Digital Commons Network^™

Uniqueness Of Relaxation Times Determined By Dielectric Spectroscopy, Mengchun Wu, Karin J. Bichler, Bruno Jakobi, Gerald J. Schneider

Faculty Publications

Dielectric spectroscopy is extremely powerful to study molecular dynamics, because of the very broad frequency range. Often multiple processes superimpose resulting in spectra that expand over several orders of magnitude, with some of the contributions partially hidden. For illustration, we selected two examples, (i) normal mode of high molar mass polymers partially hidden by conductivity and polarization and (ii) contour length fluctuations partially hidden by reptation using the well-studied polyisoprene melts as example. The intuitive approach to describe experimental spectra and to extract relaxation times is the addition of two or more model functions. Here, we use the empirical Havriliak-Negami …

The Psychological Impact Of Adolescent Violence Exposure: The Roles Of Coping And Social Support, Kelsey Gnade Coulthard

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Research demonstrates that children and adolescents experience a wide range of exposure to violence with rates ranging from 20% and 50% (Finkelhor & Dziuba-Leatherman, 1994; Finkelhor et al., 2005; Zimmerman & Posick, 2016). Violence exposure has been associated with several negative outcomes including biological, psychological, family-based, and academic problems. Further, studies have examined potential protective factors that may buffer against these consequences, with inconsistent results surrounding the roles of coping and social support. However, many of these studies use either an overly generalized definition of both violence exposure and/or social support or use very specific type of violence within a …

Eve Leaving The Garden, Norma L. Colby Ms.

LSU Master's Theses

This body of work serves as an investigation into the concepts and burdens that, as a female millennial, impact me regularly. As the door to my education closes, I turn to a much bigger world with endless possibilities and responsibilities. With these overwhelming prospects, I find myself reflecting on how our society has progressed and worsened to arrive here today. I continue to question the passing down of systemic burdens, politics, and gender roles of women in the 21^st century. Eve Leaving the Garden is a collection of textile works, photographs, and sculptures that serve as an exploration of …

Development Of Cost-Effective Restriping Strategies For Thermoplastic Pavement Markings Used In Hot And Humid Climate, Elise Mansour

LSU Master's Theses

Because of the limited highway state budget, most transportation agencies restripe their thermoplastic pavement markings based on a fixed schedule or based on visual inspection. However, these restriping strategies might be questionable in terms of efficiency and cost. Some studies have developed degradation models to predict the retroreflectivity of thermoplastic markings based on key variables. Yet, most of the developed models had low prediction accuracy (R² as low as 0.1) and sometimes was not reported, which placed little confidence in their use. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the field performance and develop cost-effective restriping strategies …

Sucrose Demand And Essential Value In Mice With Early-Life Exposure To Risperidone, Megan Federoff

LSU Master's Theses

Second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs), such as risperidone, are widely prescribed to children, but the long-term effects of SGA treatment are not well understood. This study investigated the impact of early-life risperidone treatment on sucrose demand in mice in adulthood. Mice were administered risperidone or vehicle from postnatal day (PND) 33 to 60 and trained in adulthood (>PND 120) to nose poke for a sucrose solution reinforcer. The fixed ratio (FR) value (the number of responses required to produce sucrose delivery; the “price” of sucrose) was varied from 1 to 45, and the resulting consumption versus FR value data were analyzed …

Nucleotide-Driven Molecular Sensing Of Monkeypox Virus Through Hierarchical Self-Assembly Of 2d Hafnium Disulfide Nanoplatelets And Gold Nanospheres, Parikshit Moitra, Maria Iftesum, David Skrodzki, Priyanka Paul, Elnaz Sheikh, Jennifer Lynn Gray, Ketan Dighe, Zach Sheffield, Manas Ranjan Gartia, Dipanjan Pan

Faculty Publications

Liquid interfaces facilitate the organization of nanometer-scale biomaterials with plasmonic properties suitable for molecular diagnostics. Using hierarchical assemblage of 2D hafnium disulfide nanoplatelets and zero-dimensional spherical gold nanoparticles, the design of a multifunctional material is reported. When the target analyte is present, the nanocomposites’ self-assembling pattern changes, altering their plasmonic response. Using monkeypox virus (MPXV) as an example, the findings reveal that adding genomic DNA to the nanocomposite surface increases the agglomeration between gold nanoparticles and decreases the π-stacking distance between hafnium disulfide nanoplatelets. Further, this self-assembled nanomaterial is found to have minimal cross-reactivity toward other pathogens and a limit …

An Investigation On The Resilience Of Long Short-Term Memory Deep Neural Networks, Christopher Vasquez

LSU Master's Theses

In a world of continuously advancing technology, the reliance on these technologies continues to increase. Recently, transformer networks [22] have been implemented through various projects such as ChatGPT. These networks are extremely computationally demanding and require cutting-edge hardware to explore. However, with the growing increase and popularity of these neural networks, a question of reliability and resilience comes about, especially as the dependency and research on these networks grow. Given the computational demand of transformer networks, we investigate the resilience of the weights and biases of the predecessor of these networks, i.e. the Long Short-Term (LSTM) neural network, through four …

Effectively Using The Hoffmeister Concerto To Give Violists Comprehensive Training In Classical Viola Technique, Kaichao Zhao

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This dissertation presents a three-stage learning process and curriculum for Franz Anton Hoffmeister's 1793 composition, the Hoffmeister Viola Concerto. The curriculum is meant to help students build a solid foundation and understanding of how to learn, practice, and master the viola. The three stages of the curriculum are (1) "RIB," which emphasizes the rhythmic components of the work; (2) "Musical," which highlights the emotional elements of performance; and (3) "Teaching," which teaches students how to teach themselves. The ultimate goal is for students to learn a comprehensive approach to help pupils quickly establish a learning and practice system. The …

Optimization Of The Self-Healing Efficiency Of Bacterial Concrete Using Impregnation Of Three Different Precursors Into Lightweight Aggregate, Omar Omar

LSU Master's Theses

Concrete is the most broadly used construction material; thus, developing sustainable concrete is essential to decrease greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from concrete production. Implementation of self-healing concrete technologies is a promising approach to enhance the durability and sustainability of the transportation infrastructure. Among these technologies, bacterial concrete has the potential to seal microcracks through microbial induced calcite precipitation (MICP). Bacterial protection is essential to ensure the viability of this technology due to concrete’s harsh environment. Additionally, the success of this technology depends on the presence of an adequate mineral precursor compound and nutrient for the bacteria. As such, the main …

Bovine Blastocyst-Like Structures Derived From Stem Cell Cultures, Carlos A. Pinzón-Arteaga, Yinjuan Wang, Yulei Wei, Ana E. Ribeiro Orsi, Leijie Li, Giovanna Scatolin, Lizhong Liu, Masahiro Sakurai, Jianfeng Ye, Hao Ming, Leqian Yu, Bo Li, Zongliang Jiang, Jun Wu

Faculty Publications

Understanding the mechanisms of blastocyst formation and implantation is critical for improving farm animal reproduction but is hampered by a limited supply of embryos. Here, we developed an efficient method to generate bovine blastocyst-like structures (termed blastoids) via assembling bovine trophoblast stem cells and expanded potential stem cells. Bovine blastoids resemble blastocysts in morphology, cell composition, single-cell transcriptomes, in vitro growth, and the ability to elicit maternal recognition of pregnancy following transfer to recipient cows. Bovine blastoids represent an accessible in vitro model for studying embryogenesis and improving reproductive efficiency in livestock species.

Navigating Political Discussions Online: The Role Safe Spaces Play In Women's Political Participation On Twitter, Ayla Oden

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study analyzes how women navigate political discussions online. Social media breeds high-conflict spaces where threats and incivility are more likely to persist. To avoid ad hominem attacks or harassment from online, male users, women may be more likely to use “safe spaces” online, including stereotypically feminine conversations regarding “women’s issues.” The purpose of this study is to analyze how women discuss politics online and whether there are differences in the issues discussed by men and women on Twitter. Using three studies, I examined these differences and their relationship to the threats women face online and their political behavior offline. …

Quantification Of How Mechanical Ventilation Influences The Airborne Infection Risk Of Covid-19 And Hvac Energy Consumption In Office Buildings, Zhihong Pang, Xing Lu, Zheng O’Neill

Faculty Publications

This paper presents an EnergyPlus-based parametric analysis to investigate the infection risk of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) under different mechanical ventilation scenarios for a typical medium-sized office building in various climate zones. A Wells-Riley (WR) based Gammaitoni-Nucci (GN) model was employed to quantitatively calculate the airborne infection risk. The selected parameters for the parametric analysis include the climate zone, outdoor air fraction, fraction of infectors, quanta generation rate, and exposure time. The loss and deposition of particles are not considered. The results suggest that the COVID-19 infection risk varies significantly with climate and season under different outdoor air fraction scenarios …

Rats Lacking Ucp1 Present A Novel Translational Tool For The Investigation Of Thermogenic Adaptation During Cold Challenge, Jaycob D. Warfel, Carrie M. Elks, David S. Bayless, Bolormaa Vandanmagsar, Allison C. Stone, Samuel E. Velasquez, Paola Olivares-Nazar, Robert C. Noland, Sujoy Ghosh, Jingying Zhang, Randall L. Mynatt

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Aim: Valuable studies have tested the role of UCP1 on body temperature maintenance in mice, and we sought to knockout Ucp1 in rats (Ucp1−/−) to provide insight into thermogenic mechanisms in larger mammals. Methods: We used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to create Ucp1−/− rats. Body weight and adiposity were measured, and rats were subjected to indirect calorimetry. Rats were maintained at room temperature or exposed to 4°C for either 24 h or 14 days. Analyses of brown and white adipose tissue and skeletal muscle were conducted via histology, western blot comparison of oxidative phosphorylation proteins, and qPCR to compare mitochondrial DNA levels …

Bayesian Order Constrained Adaptive Design For Phase Ii Clinical Trials Evaluating Subgroup-Specific Treatment Effect, Mu Shan, Beibei Guo, Hao Liu, Qian Li, Yong Zang

Faculty Publications

The “one-size-fits-all’’ paradigm is inappropriate for phase II clinical trials evaluating biotherapies, which are often expected to have substantial heterogeneous treatment effects among different subgroups defined by biomarker. For these biotherapies, the objective of phase II clinical trials is often to evaluate subgroup-specific treatment effects. In this article, we propose a simple yet efficient Bayesian adaptive phase II biomarker-guided design, referred to as the Bayesian-order constrained adaptive design, to detect the subgroup-specific treatment effects of biotherapies. The Bayesian order constrained adaptive design combines the features of the enrichment design and sequential design. It starts with a “all-comers” stage, and subsequently …

Stakeholder Perceptions About Incorporating Externalities And Vulnerability Into Benefit–Cost Analysis Tools For Watershed Flood Risk Mitigation, Thomas H. Douthat, Fahmida Akhter, Rachelle Sanderson, Jerrod Penn

Faculty Publications

Multi-scalar climate hazards in watersheds and growing consideration regarding equity call for innovation in how agencies evaluate and prioritize mitigation and adaptation projects. Benefit–Cost Analysis (BCA) is one approach that is increasingly being applied to decision-making (i.e., FEMA BCA toolkit), but that has not been applied to watershed and equity-based flood management initiatives. This paper addresses this topic and presents a case study evaluating projects for watershed flood and climate mitigation projects by the Louisiana Watershed Initiative (Louisiana, USA). Through semi-structured interviews with stakeholders and practitioners, we found that BCA tool design must be embedded in the program and policy …

Developing Regional Soil Micronutrient Management Strategies Through Ensemble Learning Based Digital Soil Mapping, Shubhadip Dasgupta, Santonu Debnath, Ayan Das, Asim Biswas, David C. Weindorf, Bin Li, Arvind Kumar Shukla, Shreya Das, Sushanta Saha, Somsubhra Chakraborty

Faculty Publications

Mapping of soil micronutrient variability is critical for improving agronomic biofortification. This study used 1778 surface soil samples collected from four agro-climatic regions of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of India to produce digital soil maps of available Zn, Cu, Fe, and Mn using 52 environmental covariates at a resolution of 150 m. The micronutrient prediction accuracy was compared for 14 machine learning approaches and their ensemble model. The hybrid ensemble model outperformed all 14 base learners and was subsequently used for producing micronutrient maps. All four micronutrients exhibited sufficient spatial variability. Both available Zn and Fe maps exhibited lower prediction uncertainties. …

Mathematics Library News, Aaron Lercher

Faculty Publications

Mathematics Library News is an LSU Libraries newsletter for members of the Mathematics and Experimental Statistics Departments, published roughly once each semester.

Landscape Characteristics And Predation Risk Influence Spatial Variation In Auditory Courtship Of An Upland Game Bird, Patrick H. Wightman, James A. Martin, Michel T. Kohl, Emily Rushton, Bret A. Collier, Michael J. Chamberlain

Faculty Publications

Context: Numerous wildlife species use a polygynous mating system, where males use auditory courtship behaviors to secure breeding opportunities. The acoustic adaptation hypothesis, risk reward, and landscape of fear theories suggest spatial variation in male auditory courtship will be influenced by areas in landscapes where sound transmission is increased, and predation risk is reduced. However, it is often unclear what landscape features drive spatial variation in courtship behaviors. Objectives: We quantified the influence of predation risk, land cover type, and resource selection on spatial trends in the auditory courtship behavior (gobbling activity) of Eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris). Methods: …

Niche Specialization And Community Niche Space Increase With Species Richness In Filter-Feeder Assemblages, Irene Sánchez González, Garrett W. Hopper, Jamie R. Bucholz, Megan E. Kubala, Jeffrey D. Lozier, Carla L. Atkinson

Faculty Publications

Ecological theory posits that higher species richness should be associated with greater exploitation of resources and niche packing resulting from either increasing species niche overlap or specialization of species' niches. Research evaluating niche theory in animals tends to focus on organisms among functional feeding guilds, while resource partitioning might be more critical within functional groups. Freshwater mussels (Family: Unionidae) are a diverse and imperiled group of animals that are ideal models to test niche occupancy due to their functional similarity as filter-feeders and their occurrence in spatially and temporally stable multispecies aggregations. We evaluated the relationship between species richness and …

Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Substance Use Disorders Among Psychiatric Inpatients In A Medically Underserved Area: An Intervention For Opioid Misuse, Julia D. Buckner, Caroline R. Scherzer, Kathleen A. Crapanzano, Paige E. Morris

Faculty Publications

Objectives: Opioid misuse is a serious public health concern, yet few people seek treatment for this condition. Hospitals may be one opportunity to identify those with opioid misuse and to teach them skills to help manage their opioid misuse upon discharge. We tested the relationship between opioid misuse status and motivation to change substance use among patients admitted with substance misuse to an inpatient psychiatric unit in a medically underserved area in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who attended at least 1 group session of motivation enhancement therapy combined with cognitive behavioral therapy (MET-CBT) from January 29, 2020, through March 10, 2022. …

The Social Correlates To Callous-Unemotional Traits In A Sample Of High School Students, Carolina Facci, Enrico Imbimbo, Federica Stefanelli, Enrica Ciucci, Andrea Guazzini, Andrea Baroncelli, Paul J. Frick

Faculty Publications

Callous-Unemotional (CU) traits are strongly related to early-onset and severe levels of conduct problems. However, much less research has focused on their association with potential problems in adolescents’ social relationships. Further, it is important to determine if CU traits explain variance in important social variables, independent of conduct problems or general personality dimensions related to sociability, like agreeableness. In the current study, we examined the association of CU traits with a range of social variables in a community sample of Italian adolescents (N = 563; 460 girls; mean age = 15.80, SD = 1.50). Measures for the social variables included …

Effect Of Sleep Restriction On Insulin Sensitivity And Energy Metabolism In Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized Crossover Trial, Prachi Singh, Robbie A. Beyl, Jacqueline M. Stephens, Robert C. Noland, Allison J. Richard, Anik Boudreau, R. Caitlin Hebert, Eric Ravussin, Josiane L. Broussard, Marie Pierre St-Onge, Kara L. Marlatt

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sleep restriction (SR) on insulin sensitivity and energy metabolism in postmenopausal women. Methods: In a randomized crossover trial, 14 women underwent four nights of habitual sleep (HS, 100% normal sleep) and SR (60% of HS) while following a eucaloric diet. Outcomes included the following: (1) insulin sensitivity by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp, defined as the glucose infusion rate (GIR); (2) resting metabolism and substrate oxidation by indirect calorimetry; and (3) glucose, insulin, and C-peptide concentrations following a standard meal test. Results: Nine postmenopausal women (mean [SD], age 59 [4] years, …

Tnfα Effects On Adipocytes Are Influenced By The Presence Of Lysine Methyltransferases, G9a (Ehmt2) And Glp (Ehmt1), Ashley A. Able, Allison J. Richard, Jacqueline M. Stephens

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Impaired adipocyte function contributes to systemic metabolic dysregulation, and altered fat mass or function increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes. EHMTs 1 and 2 (euchromatic histone lysine methyltransferases 1 and 2), also known as the G9a-like protein (GLP) and G9a, respectively, catalyze the mono- and di-methylation of histone 3 lysine 9 (H3K9) and also methylate nonhistone substrates; in addition, they can act as transcriptional coactivators independent of their methyltransferase activity. These enzymes are known to contribute to adipocyte development and function, and in vivo data indicate a role for G9a and GLP in metabolic disease states; however, the mechanisms …

Learning About Our Vices From Devices: A Model Of Individual Learning With An Application To Consumer Food Waste, Danyi Qi, Brian E. Roe, John W. Apolzan, Corby K. Martin

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

We formulate an empirical learning model suitable for understanding individual behavioral responses to personal devices and sensors. We estimate this model using data collected about personal decisions of food selection, intake, and waste during a study in which users photographed their meal selections and plate waste over the course of a week with a cell phone. We found substantial learning-by-doing effects in plate-waste reduction: Those who document greater plate waste in their photographs waste less on subsequent days. Further, we identified that participants reduced plate waste by learning to eat more rather than by learning to select less food.

Latino Paradox Or Black Exception? Race, Ethnicity, And Crime In The 21st Century, Edward S. Shihadeh, Raymond E. Barranco

Faculty Publications

George Floyd’s murder by a Minnesota police officer sparked outrage, protests, and a re-evaluation of racial inequities in America. Within criminology, we argue, that re-evaluation should include the Latino Paradox, the idea that Latino communities are an exception—a paradox—in that, while they face economic deprivation, they also possess a magical something that makes them resistant to social problems like crime. Unfortunately, this compels the more delicate question; what is the deficiency in Black communities that makes them so vulnerable to crime? However, as we argue here, the Latino Paradox forces a false comparison. Its assumptions with respect to crime are …

Cereal Rye Cover Crop Seeding Method, Seeding Rate, And Termination Timing Effects Corn Development And Seedling Disease, Fernando M. Marcos, Jyotsna Acharya, Md Rasel Parvej, Alison E. Robertson, Mark A. Licht

Faculty Publications

Cover crops decrease nutrient leaching from high-input cropping systems and improve soil quality. In Iowa, cereal rye (CR, Secale cereale L.) is the most adopted species due to its winter hardiness, high biomass productivity, and low cost. Field management of CR is still not completely understood, and as its adoption brings more complexity to farmers, especially with the uncertain effects on corn (Zea mays L.) yields, adoption is slow. Additionally, cover crops immobilize N and increase the inoculum of pathogens such as Pythium spp. A 2-year field experiment was conducted at three locations in Iowa investigating the effect of two …

Amazonian Birds In More Dynamic Habitats Have Less Population Genetic Structure And Higher Gene Flow, Oscar Johnson, Camila C. Ribas, Alexandre Aleixo, Luciano N. Naka, Michael G. Harvey, Robb T. Brumfield

Faculty Publications

Understanding the factors that govern variation in genetic structure across species is key to the study of speciation and population genetics. Genetic structure has been linked to several aspects of life history, such as foraging strategy, habitat association, migration distance, and dispersal ability, all of which might influence dispersal and gene flow. Comparative studies of population genetic data from species with differing life histories provide opportunities to tease apart the role of dispersal in shaping gene flow and population genetic structure. Here, we examine population genetic data from sets of bird species specialized on a series of Amazonian habitat types …

Effect Of Exercise Training On Insulin-Stimulated Glucose Disposal: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Controlled Trials, Candida J. Rebello, Dachuan Zhang, John P. Kirwan, Adam C. Lowe, Carlante J. Emerson, Chelsea L. Kracht, Lori C. Steib, Frank L. Greenway, William D. Johnson, Justin C. Brown

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Background and objective: The effect of exercise training on whole-body insulin sensitivity has not been systematically summarized. We aimed to summarize the data from randomized controlled trials evaluating the effect of exercise training on insulin action, in adults. Subjects: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL databases were searched until January 2021. Randomized controlled trials lasting ≥4 weeks, including adults, and evaluating the effect of exercise on insulin-stimulated glucose disposal measured using the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp, were included. Methods: Three reviewers extracted summary data from published trials. The primary outcome was insulin-stimulated glucose disposal. Standardized weighted mean differences (SMD) in glucose disposal between …

Pineapple Mealybug Wilt-Associated Viruses 1, 2, And 3 Are Associated With Mealybug Wilt Disease Of Pineapple In Peru, Emerson Clovis Carrasco-Lozano, Gabriela Angela Carrillo-Ordóñez, Delia Gamarra-Gamarra, Gilberto Torres-Suarez, Charo Milagros Villar, Claudia Stange, Rodrigo A. Valverde

Faculty Publications

Mealybug wilt of pineapple (MWP) is the most important disease of pineapple worldwide. During the months of September and November 2020, pineapple production fields of the cultivar Hawaiiana and hybrid MD-2 in Satipo and Chanchamayo provinces of Peru, showed typical symptoms of MWP. Based on symptoms, the disease incidence level ranged between 70 and 90%. Symptomatic and asymptomatic foliar samples were collected and tested by RT-PCR using primers specific for pineapple mealybug wilt virus (PMWaV) 1, 2, and 3. Selected amplified fragments were sequenced and analyzed with bioinformatics tools. PMWaV-1, 2, and 3 were detected in symptomatic samples of both …

The Cospar Planetary Protection Requirements For Space Missions To Venus, María Paz Zorzano, Karen Olsson-Francis, Peter T. Doran, Petra Rettberg, Athena Coustenis, Vyacheslav Ilyin, Francois Raulin, Omar Al Shehhi, Frank Groen, Olivier Grasset, Akiko Nakamura, Olga Prieto Ballesteros, Silvio Sinibaldi, Yohey Suzuki, Praveen Kumar, Gerhard Kminek, Niklas Hedman, Masaki Fujimoto, Maxim Zaitsev, Alex Hayes, Jing Peng, Eleonora Ammannito, Christian Mustin, Kanyan Xu

Faculty Publications

The Committee on Space Research's (COSPAR) Planetary Protection Policy states that all types of missions to Venus are classified as Category II, as the planet has significant research interest relative to the processes of chemical evolution and the origin of life, but there is only a remote chance that terrestrial contamination can proliferate and compromise future investigations. "Remote chance" essentially implies the absence of environments where terrestrial organisms could survive and replicate. Hence, Category II missions only require simplified planetary protection documentation, including a planetary protection plan that outlines the intended or potential impact targets, brief Pre- and Post-launch analyses …