Digital Commons Network^™

Tracking The X-Ray Polarization Of The Black Hole Transient Swift J1727.8-1613 During A State Transition, Adam Ingram, Niek Bollemeijer, Alexandra Veledina, Michal Dovčiak, Juri Poutanen, Elise Egron, Thomas D. Russell, Sergei A. Trushkin, Michela Negro, Ajay Ratheesh, Fiamma Capitanio, Riley Connors, Joseph Neilsen, Alexander Kraus, Maria Noemi Iacolina, Alberto Pellizzoni, Maura Pilia, Francesco Carotenuto, Giorgio Matt, Guglielmo Mastroserio, Philip Kaaret, Stefano Bianchi, Javier A. García, Matteo Bachetti, Kinwah Wu, Enrico Costa, Melissa Ewing, Vadim Kravtsov, Henric Krawczynski, Vladislav Loktev, Andrea Marinucci, Lorenzo Marra, Romana Mikušincová

Faculty Publications

We report on an observational campaign on the bright black hole (BH) X-ray binary Swift J1727.8-1613 centered around five observations by the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer. These observations track for the first time the evolution of the X-ray polarization of a BH X-ray binary across a hard to soft state transition. The 2-8 keV polarization degree decreased from ∼4% to ∼3% across the five observations, but the polarization angle remained oriented in the north-south direction throughout. Based on observations with the Australia Telescope Compact Array, we find that the intrinsic 7.25 GHz radio polarization aligns with the X-ray polarization. Assuming …

A-B Transition In Superfluid 3he And Cosmological Phase Transitions, Mark Hindmarsh, J. A. Sauls, Kuang Zhang, S. Autti, Richard P. Haley, Petri J. Heikkinen, Stephan J. Huber, Lev V. Levitin, Asier Lopez-Eiguren, Adam J. Mayer, Kari Rummukainen, John Saunders, Dmitry Zmeev

Faculty Publications

First-order phase transitions in the very early universe are a prediction of many extensions of the Standard Model of particle physics and could provide the departure from equilibrium needed for a dynamical explanation of the baryon asymmetry of the Universe. They could also produce gravitational waves of a frequency observable by future space-based detectors such as the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna. All calculations of the gravitational wave power spectrum rely on a relativistic version of the classical nucleation theory of Cahn-Hilliard and Langer, due to Coleman and Linde. The high purity and precise control of pressure and temperature achievable in …

Nutritive Value And Forage Accumulation Of A Black Oat Germplasm In The Northeastern United States, David M. Jaramillo, Kathy Soder, Ann Blount, Jose C.B. Dubeux, Stephen Harrison

Faculty Publications

Black oat (Avena strigosa Schreb.) might be an attractive forage species in the northeastern United States, since it is generally more heat tolerant and disease resistant than other cool-season grasses. Black oat is currently recommended for fall and winter production in USDA Plant Hardiness ones 8b–10a, which is beyond the northeastern United States (Zones 2a–6a). The objective was to evaluate 10 black oat breeding lines (referred to as “UF1” through “UF10”) for forage accumulation, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (aNDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and in vitro digestible organic matter (IVDOM) concentrations. The experiment was carried out in April–July …

Assessing The Long-Term Effects Of Conservation Agriculture On Cotton Production In Northeast Louisiana Using The Denitrification–Decomposition Model, Janntul Ferdush, Changyoon Jeong, Hwangju Jeon, Jim Wang, Kyoung Ro, Xi Zhang, Meesook Lee

Faculty Publications

Conservation agriculture (CA) aims to sustain agricultural production, soil, and environmental health in agroecosystems and has been promoted throughout the United States. The adoption of CA in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) systems provides both agronomic and environmental benefits. Yet, there is limited information on the long-term effects of CA practices on crop yield and adaptation strategies. An integrated CA system, that is, cover crops with no-tillage (NT) instead of conventional agriculture, was implemented in the long-term field experiments and assessed with an integrated biogeochemical model. Using the denitrification–decomposition model, this study estimated the effects of four different cover crops, for example, …

Completing The Ba–As Compositional Space: Synthesis And Characterization Of Three New Binary Zintl Arsenides, Ba3as4, Ba5as4, And Ba16as11, Spencer R. Watts, Lindsey M. Wingate, Svilen Bobev, Sviatoslav Baranets

Faculty Publications

Three novel binary barium arsenides, Ba3As4, Ba5As4, and Ba16As11, were synthesized and their crystal and electronic structures were investigated. Structural data collected via the single-crystal X-ray diffraction method indicate that the anionic substructures of all three novel compounds are composed of structural motifs based on the homoatomic As–As contacts, with [As2]⁴⁻ dimers found in Ba5As4 and Ba16As11, and an [As4]⁶⁻ tetramer found in Ba3As4. Ba3As4 and Ba5As4 crystallize in the orthorhombic crystal system—with the non-centrosymmetric space group Fdd2 (a = 15.3680(20) Å, b = 18.7550(30) Å, c = 6.2816(10) Å) for the former, and the centrosymmetric space group …

The Role Of Ice And Latitude-Dependent Mantling On Boulder Distributions Across The Martian Northern Lowlands, A. L. Cohen-Zada, D. R. Hood, R. C. Ewing, S. Karunatillake

Faculty Publications

Boulders are ubiquitous on rocky planets and provide valuable information about planetary processes. The abundance, size, and distribution of boulders offer insights into the primary processes that form them and the secondary processes that modify their position and size. However, the roles of varying environmental processes, including cryospheric processes, are poorly known. In this study, we analyze over 20 million boulders in the northern lowlands of Mars (50–70°N) to evaluate their distribution and identify environmental factors that might influence their clustering. We used spatial statistics to quantify the degree of boulder clustering across the northern plains. We found two latitudinal …

Targeting Cancers With Ohsv-Based Oncolytic Viral Immunotherapy, Rakin Tammam Nasar, Ifeanyi Kingsley Uche, Konstantin G. Kousoulas

Faculty Publications

The recent success of cancer immunotherapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICIs), monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), cancer vaccines, and adoptive cellular therapies (ACTs), has revolutionized traditional cancer treatment. However, these immunotherapeutic modalities have variable efficacies, and many of them exhibit adverse effects. Oncolytic viral Immunotherapy (OViT), whereby viruses are used to directly or indirectly induce anti-cancer immune responses, is emerging as a novel immunotherapy for treating patients with different types of cancer. The herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) possesses many characteristics that inform its use as an effective OViT agents and remains a leading candidate. Its recent clinical success resulted in …

Elevating The Rre Framework For Geospatial Analysis With Visual Programming Platforms: An Exploration With Geospatial Analytics Extension For Knime, Lingbo Liu, Fahui Wang, Xiaokang Fu, Tobias Kötter, Kevin Sturm, Weihe Wendy Guan, Shuming Bao

Faculty Publications

Reproducibility, replicability, and expandability (RRE) have emerged as fundamental concerns in the realm of scientific research and development. Wherein, devising effective solutions for RRE within geospatial analysis stands out as a particularly critical challenge that demands immediate attention. Although there has been an evolution from basic reproducibility of code and data to a more comprehensive cyberinfrastructure, this integrated solution is still grappling with issues of limited user accessibility, steep learning curves particularly in coding skills, and difficulties in achieving collaboration with other data science platforms This study proposes a framework that combines open-source GIS with visual programming platforms, grounded in …

Stacked Noise Reduction Auto Encoder–Ocean: A Novel Personalized Recommendation Model Enhanced, Bixi Wang, Wenfeng Zheng, Ruiyang Wang, Siyu Lu, Lirong Yin, Lei Wang, Zhengtong Yin, Xinbing Chen

Faculty Publications

With the continuous development of information technology and the rapid increase in new users of social networking sites, recommendation technology is becoming more and more important. After research, it was found that the behavior of users on social networking sites has a great correlation with their personalities. The five characteristics of the OCEAN personality model can cover all aspects of a user’s personality. In this research, a micro-directional propagation model based on the OCEAN personality model and a Stacked Denoising Auto Encoder (SDAE) was built through the application of deep learning to a collaborative filtering technique. Firstly, the dimension of …

Thermochromic Yarns’ Application In Fever Detection For Young Children, Sibei Xia, Chuanlan Liu, Yanbo Zhang, Bruce Cameron

Faculty Publications

The existing literature emphasizes the significance of and needs for developing body temperature monitoring devices that can consistently and discreetly assess the temperatures of young children. Such products could offer a method to check children’s body temperature and alleviate parents’ concerns over fever. However, research gaps and challenges exist in preserving material flexibility, conducting tests in a controlled setting that mimics body temperature, and investigating consumer perceptions of this type of functional textile product. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate functional textiles using thermochromic yarns for young children’s body temperature detection, particularly focusing on testing prototypes in a controlled environment …

Impact Of Low-Load Resistance Exercise With And Without Blood Flow Restriction On Muscle Strength, Endurance, And Oxidative Capacity: A Pilot Study, Brett H. Davis, James E. Stampley, Joshua Granger, Matthew C. Scott, Timothy D. Allerton, Neil M. Johannsen, Guillaume Spielmann, Brian A. Irving

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Low-load resistance exercise (LLRE) to failure can increase muscle mass, strength, endurance, and mitochondrial oxidative capacity (OXPHOS). However, the impact of adding blood flow restriction to low-load resistance exercise (LLBFR) when matched for volume on these outcomes is incompletely understood. This pilot study examined the impact of 6 weeks of single-legged LLBFR and volume-matched LLRE on thigh bone-free lean mass, strength, endurance, and mitochondrial OXPHOS. Twenty (12 males and 8 females) untrained young adults (mean ± SD; 21 ± 2 years, 168 ± 11 cm, 68 ± 12 kg) completed 6 weeks of either single-legged LLBFR or volume-matched LLRE. Participants …

Estimation Of Land Displacement In East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, Using Insar: Comparisons With Gnss And Machine Learning Models, Ahmed Abdalla, Siavash Shami, Mohammad Amin Shahriari, Mahdi Khoshlahjeh Azar

Faculty Publications

Subsidence in southeastern Louisiana is a significant geological issue caused by natural and human-induced factors like low-lying topography and groundwater pumping. Human activities also led to coastal land loss and reduced sediment supply. Satellite-based technologies such as Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) are used to monitor subsidence. Louisiana has about 130 continuously operating reference stations (CORS) monitoring subsidence statewide. GNSS provides accurate point measurements but limited spatial coverage. InSAR, however, detects ground deformation over large areas using satellite-based radar imagery. In response to this advantage, we employed Sentinel-1 SAR images from 2017 to 2021 …

Leveraging Designed Simulations And Machine Learning To Develop A Surrogate Model For Optimizing The Gas–Downhole Water Sink–Assisted Gravity Drainage (Gdws-Agd) Process To Improve Clean Oil Production, Watheq J. Al-Mudhafar, Dandina N. Rao, Andrew K. Wojtanowicz

Faculty Publications

The Gas and Downhole Water Sink–Assisted Gravity Drainage (GDWS-AGD) process addresses gas flooding limitations in reservoirs surrounded by infinite-acting aquifers, particularly water coning. The GDWS-AGD technique reduces water cut in oil production wells, improves gas injectivity, and optimizes oil recovery, especially in reservoirs with high water coning. The GDWS-AGD process installs two 7-inch production casings bilaterally. Then, two 2-3/8-inch horizontal tubings are completed. One tubing produces oil above the oil–water contact (OWC) area, while the other drains water below it. A hydraulic packer in the casing separates the two completions. The water sink completion uses a submersible pump to prevent …

Hydrometeorological Drivers Of The 2023 Louisiana Water Crisis, P. W. Miller, M. Hiatt

Faculty Publications

During summer and fall 2023, Louisiana experienced a historic local drought while dry conditions elsewhere in the central US withheld vital runoff from the Mississippi River, leading to below-normal discharge into the Gulf of Mexico. Thus, by late October 2023, Louisiana was gripped by two super-imposed water crises: a severe local drought and saltwater contamination in the Mississippi River channel. This study frames the development of the water emergency through the lens of flash drought using the Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI). The EDDI shows south Louisiana experience a flash drought during June 2023, while the Mississippi River basin was …

Top-Down Control Of Ammonia Oxidizers By Grazing In The North Pacific, Silin Ni, Min Nina Xu, Moge Du, Edward A. Laws, Shuh Ji Kao

Faculty Publications

The impact of grazing pressure on ammonia oxidizers (AO) has never been quantified in the field. Here we develop a new method to quantify the grazing rates on AO in aquatic systems. We introduce ¹⁵NH4⁺ tracer into the traditional dilution experiments to measure AO's apparent growth rates by using the end-product of ¹⁵NH4⁺ oxidation, that is, ¹⁵NOx⁻. Field studies in the North Pacific revealed that ¹⁵NOx⁻ in the end-product was sensitive enough to detect AO's grazing rates. Experiments from the lower euphotic zone showed NH4⁺ replete growth rates of 0.40 …

Comparing Editorial And Artificially Generated Fingerings: A Case Study, Lixi Qin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Fingering is crucial for piano performance. Unlike other instruments with relatively fixed fingerings, keyboard instruments offer countless fingering combinations. As musical styles have evolved, so too have the instruments themselves, resulting in a rich history of diverse fingering systems, which sometimes conflict with one another. Moreover, due to individual differences in hand shape and size, the fingering advice from editors or teachers may not be universally applicable, and there is a lack of an objective, unified standard for validating these recommendations.

For students who do not fully understand fingering principles and have not been exposed to a wide range of …

Preserving The Historic And Cultural Music Of Louisiana Through School Music: An Ethnographic Case Study, Christopher S. Song

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this ethnographic case study was to examine the lives of teachers, students, community members, and culture bearers within a musical community located in South Central Louisiana. The geographic area of focus in this research was Vermilion Parish and its surrounding area, known as Acadiana, the heart of Creole and Cajun culture where Traditional Louisiana Music finds its origins. Participants’ intrinsic cultural understandings of Louisiana’s music and impact on school music programs was examined through ethnographic interview and observation. A resource pedagogy known as funds of knowledge was used as a theoretical framework meant to maintain participants’ intrinsic …

Trophic Interactions In Microbiomes Influence Plant Host Population Size And Ecosystem Function, Jiaqi Tan, Na Wei, Martin M. Turcotte

Faculty Publications

Plant microbiomes that comprise diverse microorganisms, including prokaryotes, eukaryotes and viruses, are the key determinants of plant population dynamics and ecosystem function. Despite their importance, little is known about how species interactions (especially trophic interactions) between microbes from different domains modify the importance of microbiomes for plant hosts and ecosystems. Using the common duckweed Lemna minor, we experimentally examined the effects of predation (by bacterivorous protists) and parasitism (by bacteriophages) within microbiomes on plant population size and ecosystem phosphorus removal. Our results revealed that the addition of predators increased plant population size and phosphorus removal, whereas the addition of parasites …

Extreme Climate Events And Agricultural Commodity Markets, Mohammad Abir Chowdhury Shovon

LSU Master's Theses

This article investigates the impact of extreme climate events on U.S. agricultural commodity markets, specifically focusing on corn and soybeans. Using event study methods and a comprehensive dataset of 254 extreme climate events for corn as well as 250 extreme climate events for soybeans in top ten corn & soybeans producing states of the USA between 1995 and 2023, we examine how storms, floods, extreme temperatures, and droughts affect the abnormal returns of these commodities. Our findings indicate that 22.04% of climate events significantly impact corn returns and 21.20% of climate events have significant impact on soybeans returns. Notably, extreme …

Pregnant Black Bodies In Peril: A Multi-Method Analysis Of Obstetric Outcomes And Gestational Experiences, Courtney E. Williams

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

My multi-method three-paper dissertation provides a better understanding of the relationship between maternal racial identity, obstetric outcomes, and gestational experiences. Using birth certificate data from the 2016 U.S. National Vital Statistics System and binary logistic regression models, in the first paper I explore heterogeneity in severe maternal morbidity (SMM) by maternal race, maternal education, and maternal age. To complement the first paper, in the second paper I allow 35 Black and White women/birthing people to describe pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood in their own words. I situate the Covid-19 pandemic as a unique cultural backdrop in this qualitative paper to …

Identifying Self-Efficacy Factors Of Agriscience Teachers When Working With Supervised Agricultural Experiences For Students With Disabilities, Saralyn L. Smith

LSU Master's Theses

The number of students receiving disability services annually in the U.S. has increased in the last decade. Even with this growing population of students with disabilities, research continues to show a lack of confidence of School Based Agricultural Education (SBAE) teachers in their ability and skills to include these students. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the factors that influence how SBAE teachers support students with disabilities in Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs and identify perceived obstacles SBAE teachers have regarding working with students with disabilities. Semi-structed interviews were conducted with twelve SBAE teachers to understand their lived …

Controlling Phase Transitions In Mnnige Using Thermal Quenching And Hydrostatic Pressure, Jing Han Chen, Tej Poudel Chhetri, Anthony T. Grant, Xiaojian Bai, Qiang Zhang, Chung Kai Chang, David P. Young, Igor Dubenko, Saikat Talapatra, Naushad Ali, Shane Stadler

Faculty Publications

The phase transitions in MnNiGe compounds were explored by manipulating the heat treatment conditions and through hydrostatic pressure application. As the quenching temperature increased, both the first-order martensitic structural transition temperatures and magnetic transition temperatures decreased relative to those in the slowly-cooled samples. When the samples were quenched from 1200 °C, the first-order martensitic structural transition temperature lowered by more than 200 K. The structural transitions also shifted to lower temperature with the application of hydrostatic pressure during measurement. Temperature-dependent x-ray diffraction results reveal that the changes of the cell parameters resulting from the structural transitions are nearly identical for …

Vibrato Rate And Extent In The Baritone Voice Through The Twentieth And Early Twenty-First Century, Scott Purcell

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Observations of vibrato rate and extent through the twentieth and early twenty-first century point to an overall decrease in rate and increase in extent. This descriptive analysis studied fifty-five randomly selected recordings of professional operatic baritones, five from each decade from 1910 to 2021, and analyzed their vibrato rate and extent with VoceVista Video Pro. Results showed a consistent decrease in mean vibrato rate from 1910 to 1960, with small increases and decreases from 1960-2021. Vibrato extent was less consistent, but still increased from 1910-2021. The mean vibrato rate was 5.84 Herz (Hz), with a coefficient of variation (CV) of …

Exploratory Physiological Experiments Are Not Clinical Trials, Erik A. Richter, David E. James, John P. Kirwan, Juleen R. Zierath

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Modes Of Weather System-Induced Flows Through An Arctic Lagoon, Chunyan Li, Wei Huang, Changsheng Chen, Kevin M. Boswell, Renhao Wu

Faculty Publications

With the increasing warming of the Arctic, the summertime ice-free period in the coastal Arctic becomes longer and the water exchange between arctic lagoons and coastal Beaufort Sea becomes more important for land–ocean interaction. This study examined the dynamics of water exchange between the arctic lagoons and the Arctic Ocean under the influence of weather systems (the transient arctic cyclones and hovering Beaufort High pressure system). We implemented rare observations, numerical modeling with the Finite Volume Community Ocean Model (FVCOM), and a forcing-response Empirical Orthogonal Function (fr-EOF) analysis to determine the weather-driven flow patterns and characteristics in the micro-tidal arctic …

Restricting Bioenergetic Efficiency Enhances Longevity And Mitochondrial Redox Capacity In Drosophila Melanogaster, Analisa L. Taylor, Olga Dubuisson, Pritika Pandey, Elizabeth R.M. Zunica, Bolormaa Vandanmagsar, Wagner S. Dantas, Alyssa Johnson, Christopher L. Axelrod, John P. Kirwan

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Mitochondria are essential for survival and as such, impairments in organelle homeostasis significantly accelerate age-related morbidity and mortality. Here, we determined the contribution of bioenergetic efficiency to life span and health span in Drosophila melanogaster utilizing the mitochondrial uncoupler BAM15. Life span was determined in flies fed a normal diet (ND) or high fat diet (HFD) supplemented with vehicle or BAM15. Locomotor function was determined by negative geotaxis assay in middle-aged flies fed vehicle or BAM15 under ND or HFD conditions. Redox capacity (high-resolution respirometry/fluorometry), citrate synthase (enzyme activity), mtDNA content (qPCR), gene expression (qPCR), and protein expression (western blot) …

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

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Detection Of Ochyromera Ligustri (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Curculioninae) In Ligustrum Spp. (Oleaceae) Using Newly Developed Pcr Primers, Ilgoo Kang, Amy Roda, Brandi Misiaszek, Tanner Sparks, Rodrigo Diaz

Faculty Publications

Ligustrum spp. (Oleaceae) have become invasive species in the US and negatively affect native plant diversity and richness in forests. Ochyromera ligustri (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is considered a potential biological control agent in the US because adults feed on the foliage and larvae are seed-feeders of Ligustrum spp. To discover the relationships between O. ligustri and Ligustrum spp., fruit dissections or rearing and field observations are required. In the current research project, novel PCR primers were developed to rapidly detect the DNA of O. ligustri in molecular analyses without rearing and observation. The developed PCR primers worked even with 0.01 ng …

Relative Impacts Of Varroa Destructor (Mesostigmata:Varroidae) Infestation And Pesticide Exposure On Honey Bee Colony Health And Survival In A High-Intensity Corn And Soybean Producing Region In Northern Iowa, Frank D. Rinkevich, Robert G. Danka, Thomas E. Rinderer, Joseph W. Margotta, Lewis J. Bartlett, Kristen B. Healy

Faculty Publications

The negative effects of Varroa and pesticides on colony health and survival are among the most important concerns to beekeepers. To compare the relative contribution of Varroa, pesticides, and interactions between them on honey bee colony performance and survival, a 2-year longitudinal study was performed in corn and soybean growing areas of Iowa. Varroa infestation and pesticide content in stored pollen were measured from 3 apiaries across a gradient of corn and soybean production areas and compared to measurements of colony health and survival. Colonies were not treated for Varroa the first year, but were treated the second year, leading …

Breaking The Spatial Justice Emergency Cycle: The Role Of Foresight Planning, Fabio Capra-Ribeiro

Faculty Publications

This paper examines the critical need to integrate prospective planning into territorial development processes for achieving spatial justice and sustainable urban futures. It highlights the limitations of a reactive approach to urban governance, particularly prevalent in Latin America, where weak institutions and unstable political systems often hinder long-term perspectives. The research emphasizes the importance of strategic foresight as a complementary tool to traditional planning practices. Territorial foresight facilitates the exploration of complex future scenarios, fostering collaborative learning and a shared vision among stakeholders. The study proposes a shift towards a proactive, foresight-driven approach that can help break the vicious cycle …