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Development Of Novel Liquid Chromatography-Electrospray Tandem Mass Spectrometry Approaches For The Structural Characterization Of Brevetoxins Including In Vitro Metabolites, Weiqun Wang

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Brevetoxins are natural neurotoxins that are produced by “red tide” algae. In this study, brevetoxin-1 and brevetoxin-2 were incubated with rat liver hepatocytes and rat liver microsomes, respectively. After clean-up steps, samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry (LC-ES-MS). Two metabolites were found for brevetoxin-1: brevetoxin-1-M1 (MW 900 Da), formed by converting one double bond in the E or F ring into a diol; and brevetoxin-1-M2 (MW 884 Da), a hydrolysis product of brevetoxin-1 involving opening of the lactone ring. The incubation study of brevetoxin-2 found two metabolites. Brevetoxin-2-M1 (MW 912 Da) was elucidated by negative mode LC-MS/MS to …

A Periodic Technique For Measuring Thermal Properties Of Thin Samples, Garrett May

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

We present a periodic technique for measuring the thermal conductivity and diffusivity of thin samples simultaneously. In samples of this type, temperature measurements must be made across the sample faces and are therefore subject to large error due to the interface resistance between the temperature sensor and the sample. The technique uses measurements of the amplitude and phase of the periodic temperature across both a reference sample and the unknown material at several different frequencies. Modeling of the heat flow in the sample allows the simultaneous determination of the thermal parameters of the sample as well as the interface resistance. …

Natural History Of The Pichi (Zaedyus Pichiy) In Mendoza Province, Argentina, Mariella Superina

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The pichi Zaedyus pichiy (Xenarthra, Dasypodidae) is a poorly known, diurnal armadillo inhabiting arid and semi-arid regions of Argentina and Chile that has endured substantial population declines. My objective was to elucidate different aspects of the natural history of Z. pichiy as a first step towards establishing a conservation plan. Wild and captive pichis were studied. Body temperature of wild pichis averaged 35.2±1.2 °C and was highly variable (range 32.2 – 38.3 °C). Temperature measurements of semi-captive males showed that pichis can survive energetically challenging periods by entering hibernation or daily torpor. Stomach contents of poached animals revealed that pichis …

Microstructural Investigations Of The Layered Cathode Materials Licoo2 And Lini1/3mn1/3co1/3o2, Tanghong Yi

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Both LiCoO2 and LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 layered cathode materials are investigated in our studies. P3 phase of CoO2, the end member of the LixCoO2, is found in both chemically and electrochemically delithiated materials. Delithiated LixCoO2 specimens decompose into fine Co3O4 and LiCoO2 particles starting at around 200 °C. This decomposing reaction is proved by in-situ X-ray diffraction and in-situ transmission electron microscopy investigations. The structures of pristine and cycled LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 are investigated by electron diffraction. Single and polycrystalline crystals are found in this material. The partial substitution of Co by Ni and Mn in LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 opens up the possibility of different cation …

The Hydraulic Spline: Comparisons Of Existing Surface Modeling Techniques And Development Of A Spline-Based Approach For Hydrographic And Topographic Surface Modeling, Maik Flanagin

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Creation of accurate and coherent surface models is vital to the effective planning and construction of flood control and hurricane protection projects. Typically, topographic surface models are synthesized from Delaunay triangulations or interpolated raster grids. Although these techniques are adequate in most general situations, they do not effectively address the specific case where topographic data is available only as cross-section and profile centerline data, such as the elevation sampling produced by traditional hydrographic surveys. The hydraulic spline algorithm was developed to generate irregular two-dimensional channel grids from hydrographic cross-sections at any desired resolution. Hydraulic spline output grids can be easily …

Disaster Response System, Shiquan Fu

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

With integration of geospatial information system into a conventional information system a basic disaster response information system is implemented. The result is a report on various useful technologies and software engineering methodologies that could be utilized to implement a preliminary system, which in turn clarifies many uncertainties and surprises that are typical of many such systems. The foundations of my project include the Unified Process of software development, the relational data models, the decision tree technique, class design principles such as the MVC pattern.

Assessment Of Growth Response And Patterns Of Biomass Allocation By Panicum Hemitomon Schultes: Implications For Thick-Mat Floating Marsh Creation And Restoration, C. Ellery Mayence

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

I carried out several large, manipulative greenhouse and controlled-setting experiments to elucidate Panicum hemitomon growth response as influenced by environmental conditions associated with restoring thick-mat floating marsh. Initially, Panicum hemitomon growth response was assessed in conjunction with manipulated nutrient availability and hydrology. Next, I assessed Panicum hemitomon growth response in conjunction with a suite of substrate and mat or containment materials. Finally, I evaluated Panicum hemitomon growth response, as well as overall created floating marsh vegetated development, using both a multi-species planting approach and a suite of Panicum hemitomon establishment techniques. All partitions of Panicum hemitomon biomass (shoot, rhizome, and …

Sandra Day O'Connor: Moderate Or Something More?, Patricia Arceneaux

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In 2006 an historic era of the Supreme Court came to a close with the retirement of its first female justice, Sandra Day O'Connor. This paper attempts to expand judicial behavior scholarship by examining O'Connor's policy preferences for possible ideological change during her twenty-five year tenure on the Court. Average liberalism scores for her overall and civil rights/civil liberties issue area votes show an increase in liberalism over time. The researcher employs time series cross section analysis with panel corrected standard errors to determine factors responsible for this increase. Issue change, interagreement with the other justices, changes in Court membership, …

Magneto-Optical Study Of Cobalt Ferrite Nanoparticles, Byron L. Scott

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

A magneto-optical study of CoxFe1-xFe2O4 nanoparticles is presented, with cobalt molar ratio 0.x.1. The ferrite nanoparticles were produced using a generic wet-chemical synthesis procedure. Stoichiometric amounts of Fe2+, Fe3+ and Co2+ salts are dissolved in a non-aqueous polar medium (diethylene glycol). A coprecipitation reaction with sodium hydroxide produces ferrite nanoparticles with average diameter of 6 nm. The nanoparticles can be stabilized by tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide in water, or, alternatively, the nanoparticles can be treated with a hydrophobic capping ligand with a carboxylic acid or amine head group and suspended in a non-polar organic solvent. As a complete structural analysis of …

Executive Dysfunction Following Traumatic Brain Injury And Factors Related To Impairment, Jonathan Ord

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Deficits in executive function are commonly reported following Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and are important for establishing functional impairments. Understanding the nature of executive dysfunction following TBI is often complicated by secondary factors that can impact measured ability. This study sought to clarify the persistent effects of TBI on executive function, as measured by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), while accounting for effort given during testing, as measured by the Portland Digit Recognition Test. Results suggested a dose-response relationship between TBI severity and subsequent WCST deficits. Mild TBI patients who provided good effort during testing showed no observable differences …

U.S.-Austrian Relations In The Pre-Anschluss Period: Fdr's Unwillingness For War, John S. Berteau

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This paper evaluates the United States' decision not to come to Austria's aid prior to and during the Anschluss of 12 March 1938. The uniqueness of this work is the two-front evaluation of both the internal/domestic affairs of the United States and the foreign policy of the US Government vis-à-vis Hitler's aggressive foreign policy. As this paper will show, Anschluss might have been prevented, but at a cost neither the United States nor European powers were willing to pay. The domestic situation in the United States was too fragile, as was the lack of public support for war for FDR …

To Whom Much Is Given, Rachel Trujillo

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Lsuno Workshop Theatre: The Little Theatre That Could, Pamela Graham Tanner

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This brief history of the Workshop Theatre at Louisiana State University in New Orleans (LSUNO -- now UNO) relates events that played an important part in defining the racial integration of all student extracurricular activities at the university and the genesis of the current University of New Orleans (UNO) Department of Film, Theatre, and Communication Arts, during the period between the early 1950s and the early 1970s. The origin of the university is discussed briefly to inform the reader about the university's origin, its location, and how racial integration was advanced by actions at the Workshop Theatre. The remainder of …

An Investigation Of Factors Identified By Novice Teachers That Influence Performance On Standardized Assessments And Teacher Performance, Donna Odom Lacaze

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Entry in the teaching profession is often dependent on a number of steps or phases involving standardized assessments and performance assessments. The relationships between and among the variables incorporated in such instruments are typically assumed, but not necessarily substantiated. Furthermore, the relationships between the variables assessed and factors involved in teacher preparation have not been investigated. This study was designed to investigate the nature of such relationships in one particular case. In the spring of 1997, the Louisiana legislature changed the Louisiana Teacher Assessment Program to create the Louisiana Teacher Assistance and Assessment Program (LaTAAP). LaTAAP is a uniform statewide …

Fighting The Lethargy: Creating The Role Of Masha In Anton Chekhov's The Three Sisters, Lisa Picone

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This thesis serves as documentation of my efforts to define accurately my creative process as an actor in creating the role of Masha in The Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov. This includes research, character analysis, rehearsal journal and an evaluation of my performance. The Three Sisters was produced by the University of New Orleans Department of Film, Theatre and Communication Arts in New Orleans, Louisiana. The play was performed in the Thrust Theatre of the Performing Arts Center at 8:00 pm on the evenings of April 19 through 21 and April 26 through 28, with one matinee at 2:30 pm …

African-American Legislators Post-Katrina: Race, Representation, And Voting Rights Issues In The Louisiana House, William T. Hoston

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Since the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), the number of African- Americans competing for and holding state legislative offices has increased significantly. Their growth is most notable in southern state legislatures. A growing number of studies have been devoted to African-Americans in these state legislatures. Absent from previous studies is a comprehensive analysis of African-Americans in the Louisiana state legislature. In 2007 there were a total of 32 African-American legislators. Louisiana ranks among other states with the highest number, 32, and percentage, 22, of African-American legislators. Yet, despite their relatively large presence few scholarly studies have …

Capital Regulation, Risk-Taking, Bank Lending And Depositor Discipline, Mohammed Ershad Hussain

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation we investigate different aspects of capital regulations and their impact on the behavior of commercial banks. In chapter two, we foucs on the impact of capital regulations on risk-taking of commercial banks in developed and developoing countries separately and togahter. We find that such regulations indeed reduce the risk taking of commercial banks. At the same time, we examine the relationship between capital ratios and risk taking. In line with previous literature, we find that this ratio is negative also. Further examinations including the degree of liberalization and the level of finanicl development did not yield conclusive …

Frequency Estimation Using Time-Frequency Based Methods, Cuong Mai

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Any periodic signal can be decomposed into a sum of oscillating functions. Traditionally, cosine and sine segments have been used to represent a single period of the periodic signal (Fourier Series). In more general cases, each of these functions can be represented by a set of spectral parameters such as its amplitude, frequency, phase, and the variability of its instantaneous spectral components. The accuracy of these parameters depends on several processing variables such as resolution, noise level, and bias of the algorithm used. This thesis presents some background of existing frequency estimation techniques and proposes a new technique for estimating …

Synthesis And Evaluation Of Novel Tropane Compounds As Potential Therapeutics For Drug Abuse, Harneet Kaur

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In an effort to search for potential therapeutic agents for cocaine addiction, a novel class of compounds was synthesized and evaluated for in vitro dopamine and serotonin transporter affinities. These unique 3ƒÀ-aryl-3ƒ¿-arylmethoxytropane analogues incorporated the structure of dopamine selective 2-substituted-3-phenyltropanes and the design of serotonin selective meperidine derivatives. In general, the 3ƒÀ-aryl-3ƒ¿-arylmethoxytropane analogues exhibited greater potency for the serotonin transporter than the dopamine transporter. The most potent compounds of this series were 3ƒÀ-phenyl-3ƒ¿.(3, 4-dichlorophenyl)methoxy-8.azabicyclo [3.2.1]nortropane (Ki = 0.06 nM) and 3ƒÀ-(4Œ-chlorophenyl)-3ƒ¿.(4-chlorophenyl)methoxy-8. azabicyclo[3.2.1]nortropane (Ki = 0.09 nM) at the serotonin transporter and their binding affinities were equipotent with paroxetine and fluoxetine …

Applying Grid-Partitioning To The Architecture Of The Disaster Response Mitigation (Disarm) System, Aline Vogt

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The need for a robust system architecture to support software development is well known. In enterprise software development, this must be realized in a multi-tier environment for deployment to a software framework. Many popular integrated development environment (IDE) tools for component-based frameworks push multi-tier partitioning by assisting developers with convenient code generation tools and software deployment tools which package the code. However, if components are not packaged wisely, modifying and adding components becomes difficult and expensive. To help manage change, vertical partitioning can be applied to compartmentalize components according to function and role, resulting in a grid partitioning. This thesis …

Such A Lot Of World, Julian Zabalbeascoa

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Such a Lot of World is a collection of stories, essays, and vignettes that highlight various moments in the author´s life when he was traipsing across this planet of ours. The majority of these moments occur in Spain—a sad realization for the author, for he has visited many countries and very much so wanted to appear better traveled than this collection of stories lets on. The reader will be left with the impression that the author spent his junior year of college in Spain, returned to Europe to backpack for five months, and then had a few other trips here …

Les Bon Temps, Todd Schrenk

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Les Bon Temps

is a collection of nine essays written about New Orleans between 2005 and 2007. Though not specifically about the effects of hurricane Katrina on the city, this collection provides a personal glimpse of post-Katrina New Orleans though the eyes of the author. The essays address subjects such as race relations, public protest, tap water quality, post-traumatic depression, energy monopolies, lifestyle, culture, and evacuation.

The Mississippi River Delta Basin And Why We Are Failing To Save Its Wetlands, Lon Boudreaux Jr.

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Every thousand years or so, when the Mississippi River's sediment load lengthened and blocked the River’s route to the Gulf of Mexico, the mother stream changed course completely, finding a shorter route to the sea. Then, it built a new delta, thus spreading the gift of land creation along a wide coastline and creating the bayou region of Louisiana. However, this ancient, natural process was gradually halted by the arrival of man who settled across the River's natural floodplain (delta) and constructed levees and other structures to control the great Mississippi River. Since the 1930s, the Mississippi River Delta Basin …

Developmental Pathways To Conduct Problems, Danielle Dandreaux

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This study tests the predictions made by several causal theories proposing different etiologies for childhood-onset and adolescent-onset conduct problems. It investigates a variety of causal factors proven to be important for the development of antisocial behaviors, specifically neuropsychological/cognitive deficits, temperamental vulnerabilities, dysfunctional parenting, deviant peers, and rebelliousness. Current theories generally agree that the early onset pathway is distinguished by interactions between a child with a difficult temperament and dysfunctional parent-child interactions. However, theories differ as to whether they emphasize the temperament and neurocognitive deficits of the child, or the parenting behaviors. In the adolescent onset pathway, theories typically focus on …

An Improved Model For Estimating Evaporation Over Lakes And Ponds, Ravi Praveen Eluripati

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study is to develop an improved method for calculating the evaporative energy that is being transferred from the surface of a pond or lake to the surrounding atmosphere. The energy balance method developed in this study is based on the equations, assumptions and empirical relations for conductive, convective and radiative energies that are developed by various researches at the air-water interface conducted in the past. This method is then tested with field data for verifying its correctness. The experiment was conducted on a 200-meter diameter and 9 meter deep fresh water pond. Water temperatures were measured …

Engineering Saccharomyces Ceresisiae For The Secretion Of An Extracellular Lipase, Gaynelle Stewart

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Developing microbial systems capable of converting low cost lipids into value added products depends on the ability to acquire substrates from the growth media. Saccharomyces cerevisiae can acquire free fatty acids from the growth media and a portion of these lipids can be converted into new lipid products. However, they cannot acquire complex lipids from the growth media unless a nonspecific lipase is included. To circumvent lipase addition, we are genetically engineering S. cerevisiae to secrete a lipase into the growth media. We selected the LIP2 gene from Yarrowia lipolytica, which encodes a nonspecific lipase. Several modifications were made to …

Regulation Of Volume By Spermatozoa And Its Significance For Conservation Biology, Jennifer Barfield

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Reproductive science plays an important role in conservation biology. Quantitative studies of basic reproductive biology in wildlife are critical for the development of successful assisted reproductive technologies. Investigation of the volume regulatory mechanism of spermatozoa could produce options to improve the cryopreservation of spermatozoa and provide a non-hormonal contraceptive option for men, both of which could have significant impacts on global biodiversity preservation. Volume regulation of somatic cells involves the movement of osmolytes through various channels, including potassium channels. The potassium channels involved in volume regulation of human, monkey, and murine spermatozoa were investigated. Flow cytometry was used to gauge …

Challenging Nonprofit Legal Services: Four Cases From New Orleans, 1970 - 2004, Louis Crust

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

During the past century, lawyers in New Orleans created a number of organizations to provide legal services for the poor, as lawyers did throughout the country. Most of those organizations provided routine service directly to individual clients and received quiet acceptance within the city and the state. However, more aggressive lawyers in other legal services offices engaged in law reform or challenged politically powerful interests. These offices found themselves embroiled in controversy and facing impediments that were placed in the way of their work. This dissertation introduces nonprofit legal services in New Orleans, but focuses on and investigates the experiences …

A New Method To Predict Vessel Capsizing In A Realistic Seaway, Srinivas Vishnubhotla

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

A recently developed approach, in the area of nonlinear oscillations, is used to analyze the single degree of freedom equation of motion of a oating unit (such as a ship) about a critical axis (such as roll). This method makes use of a closed form analytic solution, exact upto the rst order, and takes into account the the complete unperturbed (no damping or forcing) dynamics. Using this method very-large-amplitude nonlinear vessel motion in a random seaway can be analysed with techniques similar to those used to analyse nonlinear vessel motions in a regular (periodic) or random seaway. The practical result …

Essays On Real Estate Investment Trusts, Yunqing Wang

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The first essay of this dissertation investigates the relationship between downside risk and returns of real estate investment trusts (REITs) and assesses the performance of real estate mutual funds (REMFs). We measure the asymmetric risk through downside and upside betas and through the measures incorporated higher moments such as coskewness and Leland's beta. We do not find significant contemporary relationship between the asymmetric risk and returns of REITs. There are only a small portion of REITs reacting to up and down market conditions differently. We find weak evidence that this asymmetric movement of REITs to market may be due to …