Digital Commons Network^™

Cpeb3 Maintains Developmental Competence Of The Oocyte, Lucie Lamacova, Denisa Jansova, Zongliang Jiang, Michal Dvoran, Daria Aleshkina, Rajan Iyyappan, Anna Jindrova, Heng Yu Fan, Yuxuan Jiao, Andrej Susor

Faculty Publications

Mammalian oocyte development depends on the temporally controlled translation of maternal transcripts, particularly in the coordination of meiotic and early embryonic development when transcription has ceased. The translation of mRNA is regulated by various RNA-binding proteins. We show that the absence of cytoplasmic polyadenylation element-binding protein 3 (CPEB3) negatively affects female reproductive fitness. CPEB3-depleted oocytes undergo meiosis normally but experience early embryonic arrest due to a disrupted transcriptome, leading to aberrant protein expression and the subsequent failure of embryonic transcription initiation. We found that CPEB3 stabilizes a subset of mRNAs with a significantly longer 3’UTR that is enriched in its …

Associations Of Adhd Symptoms, Anxiety Symptoms, And Executive Functions In College-Age Women, Micayla Carter

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

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

Student Senate Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Harmonizing Soybean-Associated Beneficial Bacteria For Sustainable Cultivation, Jonas J. Padilla

LSU Master's Theses

Long-term reliance on agrochemicals, such as fertilizers and pesticides, to improve crop productivity can severely impact soil physicochemical properties and health. This eventually leads us to completely depend on these chemicals to sustain the needs of our crops. To resuscitate the deteriorating state of our arable lands, we need to shift from traditional farming to more sustainable crop management. One of the alternatives that we can use instead of these chemicals is the utilization of microorganisms that can perform a variety of beneficial functions for the growth and development of crops. Recently, seed-treating materials made up of bacterial consortia were …

Single-Cell Transcriptional Landscapes Of Bovine Peri-Implantation Development, Giovanna Nascimento Scatolin, Hao Ming, Yinjuan Wang, Rajan Iyyappan, Emilio Gutierrez-Castillo, Linkai Zhu, Masroor Sagheer, Chao Song, Kenneth Bondioli, Zongliang Jiang

Faculty Publications

Supporting healthy pregnancy outcomes requires a comprehensive understanding of the molecular and cellular programs of peri-implantation development, when most pregnancy failure occurs. Here, we present single-cell transcriptomes of bovine peri-implantation embryo development at day 12, 14, 16, and 18 post-fertilization. We defined the cellular composition and gene expression of embryonic disc, hypoblast, and trophoblast lineages in bovine peri-implantation embryos, and identified markers and pathway signaling that represent distinct stages of bovine peri-implantation lineages; the expression of selected markers was validated in peri-implantation embryos. Using detailed time-course transcriptomic analyses, we revealed a previously unrecognized primitive trophoblast cell lineage. We also characterized …

Human-Environment Interactions In Coastal Belize: Insights Into Sea-Level Rise And Ancient Maya Activities At The Paynes Creek Salt Works, Cheryl Mae Foster

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Dissertation excavations were carried out in 2019 and 2022 at the underwater sites of Ta’ab Nuk Na and Ek Way Nal in Paynes Creek National Park, Belize. Sea-level rise submerged the sites in antiquity and preserved the artifact record in red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) peat. Red mangrove peat can be used as a proxy for sea-level rise. The goals of the two excavations included: 1) excavating a 14m-long transect within and extending beyond building J at Ta’ab Nuk Na to determine the function of the building, 2) investigating the production of salt making pottery at Ta’ab Nuk Na; …

Ammonium Chemotaxis In Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii, Gabela Nelson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

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

Enhancement Of Applied Rice Breeding Programs: Exploring Factors Impacting Genomic Selection Accuracy And Discovery Of A Novel Gene For Grain Shape, Maria G. Montiel

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Plant breeding is a crucial tool in addressing global challenges such as climate change, population growth, and the need for more resilient crops. Rice serves as a staple food for a significant portion of the global population and has served as a model crop for genetic and genomic studies. Genomic selection (GS) has become valuable tool in plant breeding, allowing breeders to predict breeding lines’ performance based on their genotypes. The training (TS) set is a central component of genomic selection and the optimization of the training set is crucial for efficient implementation of genomic selection. The first two objectives …

Research On 3d Printing Resin Exposure Properties And Its Application On Centrifugal Microfluidic Platform Based On Fluorescence Detection, Zheng Qiao

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation encapsulates significant advancements in the field of SLA 3D printing and centrifugal microfluidics. Central to the research is the development of a novel mathematical model for predicting trapped resin thickness in SLA 3D printing, a groundbreaking contribution that addresses a critical aspect of printing intricate structures. This model, the first to establish a mathematical relationship for resin thickness, is rooted in a comprehensive study of the resin curing process. The research leverages the concept of 'critical dosage' for resin curing, leading to a more refined and theoretically grounded approach for calculating curing thickness. Experimentation further validates the model, …

Magnetic Control Of Nonmagnetic Living Organisms, Ahmed Al Harraq, Min Feng, Hashir M. Gauri, Ram Devireddy, Ankur Gupta, Qing Sun, Bhuvnesh Bharti

Faculty Publications

Living organisms inspire the design of microrobots, but their functionality is unmatched. Next-generation microrobots aim to leverage the sensing and communication abilities of organisms through magnetic hybridization, attaching magnetic particles to them for external control. However, the protocols used for magnetic hybridization are morphology specific and are not generalizable. We propose an alternative approach that leverages the principles of negative magnetostatics and magnetophoresis to control nonmagnetic organisms with external magnetic fields. To do this, we disperse model organisms in dispersions of Fe3O4 nanoparticles and expose them to either uniform or gradient magnetic fields. In uniform magnetic fields, living organisms align …

All-Optical Probes Of Particle-Like Charge Migration Dynamics, Kyle A. Hamer

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Particle-like charge migration (CM) is the coherent, back-and-forth motion of a positively-charged electron hole along the backbone of a molecule following a sudden ionization. CM in small molecules generally occurs on an Angstrom (10^-10 m) spatial scale and an attosecond (10^-18 s) timescale. I use time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) to simulate CM modes in organic molecules, and to explore all-optical probes of this attosecond electron dynamics using high-harmonic spectroscopy (HHS). By leveraging my results from previous studies of two-center interferences in carbon dichalcogens, in which I separated the harmonic signal into contributions from individual Kohn-Sham orbitals, I first …

Post-Modeling Adjustments And Delivered Dose Verification Of The 6fff Beam Model Commissioned For The Monaco Treatment Planning System, Grant C. Debevec

LSU Master's Theses

External beam radiation therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment method for tumors and abnormalities of the spine and vertebral region. Treating the spine using a stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) technique can reduce toxicity to the spinal cord. The 6 MV flattening filter free (6FFF) beam model is currently used to plan and calculate dose for SBRT treatment plans, and the treatment plans are delivered using a linear accelerator (LINAC).

The commissioned beam model represents an invariant component of a LINAC. For volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) treatment plans, the multileaf collimator (MLC) positions are changing throughout …

The Effects Of Global Temperature Change On Radon Exposure In Permafrost Areas, Melaan Bender

LSU Master's Theses

Global temperature increase leads to thawing of permafrost that protects local populations from radiation exposure by blocking radon-222 migrating into dwellings. This study aims at assessing the effects of permafrost thawing on the concentrations of radon in indoor air. An approach is developed to predict the evolution of the ²²²Rn concentrations by various processes including radon exhalation from thawed soil. It is found that as frozen soil thaws, more radon can enter dwellings, increasing the concentration of ²²²Rn in indoor air and elevating radiation-induced health risks. This study provides useful insight that will enhance understanding of potential climate …

Spatial Mapping Of The Benthic Community And How It Is Used To Research Effects Of Dredging In Louisiana's Lake Borgne., Meghan Johnson

LSU Master's Theses

Benthic communities are vitally important for healthy aquatic ecosystems across Louisiana’s coast. Specifically in Lake Borgne, ecologically important species of fish like the Gulf Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi) rely on benthic macrofauna as their main food source. The purpose of this study was to determine the spatial landscape of biodiversity and abundance of the benthic macrofauna community in Lake Borgne. Environmental conditions played a key role in community structure during the study period (fall 2021 through summer 2023) with a major drought occurring in 2023. In 2023, the decline in the abundance of most benthic invertebrates and in …

Examination Of The Effects Of Ultraviolet Radiation On The Toxicity Of An Array Of Pesticides, Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons, And Pharmaceuticals Via In-Vitro Bioassays, Jessica R. Stephens

LSU Master's Theses

Chemicals are often released via anthropogenic means both intentionally and unintentionally into aquatic environments. The chemical fate of these compounds can vary greatly depending on numerous factors that can include but are not limited to salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, and exposure to ultraviolet radiation. The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of UV radiation on the level of toxicity of different chemicals over time. Chemicals were selected based on previous studies of the toxicity of both parent and metabolites formed as a result of photolysis. Anthracene, phenanthrene, anthraquinone, dicloran, chlorothalonil, hydroxy chlorothalonil, benzobicyclon hydrolysate, and sertraline were …

Enhancement Of Soybean Growth And Disease Resistance Through Seed-Priming Strategy, Francisco Javier Valle

LSU Master's Theses

Disease pressure and other environmental stresses, especially increasing temperature and drought incidence, accompanied with global climatic change have presented hard challenges to Louisiana soybean producers. The objective of this study was to explore the efficacy of seed priming techniques as new alternatives to improve soybean crop protection to reduce the amount of yield losses caused by biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, five chemicals were used as priming agents at different concentrations (0.1 mM, 1 mM, and 10 mM) to evaluate their effectiveness in enhancing disease tolerance and yield in soybeans. A seed priming procedure was developed by partially …

A Novel Goat Model To Characterize Male Fertility Following Paternal Cannabidiol Exposure, Ashlyn N. Brewer

LSU Master's Theses

Despite the increasing use of cannabidiol, both for medical and social purposes, the effect of cannabidiol on male fertility is poorly understood. Previous studies have been carried out in rodent models, but a large animal model does not exist at this time. This experiment proposes chronic cannabidiol (CBD) exposure using a goat model to understand the impact CBD has on male reproductive performance. The purpose of this project is to determine if daily exposure to CBD in male goats would impact reproductive parameters such as sperm quality and testosterone levels.

Two studies were conducted to determine the effects of CBD …

Race And Racism Through The Lens Of Black Men: Exploring The Talk And Lessons Black Fathers Teach Their Children About Race And Racism In America., Conial C. Caldwell Jr

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The history of racism and racial violence is embedded in the fabric of America and has driven Black people to develop strategies to navigate society that racism has produced. “The Talk” is a racial socialization practice and cultural phenomenon that has existed within Black families for centuries and remains a necessity due to the ongoing acts of racism and violence of Black Americans. Prior research has found that parents rear their children based on their own lived experiences, which many Black Americans have experienced or have been exposed to racism and racial violence. Yet, there are few empirical studies that …

Investigating The Role Of Fluid Shear Stress During Metastasis On Enhanced Breast Cancer Extravasation, Alejandra M. Ham

LSU Master's Theses

In 2022, ~288,000 American women were diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer which was the leading cause of patient mortality with ~43,000 American women succumbing to the disease. Women can be diagnosed with four different molecular subtypes of breast cancer: luminal A, luminal B, human epithelial growth receptor type 2 enriched (HER2+), and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). TNBC accounts for ~12% of all breast cancers, yet it has the worst outcomes. TNBC is highly invasive, with ~46% of TNBC patients developing metastatic disease. A further understanding of metastatic TNBC is needed to provide a greater understanding of how to treat this …

“Redención”: Testimonios Of Latinas Who Chose To Leave The Higher Education Industry, Delia P. Madrid-Nothdurft

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Using the methodological framework of testimonio, this study was an exploration of the experiences of former higher education professionals who identify as women in the Latinx community. Grounded in Latino Critical Theory (LatCrit) and Critical Race Feminism (CRF), this research aims to highlight the narratives of Latina professionals who have separated from the higher education sector. The study is informed by the conceptual framework of Chicana feminist perspective, which contextualizes the analysis of these experiences within a socio-cultural context. Using semi-structured interviews, participants shared their testimonios, providing rich accounts of their journeys and challenges within higher education. Through thematic …

Addition And Subtraction: Coral Reproduction And Disease In A Changing Ocean, Ashley Rossin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Marine diseases are changing the landscapes of coral reefs particularly throughout the Western Atlantic. Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) swept through this region impacting at least 22 stony coral species. White plague (WP) is a more ephemeral disease, but still has a significant impact on coral reef health and perseverance, especially under a changing ocean. While these impacts are seen on the reef-scale, we can zoom into the tissue-level to identify disease markers for both diseases and identify their differences. This has ramifications for disease intervention, as well as mitigation strategies. Despite continuous disease outbreaks, healthy corals persist and …

Two New Catalysts For Oxidation Of Water To Oxygen, Takia Sultana

LSU Master's Theses

If fuels, such as hydrogen or methanol, are to be produced from renewable energy (solar or wind) in the future, efficient catalysts will be needed, not only for fuel production reactions but for the essential simultaneous oxidation of water to O₂. Ruthenium complexes are among the more promising water oxidation catalysts (WOCs). Two new isomeric ruthenium WOCs have been prepared based on the benzylpyridyltriazole ligand (Figure 3); trans-py-[Ru(tpy)(bpt)(H₂O)]²⁺ (trans-py-1) and trans-trz-[Ru(tpy)(bpt)(H₂O)]²⁺ (trans-trz-1) (tpy = 2,2’:6’,2’’-terpyridine, bpt = benzylpyridyltriazole). Ceric ammonium nitrate [(CAN)/Ce(IV)] oxidants were …

Settling Preference Of Nipponaclerda Biwakoensis (Hemiptera: Aclerdidae) On Phragmites Australis Stems, Alexia Catherine Desoto

LSU Master's Theses

Phragmites australis, a wetland grass that stabilizes the Louisiana coastline, has been undergoing a major die-off near the Mississippi River Delta (MRD) since the autumn of 2016. One suspected cause for this plant decline is the attack of an invasive scale insect, Nipponaclerda biwakoensis. We lack information on the host preference of the crawlers, the life stage that decides where to settle and when to start feeding on the plant. The objectives of this study were to identify what positions along the vertical stem N. biwakoensis prefers to settle and what host-plant traits may be influencing this choice. We recorded …

The Use Of Duddingtonia Flagrans Aged In Mineral For Gastrointestinal Parasitic Nematode Control In Small Ruminants, Elisa M. Preston

LSU Master's Theses

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) are a major constraint to small ruminant health and production throughout the world. Haemonchus contortus commonly known as the “barber pole worm” is a major concern for producers and veterinarians because of the severe anemia, and other clinical symptoms these worms cause. For decades, anthelmintics have been used to control the GIN burden small ruminants face. Katahdin (n=36) and Hampshire sheep (n=12) were used in a randomized block design experiment over a 30-day period. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Duddingtonia flagrans spores, the active ingredient in a commercial product, Bioworma® (International …

Computational Modeling Of Nanoscale Interaction Of Plasmonic Materials With 2d Materials For Sensing Applications, Maria Iftesum

LSU Master's Theses

Plasmonics is a new and exciting field that has the potential to advance many different types of technology, from information processing and energy harvesting to sensing and imaging. The broad field of plasmonic materials and their potential to improve the functionality of cutting-edge technologies are examined in this thesis.

The thesis explores the synthesis, characterization, and manipulation of plasmonic materials after providing an overview of the basic ideas behind plasmonics. Their distinct plasmonic properties and possible uses are clarified by a thorough investigation of a variety of materials, including noble metals, two-dimensional materials, metal oxides and hybrid structures.

A thorough …

Effects Of Treated Effluent Discharge On Tree Water Use And Growth In A Cypress Swamp., Devin Schexnayder

LSU Master's Theses

Inundated baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) trees generally respond to secondarily-treated and disinfected municipal effluent additions with increased growth rates and reduced mortality. Yet, the effects of effluent additions on the water-use and functional traits of inundated mature baldcypress are poorly understood. Because increased tree growth is associated with increased water use, effluent additions may affect the water budget in coastal swamps by increasing water uptake from the rhizosphere due to increased tree transpiration. I used sap flux density (f_d) measurements to assess water-use traits and tree-level daily transpiration (E) in seven mature inundated baldcypress trees that had …

Profiling Of Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Subtype Expression And Resulting Susceptibility To Targeted Osmotic Lysis In Cancer, Spencer Gerard Lemoine

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Cancer is a disease characterized by a wide array of dysregulated cellular function, activity, and growth. At times, specific dysregulations associated with cancer can be exploited as avenues of potential treatment. The sodium handling mechanisms and their associated proteins in cancer have received closer attention recently closely as such a potential mechanism to exploit for treating advanced cancer. Some novel treatments aim to inhibit the expression or activity of these sodium handling proteins in an attempt to prevent the cancer from advancing or becoming more aggressive; however, such approaches have had limited success. Targeted osmotic lysis (TOL) is a new …

Speech And Language Errors In An 8-Year-Old Spanish-English Bilingual Speaker: A Case Study, Alaniss Heredia

LSU Master's Theses

Despite the growing population of Spanish-English bilingual speakers with developmental language disorders and speech sound disorders (SSD) in the United States, there is limited research on assessment for this population. Research suggests that the linguistic environment in which the Spanish-English bilingual speakers are brought up should be considered when assessing and treating this population since the Spanish-English bilingual population is diverse. One result of such environments is differences in degrees of language exposure. For example, a child can be exposed to two languages but have more exposure in one than the other. This might lead to better proficiency in one …

Investigating Drivers Of High Wetland Loss Rates In Brackish Marshes Of The Mississippi River Delta, Natalie M. Matherne

LSU Master's Theses

Coastal wetlands provide numerous ecological services, but high rates of wetland loss have been seen, especially within the Mississippi River Delta. The erodibility of the marsh, which depends on its strength, can be affected by waterlogging-impacted factors. This study focused on investigating factors influencing soil shear strength in brackish to intermediate salinity marshes along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast using a comparative field study and a controlled greenhouse experiment to test the hypothesis that soil waterlogging reduces soil strength. I predict species-specific responses such that marshes dominated by the Sporobolus pumilus (formerly, Spartina patens), which is less flood …

Effects Of Music Instruction For 3-4-Year-Old Children On Cognitive Development And Spatial Skills, Veronica Perez Espinosa

LSU Master's Theses

The impact of music instruction on child cognitive development has been examined by researchers in many contexts, but not as often in very young children. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of music instruction on the spatial and cognitive skills of preschool children ages 3-4. Participants in the study were 68 three- to four-year-old students who received weekly music instruction at a private school in South Louisiana. Of the 68 participants, and using a quasi-experimental design, 30 students in three intact classes were randomly assigned to receive a movement song treatment and the other 38 …