Digital Commons Network^™

Gleaning Rural Journalism: Rural Journalists' Agricultural And Environmental Reporting Utilizing Community Storytelling Networks☆, Jessica Walsh, Mildred F. Perreault, Greg Perreault, Ruth Moon

Faculty Publications

Environmental concerns are growing in parts of the rural United States as drinking water wells become contaminated with agrichemicals, and climate change impacts such as drought and extreme rain events disrupt farming practices. Analyzing in-depth interviews with 29 U.S. rural journalists, we explore the role rural journalists play when reporting on the environment as it relates to agricultural issues. Findings show that reporting about the environment—such as weather, climate change, water shortages, and droughts—appear in rural journalists' stories given those topics' relevance to their rural communities and the social systems forces exerting influence on journalists, yet rural journalists often do …

International Pcos Guideline Clinical Research Priorities Roadmap: A Co-Designed Approach Aligned With End-User Priorities In A Neglected Women's Health Condition, H. J. Teede, M. Gibson, J. Laven, A. Dokras, L. J. Moran, T. Piltonin, M. Costello, A. Mousa, A. E. Joham, C. T. Tay, Wiebke Arlt, Ricardo Azziz, Adam Balen, Lisa Bedson, Lorna Berry, Jacky Boivin, Jacqueline Boyle, Leah Brennan, Wendy Brown, Tania Burgert, Maureen Busby, Carolyn Ee, Rhonda M. Garad, Cheryce Harrison, Roger Hart, Marie Misso, Rachel Morman, Angelica Lindén Hirschberg, Tuong Ho, Kathleen Hoeger, Sonia Jitpiriyaroj, Cailin Jordan, Richard S. Legro, Rong Li

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinopathy with significant reproductive, metabolic, and psychological complications. Consensus on PCOS clinical research priorities across end-users is fundamental and necessitates a robust co-development of a clinical research roadmap to guide international research efforts. Methods: A multistage process included: i) international surveys of women and healthcare providers to identify research priorities and unmet needs; ii) interrogation of systematic reviews conducted for the International PCOS Guideline to identify research gaps; iii) International PCOS Guideline Network consensus generated clinical research roadmap; and iv) international peer review for external validation. Findings: A codesigned survey engaging 1278 …

Detecting N-Phenyl-2-Naphthylamine, L-Arabinose, D-Mannose, L-Phenylalanine, L-Methionine, And D-Trehalose Via Photocurrent Measurement, Feng Li, Ruoxi Yang, Jian Xu, Guohai Xu, Ye Wu

Faculty Publications

The concentration of small molecules reflects the normality of physiological processes in the human body, making the development of simple and efficient detection equipment essential. In this work, inspired by a facile strategy in point-of-care detection, two devices were fabricated to detect small molecules via photocurrent measurement. A linear response of the photocurrent against the concentration of the small molecules was found. In the first device, metal ions were introduced into gel substrates made by xanthan gum to enhance photocurrent response. N-phenyl-2-naphthylamine was measured when iron or manganese ions were used. L-Phenylalanine was measured when the gel was modified by …

Avocado Seed Extract Encapsulated In Zein Nanoparticles As A Functional Ingredient, Thanida Chuacharoen, Chantana Polprasert, Cristina M. Sabliov

Faculty Publications

Nano-delivery of natural compounds has gained increasing attention in the food and pharmaceutical ingredients industry. Avocado seed was extracted by a total lipid extraction and the presence of two acetogenin compounds was confirmed by the high-performance liquid chromatography (LC-MS) technique. Then, the avocado seed extract (Avo) was encapsulated into zein nanoparticles by liquid-liquid dispersion and the formation of zein nanoparticles loaded with avocado seed extract (Avo-ZNPs) was confirmed by FTIR analysis. The Avo-ZNPs with various Avo contents showed an average size ranging from 166.9 ± 14.1 to 305.2 ± 16.2 nm with 0.19–0.26 of polydispersity index (PDI), and a surface …

Beyond Surrealism: The Developing Keyboard Style Of André Souris, Melanie T. Mallard

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

André Souris (1899-1970) is perhaps best known as a musical contributor to the Belgian surrealist group founded by Paul Nougé, but he assumed many roles throughout his life, including composer, writer, director, and promoter of modern music. His various interests influenced the style of his compositions, which remain largely unpublished and have received little scholarly attention beyond researchers of surrealism. Through this survey of many of Souris’ works for keyboard, I attempt to lay the groundwork for further discussion about Souris’ musical contributions not only through the lens of surrealism but also throughout his compositional career. This descriptive analysis of …

Forensicllm: A Local Large Language Model For Digital Forensics, Binaya Sharma

LSU Master's Theses

Large Language Models (LLMs) excel in diverse natural language tasks but often lack specialization in fields like digital forensics. Their reliance on cloud-based APIs or high-performance computers restricts their use in resource-limited environments, and response hallucinations could compromise their applicability in forensic contexts. We introduce ForensicLLM, a 4-bit quantized LLaMA-3.1-8B model fine-tuned using Retrieval Augmented Fine-tuning (RAFT) on 6,739 Q&A samples extracted from 1,082 digital forensic research articles and curated digital artifacts. Evaluation on 2,244 Q&A samples showed that ForensicLLM outperformed the base LLaMA-3.1-8B model by 4.06%, 5.43%, and 15.79% on BERTScore F1, BGE-M3 cosine similarity, and G-Eval, respectively. Compared …

Measuring And Modeling Grease Degradation, Alan Gurt

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Lubricating grease is an ideal lubricant for many devices such as roller bearings, journal bearings, slide bearings, gears, and many types of joints due to its simplicity. Once grease is put in place, it can often provide adequate lubrication for extended periods of time without the need for a complex supply system that would generally be needed for oil lubrication. However, during prolonged use, various degradation mechanisms change the physical and chemical properties of grease, possibly leading to inadequate performance and machinery failure.

In order to succinctly quantify the degradation of grease, it is essential to have robust, meaningful test …

Evaluating Growth Of Coastal Grass In Recycled Glass Sand: Evidence For Safe Application In Coastal Restoration, Allison B. Huddleston

Honors Capstones

Louisiana’s coastal land loss results from complex interactions of anthropogenic and naturally occurring processes that impact sediment supply in the Mississippi river delta. Given the coastline's vital role in the state’s economy, Louisiana has made significant investments in coastal restoration projects, including planting native vegetation and adding borrowed sediments. The amount of sediment needed to maintain Louisiana’s existing coastline exceeds the available amount that could be extracted, and state officials have since identified this lack of sustainable sediment resources as a critical limitation for future restoration projects. One proposed solution to address this shortage is using recycled crushed glass cullet …

Mobilizing The Masks Of Carnaval For A Re-Reading Of Zobel's Rue Cases-Nègres, Benjamin E. Tilson

Tête à Tête: Journal of Francophone Studies

The identity of Caribbean literature, subject to the forces of domination and exclusion, has long been contested from both within and outside of its field. Alternately described as imitating, reappropriating, indigenizing and reductionist, Caribbean writers have sought to carve out a space for works that are received as authentic without recourse to fetishes. Drawing upon the works of Maryse Condé, the Creolists and anthropologic studies of Carnaval, the present work attempts to analyze what might be termed alternative narratives, characters and symbols in Joseph Zobel’s novel La Rue Cases-Nègres and its filmic adaptation by Euzhan Palcy through the lens of …

Les Structures Identitaires Et Mémorielles Dans Nom De Constance Debré, Aditi Khasa

Tête à Tête: Journal of Francophone Studies

Cet article propose une lecture parallèle du roman Nom de Constance Debré, à travers le prisme théorique de la mémoire collective et de ses multiples mécanismes. En mobilisant les concepts développés par Maurice Halbwachs et Jan Assmann, l’analyse met en lumière les différentes sphères de mémoire, leur influence dominante, ainsi que leur rôle dans la construction de l'identité de l'auteure. Cette étude interroge la fonction de l'écriture pour Debré et son importance dans son processus d'émancipation. L’essai explore également la manière dont les structures de mémoire et d'identité sont articulées et évoluent au sein du récit.

Belonging And Heroic Non-Conformity In Marie-Célie Agnant's Femmes Aux Temps Des Carnassiers, Danica L E Guerrero

Tête à Tête: Journal of Francophone Studies

In an effort to maintain power in an authoritarian state, dictators target, silence, and eliminate those unwilling to conform. In Marie-Célie Agnant's 2015 novel Femmes aux temps des carnassiers, Mika Pelrin and her daughter Soledad are kidnapped, raped, and tortured by the Tonton Macoutes because of Mika's refusal to be silenced by the Duvalier regime in 1958. Through this fictional account based on appalling historical events and the tragic fate of journalist Yvonne Hakim Rimpel, Agnant insists on the vital societal role played by courageous women like her defiant character Mika who, through nonconformity and at the risk of their …

Les Expressions Erronées Dans La Traduction De Certains Francisants À Tai Solarin University Of Education, Malik Garba, Tajudeen Salaudeen

Tête à Tête: Journal of Francophone Studies

La traduction est tout simplement la transposition du message d’une langue de départ vers une langue d’arrivée pour exprimer la même réalité. Cette recherche vise à nous élucider sur ce que c’est la traduction et la performance linguistique des apprenants Anglophones : le cas des apprenants du français en troisième année à Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) dans l’état d’Ogun au Nigéria. Nous avons décidé de travailler sur une dizaine d’étudiants faisant le français pédagogique. Il s’avère nécessaire de mentionner que certaines phrases anglaises étaient tirées de l’ouvrage de Femi Ojo-Ade (2017) d’où les apprenants sont persuadés de fournir …

Des Rois Anglais Qui Parlent Français : Une Etude Sur La Situation Linguistique En Angleterre Après La Conquête Normande, Trent Dunkin

Tête à Tête: Journal of Francophone Studies

Prior to 1066, England was ruled by the Germanic speaking Anglo-Saxons. However, after the defeat of Harold II at the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror became King of England, ushering in a lengthy era in which English monarchs were primarily francophone. This article explores the linguistic situation in England before, during, and after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Specifically, this article looks at the Anglo-Norman dialect as a distinct Langue d’Oïl, focusing primarily on its phonetics, syntax, and orthography, using examples found in Laüstic and Chèvrefeuille, two lais written by Marie de France in the late 12 …

De La Saleté A La Poésie : Portrait De La France Périphérique Dans L’Été Des Charognes De Simon Johannin, Julie Catel

Tête à Tête: Journal of Francophone Studies

Simon Johannin's debut novel, "L'Été des charognes," published in 2017, offers a vivid portrayal of life in La Fourrière, an isolated village located in the Vosges. This area falls within what the French sociologist Christophe Guilluy terms 'France périphérique,' which refers to rural regions plagued by poverty and a sense of neglect. Through the perspective of an adolescent narrator, Johannin depicts the village's harsh daily reality, emphasizing its pervasive violence and the filth that characterizes its landscape. The narrative is saturated with descriptions of unpleasant odors, particularly from the decomposing carcasses of farm animals awaiting disposal, which permeate the village …

Entre Caricature Et Stigmatisation: Presentation Des Bossus Dans Contes D'Amadou Koumba De Birago Diop, Uchenna Bethrand Anih

Tête à Tête: Journal of Francophone Studies

Cet article s’intéresse à la peinture des bossus dans les contes traditionnels africains en employant Contes d’Amadou-Koumba de Birago Diop comme étude de cas. Conscient que les bossus sont déformés représentant des personnages complexes incarnant de différentes significations symboliques telles que figure rusé, source de sagesse, d’humour ou d’espièglerie dans les contes classiques et aussi, ils sont peu abordés dans les critiques littéraires africains. Interroger la présentation des bossus dans la culture orale africaine offrira des éclaircissements sur l’attitude des Africains envers les déformés surtout les bossus en Afrique noire. Il est question de démontrer l’attitude collective envers les bossus …

L’Insécurité Linguistique Et La Confiance De S’Identifier Comme Bilingue: Le Cas Des Élèves D’Immersion Française En Saskatchewan Au Canada, Olushola J. Adedeji, Michael Akinpelu

Tête à Tête: Journal of Francophone Studies

Les élèves d’immersion française partout au Canada ont le droit de s’identifier avec grande fierté et légitimité comme des bilingues (en anglais et français) canadiens. Pourtant, le niveau de fierté de s’identifier ainsi dépend largement de son niveau de confiance dans les deux langues. La présente étude examine les discours des élèves et des enseignants en immersion française pour dégager des idéologies linguistiques qui influent négativement sur la confiance des jeunes d’immersion française de se connaitre comme des bilingues. Les extraits de discours utilisés pour cette étude proviennent des données qualitatives et quantitatives collectées pour une thèse de doctorat (Auteur …

Euphemism In Ai Discourse As Colonial Harm & Effect: Learnings From Subaltern Puerto Rico, Jacqueline Oquendo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Through three integrated studies, this dissertation explores complex human-AI interactions by comparing the perceptions of two groups of U.S. citizens: subaltern Puerto Ricans and stateside Americans’ interactions with ChatGPT. This corpus-assisted Critical Discourse Analysis or CLCDA, triangulated with 1:1 semi-structured interviews, validates scholars’ concerns about the biases inherent in generative AI. Contributing to those concerns, this dissertation reveals that ChatGPT deploys discourse strategies that, when executed, facilitate digital colonialism. Euphemistic language is prominent among its discourse strategies, replacing controversial words, phrases, and topics with more palatable ones. When prompted on events of historical significance, I find that ChatGPT’s discourse obscures …

Body, Mind, And Archives: A Critical Questioning Of “Places For Knowledge” In David Treuer’S The Translation Of Dr. Apelles, Lisa Brau-Weglinski

Comparative Woman

Western conceptualizations of time and space are common topics to be queried within the field of Indigenous literary study. However, while the focus has been laid on temporal and spatial literary conventions, too little attention has been drawn to the conceptualization and norms around an identity forming element: knowledge. This paper is particularly suspicious of Western conceptualizations of “places for knowledge,” as this has very real consequences for how we understand and treat ourselves and others. As such, my work highlights that “places for knowledge” can cloud and limit our perception of reality, which, concerning the project of decolonization …

Mapping Gender And Territory: The Continent Allegories On European World Maps From The Late Middle Ages To The Renaissance Until The Early Enlightenment, Katharina Eva Oehmichen

Comparative Woman

The four-part set of female continent allegories, which originated in the early Renaissance, was born out of a European need for a new vehicle of thought that served the functions of representing imperial expansion and the superiority of Western science and civilization, while gratifying the curiosity of the readers about newly discovered lands at the same time. The shift from the Christian symbolic tradition of the representation of the continents on world maps mirrored the shift in Western perception and knowledge of the world and Europe’s position in it. Apart from geo-political and imperial agendas that might have favored a …

Living Losses, Courtney A. Brown Phd

Comparative Woman

Contextually, I am from a line of strong black women. I am from a community of strivers and survivors who’ve accomplished great things through the blanket of patriarchy and civil injustices. I stand on the shoulders of many who took literal and figurative hits so that I could have opportunities they only dreamed of. I have followed in this legacy shattering glass ceilings into unrecognizable pieces for those who will come next.

However, breaking through has not come without cuts, bruises, scrapes and wounds. The celebration of smashing stereotypes should at least be balanced with the acknowledgement of the formidable …

Assessing The Influence Of Occupancy Factors On Energy Performance In Us Small Office Buildings, Seddigheh Norouziasl, Sorena Vosoughkhosravi, Amirhosein Jafari, Zhihong Pang

Faculty Publications

Office buildings are responsible for about 35% of the total electricity in the US and over 70% of building energy consumption occurs during occupancy periods. Therefore, understanding occupancy behavior is crucial for reducing building energy consumption. However, given the stochastic nature of occupant behavior, identifying which occupancy parameters have the most impact on energy consumption poses a considerable challenge. This study aims to investigate and quantify the impact of various occupancy parameters on the energy performance of a US small-sized office building using an EnergyPlus-based nationwide energy simulation. First, dynamic occupancy schedules are created based on different occupancy parameters using …

Calculation And Comparison Of Step Guidelines For Preschooler Physical Activity While Indoors, Halle Roman, Leanne M. Redman, Cody D. Neshteruk, Derek Hales, Brian Helsel, Chelsea L. Kracht

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Objectives: Preschooler physical activity (PA) is vital for growth and development. The World Health Organization PA guidelines state preschoolers should achieve ≥ 180 min/day of Total PA (TPA) of which ≥ 60 min is moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). A step/day recommendation to match these guidelines may be a more practical metric for caregivers to promote PA. The purpose of our investigation is to improve upon existing step recommendations by creating one for indoor-based activities, acknowledging where preschoolers spend most of their time, and various cut-points for PA. Methods: In a laboratory study (Aim 1), a validated direct observation protocol was used …

Measurements Of Exchange Flows At A Tidal Pass And Transport To The Ocean, Chunyan Li

WAVCIS

No abstract provided.

Metabolomic Fingerprints Of Medical Therapy Versus Bariatric Surgery In Patients With Obesity And Type 2 Diabetes: The Stampede Trial, Christopher L. Axelrod, Adithya Hari, Wagner S. Dantas, Sangeeta R. Kashyap, Philip R. Schauer, John P. Kirwan

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Objective: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG) are effective procedures to treat and manage type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, the underlying metabolic adaptations that mediate improvements in glucose homeostasis remain largely elusive. The purpose of this study was to identify metabolic signatures associated with biochemical resolution of T2D after medical therapy (MT) or bariatric surgery. Research Design and Methods: Plasma samples from 90 patients (age 49.9 ± 7.6 years; 57.7% female) randomly assigned to MT (n = 30), RYGB (n = 30), or SG (n = 30) were retrospectively subjected to untargeted metabolomic analysis using ultra performance liquid …

Validation Of The Quick Mild Cognitive Impairment Screen In An American Sample Of Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment And Mild Dementia, Dariella A. Fernandez, Suzanne Schmitz, Heather Foil, Robert Brouillette, Jeffrey N. Keller, Robin C. Hilsabeck

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Objective: Early detection of cognitive impairment is critical for patient outcomes, yet cognitive impairment is under identified in primary care settings largely due to time constraints. The Quick Mild Cognitive Impairment (Qmci) screen was developed to address the need for a short cognitive screening instrument (< 5 min) that is sensitive to early cognitive change but has not been validated in the United States (US). The objective of this study was to examine the classification accuracy of the Qmci in participants from two memory specialty (e.g., secondary outpatient) clinics in the US. Methods: Participants were 152 older adults: 87 participants were cognitively normal (CN), 48 were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 17 were diagnosed with mild dementia (DEM). Classification accuracy of the Qmci and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) were compared in participants with and without cognitive impairment. Results: The Qmci demonstrated higher classification accuracy in differentiating CN from cognitively impaired participants (i.e., MCI and DEM) (AUC = 0.82) than the MMSE (AUC = 0.77). The optimal cut-off score for the Qmci was < 67, which achieved a sensitivity of 79% and specificity of 80%. The optimal MMSE cut-off score was < 27, which achieved a sensitivity of 97% and specificity of 43%. Conclusions: The Qmci is a valid cognitive screening instrument for detecting early stages of cognitive impairment in memory clinic samples in the US. Its short administration time and increased specificity for detecting MCI make it an attractive option for use in primary care settings. Further validation of the Qmci is needed, specifically within primary care settings.

Interactive Effects Of Co2, Temperature, And Nutrient Limitation On The Growth And Physiology Of The Marine Coccolithophore Emiliania Huxleyi (Prymnesiophyceae), James P. Bradley, Edward A. Laws

Faculty Publications

The marine coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi (strain PnB 272 B10) was grown in a continuous culture system on a 12:12 light:dark cycle at temperatures from 10 °C to 28 °C under either nutrient-replete or nitrate-limited conditions and at either 493 ppmv (low) or 1003 ppmv (high) partial pressures of CO2 (pCO2). The maximum and minimum nutrient-replete growth rates were 0.751 d⁻¹ at 20 °C and 0.365 d⁻¹ at 10 °C, respectively. Ratios of particulate organic carbon (POC) to particulate inorganic carbon (PIC) were independent of pCO2 and of the degree of nitrate limitation but were temperature dependent and lower …

The Effects Of Anthropogenic Stressors On Above- And Belowground Phytochemical Diversity Of The Wetland Grass, Phragmites Australis, Andrea E. Glassmire, Ana L. Salgado, Rodrigo Diaz, Joseph Johnston, Laura A. Meyerson, Joshua S. Snook, James T. Cronin

Faculty Publications

Coastal wetlands face threats from climate change-induced flooding and biological invasions. Plants respond to these stressors through changes in their phytochemical metabolome, but it is unclear whether stressors affecting one tissue compartment (e.g., leaves) create vulnerabilities in others (e.g., roots) or elicit similar responses across tissues. Additionally, responses to multiple simultaneous stressors remain poorly understood due to the focus on individual metabolites in past studies. This study aims to elucidate how the phytochemical metabolome of three Phragmites australis (Cav.) lineages, common in the Mississippi River Delta, responds to flooding and infestation by the non-native scale insect Nipponaclerda biwakoensis (Kuwana). Among …

Historic Breeding Practices Contribute To Germplasm Divergence In Leaf Specialized Metabolism And Ecophysiology In Cultivated Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus), Jordan A. Dowell, Alan W. Bowsher, Amna Jamshad, Rahul Shah, John M. Burke, Lisa A. Donovan, Chase M. Mason

Faculty Publications

Premise: The use of hybrid breeding systems to increase crop yields has been the cornerstone of modern agriculture and is exemplified in the breeding and improvement of cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annuus). However, it is poorly understood what effect supporting separate breeding pools in such systems, combined with continued selection for yield, may have on leaf ecophysiology and specialized metabolite variation. Methods: We analyzed 288 lines of cultivated H. annuus to examine the genomic basis of several specialized metabolites and agronomically important traits across major heterotic groups. Results: Heterotic group identity supports phenotypic divergences between fertility restoring and cytoplasmic male-sterility maintainer …

Combined Toxicity Of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes And Cu2+ On The Growth Of Ryegrass: Effect Of Surface Modification, Dose, And Exposure Time Pattern, Wenwen Xie, Cheng Peng, Weiping Wang, Xiaoyi Chen, Jiaqi Tan, Wei Zhang

Faculty Publications

The escalating release of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into the environment has raised concerns due to their potential ecotoxicological impacts. However, their combined phytotoxicity with heavy metals such as copper (Cu) is still unclear. This study investigated the individual and combined toxic effects of MWCNTs (MWCNT, MWCNT-OH, and MWCNT-COOH) and Cu²⁺ on ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), uniquely considering different addition orders. The results show that Cu severely inhibited the growth of ryegrass while MWCNTs exhibited a hormesis effect on ryegrass. When MWCNT and Cu were combined, the malondialdehyde (MDA) content in ryegrass showed a 32.39% increase at 20 mg/L MWCNT …

The Roles Of Vicarious Trauma Exposure And Perceived Social Support In Codeine Syrup Misuse Among Black Men Living In Prisons, Jardin Dogan-Dixon, Shawndaya S. Thrasher, Shemeka Thorpe, Paris Wheeler, Danelle Stevens-Watkins

Faculty Publications

Using General Strain Theory, this study investigates the effects of vicarious trauma exposure and perceived social support on nonmedical codeine syrup misuse among Black incarcerated men nearing community re-entry. Data were drawn from the Helping Incarcerated Men project, a study examining mental health, substance misuse, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk behaviors among Black men living in prisons who were within 180 days of release. A total of 200 Black men self-reported demographics (i.e., age and length of incarceration after age 18), vicarious trauma exposure (e.g., ever witnessing an assault with a weapon and a sudden accidental death), perceived social …