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Comparison Of Helical Tomotherapy And Mixed Beam Treatment Plans For Superficial Head And Neck Cancers, Olivier C. Blasi Jan 2009

Comparison Of Helical Tomotherapy And Mixed Beam Treatment Plans For Superficial Head And Neck Cancers, Olivier C. Blasi

LSU Master's Theses

Purpose: To compare helical tomotherapy (HT) with mixed beam therapy (electron and IMRT) plans for superficial parotid gland and nasal cavity tumors. Methods: Mixed beam and HT dose plans were developed for five patients with superficial tumors (planning target volume or PTV < 5.5 cm depth), three with parotid gland tumors and two with nasal cavity tumors. Seven mixed beam plans included a 5 or 7-field photon IMRT plan optimized on top of a single en-face 16 or 20 MeV electron beam dose distribution. The ratio of photon to electron beam weights (at depth R100) were 1:0 (IMRT only), 2:1, 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, and 0:1 (electrons only). Planning objectives for HT plans were set as closely as possible to those in the mixed beam plans, and were determined using our clinical planning protocol for head and neck cancers. The resulting dose distribution from each plan was evaluated using dose-volume quantities, tumor control probability (TCP), normal tissue complication probability (NTCP), and a clinical evaluation by a radiation oncologist. Results: In general, the HT plans showed better target coverage and dose homogeneity index (DHI) than the mixed beam plans. For the parotid patients, the DHI improved an average of 0.056 and 0.035 for the nasal cavity patients compared to the mixed beam plan. TCP was comparable in all patients. NTCP for the mixed beam plan was generally lower or comparable to HT with the largest improvements seen in the contralateral parotid, eye, and lens. Also, the mixed beam plans yielded more favorable PTV and normal tissue results for a single shallow uniform PTV using a heavier weighted electron to IMRT ratio (1:3 or 1:4 ratio of electron to IMRT). Conclusions: The study showed that while HT plans had better target coverage and dose homogeneity, the mixed beam plans (electron and IMRT) had comparable tumor control probability and have the potential for improving NTCP for distal normal tissue for superficial uniform PTVs.


Neurotoxin In A Louisiana Estuary: Quantitative Analysis Of Domoic Acid In Gulf Menhaden (Brevoortia Patronus) And Qualitative Modeling Of Links In A Shark Nursery, Ross Del Rio Jan 2009

Neurotoxin In A Louisiana Estuary: Quantitative Analysis Of Domoic Acid In Gulf Menhaden (Brevoortia Patronus) And Qualitative Modeling Of Links In A Shark Nursery, Ross Del Rio

LSU Master's Theses

Harmful algal blooms are an increasing problem for coastal waters world-wide. The diatom genus, Pseudo-nitzschia, is of particular concern in Louisiana, due to the potential for several species to produce the neurotoxin domoic acid (DA). While trophic transfer of DA to consumers has repeatedly occurred along the California coast, little is known about trophic transfer of recently detected DA in the Gulf of Mexico. In this study, the presence of DA in gulf menhaden (Brevoortia patronus) and the potential for trophic transfer to higher order consumers was investigated. In addition, the effects of this transfer and other algal toxins that …


A Geochemical Paleoecological Analysis Of Miocene Mammalian Mega Fauna Of Fort Polk, Louisiana, Travis Lamar Atwood Jan 2009

A Geochemical Paleoecological Analysis Of Miocene Mammalian Mega Fauna Of Fort Polk, Louisiana, Travis Lamar Atwood

LSU Master's Theses

Through a combination of vertebrate paleontology and geochemistry much can be discovered about the environments about the past. Fort Polk’s vertebrate fossil sites are important because they reflect a time when the Antarctic ice cap was just beginning to form during the middle Miocene cooling period just after the middle Miocene Climatic Optimum (~15Ma). This study tested the hypothesis that Miocene seasonality will be preserved in the isotopic geochemistry of terrestrial vertebrate remains at central North American Gulf Coastal sites. Geochemistry was used to understand fossil diagenesis, faunal communities and paleoenvironments. Fort Polk, LA sites range in age from 13.5 …


Regulation Of Adipose Tissue Metabolism By Nfkb P65 In Transgenic Mice, Tianyi Tang Jan 2009

Regulation Of Adipose Tissue Metabolism By Nfkb P65 In Transgenic Mice, Tianyi Tang

LSU Master's Theses

Inflammation has been widely reported to regulate adipocyte functions in adipose tissue. Our early study suggests that NFkB signaling pathway is activated by inflammation and involved in inhibition of insulin sensitivity in adipocytes. NFkB was found to inhibit PPARg function through several possible mechanisms in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. To test this possibility in vivo, we increased the NFkB activity in adipocytes in transgenic mice by expression of NFkB p65 subunit under the aP2 gene promoter. The phenotype study shows that the food intake, physical activity and development are similar in the two groups. The reproductivity was not different in the two …


A Novel Synthesis And Characterization Of Fluorescein Isothiocyanate Labeled Poly(Styrenesulfonate Sodium Salt), Xiaowei Tong Jan 2009

A Novel Synthesis And Characterization Of Fluorescein Isothiocyanate Labeled Poly(Styrenesulfonate Sodium Salt), Xiaowei Tong

LSU Master's Theses

The diffusion of polyelectrolytes in low-salt or salt-free aqueous solutions is a controversial question. It has been intensively discussed since it was discovered in 1978. Most previous experimental data were obtained from dynamic light scattering (DLS), whose precision, however, was reduced by stringent sample preparation and weak scattering of polyelectrolyte in low-salt solution. For the most commonly studied polyelectrolyte, poly(styrenesulfonate sodium salt) (NaPSS), the harsh polymerization condition and the manufacturing procedure lead to hydrophobic defects and aggregations, which also block a correct insight about the diffusion of polyelectrolyte. In contrast to DLS, fluorescence photobleaching recovery (FPR) directly looks on the …


Poly (D, L-Lactide-Co-Glycolide) And Chitosan Particles For Oral Delivery Of Model Lipophilic Vitamin, Abitha Murugeshu Jan 2009

Poly (D, L-Lactide-Co-Glycolide) And Chitosan Particles For Oral Delivery Of Model Lipophilic Vitamin, Abitha Murugeshu

LSU Master's Theses

Improved oral delivery of vitamins and antioxidants via food, beverages or supplements can be achieved by encapsulation of the bioactive component in biodegradable and biocompatible colloidal and nanoparticle systems. Mucoadhesive chitosan/Poly (D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) particles were investigated as a means to control the release of bioactive compounds such as vitamin E in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Chitosan/PLGA particles with entrapped alpha-tocopherol at different initial loadings were synthesized by emulsion evaporation method, compared against PLGA particles in terms of their physical properties, stability, and gastrointestinal release profiles. Chi/PLGA particles of 250 ± 8.9 nm with a zeta potential of 61 ± 3.1 …


An Evaluation Of Endurance And Combined Endurance And Resistance Training On Fitness And C-Reactive Protein, Laura A. Daray Jan 2009

An Evaluation Of Endurance And Combined Endurance And Resistance Training On Fitness And C-Reactive Protein, Laura A. Daray

LSU Master's Theses

PURPOSE: This study was designed to determine whether endurance or endurance + resistance training would influence circulating C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and if these changes are related to alterations in aerobic fitness and/or body composition. METHODS: Fifty eight healthy young adults aged 18-24 yrs (78% female) were assigned to one of three groups: 1) endurance training (E) (n=18), 2) endurance + resistance training (ER) (n=11), or 3) active control (AC) (n=29). The E group completed 15 weeks of endurance training for either a half marathon (n=6) or full marathon (n=12). The ER group performed 15 weeks of periodized resistance training …


A Humanistic View Of Satan: The Role Of Satan In Stephen Adly Guirgis' The Last Days Of Judas Iscariot, Yohance Myles Jan 2009

A Humanistic View Of Satan: The Role Of Satan In Stephen Adly Guirgis' The Last Days Of Judas Iscariot, Yohance Myles

LSU Master's Theses

The role of Satan, in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, was selected as the topic of this thesis in acting to be submitted to the Graduate School of Louisiana State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for graduation with the Master of Fine Arts degree in Theater. The thesis includes an introduction; discussions of acting methods: the Art of Being, logical thinking, rhythmic sounds, the rehearsal process, journal notes, photos, research, and a conclusion. It details my role/character from a theatrical and humanistic point of view. I will highlight points that will reveal my daily discoveries of this …


Influence Of Tick Transmission On The Host Response To Rickettsial Infection, Soma Chowdhury Jan 2009

Influence Of Tick Transmission On The Host Response To Rickettsial Infection, Soma Chowdhury

LSU Master's Theses

Several members of the spotted fever group (SFG) of Rickettsia are transmitted to the host through infected ixodid (hard) ticks, which can serve as both vectors and reservoirs. Multiple studies have demonstrated that ticks secrete proteins into the bite site of the host that suppress innate and adaptive immune responses. While this suppression of immune responses is beneficial to the tick, it may also be beneficial to the transmitted Rickettsia. We hypothesize that Rickettsia utilize the tick’s ability to alter the host immune response at the tick feeding site to successfully establish infection. In the current study, we analyzed how …


Seasonal Variability In Absorption And Fluorescence Properties Of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter In The Barataria Basin, Louisiana, Usa, Shatrughan Singh Jan 2009

Seasonal Variability In Absorption And Fluorescence Properties Of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter In The Barataria Basin, Louisiana, Usa, Shatrughan Singh

LSU Master's Theses

Absorption and fluorescence measurements of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) were examined along a transect containing 36 sampling stations in the Barataria Basin during high and low conditions to observe seasonal variation in these optical properties. The objectives of this study were (i) to observe CDOM variability in Barataria Basin in variable flow (high and low) conditions, and to characterize the CDOM, (ii) to identify the constituents of CDOM and to model CDOM compositional variability in the Barataria Basin using parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). CDOM–salinity relationships were non-conservative in lower and upper part of the transect; however a conservative inverse …


Phosphorus Dynamics In The Marshland Upwelling System, Dhaval Shirish Shah Jan 2009

Phosphorus Dynamics In The Marshland Upwelling System, Dhaval Shirish Shah

LSU Master's Theses

The Marshland Upwelling System (MUS) is an alternative onsite wastewater treatment technology designed to utilize the natural ecology of saltwater marshes to remove human-borne contaminants. Previous research has assessed the ability of MUS to remove both total and orthophosphate. Studies have also indicated a clear zone of phosphorus (P) saturation occurring in MUS soils. Laboratory column study was performed to accomplish the objectives of this study which were to: 1) determine the fate and fractionation of phosphorus in the soil matrix, 2) understand sorption kinetics and determine phosphorus sorption potential of wetland soils in retaining phosphorus in the MUS, 3) …


Preparation Of The Chinese Sweet Leaf Tea Extract And Its Anti-Obesity Effect In Rodents, Gar Yee Koh Jan 2009

Preparation Of The Chinese Sweet Leaf Tea Extract And Its Anti-Obesity Effect In Rodents, Gar Yee Koh

LSU Master's Theses

The aqueous leaf extract of Rubus suavissimus (Chinese sweet leaf tea) was active in inhibiting angiogenesis, which could be used to suppress adipogenesis and cause weight loss. Following this revelation and approach, the anti-obesity effect was thoroughly investigated in normal and obese rat models. The investigations began with the preparation of quality-controlled extract. First, the crude extraction methods were examined leading to the characterization of the chemical composition. Second, the impure components were removed by alcohol precipitation and column chromatography, resulting in a standardized sweet leaf tea extract (RUS). Third, three bioavailable compounds identified from the urine analyses were re-constituted …


Population Characteristics Of A White-Tailed Deer Herd In A Bottomland Hardwood Forest Of South-Central Louisiana, Justin W. Thayer Jan 2009

Population Characteristics Of A White-Tailed Deer Herd In A Bottomland Hardwood Forest Of South-Central Louisiana, Justin W. Thayer

LSU Master's Theses

White-tailed deer are an important economic and recreational resource in Louisiana. A basic understanding of population dynamics is essential to ensure sound management, but baseline information in Louisiana is lacking. Likewise, the notion of Quality Deer Management (QDM) continues to gain momentum in Louisiana. Our objectives were to evaluate space use, survival, and mortality for a deer herd managed under a QDM regime in south Louisiana. We captured 65 deer in West Baton Rouge and Iberville Parishes during 2007 and 2008, radio-marked 37 males and 11 females, and ear-marked an additional 10 males and 7 females. Home ranges (95%) for …


Fine- To Basin-Scale Distributions Of Calanus Finmarchicus And Its Predators In Three Deep Basins Of The Gulf Of Maine During December 1998 And 1999 From Video Plankton Recorder (Vpr) Data, Christian Briseño-Avena Jan 2009

Fine- To Basin-Scale Distributions Of Calanus Finmarchicus And Its Predators In Three Deep Basins Of The Gulf Of Maine During December 1998 And 1999 From Video Plankton Recorder (Vpr) Data, Christian Briseño-Avena

LSU Master's Theses

The calanoid copepod Calanus finmarchicus is broadly distributed in the North Atlantic, where it dominates the spring zooplankton biomass of shelf ecosystems. Calanus finmarchicus diapauses in the deep basins of the Gulf of Maine (GOM) during late-summer through early-winter. During diapause, predators that co-occur in regions of high copepod abundance may reduce survivorship through predation. Consequently it is important to measure the distribution patterns of C. finmarchicus and its predators. Two cruises were carried out during December of 1998 and 1999 in the GOM. Video Plankton Recorder (VPR) data collected in Wilkinson, Jordan and Georges Basins were used to describe …


Effects Of Warming End Of Lay Broiler Breeder Eggs During The Storage Period On Hatchability, Jennifer Michelle Dowden Jan 2009

Effects Of Warming End Of Lay Broiler Breeder Eggs During The Storage Period On Hatchability, Jennifer Michelle Dowden

LSU Master's Theses

Due to necessary storage of hatching eggs in commercial hatcheries, the embryo is being regressed. End of lay broiler breeder eggs have the poorest hatchability and are most affected by pre incubation storage. Warming these eggs is the only way the embryo can develop. The objective of this study was to study the effects of daily warming of end of lay broiler breeder hatching eggs during the storage period on embryo mortality and hatchability. Six trials were conducted, three trials warmed for three of the four day storage period and three trials warmed for five of the six days storage …


Two-Dimensional Microscanners With T-Shaped Hinges And Piezoelectric Actuators, Wenyu Song Jan 2009

Two-Dimensional Microscanners With T-Shaped Hinges And Piezoelectric Actuators, Wenyu Song

LSU Master's Theses

For a wide range of application areas such as medical instruments, defense, communication networks, industrial equipment, and consumer electronics, microscanners have been a vibrant research topic. Among various fabrication methodologies, MEMS (microelectromechanical system) stands out for its small size and fast response characteristics. In this thesis, piezoelectric actuation mechanism is selected because of its low voltage and low current properties compared with other mechanisms, which are especially important for the target application of biomedical imaging. Although 1- and 2-dimensional microscanners with piezoelectric actuators have been studied by several other groups, this thesis introduces innovative improvements in design of the piezoelectric …


Altering Sweet Potato Starch Functionality By Amino Acids And Ph Treatments, Jonathan Futch Jan 2009

Altering Sweet Potato Starch Functionality By Amino Acids And Ph Treatments, Jonathan Futch

LSU Master's Theses

The sweet potato is a vegetable containing high levels of different vitamins and minerals, needed to protect the body against disease. This study focused on starch found in the Beauregard and Evangeline sweet potatoes and observed the effect of pH and amino acid additives altering the functionality of starch. These modifications of the Beauregard and Evangeline sweet potato starches will also be done to determine if an increase in resistant starch and slowly digestible starch is found. Beauregard and Evangeline starches had similar gelatinization temperature and the two starches required the same amount of energy to gelatinize. In Freeze-dried Beauregard …


The Role Of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 On Food Intake, Glucokinase Expression And Fatty Acid Metabolism, Hanjie Zhang Jan 2009

The Role Of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 On Food Intake, Glucokinase Expression And Fatty Acid Metabolism, Hanjie Zhang

LSU Master's Theses

The increase in blood levels of GLP-1 with dietary resistant starch is thought to be associated with the activities of hypothalamic NPY/AgRP neurons and the gene expression of glucokinase in the ARC of the hypothalamus. Exendin-4 has been shown to be associated with fatty acid synthesis and oxidation. In this project, it was proposed that 1) food intake will be decreased in GLP-1R KO mice, the glucokinase (GK) mRNA expression in the liver and in the hypothalamus, the hypothalamic NPY mRNA expression will be up-regulated by exendin-4 treatment; and 2) exendin-4 will decrease fatty acid synthesis and increase fatty acid …


Toxicological Monitoring And Protocol Development For Abandoned Pipeline Removal In Louisiana, Forest Christopher Wootten Jan 2009

Toxicological Monitoring And Protocol Development For Abandoned Pipeline Removal In Louisiana, Forest Christopher Wootten

LSU Master's Theses

Oil/Gas extraction have left Louisiana with a legacy of abandoned infrastructure across the State. Presently, the State has developed guidelines for the removal of abandoned vessels and abandoned on shore facilities. No such guidelines exist, however, for the network of abandoned pipelines present throughout the coastal zone of Louisiana. A pipeline removal was simulated in Lake Calcasieu, LA. The site was chosen because of the presence of many abandoned pipelines and previous work done on sight to remove the on shore infrastructure. In addition, the Calcasieu is an industrial water body, with potentially hazardous pollutants sequestered in the sediments of …


Biocompatible/ Bioresorbable Polymer Based Silver Nanaomaterial Coatng For Chronic Indwelling Medical Devices And Bioscaffolds For Tissue Regrowth, Ammar T. Qureshi Jan 2009

Biocompatible/ Bioresorbable Polymer Based Silver Nanaomaterial Coatng For Chronic Indwelling Medical Devices And Bioscaffolds For Tissue Regrowth, Ammar T. Qureshi

LSU Master's Theses

The objective of this study is to synthesize and characterize antimicrobial, bio-polymer based silver nanomaterials composite coatings, for use in chronic indwelling medical devices, and bioscaffolds. The coatings and bioscaffolds are comprised of novel biomass mediated silver nano particles (SNP) that are biocompatible, highly concentrated, highly pure, cost-effective, polydispersed and compatible with a range of polymer systems applicable for use with existing chronic indwelling medical devices. This thesis is divided into three main chapters. In Chapter 1, detailed review on the need for antimicrobial nanocomposite coatings for chronic indwelling medical devices along with different SNP synthesis and characterization methods is …


Estimating Age At Death By Examining The Crystallite Size Of Hydroxylapatite In Human Teeth, Teresa Veronica Wilson Jan 2009

Estimating Age At Death By Examining The Crystallite Size Of Hydroxylapatite In Human Teeth, Teresa Veronica Wilson

LSU Master's Theses

Estimation of age is an important component of the biological profile that forensic anthropologists construct in order to attain a positive identification of a deceased individual. This research is a proof of concept study for the use of X-ray diffraction (XRD) on a tooth sample to estimate age. Previous research (Meneghini et al. 2003; Hanschin and Stern 1992) has concluded that the crystallite size of bone will increase with increased age. The feasibility of the use of teeth in XRD analysis was first tested using pig teeth (samples P1, P2, and P3). Another set of pig teeth (PC1, PC2, and …


Assessing The Silicon Status Of Rice (Oryza Sativa), Joseph Eugene Kraska Jan 2009

Assessing The Silicon Status Of Rice (Oryza Sativa), Joseph Eugene Kraska

LSU Master's Theses

Low silicon (Si) content in rice, sugarcane and other Si-accumulating crops can adversely affect crop performance due to reduced tolerance to both abiotic and biotic stresses. This research had two specific objectives relative to Si in Louisiana rice: develop a digestion procedure for Si tissue analysis that is robust, accurate, precise, and requires equipment commonly found in most agricultural laboratories; and survey the Si status of rice plants at mid-tiller (Y-leaf) and after harvest (straw) throughout the rice-growing regions of Louisiana. Assessing the Si status of a crop typically depends upon accurately measuring Si accumulation in plant tissue. While wet-digestion …


Comparisons Of Boosted Regression Tree, Glm And Gam Performance In The Standardization Of Yellowfin Tuna Catch-Rate Data From The Gulf Of Mexico Lonline [Sic] Fishery, Shane Abeare Jan 2009

Comparisons Of Boosted Regression Tree, Glm And Gam Performance In The Standardization Of Yellowfin Tuna Catch-Rate Data From The Gulf Of Mexico Lonline [Sic] Fishery, Shane Abeare

LSU Master's Theses

Recent advances in statistical understanding have focused fisheries research attention on addressing the theoretical and statistical issues encountered in standardizing catch-rate data. Similarly, the present study evaluates the performance of boosted regression trees (BRT), the product of recent progress in machine learning technology, as a potential tool for catch-rate standardization. The BRT method provides a number of advantages over the traditional GLM and GAM approaches including, but not limited to: robust parameter estimates as a result of the integrated stochastic gradient boosting algorithm; model structure learned from data and not determined a priori, thereby avoiding assumptions required for model specification; …


Efficiency Of Cellulase Enzyme Immobilized On Magnetic Nanoparticles, Jason Jordan Jan 2009

Efficiency Of Cellulase Enzyme Immobilized On Magnetic Nanoparticles, Jason Jordan

LSU Master's Theses

Advances in enzymatic hydrolysis have developed new methods for conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into fermentable sugars for various applications, mainly ethanol production. The present study involves immobilization of a cellulase enzyme complex on a solid support which can be recovered for subsequent use in multiple reactions. The supports of interest include Fe3O4 nanoparticles (~13 nm) and polystyrene-coated particles containing a Fe3O4 core (1-2 µm). Each support contains amine functional groups based on the surface that allow covalent attachment of enzymes via carbodiimide activation. The nanoparticles were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and immobilization was confirmed using Fourier transform infrared …


Hydrodynamic Response To Cold Fronts Along The Louisiana Coast, Zhixuan Feng Jan 2009

Hydrodynamic Response To Cold Fronts Along The Louisiana Coast, Zhixuan Feng

LSU Master's Theses

Cold fronts play important roles in flushing water out of the Louisiana estuaries. This study is aimed at examining the impact of cold front passages on the hydrodynamics in autumn-winter-spring of 2006-2007, and tries to determine the geographic difference, correlation and relative importance of winds, tides, and river discharge on water level variability and flow field. The amplitude spectra of water level reveal that diurnal tides dominate most stations. Areas west of 91°W have relatively high semidiurnal tides. The subtidal fluctuations are mainly wind-driven. Only the station in the Atchafalaya River shows obvious response to the spring flood of the …


Self-Healing Of Fiber Reinforced Polymer Compoistes [Sic], Nebiyu Fikru Jan 2009

Self-Healing Of Fiber Reinforced Polymer Compoistes [Sic], Nebiyu Fikru

LSU Master's Theses

The study of self-healing materials is inspired by biological systems in which damage triggers an autonomous healing response. In recent years, this concept of autonomic healing material, where initiation of repair is integral to the material, is being considered for engineering applications. The concept offers the designer an ability to incorporate secondary functional ability of counteracting service degradation in addition to achieving the primary, usually structural integrity, requirement. Self-healing materials also have the benefit of offering lighter and optimized structures as well as reduced maintenance cost. Previous works on polymer matrix composites have shown that significant fractions of mechanical properties …


Relationship Of Maternal Serum Fatty Acids And Body Mass Index, Emily Fontenot Gilbert Jan 2009

Relationship Of Maternal Serum Fatty Acids And Body Mass Index, Emily Fontenot Gilbert

LSU Master's Theses

Maternal supply of nutrients is critical for the developing fetus during all stages of gestation. The altered lipid metabolism that is often seen in pregnancies complicated by obesity and insulin resistance may negatively impact maternal supply to the fetus. More women are entering pregnancy overweight or obese and recently body mass index (BMI) has been found to be a positive predictor for decreased maternal plasma phospholipid concentrations of the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) docosahexanoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA). These nutrients play important roles in early development and their availability is critical to fetal growth and development. The …


A Taphonomic Model Of Concealment: Decomposition And The Postmortem Interval (Pmi) In A 55-Gallon Barrel, Lauren Rebecca Pharr Jan 2009

A Taphonomic Model Of Concealment: Decomposition And The Postmortem Interval (Pmi) In A 55-Gallon Barrel, Lauren Rebecca Pharr

LSU Master's Theses

Three 80-pound pigs used as human models were sealed inside 55-gallon black metal drums to monitor the rates and stages of decomposition of concealed, child-sized remains. Visual assessments of the anaerobic decomposition processes in each of the drums for Pigs A and B were possible through a Lexan window installed on each drums’ lid. The third pig—Pig C—was placed inside a drum with four one-half-inch holes permitting insect access and oriented in north, south, east, and west positions around the drum’s upper perimeter. Visual assessments of Pig C were made by lifting the drum’s lid; these assessments revealed that the …


Effects Of Fuels, Weather, And Management On Fire Severity In A Southeastern Pine Savanna, Mindy Claire Mccallum Jan 2009

Effects Of Fuels, Weather, And Management On Fire Severity In A Southeastern Pine Savanna, Mindy Claire Mccallum

LSU Master's Theses

Small scale heterogeneity in fire severity is important in pine flatwood communities of southeastern United States. Heterogeneity in fire severity, in turn, is important because if produces heterogeneity of vegetation in these habitats. By measuring fuel scorch and consumption immediately after a fire, I documented small-scale heterogeneity of fire severity. I found that pre-fire fuels and management had significant effects on fire severity, whereas weather did not. Weather, however, demonstrated variation over the 2007 fire season and is clearly a primary driver of fire behavior and effects in natural fire regimes (Johnson 1992). I attribute the lack of weather influence …


High School Students' Attitudes Toward Single-Sex Choir Versus Mixed Choir, Jenna Leigh Jackson Jan 2009

High School Students' Attitudes Toward Single-Sex Choir Versus Mixed Choir, Jenna Leigh Jackson

LSU Master's Theses

Participants in this project included high school choral students (N = 54) from central Mississippi and their directors (N = 3). Participants were enrolled both in a mixed choir and either an all boy or all girl choir. A survey was constructed by the researcher to determine the attitudes of the participants toward singing and participation in choir. The 32 survey statements fell into one of four categories: perception of self as singer, attitude about gender in choir, others’ perception of self in choir, and attitude toward choir. In addition, participants were asked to provide demographic data about their gender, …