Digital Commons Network^™

Recycling Functional Fillers From Waste Tires For Tailored Polystyrene Composites: Mechanical, Fire Retarding, Electromagnetic Field Shielding, And Acoustic Insulation Properties—A Short Review, Jinlong Zhang, Hang Liu, Shyam S. Sablani, Qinglin Wu

Faculty Publications

Polymer waste is currently a big and challenging issue throughout the world. Waste tires represent an important source of polymer waste. Therefore, it is highly desirable to recycle functional fillers from waste tires to develop composite materials for advanced applications. The primary theme of this review involves an overview of developing polystyrene (PS) composites using materials from recycled tires as fillers; waste tire recycling in terms of ground tire rubbers, carbon black, and textile fibers; surface treatments of the fillers to optimize various composite properties; and the mechanical, fire retarding, acoustic, and electromagnetic field (EMI) shielding performances of PS composite …

Inhalation Of Particulate Matter Containing Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals Induces Endothelial Dysfunction Mediated Via Ahr Activation At The Air-Blood Interface, Ankit Aryal, Ashlyn C. Harmon, Kurt J. Varner, Alexandra Noël, Stephania A. Cormier, Divine B. Nde, Peter Mottram, Jemiah Maxie, Tammy R. Dugas

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Particulate matter (PM) containing environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFR) is formed by the incomplete combustion of organic wastes, resulting in the chemisorption of pollutants to the surface of PM containing redox-Active transition metals. In prior studies in mice, EPFR inhalation impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation. These findings were associated with aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation in the alveolar type-II (AT-II) cells that form the air-blood interface in the lung. We thus hypothesized that AhR activation in AT-II cells promotes the systemic release of mediators that promote endothelium dysfunction peripheral to the lung. To test our hypothesis, we knocked down AhR in AT-II …

Estrogen Counteracts Age-Related Decline In Beige Adipogenesis Through The Nampt-Regulated Er Stress Response, Jooman Park, Ruoci Hu, Yanyu Qian, Shaolei Xiong, Asma Sana El-Sabbagh, Meram Ibrahim, Jaden Wang, Ziqiao Xu, Zhengjia Chen, Qing Song, Zhenyuan Song, Gege Yan, Abeer M. Mahmoud, Yanlin He, Brian T. Layden, Jiwang Chen, Sang Ging Ong, Pingwen Xu, Yuwei Jiang

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Thermogenic beige adipocytes are recognized as potential therapeutic targets for combating metabolic diseases. However, the metabolic advantages that they offer are compromised with aging. Here we show that treating mice with estrogen (E2), a hormone that decreases with age, can counteract the age-related decline in beige adipogenesis when exposed to cold temperature while concurrently enhancing energy expenditure and improving glucose tolerance in mice. Mechanistically, we found that nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (NAMPT) plays a pivotal role in facilitating the formation of E2-induced beige adipocytes, which subsequently suppresses the onset of age-related endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Furthermore, we found that targeting NAMPT …

Accelerated Onset Of Diabetes In Non-Obese Diabetic Mice Fed A Refined High-Fat Diet, Heidi M. Batdorf, Luz De Luna Lawes, Gabrielle A. Cassagne, Molly S. Fontenot, Innocence C. Harvey, Jeremy T. Richardson, David H. Burk, Samuel D. Dupuy, Michael D. Karlstad, J. Michael Salbaum, Jaroslaw Staszkiewicz, Robbie Beyl, Sujoy Ghosh, Susan J. Burke, J. Jason Collier

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Aim: Type 1 diabetes results from autoimmune events influenced by environmental variables, including changes in diet. This study investigated how feeding refined versus unrefined (aka ‘chow’) diets affects the onset and progression of hyperglycaemia in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. Methods: Female NOD mice were fed either unrefined diets or matched refined low- and high-fat diets. The onset of hyperglycaemia, glucose tolerance, food intake, energy expenditure, circulating insulin, liver gene expression and microbiome changes were measured for each dietary group. Results: NOD mice consuming unrefined (chow) diets developed hyperglycaemia at similar frequencies. By contrast, mice consuming the defined high-fat diet had …

Associations Between Daily Step Count Classifications And Continuous Glucose Monitoring Metrics In Adults With Type 1 Diabetes: Analysis Of The Type 1 Diabetes Exercise Initiative (T1dexi) Cohort, Lauren V. Turner, Martin Chase Marak, Robin L. Gal, Peter Calhoun, Zoey Li, Peter G. Jacobs, Mark A. Clements, Corby K. Martin, Francis J. Doyle, Susana R. Patton, Jessica R. Castle, Melanie B. Gillingham, Roy W. Beck, Michael R. Rickels, Michael C. Riddell

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Aims/hypothesis: Adults with type 1 diabetes should perform daily physical activity to help maintain health and fitness, but the influence of daily step counts on continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) metrics are unclear. This analysis used the Type 1 Diabetes Exercise Initiative (T1DEXI) dataset to investigate the effect of daily step count on CGM-based metrics. Methods: In a 4 week free-living observational study of adults with type 1 diabetes, with available CGM and step count data, we categorised participants into three groups—below (< 7000), meeting (7000–10,000) or exceeding (>10,000) the daily step count goal—to determine if step count category influenced CGM metrics, including per cent time …

Increasing Mowing Height And Nitrogen Fertility Does Not Enhance Unirrigated Centipedegrass Summer Drought Stress, Mike Adams, Jeffrey Beasley, Jeff Kuehny, Dylan Watson

Faculty Publications

Proper N fertilization and higher mowing heights are recommended to enhance rooting for greater turfgrass summer drought stress. To examine the effects of these primary cultural practices on centipedegrass [Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro) Hack.] drought response in the mid-Southern United States, a study was conducted to evaluate four mowing heights (1, 2, 3 and 4 inches) and N fertilization versus no fertilization. During the study, roots were periodically harvested at upper (0–3 inches) and lower (3–6 inches) soil depths, and roots were analyzed for architecture which included root length (RL) and surface area (SA), and root weight (RW). In July, plant-soil …

Recovery Of The X-Ray Polarisation Of Swift J1727.8-1613 After The Soft-To-Hard Spectral Transition, J. Podgorný, J. Svoboda, M. Dovčiak, A. Veledina, J. Poutanen, P. Kaaret, S. Bianchi, A. Ingram, F. Capitanio, S. R. Datta, E. Egron, H. Krawczynski, G. Matt, F. Muleri, P. O. Petrucci, T. D. Russell, J. F. Steiner, N. Bollemeijer, M. Brigitte, N. Castro Segura, R. Emami, J. A. García, K. Hu, M. N. Iacolina, V. Kravtsov, L. Marra, G. Mastroserio, T. Muñoz-Darias, E. Nathan, M. Negro, A. Ratheesh, N. Rodriguez Cavero, R. Taverna

Faculty Publications

We report on the detection of X-ray polarisation in the black-hole X-ray binary Swift J1727.8-1613 during its dim hard spectral state by the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE). This is the first detection of X-ray polarisation at the transition from the soft to the hard state in an X-ray binary. We find an averaged 2- 8 keV polarisation degree of (3.3 ± 0.4)% and a corresponding polarisation angle of 3 ±4, which matches the polarisation detected during the rising stage of the outburst, in September- October 2023, within 1σuncertainty. The observational campaign complements previous studies of this source and enables …

Discovery Of A Shock-Compressed Magnetic Field In The Northwestern Rim Of The Young Supernova Remnant Rx J1713.7–3946 With X-Ray Polarimetry, Riccardo Ferrazzoli, Dmitry Prokhorov, Niccolò Bucciantini, Patrick Slane, Jacco Vink, Martina Cardillo, Yi Jung Yang, Stefano Silvestri, Ping Zhou, Enrico Costa, Nicola Omodei, C. Y. Ng, Paolo Soffitta, Martin C. Weisskopf, Luca Baldini, Alessandro Di Marco, Victor Doroshenko, Jeremy Heyl, Philip Kaaret, Dawoon E. Kim, Frédéric Marin, Tsunefumi Mizuno, Melissa Pesce-Rollins, Carmelo Sgrò, Douglas A. Swartz, Toru Tamagawa, Fei Xie, Iván Agudo, Lucio A. Antonelli, Matteo Bachetti, Wayne H. Baumgartner, Ronaldo Bellazzini, Stefano Bianchi

Faculty Publications

Supernova remnants (SNRs) provide insights into cosmic-ray acceleration and magnetic field dynamics at shock fronts. Recent X-ray polarimetric measurements by the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) have revealed radial magnetic fields near particle acceleration sites in young SNRs, including Cassiopeia A, Tycho, and SN 1006. We present here the spatially resolved IXPE X-ray polarimetric observation of the northwestern rim of SNR RX J1713.7–3946. For the first time, our analysis shows that the magnetic field in the particle acceleration sites of this SNR is oriented tangentially with respect to the shock front. Because of the lack of precise Faraday rotation measurements …

Pulsar-Wind-Nebula-Powered Galactic Center X-Ray Filament G0.13- 0.11: Proof Of The Synchrotron Nature By Ixpe, Eugene Churazov, Ildar Khabibullin, Thibault Barnouin, Niccolò Bucciantini, Enrico Costa, Laura Di Gesu, Alessandro Di Marco, Riccardo Ferrazzoli, William Forman, Philip Kaaret, Dawoon E. Kim, Jeffery J. Kolodziejczak, Ralph Kraft, Frédéric Marin, Giorgio Matt, Michela Negro, Roger W. Romani, Stefano Silvestri, Paolo Soffitta, Rashid Sunyaev, Jiri Svoboda, Alexey Vikhlinin, Martin C. Weisskopf, Fei Xie, Iván Agudo, Lucio A. Antonelli, Matteo Bachetti, Luca Baldini, Wayne H. Baumgartner, Ronaldo Bellazzini, Stefano Bianchi, Stephen D. Bongiorno, Raffaella Bonino

Faculty Publications

We report the discovery of X-ray polarization from the X-ray-bright filament G0.13-0.11 in the Galactic center (GC) region. This filament features a bright, hard X-ray source that is most plausibly a pulsar wind nebula (PWN) and an extended and structured diffuse component. Combining the polarization signal from IXPE with the imaging/spectroscopic data from Chandra, we find that X-ray emission of G0.13-0.11 is highly polarized PD = 57(±18)% in the 3-6 keV band, while the polarization angle is PA = 21° ± 9). This high degree of polarization proves the synchrotron origin of the X-ray emission from G0.13-0.11. In turn, the …

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 …

Three-Dimensional Superconductivity Induced By An Extremely Small Amount Of Li In Lixsnse2, Daniel Duong, Jie Xing, Eklavya Thareja, Silu Huang, Scott Crittenden, William A. Shelton, Rongying Jin

Faculty Publications

Unconventional superconductivity occurs often in materials with low dimensionality. Here, we report superconductivity observed in layered LixSnSe2 with the superconducting transition temperature Tc∼6 K. Through Li+ intercalation in semiconducting SnSe2 via electrochemical process, LixSnSe2 is formed with an extremely small x value as estimated from the c-axis lattice parameter, carrier concentration, and first-principles calculations. Electrical resistivity and magnetic susceptibility measurements allow the construction of both lower (Hc1ab) and upper critical field (Hc2abandHc2c) phase diagrams. While Hc2c obtained from 10% and 50% resistivity drops exhibits linear temperature dependence, Hc2c(90%resistivitydrop), Hc1ab, and Hc2ab can be described by the empirical formula Hci(T)=Hci(0)[1-(TTc0)2] (i=1, …

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 …

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus And Postpartum Hypertension: Evidence For A Tight Linkage Toward Women's Cardiovascular Health, Yun Shen, Gang Hu

Population and Public Health Science Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

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 …

Borehole-Based Interval Kriging For 3d Lithofacies Modeling, Yuqi Song, Frank T.C. Tsai

Faculty Publications

Developing a three-dimensional (3D) lithofacies model from boreholes is critical for providing a coherent understanding of complex subsurface geology, which is essential for groundwater studies. This study aims to introduce a new geostatistical method—interval kriging—to efficiently conduct 3D borehole-based lithological modeling with sand/non-sand binary indicators. Interval kriging is a best linear unbiased estimator for irregular interval supports. Interval kriging considers 3D anisotropies between two orthogonal components—a horizontal plane and a vertical axis. A new 3D interval semivariogram is developed. To cope with the nonconvexity of estimation variance, the minimization of estimation variance is regulated with an additional regularization term. The …

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 …

Direct And Indirect Effects Of And Preference For Feedback During The Good Behavior Game In Elementary Classes, Jensen Chotto

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The Good Behavior Game (GBG) is an effective procedure for reducing disruptive classroom behavior. In this study, students in 3 fifth grade classes selected the rules of the GBG and then experienced the GBG with different forms of feedback delivery for rule violations (vocal and visual, vocal only, visual only, no feedback) on disruptive classroom behavior in a multielement design. All versions of the GBG substantially reduced disruptive behavior below baseline levels. Additionally, in 1 of 3 classes, losing the GBG produced an increase in negative peer interactions immediately following the GBG. Subsequently, students selected which condition they previously experienced …

Modeling And Forecasting Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms (Cyanohabs) In Lake Pontchartrain, Shekhar Mahat

LSU Master's Theses

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) frequently occur in coastal waters worldwide, adversely affecting economies, human health, aquatic ecosystems, and recreational activities. Lake Pontchartrain, an oligohaline estuary, experienced frequent HABs from 2018 to 2023. While NOAA’s NCCOS and USEPA’s CyAN currently monitor cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs) in coastal, freshwater, and riverine systems, there is a notable lack of systems monitoring phycocyanin concentrations in the lake. This thesis utilizes satellite remote sensing environmental stressors to model and predict CyanoHABs in Lake Pontchartrain using machine learning techniques. A key focus of this study is assessing the forecasting capabilities of the random forest method …

Spatial Roost Networks And Resource Selection Of Female Wild Turkeys, Nicholas W. Bakner, Erin E. Ulrey, Patrick H. Wightman, Nick A. Gulotta, Bret A. Collier, Michael J. Chamberlain

Faculty Publications

Wildlife demography is influenced by behavioural decisions, with sleep being a crucial avian behaviour. Avian species use roost sites to minimize thermoregulation costs, predation risk and enhance foraging efficiency. Sleep locations are often reused, forming networks within the home range. Our study, focusing on female eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) during the reproductive season, used social network analysis to quantify both roost site selection and network structure. We identified roost networks which were composed of a small percentage of hub roost sites connecting satellite roosts. Hub roosts were characterized by greater values of betweenness (β = 0.62, s.e. = …

Molecular-Level Studies Of Nanopatterned Biomolecules With Atomic Force Microscopy, Ashley R. Walker

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is an analytical technique in which a tipped probe is gently scanned across the surface in a raster pattern to generate digital images of a sample at the nanoscale. The AFM instrument has three general operational modes, which are contact, non-contact and tapping-mode, that can be used to examine materials at the atomic level. Single-molecular details of biological molecules and other soft organic materials can be captured with minimal denaturation in either ambient or liquid environments when using tapping-mode AFM. In tapping-mode, the probe is driven to oscillate vertically while the tip is scanned across the …

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 …

Position-Dependent Segmental Relaxation In Bottlebrush Polymers, Karin J. Bichler, Bruno Jakobi, Alice Klapproth, Richard A. Mole, Gerald J. Schneider

Faculty Publications

Segmental dynamics of specifically labeled poly(propylene oxide), PPO, based bottlebrush polymers, PNB-g-PPO, were studied using quasi-elastic neutron scattering. The focus was set to different parts of the side chains to investigate the hypothetical gradual relaxation behavior within the side chains of a bottlebrush polymer. Different sections of the side chains were highlighted for QENS via sequential polymerization of protonated and deuterated monomers to allow the study of the relaxation behavior of the inner and outer parts of the side chain separately. A comparison of these two parts reveals a slowdown due to the grafting process happening across the different regions. …

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 …

Veneers And Vignettes: Staging The Mountain West, Matthew Jones

LSU Master's Theses

Veneer (noun): An attractive appearance that covers or disguises someone or something's true nature or feelings.

Vignette (noun): A small illustration or portrait photograph which fades into its background without a definite border.

This exhibition, Veneers and Vignettes: Staging the Mountain West embodies my pursuits to contextualize my place in the Mountain West, my home. These works seek to understand how the extents of time, circumstance, and people have shaped the contemporary cultures, environment, and implied trajectory of the decades ahead. What legacies have we imprinted upon this place and with what repercussions? I feel uneasy for my home in …

Hydrodynamic And Biochemical Impacts On The Development Of Hypoxia In The Louisiana-Texas Shelf - Part 1: Roles Of Nutrient Limitation And Plankton Community, Yanda Ou, Z. George Xue

Faculty Publications

A three-dimensional coupled hydrodynamic-biogeochemical model with multiple nutrient and plankton functional groups was developed and adapted to the Gulf of Mexico to investigate the role of nutrients and the complexity of plankton community in dissolved oxygen (DO) dynamics. A 15-year hindcast was achieved covering the period of 2006-2020. Extensive model validation against in situ data demonstrates that the model was capable of reproducing vertical distributions of DO and spatial distributions of bottom DO concentration, as well as their interannual variations. The study demonstrates that bottom DO dynamics and hypoxia evolution are significantly influenced by both physical processes and local biochemistry, …

Scaling The Wall: Math Attitudes And Mindsets Of Middle School High-Achievers, Stephanie R. Gullage

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This intrinsic case study examined groups of gifted and high achieving middle school mathematics students in one school’s advanced and honors program. The purpose of this study was to determine how the students view themselves in light of noncognitive constructs, how they regard and apply those constructs in their mathematics studies, how the work of those constructs can affect their attitudes toward mathematics, and how they believe educators can help foster success in math via noncognitive factors. The researcher employed a questionnaire, observations, focus group interviews, and interviews with key informants to gather study data. With the theoretical lenses of …

Sexual Abuse: A Multi-Faceted Problem, Marcus Venable

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

On average, US citizens have experienced approximately 400,000 sexual assaults per year, which results in enormous immediate and long-term consequences for individuals, as well as society in general.

In the U.S., the principal method of combatting this crime has been the creation of Sex Offender Registries used to notify the public of the identity and location of convicted sex offenders who may be living in proximity to their residence. In addition to the Registry, laws have been passed forbidding convicted sex offenders from residing within buffer zones around areas of high child concentration [schools/parks/etc.].

The efficacy and consequences of these …

Characteristics Influencing Enrollment Choices: A Mixed Methods Analysis Of Factors That Influence Black Students' Decision To Enroll In College Of Agriculture Programs, Jennifer L. Brown

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study aims to identify the barriers that affect Minority enrollment in agriculture, particularly focusing on increasing the enrollment of Black students. There is a significant concern regarding the gap between Black individuals and agriculture enrollment in post-secondary agriculture programs at land-grant institutions. The purpose of this mixed method phenomenology was to (1) identify factors that influence the decision of Black students to enroll in the College of Agriculture and (2) uncover the societal and economic influences that continue to serve as barriers to Black students’ enrolling in agriculture. The quantitative portion of the investigation utilized a web-based instrument structured …