Digital Commons Network^™

Functional And Comparative Genomics Of The C.Sojina- Soybean Interaction, Alejandra Maria Vargas Oyuela

LSU Master's Theses

Frogeye leaf spot (FLS), caused by Cercospora sojina, is a significant foliar disease of soybean (Glycine max) and is responsible for substantial yield losses worldwide. While management strategies rely on host resistance and fungicide applications, the emergence of new virulent races and fungicide-resistant isolates necessitates a deeper understanding of C. sojina host interactions and genomic variability. Here, we employed comparative and functional genomic approaches to decipher the molecular mechanisms underlying the C. sojina-soybean interaction. A dual RNA sequencing approach was used to identify transcriptomic changes in G. max cultivars Blackhawk (susceptible) and Davis (resistant) across multiple …

A Natural Short Sleep Mutation Promotes Longevity Through Mitochondrial Respiration In Drosophila, Pritika Pandey

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Aging is an irreversible process characterized by progressive physiological decline and an increased risk of metabolic disorders, cognitive impairment, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegeneration. Disruptions to the circadian clock—whether due to genetic mutations or behavioral factors—accelerate aging and age-related pathologies, highlighting a strong link between circadian regulation and longevity. However, certain individuals harbor a dec2^P384R mutation, which enables natural short sleep without the detrimental effects of chronic sleep deprivation. This suggests that these individuals have evolved adaptations that activate pro-health pathways, allowing them to function optimally with reduced sleep. To investigate the genetic mechanisms underlying these changes, we developed a …

Effects Of Nitro-Substitution On The Spectroscopic And Self-Assembly Properties Of Bodipy Dyes, Caroline Gwaro, Caroline Ndung’U, Petia Bobadova-Parvanova, Dylan Goliber, Quynh Do, Ashley R. Walker, Evan Murders, Daniel Lamaster, Frank R. Fronczek, Jayne Garno, Maria Da Graça H. Vicente

Faculty Publications

A series of boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes were nitrated in high yields using nitronium tetrafluoroborate at positions 2, 3, and 2,6 of the BODIPY core. This method allows for the regioselective nitration of the pyrrolic positions under milder conditions than previously reported methods. The photophysical properties and electronic transitions of these BODIPYs were investigated by using UV-vis spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and density-functional theory (DFT) calculations. The introduction of one nitro group dramatically increases the dipole moment of the molecule, induces marked blue shifts in the absorption and emission bands, decreases the molar absorptivity, and increases the Stokes shifts of the …

Impacts Of Climate Change On Cannibalism And Disease Transmission In The Fall Armyworm, Kale Rougeau

LSU Master's Theses

Climate change may alter host-pathogen dynamics in terrestrial ecosystems due to rising global temperatures and carbon dioxide levels. Here, we examined cannibalism and disease transmission using the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), an invasive agricultural pest, and its species-specific lethal baculovirus, Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (SfMNPV), under various potential challenges of climate change. We used three temperature treatments (cooler, optimal, warmer) based on the fall armyworm’s thermal performance curve to simulate a changing climate and four artificial diets with various protein-to-carbohydrate ratios (low, equal, high, standard) to manipulate resource quality from altered carbon dioxide levels. We found that higher …

Advancing Aerial Survey Techniques For Non-Breeding Waterfowl Populations: A Comprehensive Review And Application In Northeastern Louisiana, Victoria L. Drake

LSU Master's Theses

Aerial surveys play a crucial role in monitoring North America's waterfowl populations and habitat conditions, and consistency across geographies and years allows biologists to track trends through time. The goal of this project was to redesign the northeastern portion of the Louisiana wintering waterfowl survey to align with statistically robust transect surveys conducted in neighboring states within the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. To identify the optimal sampling method, we evaluated three transect weighting schemes: stratified random (unweighted), stratified by watershed, and stratified by expert opinion. Approximately 10% of the total sampling area was randomly selected for each survey period, adhering to …

Global Ocean Bottom Temperature Observation Design: Observing System Simulation Experiments For Strategic Deployment Of Smart Subsea Cables, Karen E. Renninger-Rojas

LSU Master's Theses

Deep-ocean observations below 2000 meters remain limited, restricting our ability to model global ocean processes critical to climate prediction. This thesis evaluates the potential of SMART (Science Monitoring and Reliable Telecommunications) subsea cables to address these observational gaps by conducting Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSEs) and adjoint sensitivity analyses using the MITgcm ocean model and ECCO outputs.

Vertical decorrelation analysis showed that temperature and salinity in key regions decouple from the upper ocean beyond 2000 m. Over 60% of the proposed SMART cable sites exhibited decorrelation depths exceeding Argo’s maximum sampling depth, highlighting their strategic value for deployment.

A comparison …

Animal-Assisted Therapy With Children In Hospitals And Schools: A Systematized Review, Tantine Kendig

LSU Master's Theses

It has been demonstrated that animals can offer humans significant health benefits. Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is a growing form of therapy used in various settings to enhance the health of children, encompassing both physical and mental wellness. The challenges of hospitalization and the school environment have been shown to pose different challenges for children, such as an increase in anxiety, stress, depression, and others that have the potential to affect their mental, physical, emotional, and social well-being. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy, specifically dog-assisted therapy, on children in hospital and school settings by conducting a …

Impacts Of Extreme Weather Conditions On Coastal Fisheries Near Bayou Teche, Louisiana From 2019–2023, Georgia C. Davis

LSU Master's Theses

The region of Southcentral Louisiana, particularly around Bayou Teche, thrives on its commercial and recreational fisheries. These fisheries are occasionally subject to events like extreme weather that cause sudden and unexpected losses (NOAA Fisheries, 2024a). Between 2019 and 2023, a series of extreme weather events impacted southcentral Louisiana near Bayou Teche. This series of extreme events includes Hurricane Barry (2019), Hurricane Laura (2020), Hurricane Delta (2020), Hurricane Zeta (2020), Hurricane Ida (2021), and a United States Drought Monitor (USDM) D4 drought (2023). This study analyzes the impacts of the extreme weather series on coastal fish observed species richness (SR) in …

Neuronal Cftr: A Study Of Subcellular Localization And Interactions With Implications For A Role In Synaptic Transmission, Brandon J. Leviskas

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Protein-protein interactions vary among cell types and the localization of these interactions help to define protein function. The function of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is well established in the context of epithelial tissue due to the debilitating effects of its mutations that cause the disease cystic fibrosis. While in neurons a role has been established in our lab for CFTR in the regulation of cytosolic Cl- in retinal amacrine cells (ACs). This research sets out to learn if CFTR has a synaptic role. Exploring this potential role, localization of CFTR was examined using fluorescent and immunogold labeled transmission …

The Influence Of Life Skills, Teammate And Coach Behavior, And The Sport Environment On The Mental Well-Being Of Intercollegiate Athletes, Lauren A. Shute

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

Intercollegiate athletics generate significant interest in the United States, where concerns about the health and well-being of student-athletes have gained increased attention in recent years. Student-athletes face the same developmental challenges as their non-athlete college peers, but they also encounter biological, psychological, sociocultural, and spiritual challenges often introduced or exacerbated by their participation in sport. To assist this subgroup of the college student population in managing their various athletic, academic, and personal responsibilities, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has prioritized and implemented life skills programming. Yet, while much has been documented regarding life skills development at the youth …

“When Black Women Whisper”: An Exploration Of Why Black Women Stay In K-12 Education, Chelsea Lynne Murry

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

From low retention rates to race and gender biases to being overworked and undervalued in the classroom, Black women leave education at higher rates than any other demographic. This study highlighted the experiences of Black women in K-12 education settings, the role of support systems in their retention and advancement, and why they stay in K-12 education. The study used Counter-storytelling in Critical Race Theory, Black Feminist Thought, and Womanism to examine the race and gender inequities that Black women face and to highlight their lived experiences. Through the use of Sista Circles/focus groups and one-on-one interviews, the research …

Intraspecific Variation In Morphological And Biochemical Responses To Salinity And Flooding In Phragmites Australis, Olivia Hurley

LSU Master's Theses

Phragmites australis is a widespread wetland plant species with numerous haplotypes, several of which are highly invasive. In low-lying coastal marshes of Louisiana, the Delta-type (haplotype M1) dominates across a wide range of salinity and flooding environments. This suggests that Phragmites may be highly adaptable to diverse environmental conditions and that there may be a genetic component, as seen in other coastal wetland plant species. While non-native Phragmites haplotypes are targeted for control and removal in many areas, they are considered beneficial for marsh stabilization and contributing to elevation gain in coastal Louisiana, where several areas experience rapid land loss. …

Metabolic Transitions In Embryos Of Artemia Franciscana: Regulation And Consequences For Oxidative Stress, Daniel Anthony Arabie

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Embryos of Artemia franciscana survive harsh conditions in diapause and anoxia-induced quiescence for years by undergoing deep metabolic transitions. I investigated the relationship between phosphorylation of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) and carbon flux to the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle during metabolic depression. The difference in catalytic activity of the PDH complex (PDC) in maximally phosphorylated and dephosphorylated samples was 16.5-fold. Western blot analysis confirmed the changes in phosphorylation of PDH. Analysis of PDH expression in diapause and post-diapause embryos via phospho-PDH showed no significant differences. Investigation of post-diapause embryos under anoxia showed that phosphorylation of PDH decreased and activated the enzyme. …

A Skill Assessment Framework For The Fisheries And Marine Ecosystem Model Intercomparison Project, Nina Rynne, Camilla Novaglio, Julia Blanchard, Daniele Bianchi, Villy Christensen, Marta Coll, Jerome Guiet, Jeroen Steenbeek, Andrea Bryndum-Buchholz, Tyler D. Eddy, Cheryl Harrison, Olivier Maury, Kelly Ortega-Cisneros, Colleen M. Petrik, Derek P. Tittensor, Ryan F. Heneghan

Faculty Publications

Understanding climate change impacts on global marine ecosystems and fisheries requires complex marine ecosystem models, forced by global climate projections, that can robustly detect and project changes. The Fisheries and Marine Ecosystems Model Intercomparison Project (FishMIP) uses an ensemble modeling approach to fill this crucial gap. Yet FishMIP does not have a standardised skill assessment framework to quantify the ability of member models to reproduce past observations and to guide model improvement. In this study, we apply a comprehensive model skill assessment framework to a subset of global FishMIP models that produce historical fisheries catches. We consider a suite of …

Astaxanthin Protects Against Environmentally Persistent Free Radical-Induced Oxidative Stress In Well-Differentiated Respiratory Epithelium, Ayaho Yamamoto, Peter D. Sly, Lavrent Khachatryan, Nelufa Begum, Abrey J. Yeo, Paul D. Robinson, Stephania A. Cormier, Emmanuelle Fantino

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) are combustion products present in substantial numbers on atmospheric particulate matter with half-lives of days to years. The mechanisms linking EPFR exposure and respiratory diseases are unclear, but likely involve oxidative stress. We investigated the mechanisms by which EPFR exposure impact on well-differentiated primary human nasal epithelial cells from subjects sensitive or resistant to oxidant stressors, cultured at an air-liquid interface. We found that EPFR exposure induced mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) production; increased mitochondrial DNA copy number; down-regulated mucus production gene, Mucin-5AC (MUC5AC); up-regulated detoxifying gene, cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related …

Monitoring Molecular Interactions With Cell Membranes Using Time-Dependent Second Harmonic Generation Microscopy, Prakash Hamal, Sushant P. Sahu, Peter P. Piers, Huy Nguyen, Shashank S. Kamble, Robin L. Mccarley, Manas R. Gartia, Louis H. Haber

Faculty Publications

Time-resolved second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy is used to investigate the physicochemical interactions between positively charged, hydrophobic, drug-like molecules and the plasma membrane of human cells (nonsmall cell lung cancer, H596). In the present study, molecular adsorption and transport of the cationic molecules, malachite green (MG) and malachite green isothiocyanate (MGITC), are studied in real time in living H596 cells and in dead, fixed H596 cells. MGITC is shown to have stronger adsorption and more rapid transport kinetics as compared to MG due to increased dipole-dipole interactions. Additionally, MGITC is found to have faster adsorption and transport kinetics in living …

Geo-Ai For Wetland Classification And Evolutionary Analysis, Lirong Yin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Wetlands, as a crucial component of the Earth's ecosystem, play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance and preserving biodiversity. However, wetlands are currently facing severe challenges, as both natural and human-induced factors are contributing to their global degradation. Gaining a deep understanding of the species composition and biodiversity within wetland-covered areas and accurately analyzing their changing trends not only helps assess the current and future state of wetlands but also provides strong support for the formulation of scientifically sound wetland conservation strategies. In recent years, the rapid development of geospatial intelligence and remote sensing technologies has brought new opportunities …

Understanding The Experiences Of Biology Teachers During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amber R. Collins

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic has caused the world to focus on the transition of learning environments that are more digital and virtual than any other time in educational history. Schools all over the world were required to adjust not only the mode of instruction, such as in virtual, hybrid, or in-person, but also create guidelines and procedures that reduce the amount of interaction between the teacher and the student (Garbe, Ogurlu, Uzeyir, & Cook, 2020). The research questions that guided this study were: 1) What are the experiences of five Biology teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic in transitioning to …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And High School Dropout: The Roles Of Student Disengagement And Social Support, Rachel D. Pounders

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

More than two million students a year leave high school without a completion credential (NCES, 2024). Students who drop out are at-risk for detrimental long-term outcomes physically, mentally and economically (Rumberger, 2020). Students with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are significantly more likely to have poor educational outcomes, including school dropout (Metzler et al., 2017; Pan et al., 2019). However, there is limited insight into what affects the pathway between ACEs and poor educational outcomes for students (Dupéré et al., 2019; Morrow & Villodas, 2018). Informed by prominent dropout theories with ecological foundations and the theory of stress and coping, this …

Studies On Cell Cycle Regulation And Ecm Modification During Tubular Organ Formation In Drosophila Embryos, Jeffrey Matthew

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The formation of tubular organs—such as the heart and kidneys—is a complex developmental process that requires the precise coordination of tissue remodeling with dynamic changes in cellular behavior. Key processes including cell proliferation, apoptosis, and extracellular matrix (ECM) formation must be tightly synchronized with mechanisms that generate and transmit physical forces, transforming a flat epithelial sheet into a three-dimensional organ. Disruptions in the homeostasis of these processes during organogenesis can lead to congenital defects, such as pulmonary atresia and renal hypoplasia.

To investigate the mechanisms underlying epithelial morphogenesis, the Chung laboratory employs the Drosophila embryonic salivary gland (SG) as a …

Deep Learning Applications For Predictive Modeling In Cancer Therapy And Enzyme Encoding, Mengmeng Liu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Predictive modeling has revolutionized computational biology and molecular bioinformatics, enabling significant advancements in cancer therapy and functional enzyme characterization. Despite considerable progress, significant challenges remain in accurately predicting combinational cancer therapies and systematically representing enzyme functions for computational applications. Traditional methods struggle with capturing the complex interactions between drugs and biological networks, as well as representing hierarchical relationships within enzyme classifications. This dissertation addresses these limitations by developing advanced deep learning models tailored to enhance predictive performance in both domains.

First, a data augmentation strategy is introduced to improve anticancer drug synergy prediction by generating pharmacologically relevant drug pairs based …

The Boltzmann-Enskog Equation With Brownian Forcing, Aurora Wallace

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Interacting particle systems (IPS) are used to rigorously derive partial differential equations modeling macroscopic behavior given by systems of stochastic differential equa- tions in physics, biology, and other sciences. These systems model the time evolution of n interacting particles with desired dynamics. In the n-system studied here, only two parti- cles may interact at a time (binary collisions). The particles are exchangeable; that is, the ordering of the particles does not play a role, and the interaction between the ith particle and the jth particle models an elastic collision. In this thesis, we use the method of inter- acting particle …

Silent Period Versus Selective Mutism In Young Bilingual Children: A Case Study, Blake Alley

LSU Master's Theses

Intro: It is difficult to distinguish between typical bilingual communication behaviors and those of monolinguals with communication disorders. One difficulty is distinguishing between a silent period and selective mutism. A silent period refers to a relatively brief period of time during which a bilingual refuses to speak in unfamiliar language contexts. Selective mutism refers to a refusal to speak for a long period of time in any language context. The purpose of this study is to disentangle selective mutism from a silent period for a 4 year 10-month-old Spanish English bilingual female.

Methods: This study will include questionnaires, and seven …

The Design, Construction, And Testing Of Mrna Vaccine Against Equine Herpes Virus, Bhawana Devkota

LSU Master's Theses

Equine Herpesvirus-1 (EHV 1) is a worldwide significant pathogen that causes respiratory illness, abortion, and neurological disorders in equine. Current vaccines, including live attenuated, inactivated, and subunit platforms, do not prevent viral latency, mucosal shedding, or cross-strain immunity, requiring alternative approaches. To address these gaps, this project explores the design, synthesis, and in vitro testing of an mRNA vaccine targeting immunogenic EHV 1 glycoprotein (gB, gC, gD, gG, and gM). Epitopes were computationally predicted using the Immune Epitope Database (IEDB), codon-optimized for Bos taurus, and cloned into pUCIDT vectors using SP6/T7 promoters. In vitro transcription (IVT) used nucleotide modifications …

Desired Student Learning Outcomes For Middle School Agricultural Education: A Modified Delphi Study, Jacob P. Englin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Middle school agricultural education programs across the U.S. have continued to increase, but modern systems have failed to provide support for the preparation of middle school agricultural education teachers. For instance, middle school teachers have expressed concern regarding the development and implementation of middle school agricultural curriculum. In response, this investigation sought to identify learning outcomes related to agricultural content, technical skills, and career readiness for middle school agricultural education. A modified, three-round modified Delphi study was used to identify these learning outcomes. The expert panelists consisted of 19 middle school agricultural education teachers who completed a teacher certification program …

Variation In Response To Phosphorus Among Sweetpotato (Ipomoea Batatas L.) Cultivars, Jeffrey Cole Denis Gregorie

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Phosphorus (P) is essential for plant growth and is often a major limiting nutrient in agriculture. In sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas), studies on the role of P on storage root yield have been limited because of the lack of response and inconsistent results across cultivars and years. Growing evidence shows that current phosphate (Pi) fertilizer rates can be reduced while maintaining productivity. Newly published molecular evidence shows differential expression of phosphate starvation response genes among sweetpotato cultivars, further supporting the hypothesis of cultivar-specific Pi sensitivity. The research herein sought to characterize root system architecture and yield response to Pi …

Erratum: Correction: Soil Contamination By Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals And Dioxins Following Train Derailment In East Palestine, Oh (Environmental Science. Processes & Impacts (2025) 27 3 Doi: 10.1039/D4em00609g.), Myron L. Lard, Sarah E. Eichler, Peng Gao, Kuldeep Singh, Joseph D. Ortiz, Robert L. Cook, Slawomir Lomnicki, Stephania A. Cormier, Jennifer Richmond-Bryant

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Correction for 'Soil contamination by environmentally persistent free radicals and dioxins following train derailment in East Palestine, OH' by Myron L. Lard et al., Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1039/d4em00609g.

Investigating Spatial Mapping Of Lipid And Protein Alterations Within Cells And Tissues Using Raman Microspectroscopy, Elnaz Sheikh

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The progression of various diseases is associated with alterations in the microenvironment of cells, consisting of a variety of metabolites like lipids and proteins. It is well known that lipids and proteins are potential biomarkers for indicating alterations within the cell microenvironment induced by disease, and various methods are frequently used for their examination. To understand the chemical composition and spatial distribution of constituents in tissues and cells, confocal Raman spectroscopy and microscopy, as non-destructive tools, have shown potential for monitoring abnormalities at the cellular level with high resolution and can facilitate detection through targeting multiple biomarkers. The application of …

American Option Pricing Using Generalised Stochastic Hybrid Systems, Evelyn Buckwar, Sascha Desmettre, Agnes Mallinger, Amira Meddah

Journal of Stochastic Analysis

No abstract provided.

Ec2vec: A Machine Learning Method To Embed Enzyme Commission (Ec) Numbers Into Vector Representations, Mengmeng Liu, Xialong Ni, J. Ramanujam, Michal Brylinski

Faculty Publications

Enzyme commission (EC) numbers play a vital role in classifying enzymes and understanding their functions in enzyme-related research. Although accurate and informative encoding of EC numbers is essential for enhancing the effectiveness of machine learning applications, simple EC encoding approaches suffer from limitations such as false numerical order and high sparsity. To address these issues, we developed EC2Vec, a multimodal autoencoder that preserves the categorical nature of EC numbers and leverages their hierarchical relationships, resulting in more meaningful and informative representations. EC2Vec encodes each digit of the EC number as a categorical token and then processes these embeddings through a …