Digital Commons Network^™

Managing Student Behavior: Occupational And Discrimination-Related Stress As Moderated By Coping Resources, Madeline S. Blocker

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Student behavior management is a critical component of efficacious teaching and a leading contributor to teachers’ stress. Prior research has shown that teachers experiencing greater levels of workplace stress may utilize more punitive and exclusionary disciplinary techniques. However, these strategies often do not effectively manage student problem behavior and are associated with adverse student outcomes. In contrast, positive behavior management techniques have shown efficacy in managing student behavior while promoting students’ success and wellbeing. This study explored the relationship between teachers’ perceptions of workplace stress (i.e., work-related and discrimination-related) and their use of positive or punitive behavior management techniques. Additionally, …

Analytical Advances In Homeowner Flood Risk Quantification Considering Insurance And Hazard Mitigation, Md Adilur Rahim

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Accurate economic loss assessment for natural hazards is vital for planning, mitigation, and actuarial purposes. The widespread and costly nature of flood hazards, with the economically disadvantaged disproportionately victimized, makes flood risk assessment and mitigation particularly important. Recent studies have made advancements in assessing flood risk at individual building level. But these methods require solving an integral equation every time the analysis is run, which is computationally intensive. In addition, analyses to date do not consider insurance (i.e., coverage, deductible) information and thus do not estimate the portion of risk that homeowner and insurer bear. Although existing research does consider …

Institutional Rhetoric And Campus Reactions: A Multi-Method Case Study Exploring University Communication And Social Responsibility In A Racial Crisis, Rockia K. Harris

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This case study explores how an institution in the southeastern conference (SEC) responded to racial reckonings before and after the 2020 murder of George Floyd, how students came to perceive the institution's responses and commitment to diversity and inclusion. To understand this phenomenon beyond apologia and image repair theory, the discourse of renewal theoretical framework and university social responsibility guides this dissertation. This work fills a gap in the literature on crisis communication in response to racism in higher education spaces. Using critical discourse analysis and an open-ended survey, this dissertation further explores the idea of social responsibility of institutions …

Nonlinear Optical Studies At Surfaces And Interfaces, Mojgan Dehghani

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Nonlinear optical studies have revealed that surfaces and interfaces possess unique optical properties due to the lack of inversion symmetry. These properties are significantly different from those of the bulk material. Second harmonic generation (SHG), a second-order nonlinear optical phenomenon, has emerged as a surface-specific technique to study these unique properties. The powerful selection rule allows generation of second harmonic light only in the bulk of noncentrosymmetric media and the regions with broken inversion symmetry, including surfaces and interfaces. The generated second harmonic provides significant information on the electronic and structural properties of the microscopic surface layer at the boundary …

A "Rock To Lean On": Young Singers' Experiences In A Community Choir In Louisiana, Yulene Velásquez

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this intrinsic case study was to investigate young singers’ experiences in the Livingston Parish Children’s Choirs organization (LPCC), a community-based children’s choir program in Denham Springs, Louisiana. I investigated the impact of those experiences on the children’s lives inside and outside of the ensemble from the perspective of the artistic director and co-director, parents, and the singers themselves.

The LPCC was founded in 1991 by Barbara Walker and her mother, Regina Walker. According to Barbara Walker, the mission of the organization is “to prepare children to go out and be lifelong singers.” This choral community is characterized …

An Observed Increase In Cardiovascular And Respiratory-Disease Related Hospitalizations And Mortality In An Area Surrounding A Hazardous Waste Thermal Treatment Plant, Liana Isabelle Dela Torre Baconguis

LSU Master's Theses

Particulate matter (PM) pollution is highly correlated with respiratory and cardiovascular disease incidence. The generation of oxidative stress is a major way by which PM can damage the body. Environmentally persistent free radical-containing PM are generated by combustion processes and are capable of exerting increased damage on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems due to their ability to remain stable and regenerate reactive oxygen species for up to five years. Clean Harbors, LLC operates a thermal treatment plant near the city of Colfax, LA in Central Louisiana. Its regular open burning of explosives causes disturbances to the community, such as loud …

Collapse Of The Bindschadler Ice Stream At 11.5 Cal Kyr Bp Via Marine Ice Cliff Instability, Anna Sivils

LSU Master's Theses

Previous studies of the Whales Deep Basin (WDB) outer continental shelf showed that the paleo-ice shelf fronting the Bindschadler Ice Stream broke up at 12.3 cal kyr BP. A calving cliff was subsequently maintained until at least 11.5 cal kyr BP. Slightly after that time, the grounding line rapidly retreated creating a 200 km embayment of grounded ice over the foredeepened middle continental shelf. The rapid opening of the embayment is recorded by a backstepping succession of small-scale morainal ridges on the middle continental shelf. The overlapping and end-to-end spacing of morainal ridges requires that the retreating grounding line experienced …

Nutrient Content And Bioactive Compounds In Ornamental Type Sweetpotatoes, Sandeep Kaur Sran

LSU Master's Theses

Abstract

The leaf and root composition of different cultivars of ornamental sweetpotatoes (‘Blackie’, ‘Kakura’, ‘Manihi’, ‘Makatea’, ‘Tahiti’ and ‘Tatakoto’) were analyzed, and the impact of various factors on the levels of nutrients, vitamins, antioxidants, phenolic compounds, sugars, and organic acids in these sweetpotato cultivars were determined. The principal macronutrients found in sweetpotato foliage and roots were nitrogen (N), potassium (K), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), and sulfur (S). Nitrogen was the most abundant macronutrient among all cultivars in sweetpotato foliage, whereas potassium was the most abundant macronutrient in sweetpotato roots. The principal micronutrients found in foliage and roots were …

Bridging The Gap Between Detector Characterization And Gravitational Wave Searches In Ligo, Andre Guimaraes

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis, titled ``Bridging the Gap Between Detector Characterization and Gravitational Wave Searches in LIGO'', investigates the complex interplay between detector noise, gravitational wave search algorithms in the operation of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors. The non-Gaussian behavior of LIGO detectors' data can lead to numerous issues, ranging from causing the detector to lose operational state to misinterpretations of actual gravitational wave signals.

An introduction to the workings of current interferometric gravitational wave detectors and the characterization of their sources and noise is provided. The focus is then shifted to the GstLAL pipeline, its role, and the effects …

Wave Attenuation Through Mangrove Forest Using Lidar Representation, Elizabeth Bogan

LSU Master's Theses

Mangrove forests can be found along the world’s intertidal tropical and sub-tropical coastlines. These forested wetlands provide many ecosystem services, including supporting coastal food chains, trapping sediment, and shoreline stabilization. Mangroves are also known for flood damage mitigation by dissipating waves and surge during flooding events. Thus, coastal communities declare a vested interest in the performance of the forest to mitigate flood damage. Physical models using artificial mangrove structures have shown that red mangrove-dominated fringe forests can protect built infrastructure by reducing wave height due to increased drag. One way to estimate the contribution of red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) prop …

Size Effects In Additively Manufactured Inconel-718 Thin Elements And Cellular Structures, Reem Abdelkarim Abo Znemah

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A current focus in the additive manufacturing (AM) research community is the production of complex shaped metallic parts and cellular structures. Many researchers went on analyzing and simulating these structures without considering the effect of the element thickness and heterogeneous printing parameters on the resulting material behavior. To advance the application of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), an AM process, in producing Inconel718 (IN718) complex shaped parts and cellular structures, this study aimed to investigate the effect of thin-walled elements thickness on the mechanical characteristics of both the individual elements and overall cellular structure. A multiscale experimental evaluation of the …

Rehabilitation For Singers Following Pregnancy And Childbirth, Cara M. Williams

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

When a singer becomes pregnant, carries and gives birth to a child, the body changes in numerous physical ways. Many of these changes may significantly impact singing during the pregnancy and postpartum periods. It is hoped that the research and recommendations contained in this document may offer perspective and practical advice for postpartum recovery as it pertains to singers and professional voice users.

After briefly describing the topic selection with a description of delimitations, the author’s history of singing and experience leading up to physical therapy and postpartum care is explored. Next, the effects of pregnancy and childbirth on the …

Cultural Expression And Relevancy Communicated Through Marching Band Performance In Louisiana, Nicholas Ashton

LSU Master's Theses

This study explored the use of marching band membership as a medium of mass communication through in-depth interviews with Louisiana collegiate marching band participants and subsequent analysis. Since these groups tend to serve as their school’s face and brand ambassadors in many cases, this study will look to their constituent members to explore what it is truly like to be a small cog that makes the whole run effectively and efficiently. Intersections of a marching band’s outward-facing image and its members’ personally held values, beliefs, and preferences are of specific interest in an effort to understand the effects of mass …

Evaluating Vaccine Management Strategies For Edwardsiella Ictaluri Infections In Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Brandy Malbrough

LSU Master's Theses

Aquaculture is a globally important industry that faces significant challenges due to infectious diseases, which can result in substantial financial losses. In 2011, a new strain of Edwardsiella ictaluri emerged as a major pathogen affecting zebrafish in the ornamental fish industry, leading to high mortality rates and posing a severe threat to the sector. Vaccines provide potential benefits for disease prevention in aquaculture, particularly live-attenuated vaccines (LAVs), which induce strong host immune responses. Bacterial attenuation for vaccine development has evolved from serial passage to more targeted genetic modification techniques. However, regulatory constraints limit the availability of licensed LAVs for aquaculture. …

Women's Interracial Friendships: Cultivating Coalitional Possibilities Across Difference Through Dialogue, Akie Fukushige Wenk

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In my dissertation, I thread through the macro-structure as well as micro-operations of hegemonic ideologies, namely white-supremacist capitalist cis-hetero patriarchy (hooks, 1995, Valdes, 1996), that has historically plagued the United States, eventually gaining a global reach over time. I center interracial friendship between Black and White cis-women, where I locate coalitional possibilities that begin at the grassroots level. I situate this interracial relationship within the socio-ecological system where the personal meets the social (including racialized backgrounds). I use a series of analogies to equate these ideologies as toxins in the air, water, and soil. Soil is where we can work …

First-Principles Simulations Of Attosecond Transient X-Ray Absorption, Min Chen

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The first part of this dissertation presents calculations of the extinction spec- tra of gold-silver/silver-gold core-shell nanospheres. The goal of this projectsis to get a deeper understanding of surface plasmonic resonance in metal nanospheres with core-shell geometry. Here, we used the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method and total-field/scattered-field (TFSF) framework to compute the extinction spectra of nanoparticles to determine the geometry of gold-silver/silver-gold core-shell nanoparticles. This supported experimental work on monitoring the growth dynamics of colloidal gold- silver/silver-gold core-shell nanoparticles using in situ second harmonic generation (SHG) and extinction spectroscopy.

The second and main project involved simulating attosecond transient spectra for …

Morphological And Molecular Characterization Of The Olfactory System In The Formosan Subterranean Termite, Paula Castillo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus, is a eusocial insect species. Its members live in colonies consisting of reproductive (queen and king) and non-reproductive individuals (workers and soldiers). Olfaction is an essential sense for the social life of many insects. However, in termites, little is known about how olfactory cues are perceived in the peripheral sensory system (antennae) and processed in the central nervous system (brain) to elicit different behavioral responses across castes. In this study, we investigated the olfactory system in all castes (soldiers, workers, and reproductive alates), from the antennal and brain morphology to the antennal gene …

Tissue Resident Regulatory T Cells And Immunopathology During Influenza Infections, Michael Mcgee

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Influenza (flu) virus infections are a leading cause of respiratory illness. Globally there are approximately 290,000-650,000 deaths and 3-5 million cases of severe illness during the average flu season. Severe flu infection is associated with the combination of a strong pro-inflammatory and weak anti-inflammatory response. Regulatory T cell subsets suppress pro-inflammatory responses during flu infection, with production of the immunomodulatory cytokine IL-10 playing a critical role in this process. Tissue resident regulatory T cell subsets are maintained within nonlymphoid tissues and are optimally positioned to suppress localized pro-inflammatory responses. However, knowledge of the signaling pathways regulating the development of tissue …

Computational Design Of Electro-Organocatalysts And Transition Metal Sulfides For The Electrochemical Reduction Of Co2, Foroogh Khezeli

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

Electrochemical CO₂ reduction (ECO₂RR) has emerged as a promising approach for generating carbon-neutral liquid fuels by utilizing excess renewable electricity to convert CO₂. This thesis aims to employ atomistic simulations by using Density Functional Theory (DFT) to investigate the mechanistic details of how transition metal sulfides and electro-organocatalysts can enhance the activity and selectivity towards desired products, including those containing C-H bonds and molecules with C-C bonds. For this project, three different electrocatalysts were designed computationally.

Firstly, MoS₂ was chosen as a transition metal sulfide catalyst with the objective of understanding the kinetics …

Predicted Structure And Functional Roles Of Alphaherpesvirus Tegument Protein Ul37 In Virion Morphogenesis And Innate Immunity, Therese Marie Collantes

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Several members of the Family Herpesviridae are clinically significant pathogens, affecting humans and a wide range of animals. Alphaherpesviruses infect epithelial cells at the primary site of infection and subsequently invade adjacent sensory neurons. Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) is an economically important disease caused by bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1), which belongs to the subfamily Alphaherpesvirinae, genus Varicellovirus. To date, vaccination is the only preventive measure against IBR. Understanding determinants of herpesvirus replication and innate immune regulation is important to help further develop vaccines that are efficacious and incapable of establishing latency in the host nervous system. The alphaherpesvirus …

Integrating Behavioral Research Findings With A Liberal Arts Paradigm, Jonathan Peterson

LSU Master's Theses

This paper explores the role of behavioral research in understanding the complexity and relevance of creativity. A brief history of the liberal arts and its current application is followed by a discussion of the importance of variability in generating novel and diverse responses, challenging the notion that creativity is solely a product of innate talent. The effects of reinforcement on variability, and how it relates to a complex relationship between reinforcement and the probability of variable responding leads to a discussion of how the combination of previously trained behaviors can lead to creative problem-solving, emphasizing the role of combinatory behavior …

Exploration Of Efficient Dewatering Methods In Stimulus-Responsive Hydrogels And Their Potential For Desalination, Weiliang Sun

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Addressing global freshwater scarcity is a pressing challenge, and desalination has emerged as a viable solution to generate high-quality water without compromising natural freshwater ecosystems. In comparison to conventional desalination methods such as thermal distillation and membrane-based processes, hydrogels offer distinct advantages including strong water absorption, water retention, well-defined pore structures, customizable functional groups, and responsive properties to external stimuli. These unique characteristics position hydrogels as promising candidates for water treatment applications. Hydrogel-based desalination involves the utilization of hydrogels to absorb water from saltwater, and then discharge low-concentration solutions to obtain reclaimed water. The fundamental principle underlying the desalination ability …

The Case For Succession Planning In Higher Education: A Study Of Knowledge Transfer Within Louisiana State University, Leila Shaik Villien

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to explore the challenges, benefits, and perceptions of succession planning among currently employed administrators at research universities in the southern portion of the United States at the level of assistant department head or higher and the accessible population was defined as currently employed administrators at Louisiana State University at the level of assistant department head or higher. Deans, Associate Deans, Department Heads, Assistant Department Heads, and Department Chairs were invited to participate in an online survey designed by the researcher to assess the attitude toward succession planning and training, along with a variety …

Implicit Bias In School-Based Suicide Risk Assessment, Jessie Munson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Suicide remains a leading cause of death for youth, and the prevalence of suicidal behaviors continues to increase while demographic trends shift. Despite the considerable scope and impact of this global public health issue and robust evidence that cultural minority and gender-diverse youth are at particular risk, there is a significant dearth in the literature with respect to nonrandom variance or possible systematic error in suicide risk assessment practices. Moreover, studies related to school-based risk assessment are scarce despite the ethical and legal imperative to identify and serve at-risk youth as well as the unique ecological position of schools to …

Neural Mechanisms Of Resiliency And Susceptibility After Repeated Social Defeat, Christy R. Wayne

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Social defeat is a powerful experience leading to drastic changes in physiology and behavior, many of which are negative. For example, repeated social defeat in vertebrates results in reduced reproductive success, sickness, and behavioral abnormalities that threaten individual survival and species persistence. However, little is known about what neural mechanisms are involved in determining whether an individual is resilient or susceptible to repeated social defeat stress. I used a resident-intruder experiment in the African cichlid fish, Astatotilapia burtoni, to create and investigate the behavior and neural correlates of these two opposing groups. Resilient fish used both searching and freezing behaviors …

A Performer's Guide To Jean-Joseph CassanéA De Mondonville's Dominus Reganvit, Eunbae Jeon

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville, a French royal violinist and composer, composed nine grands motets, including Dominus Regnavit, which gained significant popularity among the public. Especially, Dominus Regnavit is unique in its abundant imitative polyphony texture, skillful soloistic melody lines, and descriptive sound effects. The purpose of this research is to bring attention to Mondonville and his composition Dominus Regnavit and promote performance accessibility. Thus, the paper discusses a historical background of the grand motet, the features of Mondonville’s grand motet, and a detailed musical analysis of Dominus Regnavit. Additionally, the paper includes a brief overview of the historical …

What Happens Online Doesn't Stay Online: Female Elected Officials' Experiences With Online Harassment, Sarah M. Carpenter

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Online harassment towards female elected officials is a prevalent problem that threatens women’s parity in local and state government. It is used for the purpose of diminishing women’s efficacy in government by stifling their voices in public spaces through behaviors that aim to belittle, embarrass and abuse women for existing in traditional masculine spaces that reify a white patriarchal social hierarchy. Female elected officials at all levels of government are susceptible to harassment on- and offline. The aim of this study expands current understandings of how online harassment affects female elected officials by focusing on online harassment experiences of women …

Sportsman's Paradox: Conservationism And Social Progress In Modern Louisiana, Jacob T. Gautreaux

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Over the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, sportsmen increasingly identified Louisiana as a destined paradise due to the abundant flora and fauna. Confirmed in the legendary visits of Theodore Roosevelt in the early 1900s, the conception soon served a dual purpose as individuals like the Tabasco Sauce patriarch, E. A. McIlhenny, coopted the visualization as a lure for business investment into the nascent industrial interests within the coastal region of the state. However, it should be noted that in the 1930s and beyond, cultural conservationists like McIlhenny and Caroline Dormon preserved elements of under-documented cultures throughout the state, although usually …

Advancements In Middle School Agricultural Education: An Examination Of Emerging Trends And Exemplary Programs, Jacob P. Englin

LSU Master's Theses

Recent trends in agricultural education have demonstrated that the number of middle school programs and students has been increasing. Despite this, middle school agricultural education students, teachers, and programs often have been considered to be underserved. For example, teachers at this level have expressed that they often lacked the training and resources to meet the needs of this diverse learning population. Even so, middle school agricultural education teachers have continued to provide quality learning experiences for their students. In response, this investigation’s purpose was to examine current trends of middle school agricultural education and the quality of learning conducted by …

Reef Fish Movement Dynamics And Recruitment To Artificial Habitat, Jade Carver

LSU Master's Theses

Artificial reefs provide critical habitat for fish in areas lacking benthic structure, yet our understanding of how artificial reefs function and develop is limited. Here, changes in reef fish community assemblages were monitored using baited remote underwater video (BRUV) surveys (n=6) before and after a new artificial reef was deployed. Movement of red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus, n=20) and gray snapper (Lutjanus griseus, n=20) between nearby platforms (n=3) and the new artificial reef was examined using acoustic telemetry, and residency was calculated for fish associated with platforms and the artificial reef …