Digital Commons Network^™

Consumer Shift: Examining Female Generation Y Consumers’ Activewear Consumption, Lauren Laporte

LSU Master's Theses

The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in a change to standard consumption patterns as consumers began prioritizing health and wellness, working remotely, and made a switch from material-based consumption practices to an experiential-value-based consumption mindset. Additionally, Covid-19 brought economic downturns, loss of jobs, and supply chain issues. Consequently, the activewear market demonstrated unclear results making it necessary to understand trends within the activewear market while also understanding consumer motivations to wear or not to wear activewear during these societal shifts. This research paper aims it’s focus on female members of Generation Y, a popular and growing market for activewear. …

Extending Token Economy Systems For Children With Learning Disabilities And Developmental Disabilities Using Operant Behavioral Economics, Parker Levins

LSU Master's Theses

Token economy systems have been used successfully in various general and special education classrooms. Although effective, educators seldom have a priori information on the performance of their reinforcers within the schedules of reinforcement that comprise the token economy. Most token economies are initially designed based on clinical judgment and respective schedules are typically selected on an arbitrary basis (e.g., token-production Fixed Ratio 1 [FR1], exchange-production FR5). This introduces uncertainty whereby the initial arrangement may be too lax (i.e., work expectations are low for the student) or too strict (i.e., work expectations are high for the student), which both have the …

The Black Performer's Toolbox: A Critical Authoethnography, Laura D. Oliver

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Blackness shines bright like the moon and beams outside of identity parameters that are limiting in Western society to determine its communicative function inside and outside systems of power. When Blackness intersects with performance, various ways to construct identity are highlighted to expand our understanding of theory and methods that emphasize difference and culture. This research project aims to reimagine Blackness as a performance methodology to explore the performer’s livelihood onstage and constructions of race that impact identity offstage. Additionally, this project is built from a specific method created from the continuous use of expressive work that reflects societal challenges …

Examining Real-Time Variations In Interpersonal Hopelessness And Suicidal Ideation Using Ecological Momentary Assessment, Jessica Lauren Gerner

LSU Master's Theses

The Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (ITS; Van Orden et al., 2010) hypothesizes that suicidal ideation (SI) arises from the simultaneous presence of thwarted belongingness (TB) and perceived burdensomeness (PB). For SI to intensify to suicidal desire, hopelessness about the changes in TB and PB must be present (Van Orden et al, 2010). Recent research on the ITS has moved away from a general measure of hopelessness, instead focusing on hopelessness specific to the interpersonal constructs of TB and PB (Tucker et al., 2018). This construct, referred to as interpersonal hopelessness (IH), is further broken down into two correlated but distinct …

The Influence Of Child Maltreatment In The Manifestation Of Anxiety And Depressive Symptoms At The Age 18, Maria J. Velasquez

LSU Master's Theses

Child maltreatment affects thousands of children and adolescents every year. This phenomenon is multidimensional, meaning there are different subtypes (i.e., physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect) known to predict various mental health issues, including depression and anxiety. While previous research has investigated mental health outcomes in maltreated youth, results may vary based on the dimensions of abuse considered. This study aims to expand on previous literature to examine how a history of child maltreatment subtypes influences the manifestation of anxiety and depressive symptoms in youth at age 18. The current study uses secondary data analysis of the Longitudinal …

Motivators And Preferences Of Route Diversion During Roadway Incidents, Grace Cole

LSU Master's Theses

When confronted with congestion and delay, drivers often divert their route. Depending on factors like purpose, urgency, destination, route alternatives, type of disruption, and mode options, common diversionary options can range from changing departure time, route, and mode to canceling a trip altogether. One of the foundational building blocks of travel forecasting is traffic assignment, which is used to distribute trips over a network using complex algorithms to aggregately represent the desire of drivers to minimize travel time.

While these assignment models are backed by decades of research and observational experience, they are also limited by the fact that they …

Evaluating Sensory Quality, Willingness To Try, Risk And Product Appropriateness Of Seafood Byproducts, Silvia Jessenia Murillo Miguez

LSU Master's Theses

Valorization of food wastes/byproducts has become a major subject of research to increase sustainability of the global food supply chain. Seafood industries generate a substantial quantity of byproducts. An online survey was used to evaluate Willingness-to-try (WTT), the effect of a Consumer Safety Statement (CSS) on WTT, perceived risks and product appropriateness associated with seafood byproducts in food as influenced by gender and race. Based on the finding from this survey, a clean label catfish bone powder (CBP) was developed and used for breaded catfish sticks which were evaluated for sensory liking, emotional profile, and purchase intent. Previous consumers of …

Effective Connectivity Of Functional Mri Via Deep Learning Methods, Kai-Cheng Chuang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Effective connectivity, based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) time series signals, is the quantification of how strongly brain activity in a certain source brain region contributes to brain activity in a target brain region, independent of the contributions of other source regions. Current methods to solve this problem have several limitations. They are either unable to model nonlinear relationships between source and target signals, unable to efficiently quantify time lags in source-target relationships, unable to identify time-varying relationships, or fail to account for variability in the hemodynamic response function that converts neuron activity to a measurable signal. In this …

Fighting The Illicit Antiquities "Artworld": A Critical Approach To The Heritage Laws Of Guatemala, Irene Marti Gil

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines the suitability of the legal framework for the protection of cultural heritage in Guatemala, which is the country of origin for over thirty percent of the Maya objects traded in the antiquities market, and proposes strategies that improve the effectiveness of the law. To examine the heritage laws enforced by the Republic of Guatemala, I implement linguistic anthropological methods of qualitative research.

Discourse Analysis, Critical Discourse Analysis, and Conceptual Analysis on the national heritage policies of Guatemala reveal the existence of ontological problems regarding the conceptualization of heritage as a monolithic entity reflecting a State-led narrative with …

“Buried In The Bones”: Medical Racial Trauma And Mistrust In Black Families, Destiny Jelks

LSU Master's Theses

This exploratory study used a mixed-methods design and phenomenological approach to examine the ways in which the United States’ history of medical racism impacts Black young adults and their attitudes toward the healthcare system as well as healthcare utilization. This study examines the phenomenon through the lense of critical race theory, family systems theory, and historical trauma theory. This study also explored the concept of the intergenerational transmission of trauma focusing on medical racial trauma and medical mistrust in Black families.

A Multiple Case Study Of Adolescent Piano Students: Examining Motivation Through The Lens Of Interest Development, Carla Lucia Salas Ruiz

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

One way of understanding motivation is through the factors that influence it. These factors analyzed as psychological constructs give rise to the notion of motivation variables such as interest. Interest is a powerful variable that affects student motivation to learn (Hidi & Renninger, 2006; Hulleman et al., 2017; O’Keefe et al. 2017; Renninger & Hidi, 2016; Tin, 2013). In 2006, Hidi and Renninger proposed the “Four-Phase Interest Development Model” for the characterization of interest in learning. According to this model, learners can move from a situational level of interest development to a well-developed individual interest, in a sequential manner. This …

Recent Advances And Challenges In Implementing Ipm Programmes In The Entomological Context Of Indian Agriculture, Ruchika Geedi, Gadi V.P. Reddy

Faculty Publications

Integrated pest management (IPM) programmes are based on using multiple methods to maintain nuisance insects below tolerant levels in crop fields. Recent advances in IPM in developed countries have incorporated biological pesticides, microbial products, semiochemicals, and beneficial insects, but few of such programmes have been successfully implemented in developing countries, such as India. Semiochemicals play critical roles as signals in various interspecific and intraspecific interactions between insects and plants, and among interacting insects, plants, and microbes. In India IPM programmes have included mechanical, chemical, cultural, and biological management strategies. However, among these methods, biological management has its own limitations. Indian …

Effects Of Other People's Facial Emotional Expression On Consumers’ Perceptions Of Chocolate Chip Cookies Containing Cricket Protein, Yupeng Gao, Pitchayapat Chonpracha, Bin Li, Witoon Prinyawiwatkul

Faculty Publications

Abstract: Edible insects are recognized as a potential alternative and sustainable source of high-quality protein for the human diet. Entomophagy is highly related to negative emotions that may cause reluctance to adopt insects as food in Western countries. During human interaction, a person's facial emotional expression (FEE) may influence other people's emotional responses. A person's emotional state may affect his/her food preference and food choice. Understanding how other people's FEE would affect consumers’ emotional profiles, liking, and subsequent willingness to try (WTT) and purchase intent (PI) toward insect-containing food products may help increase the acceptance of entomophagy. This study identified …

Using Automated Speech Processing For Repeated Measurements In A Clinical Setting Of The Behavioral Variability In The Stroop Task, Terje B. Holmlund, Alex S. Cohen, Jian Cheng, Peter W. Foltz, Jared Bernstein, Elizabeth Rosenfeld, Bruno Laeng, Brita Elvevåg

Faculty Publications

The Stroop interference task is indispensable to current neuropsychological practice. Despite this, it is limited in its potential for repeated administration, its sensitivity and its demands on professionals and their clients. We evaluated a digital Stroop deployed using a smart device. Spoken responses were timed using automated speech recognition. Participants included adult nonpatients (N = 113; k = 5 sessions over 5 days) and patients with psychiatric diagnoses (N = 85; k = 3–4 sessions per week over 4 weeks). Traditional interference (difference in response time between color incongruent words vs. color neutral words; M = 0.121 s) and facilitation …

Bioelectrical Impedance Phase Angle Is Associated With Physical Performance Before But Not After Simulated Multi-Stressor Military Operations, Alyssa N. Varanoske, Melissa N. Harris, Callie Hebert, Neil M. Johannsen, Steven B. Heymsfield, Frank L. Greenway, Arny A. Ferrando, Jennifer C. Rood, Stefan M. Pasiakos

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Physical performance decrements observed during multi-stressor military operations may be attributed, in part, to cellular membrane dysfunction, which is quantifiable using phase angle (PhA) derived from bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Positive relationships between PhA and performance have been previously reported in cross-sectional studies and following longitudinal exercise training programs, but whether changes in PhA are indicative of acute decrements in performance during military operations is unknown. Data from the Optimizing Performance for Soldiers II study, a clinical trial examining the effects of exogenous testosterone administration on body composition and performance during military stress, was used to evaluate changes in PhA …

Factors Influencing Consumers’ Willingness-To-Try Seafood Byproducts, Silvia Murillo, Ryan Ardoin, Witoon Prinyawiwatkul

Faculty Publications

With increasing global demand for seafood, seafood byproducts (SB) utilization can contribute to a more sustainable food supply chain through waste-to-value food product development. However, consumer perceptions of SB (e.g., fish skin and bones) are underexplored. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate some factors influencing consumers’ willingness-to-try seafood byproducts. An online survey was conducted in the USA regarding intervention of SB informational cues with N = 904 adult seafood consumers internationally. The proportion of consumers willing to try SB increased significantly (McNemar’s test, α = 0.05) from 47% to 68% after SB safety and health claims had been presented in …

Florawear: Wearable Living Interface, Hye Yeon Nam, Janiece Campbell, Andrew M. Webb, Brendan Harmon

Faculty Publications

While nature can benefit people both mentally and physically, contemporary society has become increasingly disconnected from nature. To rebuild a stronger connection with nature in our everyday life, we introduce FloraWear, a do-it-yourself, wearable living interface, that enables people to easily and closely connect with plants. This pictorial introduces how knowledge is built and shared with others using hybrid craft and fabrication, illustrates the material experiments and design development for FloraWear, and discusses how it affects wearers. Then we summarize how FloraWear can help catalyze a shift in people's perspectives towards nature. By developing emotional ties to their wearable plants, …

Gamerfit-Asd Beta Test: Adapting An Evidence-Based Exergaming And Telehealth Coaching Intervention For Autistic Youth, Daniel P. Hatfield, Aviva Must, Winston Kennedy, Amanda E. Staiano, James Slavet, Rachael A. Sabelli, Carol Curtin, Linda G. Bandini, Phillip Nauta, Christopher Stuetzle, April B. Bowling

Population and Public Health Science Faculty Publications

Background: Health disparities faced by autistic youth are exacerbated by inadequate physical activity (PA) and sleep, whereas healthy PA and sleep may improve mood and function. Adaptive Game Squad (AGS) is an evidence-based telehealth coaching and exergaming intervention to improve PA and sleep for adolescents with diverse neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions. This study aimed to adapt AGS for autistic youth ages 10–15 years; beta-test the modified intervention for feasibility, accessibility, and engagement; and further refine the intervention for a larger planned demonstration pilot. Methods: Interdisciplinary experts adapted AGS to create GamerFit-ASD, a 12-week intervention that included a progressive exergame schedule, …

Effects Of Neighborhood Disadvantage And Peer Deviance On Conduct Problems: Interactions With Age Of Onset, Courtney Marie Goetz

LSU Master's Theses

Youth with conduct problems (CP) generally fall into two developmental classifications, child-onset and adolescent-onset, which exhibit different causal processes and life course trajectories. Research suggests that child-onset CP is more likely to be related to individual predispositions, while adolescent-onset CP is more associated with social factors, such as peer delinquency. Living in impoverished and disorganized neighborhoods increases the risk for associating with deviant peers. Thus, the current study tested the hypothesis that neighborhood factors would be more strongly associated with adolescent-onset CP than child-onset CP, which would be explained by a greater association with deviant peers. Linear and negative binomial …

Propaganda Word Counts, Michael Russo

Libraries Datasets

These files are the raw material for a study of the propaganda used by the George W. Bush administration to persuade Americans to support invading Iraq in 2003. They include documents from The Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, George W. Bush; transcripts of television news shows on ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX, and NBC; and contemporaneous public opinion polling. All documents are from the 9/11/2001 to 3/19/2003 timeframe. Text analysis of the aforementioned documents is also included. The report of conclusions—as yet unpublished—will be found in a paper entitled “The Work of an Hour: A Case Study …

Temporal Features Of Concepts Are Grounded In Time Perception Neural Networks: An Eeg Study, Karim Johari, Vicky T. Lai, Nicholas Riccardi, Rutvik H. Desai

Faculty Publications

Experimental evidence suggests that modality-specific concept features such as action, motion, and sound partially rely on corresponding action/perception neural networks in the human brain. Little is known, however, about time-related features of concepts. We examined whether temporal features of concepts recruit networks that subserve time perception in the brain in an EEG study using event and object nouns. Results showed significantly larger ERPs for event duration vs object size judgments over right parietal electrodes, a region associated with temporal processing. Additionally, alpha/beta (10–15 Hz) neural oscillation showed a stronger desynchronization for event duration compared to object size in the right …

Opioid And Cannabis Co-Use: The Role Of Opioid Use To Cope With Negative Affect, Julia D. Buckner, Caroline R. Scherzer, Andrew H. Rogers, Michael J. Zvolensky

Faculty Publications

Introduction: The opioid epidemic is a significant public health concern, particularly among adults with chronic pain. There are high rates of cannabis co-use among these individuals and co-use is related to worse opioid-related outcomes. Yet, little work has examined mechanisms underlying this relationship. In line with affective processing models of substance use, it is possible that those who use multiple substances do so in a maladaptive attempt to cope with psychological distress. Method: We tested whether, among adults with chronic lower back pain (CLBP), the relation between co-use and more severe opioid-related problems would occur via the serial effects of …

Early Time-Restricted Eating Affects Weight, Metabolic Health, Mood, And Sleep In Adherent Completers: A Secondary Analysis, Felicia L. Steger, Humaira Jamshed, David R. Bryan, Joshua S. Richman, Amy H. Warriner, Cody J. Hanick, Corby K. Martin, Sarah Jeanne Salvy, Courtney M. Peterson

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Objective: Data are mixed on whether intermittent fasting improves weight loss and cardiometabolic health. Here, the effects of time-restricted eating (TRE) in participants who consistently adhered ≥5 d/wk every week were analyzed. Methods: Ninety patients aged 25 to 75 years old with obesity were randomized to early TRE (eTRE; 8-hour eating window from 07:00 to 15:00) or a control schedule (≥12-hour window) for 14 weeks. A per-protocol analysis of weight loss, body composition, cardiometabolic health, and other end points was performed. Results: Participants who adhered to eTRE ≥5 d/wk every week had greater improvements in body weight (−3.7 ± 1.2 …

Evaluation Of The Peer Leadership For Physical Literacy Intervention: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial, Ryan M. Hulteen, David R. Lubans, Ryan E. Rhodes, Guy Faulkner, Yan Liu, Patti Jean Naylor, Nicole Nathan, Katrina J. Waldhauser, Colin M. Wierts, Mark R. Beauchamp

Faculty Publications

Purpose The purpose of this research was to develop, implement, and test the efficacy of a theory-driven, evidence-informed peer leadership program for elementary school students (Grade 6 and 7; age 11–12 years) and the Grade 3/4 students with whom they were partnered. The primary outcome was teacher ratings of their Grade 6/7 students’ transformational leadership behaviors. Secondary outcomes included: Grade 6/7 students’ leadership self-efficacy, as well as Grade 3/4 motivation, perceived competence, general self-concept, fundamental movement skills, school-day physical activity, and program adherence, and program evaluation. Methods We conducted a two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial. In 2019, 6 schools comprising …

Finding Forensic Evidence In The Operating System's Graphical User Interface, Edward X. Wilson Mr.

LSU Master's Theses

A branch of cyber security known as memory forensics focuses on extracting meaningful evidence from system memory. This analysis is often referred to as volatile memory analysis, and is generally performed on memory captures acquired from target systems. Inside of a memory capture is the complete state of a system under investigation, including the contents of currently running as well as previously executed applications. Analysis of this data can reveal a significant amount of activity that occurred on a system since the last reboot. For this research, the Windows operating system is targeted. In particular, the graphical user interface component …

Media Literacy In Public Education: A Mixed-Method Exploration, Jessica Wyers

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

You have to know where you are to know where you’re going. This is the approach I attempt to take to understand next steps in media literacy education and policy. Little research has been done to understand the current state of media literacy education, what is actually happening in the classrooms and education system, to better judge more intentional interventions in the future.

This dissertation explores the current issues in media literacy education in our public schools. I combine the strengths of a qualitative investigation of published public school media literacy curricula with survey data measuring the perceptions of students’ …

Floodsafehome: Evaluating Financial Benefits And Savings Of Freeboard For Improved Decision-Making In Flood Risk Mitigation, Carol J. Friedland, Yong Cheol Lee, Rubayet Bin Mostafiz, Jiyoung Lee, Shifat P. Mithila, Robert V. Rohli, Md Adilur Rahim, Ehab Gnan, Monica Teets Farris

Faculty Publications

Freeboard—elevation of a structure above the base flood elevation (BFE)—is a critical component in mitigating or avoiding flood losses. However, the unrevealed benefits and savings of freeboard installation have prevented communities from adopting this approach. To improve decision-making for residents, prospective residents, and other stakeholders in flood-vulnerable communities and enhance flood risk mitigation strategies, this study presents the methodology underlying a new webtool, FloodSafeHome, that estimates comprehensively the economic benefits and savings of freeboard installation for new construction of residential buildings. Specifically, the proposed evaluation framework has been designed to calculate monthly savings for individual buildings by assessing freeboard cost, …

Factors That Predict Weight Loss Success Differ By Diet Intervention Type, Jordan Losavio, Michael J. Keenan, Elizabeth A. Gollub, Heidi J. Silver

Faculty Publications

Background: Many types of diet intervention can achieve negative energy balance and successful weight loss in persons with obesity. However, within any dietary strategy, there is large inter-individual variation in the weight loss response. The aim of this study is to determine factors that predict weight loss success for diet interventions that vary by macronutrient and caloric composition. Methods: Participants with BMI 30.0 to 49.9 kg/m2 self-selected one of three diet intervention trials for weight loss: low carbohydrate (LOW CHO), low fat (LOW FAT), or low calorie (LOW KCAL). Multivariable regression models were developed to determine the significance of predictor …

One More War To Fight: Union Veterans’ Battle For Equality Through Reconstruction, Jim Crow, And The Lost Cause, Brian Matthew Jordan

Civil War Book Review

Building from the “Left Armed Corps” (a cohort of veterans who lost their right arms to battle or disease and then entered one of two “left-handed penmanship” competitions soon after the war), Goldman argues that as “Jim Crow took hold on both sides of the Mason-Dixon line, Union veterans individually and collectively maintained their important interconnected roles as potent moral and political forces, particularly through the Grand Army of the Republic.

“By That Daughter’S Most Devoted Affection”: Anxious And Avoidant Attachments In Opie’S Adeline Mowbray, Meghan E. Hodges

Comparative Woman

Attachment theory, or the theory that one’s personality and social development is informed greatly by the infant-parent bond, largely arises in the 1950s with the work of John Bowlby. Although the phenomenon was only then beginning to be scientifically evaluated, it has long been observed that the relationship one has with one’s parents is a determinant factor in one’s development. This work investigates the impact of the failure to heal the insecure attachment Amelie Opie’s Adeline Mowbray (1808). Adeline, having grown up in her distant mother’s intellectual shadow, develops a neurotic attachment to her mother which causes romantic maladjustment in …