs prepare and deploy readymade artifacts: analog and digital CSTs that flexibly mediate recurring creative tasks in their practice, such as improvising narrative elements, facilitating smooth play, and creating aesthetic …

Zein And Lignin-Graft-Plga Nanoparticles As Agrochemical Delivery Systems To Soybean Plants, Eban A. Hanna

LSU Master's Theses

The majority of applied agrochemicals are lost to the environment due to their poor adhesion to plant tissues, resulting in multiple applications and subsequent environmental toxicity. This thesis focuses on reducing these consequences by entrapping agrochemicals in polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs). In the first section, zein nanoparticles (ZNPs) with entrapped methoxyfenozide (MFZ) (209.0 ± 5.6 nm, -42.1 ± 2.1 mV) were synthesized and used to facilitate the translocation of MFZ to the leaves and stems of soybean plants, as measured by LC-MS, under hydroponic conditions. The agrochemical concentration increased within the leaves over time from 0.04 to 2.35 μg/g at 0.2 …

Bloch Spectra For High Contrast Elastic Media, Jayasinghage Ruchira Nirmali Perera

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The primary goal of this dissertation is to develop analytic representation formulas and power series to describe the band structure inside periodic elastic crystals made from high contrast inclusions. We use source free modes associated with structural spectra to represent the solution operator of the Lame' system inside phononic crystals. Then we obtain convergent power series for the Bloch wave spectrum using the representation formulas. An explicit bound on the convergence radius is given through the structural spectra of the inclusion array and the Dirichlet spectra of the inclusions. Sufficient conditions for the separation of spectral branches of the dispersion …

Self-Repelling Elastic Manifolds With Low Dimensional Range, Carl Mueller, Eyal Neumann

Journal of Stochastic Analysis

No abstract provided.

Phylogenetic Characterization And Genome Sequence Analysis Of Burkholderia Glumae Strains Isolated In Thailand As The Causal Agent Of Rice Bacterial Panicle Blight, Nootjarin Jungkhun, Antonio Roberto Gomes De Farias, Jutatape Watcharachaiyakup, Nuttima Kositcharoenkul, Jong Hyun Ham, Sujin Patarapuwadol

Faculty Publications

Burkholderia glumae is one of the most critical rice-pathogenic bacteria, and it causes bacterial panicle blight (BPB) in rice plants. In 2017, BPB symptoms were observed from rice fields in Chiang Rai, Northern Thailand. Sixty-one isolates obtained from the symptomatic panicles of rice were initially identified as B. glumae by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using species-specific primers. Among them, six selected strains isolated from the susceptible japonica rice cultivar DOA2 were characterized in terms of morpho-physiology, pathology, phylogenetics, and genomics. Our genome sequence analysis of the six selected strains revealed the presence of multiple prophages, which may reflect the high …

Sweat (Summer, 2022), Lsu Swine Palace

Playbills

Filled with warm humor and tremendous heart, SWEAT tells the story of a group of friends who have spent their lives sharing drinks, secrets, and laughs while working together on the factory floor. But when layoffs and picket lines begin to chip away at their trust, the friends find themselves pitted against each other in a heart-wrenching fight to stay afloat.

Sustainable Gardening For School And Home Gardens: Sweet Corn, Denyse Cummins, Carl Motsenbocker

Sustainable Gardening for School and Home Gardens

Corn is a member of the Poaceae family, also known as the grass or cereal family, which includes wheat, oats, barley, rye, sugarcane and rice, as well as bamboo and many ornamentals, such as the lawn grasses. There are many types of corn that can be grown and used for human food although there are two major types: corn that is harvested when mature as a dried grain (field corn) and corn that is harvested immature as a vegetable referred to as sweet corn. Grain corn types include: popcorn, ornamental corn, flint corn, flour corn, waxy corn and dent corn. …

Mitochondrial Uncoupling Attenuates Sarcopenic Obesity By Enhancing Skeletal Muscle Mitophagy And Quality Control, Wagner S. Dantas, Elizabeth R.M. Zunica, Elizabeth C. Heintz, Bolormaa Vandanmagsar, Z. Elizabeth Floyd, Yongmei Yu, Hisashi Fujioka, Charles L. Hoppel, Kathryn P. Belmont, Christopher L. Axelrod, John P. Kirwan

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Background: Sarcopenic obesity is a highly prevalent disease with poor survival and ineffective medical interventions. Mitochondrial dysfunction is purported to be central in the pathogenesis of sarcopenic obesity by impairing both organelle biogenesis and quality control. We have previously identified that a mitochondrial-targeted furazano[3,4-b]pyrazine named BAM15 is orally available and selectively lowers respiratory coupling efficiency and protects against diet-induced obesity in mice. Here, we tested the hypothesis that mitochondrial uncoupling simultaneously attenuates loss of muscle function and weight gain in a mouse model of sarcopenic obesity. Methods: Eighty-week-old male C57BL/6J mice with obesity were randomized to 10 weeks of high …

Novel Approaches To Environmental Monitoring And Control Of Listeria Monocytogenes In Food Production Facilities, Priyanka Gupta, Achyut Adhikari

Faculty Publications

Listeria monocytogenes is a serious public health hazard responsible for the foodborne illness listeriosis. L. monocytogenes is ubiquitous in nature and can become established in food production facilities, resulting in the contamination of a variety of food products, especially ready-to-eat foods. Effective and risk-based environmental monitoring programs and control strategies are essential to eliminate L. monocytogenes in food production environments. Key elements of the environmental monitoring program include (i) identifying the sources and prevalence of L. monocytogenes in the production environment, (ii) verifying the effectiveness of control measures to eliminate L. monocytogenes, and (iii) identifying the areas and activities to …

Covid-19 Prevention Behaviors In A Cooperative Extension Audience: Findings From A Nutrition Education Study, Matthew Greene, Catherine Ruth Losavio, Denise Holston

Faculty Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted the delivery of nutrition education through Cooperative Extension. This study aimed to identify a Cooperative Extension audience’s attitudes towards virus prevention behaviors, preferred sources of information regarding COVID-19, and nutrition education preferences during the pandemic. We distributed an online survey to 477 potential nutrition education participants including questions about behaviors like mask wearing, preferences for virtual nutrition lesson delivery, and attitudes towards sources of information about COVID-19. Attitudes towards mask wearing and preferred sources of information differed significantly by race, income, and age. These differences have serious implications for future outreach and program delivery

Co2 Zonal Injection Rate Allocation And Plume Extent Evaluation Through Wellbore Temperature Analysis, Refaat G. Hashish, Mehdi Zeidouni

Faculty Publications

Temperature analysis during a pause in injection operations, known as warmback analysis, has been used in the petroleum industry for evaluating the injection conformance and estimating the location of the flooded front in applications, such as waterflooding oil reservoirs. In this work, methods are introduced to extend the application of temperature warmback analysis to estimate the zonal CO2 injection rate and zonal CO2 plume extent during geologic CO2 storage in a saline aquifer. First, novel analytical solutions are developed to model transient temperature in the aquifer during the injection and subsequent shut-in periods considering two-phase flow (gaseous CO2 and aqueous …

Entities: A Field Of Imaginary Games, Thrasyvoulos Ioannis Kalaitzidis

LSU Master's Theses

With this body of work, I am looking for visual symbols that help communicate unuttered meanings through storytelling and stimulate an affectual response to the viewer. This exploration is presented in two different forms: a surreal sculptural installation and a board game. The installation consists of large-scale sculptures made from light and soft materials (polyurethane foam, plastic waste, paper) that are available to move inside the gallery, while the board game is presented as a set of 3D prints with instructions on how the participants can play it. The materials used in the installation suggest a way to transform waste …

Mrs. Florence Mante's Amazing Grace School, Daniel Keith Davis

LSU Master's Theses

Mrs. Florence Mante’s Amazing Grace School is the story of both Mama Florence and the children that she has dedicated her life to. Mrs. Florence Mante is the Ghanaian cofounder of the Amazing Grace Preparatory School. The West African school is committed to developing African leaders and ending the cycles of poverty in the village of Kodiekrom. My thesis focuses on using interview-driven artwork and collaborative storytelling to depict the unique challenges and triumphs of Mama Florence’s life in Ghana. Digital illustrations, a narration from Mama Florence, and music take the viewer on her deeply compelling journey, raising awareness for …

Producing Bacterial Cellulose From Coffee (Coffea Arabica) Kombucha Fermentation And Assessment Of Its Efficacy To Remove Pathogenic Bacteria From Contaminated Water And A Pollutant Dye From Aqueous Solution, Federico Bueno

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Bacterial cellulose (BC), composed of cellulosic nanofibrils, is synthesized by a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast during the fermentation of coffee kombucha (CK). BC may be used as a purification agent and adsorbent. The overall goal of this project was to synthesize BC from CK fermentation and assess its efficacy in removing pathogenic bacteria from contaminated water and a pollutant dye from aqueous solution. The objectives of this study were to: (1) compare BCs that were produced from different carbohydrate substrates in the fermentation of CK, (2) characterize dried BCs produced using various drying methods, (3) evaluate BC as …

Characterization Of Gas Hydrate Formation And Its Impact On Slope Stability In Offshore Environments, Sulav Dhakal

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Natural gas hydrates (NGH) are predominantly methane hydrates formed at high pressure and low temperature conditions typically in submarine sediments and permafrost. This dissertation is focused on the submarine methane hydrates formed by upward migration of free and dissolved gas. The methane gas stored within natural hydrates has more energy potential than all the combined oil and gas resources around the world. Numerical simulation of fluid flow, heat transport, and geomechanical stresses is used to characterize and evaluate the saturation, distribution, reservoir quality, and geohazards associated with hydrate-bearing sediments. Coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) simulation of hydrate formation, dissociation, and slope stability …

A Conductor’S Guide To Joan Szymko’S Shadow And Light: An Alzheimer’S Journey, Paul E. Henderson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Joan Szymko (pronounced SHIM-koh) is an American composer-conductor with a prolific output of choral music. With over 100 choral pieces in print, her works are regularly heard at national and international festivals and competitions, including regional and national American Choral Directors Association conferences. She was selected to present at the 2020 World Symposium on Choral music in Auckland, New Zealand, which was unfortunately canceled due to the COVID pandemic. Szymko’s only major choral/orchestral work, Shadow and Light: An Alzheimer’s Journey, has been performed three times: in April 2016 by Eugene Vocal Arts; in September 2019 by the Oregon Repertory Singers; …

Creating Musical Scores Inspired By The Intersection Of Human Speech And Music Through Model-Based Cross Synthesis, William Alexander Thompson Iv

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research addresses the development of machine learning techniques used to create musical scores and performances that are inspired by the intersection of speech and music. Machine learning models are created from MIDI files that are transcribed from datasets of musical audio recordings and human speech audio recordings. Through the creation of succinct models, model based cross synthesis is possible. Models trained on musical MIDI data are asked to replicate MIDI data that approximate human speech. Alternatively, models that have been trained on MIDI data that approximate speech are asked to replicate musical MIDI data. The product of these developed …

Lifecycle Reactive Transport Modeling For Assessing Integrity In Offshore Energy Systems, Temitope Ayokunle Ajayi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Subsurface leaks and spills are a matter of significant concern to the oil and gas industry because of their impact on health, safety and environment. It is thus important to study and assess the integrity of our energy systems and the physico-chemical processes that affect them.

To avoid leakage of fluids from wellbores, barrier materials are used for sealing formation fluids and creating a single flow path through the well. These barrier materials are constantly subjected to subsurface fluid fluxes and temperature, pressure and chemical conditions over the extended periods the wells remain underground. This makes it imperative to assess …

The Future Of Name, Image, And Likeness In Advertising, Olivia E. Nuss

LSU Master's Theses

This study explores the unique intersection of the law and the theories of communication related to a student athlete’s ability to receive compensation based off their name, image, and likeness (NIL). The purpose of this study is to understand the future of NIL legislation application as it relates to emerging media and student-athletes’ privacy interests in order to better understand influencer marketing and the impact new legislation will have on student-athlete brand deals. Through a series of semi-structured, in-depth interviews, I explored industry trends in NIL as it relates to brand partnerships and advertising, focusing on key players, methods, and …

A Comparative Content Analysis Of How Print Media Framed The Heroin Epidemic And The Opioid Crisis, Quincy Hodges

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examined how the news media covered the Opioid Crisis of the 21st century compared to how the news media covered the Heroin Epidemic of the 1970s. A content analysis of six U.S. newspapers – the New York Times, the Washington Post, The Columbus Dispatch, The Detroit Free Press, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and the New Orleans Times-Picayune indicated that the print news media covered the Heroin Epidemic and the Opioid Crisis drastically different. The news media framed the Opioid Crisis as a public health issue, focusing coverage on rogue doctors and health professionals, and how unethical pharmaceutical companies took …