Digital Commons Network^™

Preparedness, Planning, And Advances In Operational Response, David G. Westerholm, Cameron H. Ainsworth, Christopher H. Barker, Peter G. Brewer, John W. Farrington, Dubravko Justić, Vassiliki H. Kourafalou, Steven A. Murawski, John G. Shepherd, Helena M. Solo-Gabriele

Faculty Publications

During the last 50 years, the numbers and sizes of oil spills have been significantly reduced through prevention. But spills still occur, and it is critical to prepare for these events through planning and exercises. Operational decisions are designed to expedite cleanup and minimize overall impacts, yet they often involve complex tradeoffs between a multitude of competing interests. It is imperative to apply the best technology and science when events occur. However, while planning and response tactics have evolved over time, determining what may be most at risk is often confounded by sparse background data, modeling limitations, scalability, or research …

Physical Transport Processes That Affect The Distribution Of Oil In The Gulf Of Mexico Observations And Modeling, Michel Boufadel, Annalisa Bracco, Eric P. Chassignet, Shuyi S. Chen, Eric D’Asaro, William K. Dewar, Oscar Garcia-Pineda, Dubravko Justić, Joseph Katz, Vassiliki H. Kourafalou, Ian R. Macdonald, Tamay M. Özgökmen, Claire B. Paris-Limouzy, Scott S. Socolofsky, David Halpern, John G. Shepherd

Faculty Publications

Physical transport processes such as the circulation and mixing of waters largely determine the spatial distribution of materials in the ocean. They also establish the physical environment within which biogeochemical and other processes transform materials, including naturally occurring nutrients and human-made contaminants that may sustain or harm the region’s living resources. Thus, understanding and modeling the transport and distribution of materials provides a crucial substrate for determining the effects of biological, geological, and chemical processes. The wide range of scales in which these physical processes operate includes microscale droplets and bubbles; small-scale turbulence in buoyant plumes and the near-surface “mixed” …

A Reporting Format For Leaf-Level Gas Exchange Data And Metadata, Kim S. Ely, Alistair Rogers, Deborah A. Agarwal, Elizabeth A. Ainsworth, Loren P. Albert, Ashehad Ali, Jeremiah Anderson, Michael J. Aspinwall, Chandra Bellasio, Carl Bernacchi, Steve Bonnage, Thomas N. Buckley, James Bunce, Angela C. Burnett, Florian A. Busch, Amanda Cavanagh, Lucas A. Cernusak, Robert Crystal-Ornelas, Joan Damerow, Kenneth J. Davidson, Martin G. De Kauwe, Michael C. Dietze, Tomas F. Domingues, Mirindi Eric Dusenge, David S. Ellsworth, John R. Evans, Paul P.G. Gauthier, Bruno O. Gimenez, Elizabeth P. Gordon, Christopher M. Gough, Aud H. Halbritter, David T. Hanson, Mary Heskel, J. Aaron Hogan, Jason R. Hupp, Kolby Jardine, Jens Kattge, Trevor Keenan, Johannes Kromdijk, Dushan P. Kumarathunge, Julien Lamour, Andrew D.B. Leakey, David S. Lebauer, Qianyu Li, Marjorie R. Lundgren, Nate Mcdowell, Katherine Meacham-Hensold, Belinda E. Medlyn, David J.P. Moore, Robinson Negrón-Juárez, Ülo Niinemets, Colin P. Osborne, Alexandria L. Pivovaroff, Hendrik Poorter, Sasha C. Reed, Youngryel Ryu, Alvaro Sanz-Saez, Stephanie C. Schmiege, Shawn P. Serbin, Thomas D. Sharkey, Martijn Slot, Nicholas G. Smith, Balasaheb V. Sonawane, Paul F. South, Daisy C. Souza, Joseph Ronald Stinziano, Ellen Stuart-Haëntjens, Samuel H. Taylor, Mauricio D. Tejera, Johan Uddling, Vigdis Vandvik, Charuleka Varadharajan, Anthony P. Walker, Berkley J. Walker, Jeffrey M. Warren, Danielle A. Way, Brett T. Wolfe, Jin Wu, Stan D. Wullschleger, Chonggang Xu, Zhengbing Yan, Dedi Yang

Faculty Publications

© 2021 The Authors Leaf-level gas exchange data support the mechanistic understanding of plant fluxes of carbon and water. These fluxes inform our understanding of ecosystem function, are an important constraint on parameterization of terrestrial biosphere models, are necessary to understand the response of plants to global environmental change, and are integral to efforts to improve crop production. Collection of these data using gas analyzers can be both technically challenging and time consuming, and individual studies generally focus on a small range of species, restricted time periods, or limited geographic regions. The high value of these data is exemplified by …

A Facility For The Research, Development, And Translation Of Advanced Technologies For Ion-Beam Therapies, M. Lis, W. Newhauser, M. Donetti, M. Durante, U. Weber, B. Zipfel, C. Hartmann-Sauter, M. Wolf, C. Graeff

Faculty Publications

This article describes the updated GSI radiotherapy research facility (Cave M) located at the GSI Helmholtz Center for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt, Germany. This facility was upgraded by modernizing the beamline that supported a pilot project in carbon ion cancer therapy in Europe from 1997 to 2008. Descriptions are provided of the modernized beamline, related hardware components and treatment delivery system. The performance specifications and general characteristics for each major component are described, along with example pre-clinical test results of selected components. These upgrades to Cave M allow for investigating novel therapy methods. The radiotherapy research facility is located …

Knock Knock, Who’S There? Communications In Closed Environments With A Special Focus On Vietnam Pows, Carrie Cole

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Walk A Mile In My Shoes: The Disadvantage That Lies At The Intersection Of Race And Gender Through The Lens Of Kamala Harris, Wennafer Caela Donald

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Long‐Term Monitoring Reveals Differential Responses Mussel And Host Fish Communities In A Biodiversity Hotspot, Irene Sanchez Gonzalez, Garrett W. Hopper, Jamie Bucholz, Carla L. Atkinson

Faculty Publications

Biodiversity hotspots can serve as protected areas that aid in species conservation. Long-term monitoring of multiple taxonomic groups within biodiversity hotspots can offer insight into factors influencing their dynamics. Mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) and fish are highly diverse and imperiled groups of organisms with contrasting life histories that should influence their response to ecological factors associated with local and global change. Here we use historical and contempo-rary fish and mussel survey data to assess fish and mussel community changes over a 33 year period (1986–2019) and relationships between mussel abundance and their host fish abundance in Bogue Chitto Creek, a tributary …

Association Between Home Environment In Infancy And Child Movement Behaviors, Chelsea L. Kracht, Leanne M. Redman, Patrick H. Casey, Rebecca A. Krukowski, Aline Andres

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Introduction: An adequate balance of movement behaviors, including physical activity (PA), sleep, and screen time, is important for preventing excess weight gain in children. This study examined the relationship between the infant home environment and movement behaviors later in life. Methods: Pregnant women were recruited for a cohort study related to maternal and child development. The home environment was assessed for developmental stimulation, organization, and toys by the Pediatric Review of Children's Environmental Support and Stimulation (PROCESS) questionnaire when the child was 6 months of age. At 2 years of age, mother-reported child screen time, and child PA and sleep …

Revamping Ecosystem Services Through Agroecology—The Case Of Cereals, Gomathy Sethuraman, Nurul Amalina Mohd Zain, Sumiani Yusoff, Yin Mei Ng, Niranjan Baisakh, Acga Cheng

Faculty Publications

Globally, farming systems are mostly dominated by monoculture, which has the advantage of profitability at the expense of ecological systems. Recent years have witnessed an increasing mo-mentum in global efforts to deploy sustainable agriculture practices that mimic ecological processes, with agroecology at the forefront. In addition to the ecological aspect, agroecology also encompasses economic and social aspects targeting the whole food system. Transformative agroecology has been recognized as a stepping stone to achieving several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), due to its great potential to build climate change-resilient farming systems while enhancing ecosystem services and reducing biodiversity loss. Nonetheless, the available …

Theoretical Analysis Of The Adsorption Of Phosphoric Acid And Model Phosphate Monoesters On Ceo2(111), Suman Bhasker-Ranganath, Chuanlin Zhao, Ye Xu

Faculty Publications

Ceria has been shown to catalyze the dephosphorylation of phosphate monoesters at ambient temperature. As a step toward understanding the reaction mechanism on ceria, first-principles density functional theory calculations in the GGA-PW91+U approach have been carried out to study the adsorption of phosphoric acid and two model phosphate monoesters, methyl phosphate and para-nitrophenyl phosphate, on CeO2(111). Consistent patterns are found in terms of energetic, structural, electronic, and vibrational properties upon adsorption. For the parent molecules, bonding of the phosphorous atom directly to a surface lattice oxygen atom (Olatt) is the only stable molecular adsorption state. Common entities that reduce Ce4+ …

Utilization Of Recombinant Viruses And In Silico Protein-Protein Interactions To Investigate The Role Of Herpes Simplex Type-1 (Hsv-1) Us9, Gk, And Ul20 Proteins In Virion Assembly And Egress, Anna Reneé Naquin

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Characterization, Immobilization, And Polymer Related Applications Of Watermelon Seed Powder, A Practical Source Of Urease Enzyme, Anthony Quan Quoc Mai

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Urease enzyme was crystallized almost a century ago, and to this day its intrinsic stability is not ideal for everyday applications. This work introduces a new process by which a naturally encapsulated material, watermelon seed powder (WMSP), is characterized for its stability and activity. WMSP enzymatic activity has been measured for over a year at various storage conditions—exposed to ambient atmosphere for a year, WMSP retained above 90% activity. In aqueous conditions, the enzyme maintained above 60% activity after two months; with the addition of a preservative that number stays at about 90%. There is a pH shift of the …

A Feedback-Based Pneumatic Compression System For Effective Lymphedema Management, Mohammad Imrul Kayes

LSU Master's Theses

Bioimpedance analysis (BIA) is a method of detecting lymphedema- a debilitating medical condition involving swelling of the extremities. Pneumatic compression devices are frequently used in the compression treatment of lymphedema. Although existing compression technology provides relief of symptoms, it has limitations in terms of ease-of-use, portability, and monitoring of treatment progress. Currently, there are no BIA analyzers in the market that run on a low-power microcontroller and a rechargeable battery. Moreover, no such device currently exists that integrate the BIA analysis with pneumatic compression system to offer a feedback-based solution for lymphedema treatment. This work represents the first steps towards …

The Influence Of Geographic Variation In Vegetation Characteristics On Habitat Use And Productivity Of An Endangered Warbler, Ashley M. Long, Heather A. Mathewson, Michael L. Morrison

Faculty Publications

Understanding how geographic variation in environmental conditions influences species’ distributions and population dynamics is critical for effective management of at-risk species and can help us anticipate wildlife responses to future change. The Golden-cheeked Warbler (Setophaga chrysoparia; hereafter warbler) is an endangered migratory songbird that nests in oak-juniper woodland in Texas. From 2009 to 2013, we monitored 895 warbler territories at 90 study sites located across the warbler's breeding range to examine how geographic variation in vegetation characteristics influenced aspects of warbler habitat selection and productivity. We found range-wide variation in the tree species composition and vegetation structure of warbler habitat. …

Mosquito Vector Production Across Socio-Economic Divides In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Rebeca De Jesús Crespo, Madison Harrison, Rachel Rogers, Randy Vaeth

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Assessing Chlorophyll A Spatiotemporal Patterns Combining In Situ Continuous Fluorometry Measurements And Landsat 8/Oli Data Across The Barataria Basin (Louisiana, Usa), Ivan A. Vargas-Lopez, Victor H. Rivera-Monroy, John W. Day, Julie Whitbeck, Kanchan Maiti, Christopher J. Madden, Armando Trasviña-Castro

Faculty Publications

The acquisition of reliable and accurate data to assess environmental changes over large spatial scales is one of the main limitations to determine the impact of eutrophication, and the effectiveness of management strategies in coastal systems. Here, we used a continuous in situ Chl-a fluorometry sensor and L8/OLI satellite data to develop an algorithm and map Chl-a spatial distribution to assess the impact of freshwater diversions and associated high nutrient loading rates in the Barataria Basin (BB) complex, a coastal system in the northern Gulf of Mexico. We collected water quality samples at 24 sampling stations and high-frequency continuous fluorometry …

Documentation Of Atlantic Tarpon (Megalops Atlanticus) Space Use And Move Persistence In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico Facilitated By Angler Advocates, J. Marcus Drymon, Matthew B. Jargowsky, Michael A. Dance, Mitchell Lovell, Crystal Lou Allen Hightower, Amanda E. Jefferson, Andrea M. Kroetz, Sean P. Powers

Faculty Publications

Atlantic tarpon (Megalops atlanticus, hereafter tarpon) are facing a multitude of stressors and are considered Vulnerable by the IUCN; however, significant gaps remain in our understanding of tarpon space use and movement. From 2018 to 2019, citizen scientists facilitated tagging of 23 tarpon with SPOT tags to examine space use and movement across the northern Gulf of Mexico. Movement-based kernel densities were used to estimate simplified biased random bridge-based utilization distributions and a joint move persistence model was used to estimate a behavioral index for each fish. Tarpon showed consistent east–west movement from the Alabama/Florida border to Louisiana, and utilization …

Use Of Taxonomic And Trait-Based Approaches To Evaluate The Effect Of Bt Maize Expressing Cry1ie Protein On Non-Target Collembola: A Case Study In Northeast China, Bai Feng Wang, Feng Ci Wu, Jun Qi Yin, Zhi Lei Jiang, Xin Yuan Song, Gadi V.P. Reddy

Faculty Publications

To evaluate the effect of Bt maize expressing Cry1Ie protein on non-target soil Collembola, a two-year field study was conducted in Northeast China. Bt maize line IE09S034 and its near isoline Zong 31 were selected as experimental crops; we investigated the collembolan community using both taxonomic and trait-based approaches, and elucidated the relationship between environmental variables and the collembolan community using redundancy analysis (RDA).The ANOVA results showed that maize variety neither had significant effect on the parameters based on taxonomic approach (abundance, species richness, Shannon–Wiener index, Pielou’s evenness index), nor on the parameters based on trait-based approach (ocelli number, body …

Characterization Of The Spatial Distribution Of Alfalfa Weevil, Hypera Postica, And Its Natural Enemies, Using Geospatial Models, Govinda Shrestha, Jhalendra P. Rijal, Gadi V.P. Reddy

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Understanding the spatio-temporal dynamics of prey and predator distributions can provide valuable insights into pest management strategies and conservation of natural enemies in agro-ecosystems. The alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica (Gyllenhal), is an economically important pest of alfalfa throughout the western United States. Coccinellids and nabids are among the most important natural enemies of this species, contributing to the biological control of H. postica in alfalfa fields. The spatio-temporal dynamics of H. postica and these two predator groups were investigated using 81 (= 9 × 9 grid) sample points in each of five alfalfa fields in north-central Montana. The data …

A Direct Measure Of Stand Density Based On Stand Growth, Thomas J. Dean, Anthony W. D'Amato, Brian J. Palik, Mike A. Battaglia, Constance A. Harrington

Faculty Publications

Standardizing gross volume increment on periodic height increment of the dominant trees is a means of minimizing the effects of site quality and age in growth-growing-stock relations; however, volume increment per height increment contains more information than just a normalization method for fitting growth models. This study builds on previous work suggesting that the cumulative sum of the ratios between individual-tree volume increment and height increment may be a direct measure of stand density. We used data from several levels of growing-stock studies for Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, and red pine to explore this hypothesis. Regression analysis indicated that the sum …

Disturbed Amazonian Forests Support Diminished Breeding Bird Communities, Cameron L. Rutt, Michael D. Kaller, Philip C. Stouffer

Faculty Publications

Twenty percent of the Brazilian Amazon has now been deforested, and deforestation rates are increasing. This compels us to evaluate the conservation potential of human-modified landscapes; yet the ecological value of regenerating and fragmented Amazonian forests remains poorly understood. To date, most faunal studies in disturbed forests have examined metrics derived from presence or abundance. Although valuable, these data cannot tell us how old-growth species are using disturbed forests. In this study, we complement presence data with breeding observations to assess more comprehensively the habitat quality of disturbed forests in central Amazonia. We synthesized breeding evidence from standardized passive mist-netting, …

Mobile Technology For Improved Contraceptive Care In Morocco, Manal Kharbouch, Ali Idri, Taoufik Rachad, Hassan Alami, Leanne Redman, Youssef Stelate

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

The fulfillment of unmet needs for contraception can help women reach their reproductive goals. Therefore, there is a growing concern worldwide about contraception and women’s knowledge of making an advised choice about it. In this aspect, an outgrown number of apps are now available providing information concerning contraception whether it concerns natural contraception or modern contraception. However, vast amounts of these apps contain inaccurate sexual health facts and non-evidence-based information concerning contraception. On these bases, and in respect to: (1) the needs of women to effectively prevent unintended pregnancies while conducting a stress-free healthy lifestyle. (2) the World Health Organization …

Association Of Initial Β-Amyloid Levels With Subsequent Flortaucipir Positron Emission Tomography Changes In Persons Without Cognitive Impairment, David S. Knopman, Emily S. Lundt, Terry M. Therneau, Sabrina M. Albertson, Jeffrey L. Gunter, Matthew L. Senjem, Christopher G. Schwarz, Michelle M. Mielke, Mary M. Machulda, Bradley F. Boeve, David T. Jones, Jon Graff-Radford, Prashanthi Vemuri, Kejal Kantarci, Val J. Lowe, Ronald C. Petersen, Clifford R. Jack, Paul Aisen, Michael Weiner, William Jagust, John Q. Trojanowki, Arthur W. Toga, Laurel Beckett, Robert C. Green, Andrew J. Saykin, Leslie M. Shaw, Zaven Khachaturian, Greg Sorensen, Maria Carrillo, Lew Kuller, Marc Raichle, Steven Paul, Peter Davies, Howard Fillit

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Importance: Tau accumulation in Alzheimer disease (AD) is closely associated with cognitive impairment. Quantitating tau accumulation by positron emission tomography (PET) will be a useful outcome measure for future clinical trials in the AD spectrum. Objective: To investigate the association of β-amyloid (Aβ) on PET with subsequent tau accumulation on PET in persons who were cognitively unimpaired (CU) to gain insight into temporal associations between Aβ and tau accumulation and inform clinical trial design. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study included individuals aged 65 to 85 years who were CU and had participated in the Mayo Clinic Study of …

Click Conjugation Of Boron Dipyrromethene (Bodipy) Fluorophores To Egfr-Targeting Linear And Cyclic Peptides, Tyrslai M. Williams, Nichole E.M. Kaufman, Zehua Zhou, Sitanshu S. Singh, Seetharama D. Jois, Maria Da Graça H. Vicente

Faculty Publications

Through a simple 1,3-cycloaddition reaction, three BODIPY-peptide conjugates that target the extracellular domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) were prepared and their ability for binding to EGFR was investigated. The peptide ligands K(N3)LARLLT and its cyclic analog cyclo(K(N3)larllt, previously shown to have high affinity for binding to the extracellular domain of EGFR, were conjugated to alkynyl-functionalized BODIPY dyes 1 and 2 via a copper-catalyzed click reaction. This reaction produced conjugates 3, 4, and 5 in high yields (70-82%). In vitro studies using human carcinoma HEp2 cells that overexpress EGFR demonstrated high cellular uptake, particularly for the cyclic peptide …

Parameter Estimation And Optimization For Biological Mathematical Models Using Bayesian Statistics, Renee Dale

LSU Master's Theses

In the field of biology, mathematical models are increasingly used to address biological questions and the large data sets generated in experimental studies. Mathematical models traditionally are simplified and structured to be analytically tractable, but computing power allows for more complex, larger models. Bayesian statistics lends itself naturally to address parameter estimation problems in these large models. Bayesian statistical inference is utilized in this thesis to obtain parameter estimates from a sparse data set on populations in the HIV epidemic. Current estimates of the HIV epidemic indicate a decrease in the incidence of the disease in the undiagnosed subpopulation over …

Zein And Lignin-Based Nanoparticles As Delivery Systems: Pesticide Release And Nanoparticle Health Impact On Soybean Plants, Fallon Polette Salinas Gonzalez

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research examined the effect of biodegradable, polymeric, lignin-based nanoparticles (LNPs, 113.8±3.4, negatively charged) and zein nanoparticles (ZNP, 141.6±3.9, positively charged) on soybean plant health. The LNPs were synthesized from lignin, covalently linked to poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid by emulsion evaporation. ZNPs were synthesized by nanoprecipitation. Soybeans grown hydroponically were treated with three concentrations (0.02, 0.2, and 2 mg/ml) of NPs at 28 days after germination. The effect of ZNPs and LNPs on plant health was determined through analysis of root and stem length, chlorophyll concentration, dry biomass of roots and stem, as well as carbon, nitrogen, and micronutrient absorption after 1, …

Development Of Engineered Soil Surrogates For Modeling Natural Soil Sorption Behavior, Ghada Yehia Abdalla

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The land produces more than 95% of the global food supply, and with a continuously growing population, we need to optimize the use of the available agricultural land. Soil organic matter (SOM) is an essential component of soils, especially concerning their fertility and sorption behavior. The chemical composition of the SOM consists of lipids, lignin, and cellulose. However, the heterogeneous and complex nature of SOM, and real soils, makes their study challenging and introduces uncontrollable factors.

Therefore, structural mimics of natural soils with increasing complexity representing the real soil functionality were synthesized and evaluated for bulk properties related to their …

Development Of The Cell-Free Protein Biomanufacturing Platform For The Therapeutic Human Protein Production And The Topical Delivery Applications Using The Nanosized Hydrogel System, Jeehye Kim

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Proteins are highly structural polymers, performing an enormous range of roles within organisms. Unlike synthetic polymers, proteins have a significant hierarchical ordering that can be disrupted by many environmental factors, which limits the scale-up manufacturing capability as well as the utilization of proteins as therapeutic agents. In this study, the Cell-Free Protein Synthesis (CFPS) system was developed to enhance the production capacity and applications of the therapeutic proteins. The CFPS is an advanced biosynthetic and genetic-engineered system. It enables the efficient production of proteins when the conventional cell-based protein synthesis systems cannot be applied, and when sophisticated control is required …

Patterns Of Relative And Quantitative Abundances Of Marine Bacteria In Surface Waters Of The Subtropical Northwest Pacific Ocean Estimated With High-Throughput Quantification Sequencing, Jie Kong, Xin Liu, Lei Wang, Hao Huang, Danyun Ou, Jiayu Guo, Edward A. Laws, Bangqin Huang

Faculty Publications

Bacteria play a pivotal role in shaping ecosystems and contributing to elemental cycling and energy flow in the oceans. However, few studies have focused on bacteria at a trans-basin scale, and studies across the subtropical Northwest Pacific Ocean (NWPO), one of the largest biomes on Earth, have been especially lacking. Although the recently developed high-throughput quantitative sequencing methodology can simultaneously provide information on relative abundance, quantitative abundance, and taxonomic affiliations, it has not been thoroughly evaluated. We collected surface seawater samples for high-throughput, quantitative sequencing of 16S rRNA genes on a transect across the subtropical NWPO to elucidate the distribution …

Effects Of Spatial Variability On The Exposure Of Fish To Hypoxia: A Modeling Analysis For The Gulf Of Mexico, Elizabeth D. Labone, Kenneth A. Rose, Dubravko Justic, Haosheng Huang, Lixia Wang

Faculty Publications

The hypoxic zone in the northern Gulf of Mexico varies spatially (area, location) and temporally (onset, duration) on multiple scales. Exposure of fish to hypoxic dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations (