Digital Commons Network^™

Cp Decomposition Initialization Schemes For Speeding-Up Of Convolutional Neural Networks, Mollee M. Swift

LSU Master's Theses

While machine learning and convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are making strides, a persistent effort remains to optimize classification techniques and target redundancies from a large number of parameters naturally present in CNNs. While CNNs have become more accessible across machine learning, the aim is to make their use optimal for central processing unit (CPU) schemes with varying degrees of computational power. Tensor decomposition methods, specifically canonical polyadic (CP) decomposition, look to reduce parameters by compressing specific layers in a CNN. However, they have certain inconsistencies, and their full potential remains untouched as decomposition research is endless, with many facets one …

Exploring The Efficacy Of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagal Nerve Stimulation On Post-Stroke Aphasia: A Single-Subject Design Study, Aswathy Anakkathil Pradeep

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Background: Anomia or word-retrieval difficulty is a common long-term language impairment for individuals with post-stroke aphasia. Several behavioral interventions like semantic feature analysis (SFA) have shown positive results in naming outcomes, but continue to face difficulty in generalizing the treatment effects to untreated items. With recent advancements in technology, researchers are developing newer neuromodulation devices that aim at promoting neuroplasticity and neural reorganization in post-stroke individuals. Transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a relatively new technology that aims at stimulating the auricular branch of the vagal nerve to promote neuroplasticity. Studies have shown taVNS to potentially facilitate positive improvements …

Evaluating Viability, Developmental Competence, And Chromatin Configurations Of Cryopreserved Equine Oocytes, Tricia Adams

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Assisted reproduction technology and the use of specialized laboratories have increased in the horse breeding industry over the last decade. This expansion has highlighted the inability to routinely cryopreserve oocytes and preserve female genetics. Oocyte vitrification, a cryopreservation process, continues to be characterized as an experimental procedure in horses. The goal of this dissertation was to evaluate the viability, developmental competence, and nuclear structures of cryopreserved equine oocytes to illuminate potential areas of improvement in the vitrification process. Oocytes were collected from abattoir derived ovaries and exposed to either varying lengths of in vitro maturation (IVM) or pretreated with a …

Coloring Trivalent Graphs: A Defect Tft Approach, Amit Kumar

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

We show that the combinatorial matter of graph coloring is, in fact, quantum in the sense of satisfying the sum over all the possible intermediate state properties of a path integral. In our case, the topological field theory (TFT) with defects gives meaning to it. This TFT has the property that when evaluated on a planar trivalent graph, it provides the number of Tait-Coloring of it. Defects can be considered as a generalization of groups. With the Klein-four group as a 1-defect condition, we reinterpret graph coloring as sections of a certain bundle, distinguishing a coloring (global-sections) from a coloring …

Healthcare-Seeking Behavior In A Toxic Landscape: Investigating Cancer Care Awareness In Louisiana's Cancer Alley, Moumita Roy

LSU Master's Theses

The fossil fuel and petrochemical sector in the Louisiana region, known as "Cancer Alley," has a devastating impact not only on the environment but also on the health and lives of the local population. Extreme pollution from the petrochemical industry not only elevated cancer rates in this region but also maternal, reproductive, and newborn health harms, respiratory diseases, and other complex health issues. This study examined the healthcare-seeking behavior of some residents and their awareness of cancer facilities within a 100-mile radius of their homes and identified key challenges, such as proximity of cancer care and accessibility, financial constraints, and …

Evaluation Of Wood Fibers Derived From Different Tree Species And Processing Methods On Crop Growth And Microbial Activity In Soilless Substrates, Amanda Mizell

LSU Master's Theses

Soilless culture use is expanding as arable land and viable fumigants have decreased in availability. This has subsequently increased the demand for soilless substrates for container crop production. The primary component in most soilless substrates is Sphagnum peat moss, which is considered unsustainable due to the extensive time it takes to produce and the release of large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere during harvesting. Research into viable peat moss amendments to reduce reliance on this relatively non-renewable material has become a necessity. The most promising amendment that has been accepted in the horticulture industry as a viable amendment is …

Effects Of Longitudinal Training Walls On Two-Dimensional Flow Structure, Sediment Transport, And Bed Aggredation Using Numerical Methods And Sediment Core Analyses In Grand River, Michigan, Sumaiya Tul Siddique

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Longitudinal training walls (LTWs) are structures oriented parallelly with the main flow and separate the channel into two sub-channels. One channel acts as the main navigational channel and the other is considered a secondary side channel. The long-term effects of the LTWs on morphodynamics and deposition remain poorly understood. This study investigated the long-term effects of the LTWs on flow, sediment transport and long-term deposition of the Grand River using numerical approaches and sediment core analysis. The effects of LTWs on 2D flow dynamics and sediment transport were investigated by using numerical approaches. The long-term deposition under the influence of …

The Identity Of A Gymnast: How Health, Wellbeing, And Injury Become Embodied In The Identity Of Collegiate Gymnasts, Skyler M. Yakes

LSU Master's Theses

Gymnastics scholarship has traditionally focused on the physicality of the sport and what the body can and cannot do. This research expands upon gymnastics scholarship by exploring the individual experiences and histories of college gymnasts in the United States through a series of interviews. The goals of this research are to better understand the gymnastics experience and to explore health and wellbeing in gymnastics as it pertains to the formation of a gymnast’s identity. A combined approach using medical anthropology and anthropology of sport serves as a guiding framework for analyzing interview data. Definitions of health and wellbeing change between …

Exploring Pre-Service Teachers' Experiences With Emerging Technologies In Secondary Education: A Phenomenological Study, Richelle M. Decuir

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research was an investigation of the role of emerging technologies in preparing pre-service teachers to engage with secondary learners effectively. A phenomenological approach was utilized to explore how instructional design models and constructivist learning theories shape technology training in two Southeastern public universities. The research was focused on pre-service teachers' experiences developing digital competencies, integrating instructional design, and utilizing emerging technologies in educational settings. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and demographic surveys to understand the participants’ perspectives comprehensively. The study findings revealed that while pre-service teachers recognize the value of technology in enhancing student engagement and supporting personalized …

Advancing Heteroanionicity In Zintl Phases: Crystal Structures, Thermoelectric And Magnetic Properties Of Two Quaternary Semiconducting Arsenide Oxides, Eu8zn2as6o And Eu14zn5as12o, Mohd Ishtiyak, Spencer R. Watts, Bhushan Thipe, Frank Womack, Philip Adams, Xiaojian Bai, David P. Young, Svilen Bobev, Sviatoslav Baranets

Faculty Publications

Two novel quaternary oxyarsenides, Eu8Zn2As6O and Eu14Zn5As12O, were synthesized through metal flux reactions, and their crystal structures were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. Eu8Zn2As6O crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbca, featuring polyanionic ribbons composed of corner-shared triangular [ZnAs3] units, running along the [100] direction. The structure of Eu14Zn5As12O crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2/m and its anionic substructure can be described as an infinite “ribbonlike” chain comprised of [ZnAs3] trigonal-planar units, although the structural complexity here is greater and also amplified by disorder on multiple crystallographic positions. In both structures, the O^2- anion occupies an octahedral …

An In-Situ Method For Quantifying Entropy Generation In Fatigue Via A Novel Thermographic Approach, Peyton J. Wilson

LSU Master's Theses

This work features a new approach that is used to measure the rate of plastic work during a cyclic fatigue test, based on the first and second laws of thermodynamics. Using the one-dimensional Fourier heat equation coupled with the concept of fracture fatigue entropy, the rate of plastic work during fatigue can be measured without the need to interrupt a fatigue test, and the accumulated entropy to failure can be quantified. Experimental fatigue tests are conducted on Aluminum 6061-T6 specimens under cyclic axial loading and Carbon Steel 1018 specimens under fully reversed cyclic bending loading. The obtained results in addition …

Exploring The Interconnectivity Between Soilless Substrate Hydraulic Properties And Plant Root Morphology, Kristopher S. Criscione

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Horticultural container production heavily relies upon porous soilless substrates to mass produce specialty crops. Soilless substrates are responsible for continuously maintaining optimal water, mineral nutrients, and air balances to promote healthy root growth and support productive shoot yield (foliage or fruit). Increasing evidence of substrate research continues to highlight the strong relationships associated with root development and substrate physiochemical properties. Despite the importance of the root system for overall plant health, most horticultural research to-date has focused on shoot development. Research tends to report total root biomass as the primary root-growth metric; however, this results in several developmental features becoming …

Modern Lakeshore Processes And Historic Lake And Glacial Changes In Taylor Valley, Antarctica, Michael Stanley Stone

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Taylor Valley, which opens to the Ross Sea, is one of several ice-free valleys comprising the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. The valley is home to several close-basin, perennially ice-covered lakes, whose lake levels largely reflect a balance between meltwater inputs and lake ice ablation; both being driven by climate. A dynamic environment exists where the lake ice covers meet the lakeshore, with the ice grounding to the substrate throughout the cold and dark of winter, and melting to form a perimeter of thin-to-no ice around the lake during the summer. These marginal freeze-thaw regions are known as moats. Here, physical, …

Multiscale & Multiphysics Model Of Damage In Lithium-Ion Batteries, Edris Akbari

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The demand for safer and more reliable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in electric vehicles has increased significantly, especially in addressing mechanical failures like internal short circuits (ISCs), which can lead to thermal runaway. This research investigates the mechanical behavior and damage mechanisms in lithium-ion pouch cells through a multiscale and multiphysics approach, focusing on Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (NMC) and Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries.

The study involved quasi-static and dynamic mechanical tests, including indentation and high-speed penetration, to evaluate stress-strain responses and fracture behaviors. Anisotropic mechanical properties were measured for individual battery components (anode, cathode, separator, and shell) using …

Martial Spirits And Marital Rites: Assessing Rousseau's Critique Of Commerce's Devaluation Of The Military And The Family, Jacob A. Harvey

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation will investigate Rousseau’s critique of how commercial society devalues soldiers and families and the responses provided by defenders of commerce. I will examine Rousseau’s corpus to demonstrate how Rousseau viewed commerce as a threat to both the responsibilities that men in a political community must be willing to fight and die for their country, as commercial societies intensify the hedonistic risk-averse calculations within members of the community. I will also show how Rousseau’s concerns towards commerce extended to the family, inhibiting the joys that can come with being part of a family and inhibiting citizens' willingness to have …

Pricing Variance Swaps For The Discrete Bn-S Model, Semere Gebresilasie

Journal of Stochastic Analysis

No abstract provided.

Analyzing The Catfish And Trout Competitiveness Trends And Potential Trade Within The Us And Global Aquaculture Industry: A Gravity Model Approach, Diana Marisol Amaya Discua

LSU Master's Theses

The United States is one of the major seafood product importers in the world. Despite the increases in global seafood and aquaculture consumption over the past decades, there is limited information on the trade dynamics of this sector. To address this gap, this study uses an augmented gravity model to evaluate the factors that have influenced catfish and trout imports into the United States. The analysis was conducted using the Poisson Pseudo Maximum Likelihood (PPML) estimator to address issues of heteroskedasticity, autocorrelation, and zero trade flows. The results highlight the importance of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and exchange rates in …

Coastal Wetlands In The Anthropocene, John Day, Edward Anthony, Robert Costanza, Douglas Edmonds, Joel Gunn, Charles Hopkinson, Michael E. Mann, James Morris, Michael Osland, Tracy Quirk, Andre Rovai, John Rybczyk, Thomas Spencer, Jessica Stephens, Jaia Syvitski, Robert Twilley, Jenneke Visser, John R. White

Faculty Publications

We review the functioning and sustainability of coastal marshes and mangroves. Urbanized humans have a 7,000-year-old enduring relationship to coastal wetlands. Wetlands include marshes, salt flats, and saline and freshwater forests. Coastal wetlands occur in all climate zones but are most abundant in deltas. Mangroves are tropical, whereas marshes occur from tropical to boreal areas. Quantification of coastal wetland areas has advanced in recent years but is still insufficiently accurate. Climate change and sea-level rise are predicted to lead to significant wetland losses and other impacts on coastal wetlands and the humans associated with them. Landward migration and coastal retreat …

Effect Of Electronegativity On Environmentally Persistent Free Radical (Epfr) Formation, Persistence, And Toxicity On Transition Metal Oxides, Syed Monjur Ahmed

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) are a group of emerging environmental pollutants. Owing to their resonance structures, EPFRs have significantly higher lifetimes than typical free radicals, and can induce the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) known to cause pulmonary and cardiovascular dysfunction. EPFRs form by the adsorption of organic precursors on a transition metal oxide (TMO) surface and exhibit enough stability to cause negative health and environmental effects. While aromatic and substituted aromatic precursors form EPFRs on TMO surface at elevated temperatures and numerous substituted organics are ubiquitous in various industrial processes and household products, studies have largely overlooked …

Rootzone Soil Moisture Dynamics Using Terrestrial Water-Energy Coupling, Vinit Sehgal, Binayak P. Mohanty, Rolf H. Reichle

Faculty Publications

A lack of high-density rootzone soil moisture (θRZ) observations limits the estimation of continental-scale, space-time contiguous θRZ dynamics. We derive a proxy of daily θRZ dynamics — active rootzone degree of saturation (SRZ) — by recursive low-pass (LP) filtering of surface soil moisture (θS) within a terrestrial water-energy coupling (WEC) framework. We estimate the LP filter parameters and WEC thresholds for the piecewise-linear coupling between SRZ and evaporative fraction (EF) at remote sensing and field scale over the Contiguous U.S. We use θS from the Soil Moisture Active-Passive (SMAP) satellite and 218 in-situ stations, with EF from the Moderate Resolution …

Identification Of An Ionic Mechanism For Erα-Mediated Rapid Excitation In Neurons, Meng Yu, Na Yin, Bing Feng, Peiyu Gao, Kaifan Yu, Hesong Liu, Hailan Liu, Yongxiang Li, Olivia Z. Ginnard, Kristine M. Conde, Mengjie Wang, Xing Fang, Longlong Tu, Jonathan C. Bean, Qingzhuo Liu, Yue Deng, Yuxue Yang, Junying Han, Sanika V. Jossy, Megan L. Burt, Huey Zhong Wong, Yongjie Yang, Benjamin R. Arenkiel, Yang He, Shaodong Guo, Pierre Gourdy, Jean Francois Arnal, Francoise Lenfant, Zhao Wang, Chunmei Wang, Yanlin He, Yong Xu

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

The major female ovarian hormone, 17β-estradiol (E2), can alter neuronal excitability within milliseconds to regulate a variety of physiological processes. Estrogen receptor-α (ERα), classically known as a nuclear receptor, exists as a membrane-bound receptor to mediate this rapid action of E2, but the ionic mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we show that a membrane channel protein, chloride intracellular channel protein-1 (Clic1), can physically interact with ERα with a preference to the membrane-bound ERα. Clic1-mediated currents can be enhanced by E2 and reduced by its depletion. In addition, Clic1 currents are required to mediate the E2-induced rapid excitations in multiple brain ERα …

The Role Of Benthic Fluxes In Acidifying The Bottom Waters In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico Hypoxic Zone Based On An Updated Water Column Biogeochemical-Seabed Diagenetic And Sediment Transport Model, Dongxiao Yin, Linlin Cui, Courtney K. Harris, Julia M. Moriarty, Hannah Beck, Kanchan Maiti

Faculty Publications

The seabed and the water column are tightly coupled in shallow coastal environments. Numerical models of seabed-water interaction provide an alternative to observational studies that require concurrent measurements in both compartments, which are hard to obtain and rarely available. Here, we present a coupled model that includes water column biogeochemistry, seabed diagenesis, sediment transport and hydrodynamics. Our model includes realistic representations of biogeochemical reactions in both seabed and water column, and fluxes at their interface. The model was built on algorithms for seabed-water exchange in the Regional Ocean Modeling System and expanded to include carbonate chemistry in seabed. The updated …

Financial Impacts Of 2020 Labor Day Wildfires To Oregon Highways, Kevin Christiansen, Rubayet Bin Mostafiz, Ayat Al Assi, Robert V. Rohli, Carol J. Friedland

Faculty Publications

Wildfire-caused damage to highways has a significant financial cost to the local, regional, and state jurisdictions where they occur. This study examines the financial ramifications of the harm caused to highways by megafires, using a case study of the highways impacted in the U.S. state of Oregon by the five megafires that occurred during the 2020 Labor Day wildfires. This study proposes a method to classify financial road damage from these wildfires based upon curated datasets collected from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). Hence, this study presents a dataset with labeled classes, which include physical, roadway, and traffic. Physical …

Workplace Bullying In Louisiana Academic Libraries: Exploring Worker Status And Demographics, Justin Savage, Andrea Hebert, Catherine Baird

Faculty Publications

Bullying is a phenomenon that exists across cultures, societies, and even species. It can be found everywhere, including the workplace. The present study investigates workplace bullying amongst an approximated census sample of Louisiana academic library workers. Using the Negative Acts Questionnaire—Revised (NAQ-R), the study explores the relationships between experiencing workplace bullying and librarian status, tenure status, years in the profession, age, gender, and race. Although no statistically significant relationships were found between variables, the findings add to a growing body of literature that explores the interrelations of demographic and environmental contexts and bullying experiences.

On The Pathogenesis Of Obesity: Causal Models And Missing Pieces Of The Puzzle, Faidon Magkos, Thorkild I.A. Sørensen, David Raubenheimer, Nikhil V. Dhurandhar, Ruth J.F. Loos, Anja Bosy-Westphal, Christoffer Clemmensen, Mads F. Hjorth, David B. Allison, Gary Taubes, Eric Ravussin, Mark I. Friedman, Kevin D. Hall, David S. Ludwig, John R. Speakman, Arne Astrup

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Application of the physical laws of energy and mass conservation at the whole-body level is not necessarily informative about causal mechanisms of weight gain and the development of obesity. The energy balance model (EBM) and the carbohydrate–insulin model (CIM) are two plausible theories, among several others, attempting to explain why obesity develops within an overall common physiological framework of regulation of human energy metabolism. These models have been used to explain the pathogenesis of obesity in individuals as well as the dramatic increases in the prevalence of obesity worldwide over the past half century. Here, we summarize outcomes of a …

Four-Year Follow-Up Of Weight Loss Maintenance Using Electronic Medical Record Data: The Propel Trial, Peter T. Katzmarzyk, Emily F. Mire, Ronald Horswell, San T. Chu, Dachuan Zhang, Corby K. Martin, Robert L. Newton, John W. Apolzan, Eboni G. Price-Haywood, Dan Fort, Thomas W. Carton, Kara D. Denstel

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Rationale: Short-term weight loss is possible in a variety of settings. However, long-term, free-living weight loss maintenance following structured weight loss interventions remains elusive. Objective: The purpose was to study body weight trajectories over 2 years of intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) and up to 4 years of follow-up versus usual care (UC). Methods: Data were obtained from electronic medical records (EMRs) from participating clinics. Baseline (Day 0) was established as the EMR data point closest but prior to the baseline date of the trial. The sample included 111 ILI and 196 UC patients. The primary statistical analysis focused on differentiating …

Extensions Of Open Science For Applied Behavior Analysis: Preregistration For Single-Case Experimental Designs, Matt Tincani, Shawn P. Gilroy, Art Dowdy

Faculty Publications

Open science practices are designed to enhance the utility, integrity, and credibility of scientific research. This article highlights how preregistration in open science practice can be leveraged to enhance the rigor and transparency of single-case experimental designs within an applied behavior analysis framework. We provide an overview of the benefits of preregistration including increased transparency, reduced risk of researcher bias, and improved replicability, and we review the specific contexts under which these practices most benefit the proposed framework. We discuss potential concerns with and unique considerations for preregistering experiments that use single-case designs, with practical guidance for researchers who are …

Precision Interventions Targeting The Maternal Metabolic Milieu For Healthy Pregnancies In Obesity, Alexandra M. Niclou, Hannah E. Cabre, Emily W. Flanagan, Leanne M. Redman

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Purpose of Review: Entering pregnancy with obesity increases the risk of adverse health outcomes for parent and child. As such, research interventions are largely focused on limiting excess gestational weight gain during pregnancy, especially in those with obesity. Yet, while many lifestyle interventions are successful in reducing GWG, few affect pregnancy outcomes. Here we review work targeting the metabolic milieu instead of focusing solely on weight. Recent Findings: Work done in non-pregnant populations suggests that specifically targeting glucose, triglyceride, and leptin levels or inflammatory makers improves the metabolic milieu and overall health. We posit that precision interventions that include strategies …

Exercise In The Management Of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Position Statement From Exercise And Sports Science Australia, Angelo Sabag, Rhiannon K. Patten, Alba Moreno-Asso, Giorgia E. Colombo, Xela Dafauce Bouzo, Lisa J. Moran, Cheryce Harrison, Maryam Kazemi, Aya Mousa, Chau Tien Tay, Angelica Lindén Hirschberg, Leanne M. Redman, Helena J. Teede

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most prevalent endocrine condition amongst females of reproductive age, leading to lifelong cardiometabolic, reproductive, psychological, and dermatologic symptoms as well as a reduced quality of life. Lifestyle interventions, which can include structured exercise programmes delivered by appropriately trained exercise professionals such as clinical exercise physiologists, are considered first-line strategies in PCOS management due to their therapeutic effects on various health outcomes and quality of life. This position statement builds on the 2023 International Evidence-based Guideline for the Assessment and Management of PCOS and describes the role of the exercise professional in the context of …

Brain Insulin Signaling Is Associated With Late-Life Cognitive Decline, Han Tong, Ana W. Capuano, Owen T. Carmichael, Kathryn L. Gwizdala, David A. Bennett, Rexford S. Ahima, Steven E. Arnold, Zoe Arvanitakis

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Type-2 diabetes is associated with an increased risk of dementia, and the underlying mechanism might involve abnormal insulin signaling in the brain. The objective of this study was to examine the association of postmortem brain insulin signaling with late-life cognitive decline. Among participants of Religious Orders Study, a community-based clinical-pathological cohort, 150 deceased and autopsied older individuals (75 with diabetes matched to 75 without by age at death, sex, and education) had postmortem brain insulin signaling measurements collected in the prefrontal cortex using ELISA and immunohistochemistry. By using adjusted linear mixed-effects models, we examined the association of postmortem brain insulin …