Digital Commons Network^™

A Study Of The Effects Of Prediction Activities On Instructional Outcomes In High School Genetics., Anne Spratlan Sinclair

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the instructional effects of incorporating prediction activities in a high school biology genetics curriculum. Criteria for instructional effectiveness included enhanced levels of classroom discussion and interaction, improved subject-related attitude, higher achievement motivation, and greater mastery of genetics concepts. Genetics was chosen as the domain of research because of the multiple variables operating which make it amenable to the making of predictions. Four experienced high school biology teachers taught an experimental and a control class. Students in the experimental classes made written predictions using researcher-developed prediction activities as an introduction to 19 genetics …

Environmental Factors And Production Characteristics Affecting The Culture Of Red Drum, Sciaenops Ocellatus., Rowland Glenn Thomas

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Experiments with red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus, were conducted to assess environmental requirements and culture characteristics. Pond trials were used to evaluate the effects of salinity, chloride source, predator control, acclimation procedure, stocking density, and size at stocking on production. Survival in individual ponds ranged from 0-92%; average daily weight gain from 0.46-2.22g; and feed conversion ratio from 2.30-4.90. Survival, growth, and feed conversion ratio did not differ significantly between equivalent treatments in saltwater and freshwater ponds. The minimum chloride concentration necessary for acceptable production of red drum in freshwater ponds (250-300 mg/l) was at least 100% higher than the concentrations …

Partial Sequence And Characterization Of A Growth Hormone Gene Of The Red Drum (Sciaenops Ocellatus)., Carol Marie Dorworth

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

A growth hormone (GH) gene was isolated from nuclear DNA of the red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus). Synthetic oligonucleotides were synthesized based on published cDNA sequences of other perciform fishes. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methodology was employed to amplify a nucleotide sequence extending from the 5$\sp\prime$ end of intron I to 15 bases upstream of the 3$\sp\prime$ end of exon VI of the GH gene. Amplified DNA was cloned into a phagemid sequencing vector. Clones were sequenced. Computer analysis of sequence data was used to determine the internal gene arrangement of exons and introns. Homologies of the nucleotide and deduced amino …

On Bubble Columns. (Volumes I And Ii)., Nicholas William Geary

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

There exists a narrow operating window in bubble columns where the motion is so gentle that the normally dominating forces of coalescence and breakup no longer define column conditions. This behavior is synonymous with operation in the bubbly flow regime. During experimentation, two distinct hydrodynamic regions were observed; close to the sparger, the liquid was well mixed, whilst in the remainder of the column a dispersive flow model was determined to be appropriate. In the entrance zone, the isotropic turbulence theories of Kolmogoroff adequately represented transport behavior. This finding implies that a churn-turbulent environment, wherein bubbles are continuously reformed, will …

Mechanism And Enhancement Of Phase Segregation In Drilling Fluids., John Marvin Griffin

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Dewaterability of a compressible suspension can be characterized by two fundamental properties of viscoelastic networks: permeability and bulk modulus of elasticity. Time required for dewatering can be obtained from the former, while the latter can furnish the data required for predicting ultimate compaction. A method has been derived and an apparatus constructed for measurement of these two properties in a centrifugal field. The method was applied to a variety of drilling fluids and mineral suspensions. A floor-mounted laboratory centrifuge was used in this investigation. The methods developed have merit for evaluating pre-treatments prior to centrifugal dewatering. A method for quantifying …

Radial Flow Chromatography In Compressed Pancake-Shaped Beds., Brian Keith Heft

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The separation of a methane/n-butane mixture was demonstrated using radial flow through compressed, pancake-shaped beds of fine alumina powder. The compacted stationary phase improved performance relative to an uncompressed sorbent by assuring flow uniformity through the bed, reducing band-broadening and tailing (by decreasing interstitial hold-up) and decreasing effective plate height (through an increase in the capacity ratio of the chromatograph). Dispersion was identified as the key dissipative effect in the prototype radial flow adsorber. An exact analytical solution derived for the transport equations describing such a device compared favorably with experimental data. The dispersion coefficients were found to be strong …

The Effect Of Co-Culture Systems From Non-Reproductive Origins On The Development Of Superovulated And In Vitro Fertilized Bovine Embryos., Hak-Nam Kim

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The objective of this experiment was to compare in vitro development of bovine embryos obtained from superovulation and in vitro fertilization (IVF) in two unique monolayer co-culture systems, bovine fetal spleen cell monolayers (BFS) and chick embryo fibroblast monolayers (CEF). To test the possible harmful effects of these co-culture systems, 225 murine morula-stage embryos were cultured for 72 hours with these monolayers. The percentage of hatched embryos was 62.7% in culture medium alone, 76% in BFS and 57.3% in CEF. BFS and CEF did not induce any detectable harmful effect on these developing murine embryos. When 60 transferable morula-stage bovine …

An Adaptive Differencing Scheme For Elliptic Flows., Therese Estelle Rhodes

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

This thesis deals with the formulation of a computationally efficient multiple-grid adaptive differencing (MAD) scheme for two-dimensional elliptic flow and heat transfer problems. This algorithm equidistributes a measure of the error by using higher order differencing schemes locally in adaptively determined high error-estimate regions. The third-order accurate QUICK scheme is used in regions of high error estimate which are dynamically flagged on the basis of a preliminary first order upwind solution. Boundary conditions for the flagged regions are taken from the preliminary upwind solution. Multigrid type calculations are performed. Three multiple-grid schemes are developed. In the first scheme, MAD1-WFDS, the …

Behavioral Characteristics Of Damaged Steel Repaired By Heat Straightening., Paul Franklin Robinson

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

A comprehensive set of experiments is conducted on damaged steel plates and rolled shapes which have been subjected to heat straightening. Effects of the repair process on the tensile properties and residual stresses in the repaired steel are experimentally determined for the first time. Based on the results, rational decisions can be made concerning the use of heat straightening and its limitations. For the first time in a laboratory setting, heavily damaged plate elements and rolled shapes are repetitively subjected to vee heat applications to produce desired straightening. Movements resulting from each heat application are recorded and provide an adequate …

Studies In Fructofuranose Chemistry., Ronald Joseph Voll

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The glycolytic pathway enzyme phosphofructokinase (E.C. 2.7.1.11) has as its substrate and activator two different carbohydrate phosphate esters. Both are derivatives of D-fructose in the furanose ring form. This dissertation is divided into two chapters: the first deals with the conformational specificity of the active site and the second the structure of the activator. The compound 2,5-anhydro-3,4-O-(1,2-ethanediyl)-D-mannitol was designed to test the active site. The synthesis utilized a phase-transfer cyclo-dialkylation of a vicinal diol to yield a trans-fused 2,5,8-trioxabicyclo (4.3.0) nonane system. The final product was shown to exist in a locked conformation in solution by temperature dependent n.m.r. experiments …

Social Networks And Linguistic Accommodation Of Mainland Chinese In An Urban American Chinese Community., Hong Chi

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The growing number of immigrants from both Taiwan and Mainland China have brought speakers of different Mandarin varieties into contact in an American context. In the Chinese community in Los Angeles, Mainland Putonghua speakers are found to accommodate their language to the local Taiwan Mandarin speakers. Social network analysis, a model oriented toward the individual, is adapted here for analyzing this linguistic situation. The conversation of 35 informants was recorded within a naturally occurring context and their social network scores were compared with their scores for nine linguistic variables selected for this study. It was found that the accommodation process …

A Theoretical Approach Involving Recurrence Resolution, Dependence Cycle Statement Ordering And Subroutine Transformation For The Exploitation Of Parallelism In Sequential Code., Chih-Ping Chu

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

To exploit parallelism in Fortran code, this dissertation consists of a study of the following three issues: (1) recurrence resolution in Do-loops for vector processing, (2) dependence cycle statement ordering in Do-loops for parallel processing, and (3) sub-routine parallelization. For recurrence resolution, the major findings include: (1) the node splitting algorithm cannot be used directly to break an essential antidependence link, of which the source variable that results in antidependence is itself the sink variable of another true dependence so a correction method is proposed, (2) a sink variable renaming technique is capable of breaking an antidependence and/or output-dependence link, …

A Blackboard Architecture For The Integration Of Manufacturing Systems., Calvin Michael Collins

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

American companies engaged in manufacturing are in the midst of adjusting to the increasingly stiff foreign competition as they attempt to satisfy the demands of expanding markets. U.S. manufacturing must continue the movement toward leaner, more streamlined production if they are to survive with the new market realities. Computerizing different aspects in the accounting, production, planning, and marketing divisions, has been central in the quest for higher productivity for four decades. Research is now centering on the integration of these systems and the goal is to integrate the accounting, planning and marketing functions of the organization with the automated manufacturing …

Techniques For The Optimization Of Supercritical Fluid Chromatographic Separations., Jeffrey Alan Crow

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Although supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) is now well established and still growing rapidly, it must offer clear advantages over other techniques. Thus proper method development in SFC is a necessity. There are many diverse and synergetic parameters controlling SFC separations, resulting in complex retention behavior. This work describes the proper approach to method development, including investigations into unique mobile phases and some techniques which can be used for optimization of SFC separations. In Chapter One, the concepts of chromatography with supercritical fluids are first introduced, including method development and optimization. Chapter Two focuses on mobile phase method development, and examines …

A Multivariate Analysis Of Voter Turnout In Louisiana Contested Nonpartisan Judicial Elections, 1981-1988., Olethia Davis

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this dissertation is to determine what factors account for variations in voter turnout in Louisiana contested nonpartisan trial and intermediate appellate court elections. The central questions to be addressed are: (1) what is the precise relationship between incumbency or prior judicial experience, campaign spending, and the race of judicial candidates, ceteris paribus (with all else remaining the same), on electoral participation in judicial elections in the State of Louisiana from 1981 to 1988 and (2) is the electorate that participates in judicial elections typical or atypical of the electorate that participates in presidential general races in terms …

Dynamic Random Coefficient Regression Model For Electricity Demand: The Small Sample Case., Susan Mu-Lan Zee

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

This paper develops a dynamic random coefficient regression model for electricity demand. Six estimation procedures are proposed for the model. An empirical study of the comparative performance of these six estimators is presented. In addition, a Monte Carlo simulation study is reported where we examine the small sample properties of the distributions of the coefficients and observe the behavior of the estimators as the sample size increases.

Remedial English Ten Years After: Former Basic Writers In The Workplace., Eleanor Agnew

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to find out whether writing skills were a handicap to job success for former basic writers who had graduated from college. A population of 197 former basic writers (FBW's) and 68 former strong writers (FSW's, used as a comparison) were surveyed and interviewed. Research questions included (1) What types of jobs do FBW's have, compared to FSW's, and how much do their feelings about writing affect their choices of major or job? (2) How much and how often do FBW's write at work compared to FSW's? (3) What forms of writing do FBW's do …

Cooperation In The Liberalization Of Soviet-Western Trade? A Transaction-Cost Analysis Of Soviet Joint Ventures With The West., Elza Perry Ballard

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

This study employs the method of transaction-cost analysis--the price of doing business between economic and political agents--to the study of Soviet-Western political economy (particularly Soviet joint ventures with the West). Its purpose is to determine: (1) if Soviet foreign economic policy in the Gorbachev era has reduced the transaction costs to Western firms engaging in joint ventures with the Soviet Union when compared to previous Western business options (e.g., co-production, licensing, turn-key projects), and (2) if the reduction is sufficient to encourage joint ventures to become a mechanism of greater cooperation and liberalization in Soviet-Western political economy and the international …

Low-Pressure Phase Equilibria Of Heavy Aromatic Compounds., Ajay Gupta

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Phase equilibrium diagrams for systems containing compounds found in coal liquids and heavy crude oil are useful in designing separation processes and also in testing and developing of thermodynamic models. Solid-liquid equilibrium (SLE) data are easy to obtain compared with vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) data for systems that are solid near room temperature, because the solids melt to liquids and have relatively high boiling points. It may be possible to extrapolate activity coefficients derived from SLE data to higher temperatures and thus predict vapor-liquid equilibrium. This dissertation presents new SLE and VLE data for compounds related to coal liquids. The problem …

Feedback Linearization Of Nonlinear Systems: Robustness And Adaptive Control., Weon Ho Kim

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Feedback linearization provides an effective means of designing nonlinear control systems. This method permits one to have an exactly equivalent linear system by using a coordinate transformation and state feedback. Once the nonlinear system is transformed to a linear system, one can proceed with well developed control technologies for linear systems. Feedback linearization is based on a model of the real system. If there is mismatch between the model and the real plant, feedback linearization does not yield an exactly linear system. The question of robustness then arises: will a controller based on the model be stable when applied to …

A Study On The Effects Of Additives On Selective Hydrogenation Of Trace Acetylene Over Palladium Catalysts., Yeung Ho Park

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The effects of both carbon monoxide (as a gas phase additive) and potassium (as a catalyst additive) on the selective hydrogenation of acetylene over Pd/Al$\sb2$O$\sb3$ was studied by deuterium tracer experiments combined with Kemball's steady-state treatment and temperature programmed reaction (TPR). The TPR of acetylene and ethylene in hydrogen, which was attempted in this study for the first time, enabled the investigation of the behavior of the adsorbed species on Pd. CO addition to the reaction mixture significantly increased the probability of ethylene desorption during ethylene deuteration while minor effects due to CO displacement of hydrogen were observed for acetylene …

Interfacial Adhesion In Rayon/Nylon Sheath/Core Composite Fibers., Weiying Tao

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Rayon/nylon sheath/core composite fibers with enhanced adhesion were produced using a wire coating type process. One objective of this research was to determine an effective coupling agent and the most appropriate application conditions for maximum interfacial adhesion in the rayon/nylon bicomponent fibers. The second objective was to characterize the interfacial adhesion between the core fiber and the rayon skin. It was found that fumaric acid (FA) was an effective adhesion promotor for rayon/nylon composite fibers since it has difunctionality and steric hinderance necessary to form covalent bonds to both layers. After removal of the spin finish by water washing the …

Acoustic Topology Of Infant Proto-Syllables., James Robert Piroli

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

A corpus of CV-like proto-syllables was obtained from the archival recordings of three first-born infants, which were made in conjunction with earlier research on the acoustic and interactive aspects of infant language acquisition. Tokens were limited to proto-syllables with perceptual evidence of stop-like or glide-like qualities and an identifiable vowel. Following A/D sampling, measures of developmental change were made including F1/F2 steady states, transition durations, CV durations, maximum F2 velocities, F2 onset, fundamental frequency, shimmer, time-to-peak amplitude velocity, and time-to-peak F2 velocity within the transition. Contrary to expectations, the orderliness of the infant protosyllables was remarkable with few acoustic events …

Poly(Arylene Ether Sulfones): Synthesis, Modifications And Applications., Marietta Navarro Aniano-Ilao

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Poly(arylene ether sulfones) were synthesized by aromatic nucleophilic polymerization of the monomers; 4,4$\sp\prime$-biphenol, 4-chlorophenyl sulfone, hydroquinone, and tert-butylhydroquinone. Different conditions of temperature and solvent systems were used to determine the best synthetic approaches for the preparation of poly-(4,4$\sp\prime$-biphenol/4-chlorophenyl sulfone) (1:1), poly-(4-4$\sp\prime$-biphenol/4-chlorophenyl sulfone/hydroquinone) (1:2:1), and poly (4-4$\sp\prime$-biphenol/4-chlorophenyl sulfone/tert-butylhydroquinone) (1:2:1). The use of aprotic high boiling solvent mixtures of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), and N-cyclohexyl-2-pyrrolidone (CHP), facilitated the formation of polymers with structures which can easily be controlled by varying the ratio of monomers, and by varying the concentration of reactants. The polymers were functionalized and modified by silylation, amination and aminomethylation. Directed silylation …

Nuclear Transplantation: Intracellular Release And Extracellular Influx Of Calcium In Response To Electrofusion Pulse And Its Effect On Murine Oocyte Activation And Embryonic Development., Lee F. Rickords

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The transplantation of early embryonic cell nuclei into oocytes in which the maternal chromosomes have been removed is a method by which multiple offspring of the same genotype can be produced. One critical factor required for successful development of nuclear transfer derived embryos is inducing the release of the recipient ooplasm from meiotic arrest (activation). This is accomplished during fusion of the two cells. The DC electrofusion pulse used to fuse the two cells together also activates the recipient ooplasm to resume meiotic events, however, the efficiency of electrofusion pulse induced activation remains low. It is known that activation of …

Biosynthetic Studies Of Hairy Root Constituents Of The Heliantheae (Asteraceae) And Phytochemical Screening Of Members Of The Magnoliaceae., Marco Luis Gomez-Barrios

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The major chemical constituents of Magnolia acuminata, M. ashei, M. cordata, M. dealbata, M. fraseri, M. freemani, M. little gem, M. macrophylla, M. tripetala and M. virginiana were studied as part of a continuing search for biologically active secondary metabolites from regional plant sources and the investigation of their biosynthesis and large scale production. All these Magnolia species are rich in fatty acids and several also contain monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, sesquiterpene lactones and lignans. The organic extract of the leaves of Magnolia virginiana provided a new sesquiterpene lactone, 4,14-dehydromagnograndiolide, and the new sesquiterpene lactol costunolactol. The known sesquiterpene lactones parthenolide and …

Effects Of Propiconazole On Morphology, Development, And Epidemiology Of Rhizoctonia Solani, Causal Agent Of Rice Sheath Blight., Elly M. Van Eeckhout

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Propiconazole was inhibitory to mycelial growth of Rhizoctonia solani in vitro. Sclerotial weight per colony was also reduced by propiconazole treatment but, in relation to total amount of mycelium, sclerotia formed earlier in 1 to 10 $\mu$g/ml plates than in control plates. Colony diameters from germinating sclerotia obtained from cultures growing at 0.5 to 10 $\mu$g/ml, were significantly greater than those of control colonies. Prolonged inhibitor activity resulted in increased branching, swollen or strongly tapered hyphal tips, formation of 'beaded' hyphae, and rupturing of hyphal walls when intrahyphal hyphae emerged. Abnormal fluorescent patches, representative of abnormal cell wall deposition, were …

Distribution And Migration Patterns Of Subsurface Fluids In The Wilcox Group In Central Louisiana, Masaaki Funayama

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Variations of pore fluid properties as well as lithologies in central Louisiana were investigated using more than 300 conventional well logs in order to understand processes and patterns of fluid flow in the Wilcox Group in the region. A statistical evaluation of log parameters was done to provide information required for interpreting older logs in the region.

Most of the study area is located between the northern and southern Louisiana salt dome basins, and there is a general lack of significant structural deformation. The two discrete sand dominated zones in the study area are the Wilcox and the post- Vicksburg …

Distribution And Migration Patterns Of Subsurface Fluids In The Wilcox Group In Central Louisiana, Masaaki Funayama

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Variations of pore fluid properties as well as lithologies in central Louisiana were investigated using more than 300 conventional well logs in order to understand processes and patterns of fluid flow in the Wilcox Group in the region. A statistical evaluation of log parameters was done to provide information required for interpreting older logs in the region.

Most of the study area is located between the northern and southern Louisiana salt dome basins, and there is a general lack of significant structural deformation. The two discrete sand dominated zones in the study area are the Wilcox and the post-Vicksburg groups. …

A Data Acquisition And Processing System For High Frequency Repetitive Waveforms, Daran Lynn Rehmeyer

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this thesis is two-fold: to develop a computerized data acquisition system to replace a system using an oscilloscope-mounted Polaroid camera for recording waveforms, and secondly, to develop the processing software to supplement and ultimately replace the manual interpretations of the recorded signals. The impetus for upgrading the original acquisition system is provided by two main factors. The first is the volume and cost of the film required to record an entire waveform using the Polaroid camera and second, the time consuming method of recording and splicing the individual pictures together to form a complete waveform. The current …