Digital Commons Network^™

Simulations And Algorithms On Reconfigurable Meshes With Pipelined Optical Buses., Anu Goel Bourgeois

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Recently, many models using reconfigurable optically pipelined buses have been proposed in the literature. A system with an optically pipelined bus uses optical waveguides, with unidirectional propagation and predictable delays, instead of electrical buses to transfer information among processors. These two properties enable synchronized concurrent access to an optical bus in a pipelined fashion. Combined with the abilities of the bus structure to broadcast and multicast, this architecture suits many communication-intensive applications. We establish the equivalence of three such one-dimensional optical models, namely the LARPBS, LPB, and POB. This implies an automatic translation of algorithms (without loss of speed or …

Psychosocial Correlates Of Decision Certainty In Academic Major Selection Of College Students., Claire Bienvenu

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

This study explored relationships between several psychosocial variables and academic major decision certainty. Specifically, the study purpose was four-fold. First, this study attempted to expand the traditional conceptual framework for understanding academic major selection by creating a new construct of academic major decision certainty. Second, incorporated in this study was development of new instruments to measure academic major decision certainty, student academic self-appraisal, and student academic major self-efficacy motivation. Third, this study utilized social cognitive theory to better understand academic major decision certainty as a complex, multi-faceted construct. Finally, because the sample utilized in this Study extended to all subsets …

Systematics Of The Polymorphic North American Rat Snake (Elaphe Obsoleta)., Frank Thomas Burbrink

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The North American rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta) complex is composed of seven uniquely colored subspecies of E. obsoleta and the sister species E. bairdi. Maximum parsimony (MP) and maximum likelihood (ML) analysis of two mitochondrial DNA genes from 73 E. obsoleta and E. bairdi, produced well-supported trees that do not conform to the currently accepted subspecies. Both ML and MP trees were significantly shorter than the trees in which each subspecies was constrained to be monophyletic. The subspecies of E. obsoleta do not represent genetic lineages. Instead, molecular evidence revealed the existence of four well-supported mtDNA clades confined to particular …

The Southeastern Conference Coach: A Correlational Study Between Length Of Service And Team Performance., Jeanne Marie Boyd

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the influence of selected factors on the length of employment of athletic coaches at institutions in the Southeastern Conference. The study used three different populations in addressing the specific objectives of the study. The first and primary population in the study was defined the head coaches, the second population was defined as all member institutions of the Southeastern Conference, and the third population consisted of the individual sports that are supported by each institution and recognized by the Southeastern Conference. The instrument used to collect the data in this study was …

Comparative Biology And Ecology Of The Formosan Subterranean Termite, Coptotermes Formosanus Shiraki (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) In Louisiana., Huixin Fei

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

A laboratory study was conducted to investigate the effects of sibship patterns and different origins of colonies on mate mortality and growth of incipient colonies in the subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki. Primary reproductives from New Orleans in nonsibling pairs had significantly higher mortality than sibling pairs. The average egg production for sibling and nonsibling pairs showed no overall significance in the first oviposition period, however, the average number of larvae was consistently higher in nonsibling than in sibling-founded colonies from New Orleans. After two years, the average number of eggs or larvae present in nonsibling-founded colonies was significantly higher …

Activation And Metabolism Of P-Nitrosophenoland 2,2'-Thiobis-Ethanol By Horse Liver And Human Alcohol Dehydrogenase: Toxicological Implications., Billy Fred Dudley Jr

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

C-nitroso compounds are reactive intermediates in the toxic sequelae of nitroarene metabolism. Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) contributes significantly to NADH-dependent C-nitroso reduction by cytosol relative to NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase (NQOR). NADPH-dependent pNSP reduction by liver cytosol of ADH+ animals is mostly dicumarol-sensitive which implicates NQOR as the major NADPH-dependent activity. Although, extensive structural homology between horse and different isozymes of human ADH exist, significant differences occur within the active site, which account for great variability among substrate specificities, kinetic constants, and response to inhibitors. We have studied the metabolic activity of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase (HLADH), purified class I alphaalpha, beta …

Ships, Souls, And The Administration Of The Knights Of St. John In The Fourteenth Century., Mark S. Dupuy

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

For a variety of reasons, the history of crusading in the later middle ages (after c. 1300) has, until recently, been a topic largely ignored by historians. Acre, the last Christian outpost in Palestine, fell in 1291, and within twenty years, one of the major corporations associated with the crusading movement, the Knights Templar, came under attack and were ultimately suppressed as a religious order. With the lack of attention to the crusade in the later middle ages came a lack of attention to the 'crusading orders;' few historians chose to make either topic a focus of study, and many …

Comparison Of Biogeochemical Functions Between Restored And Natural Bottomland Hardwood Wetlands., Rachael Grimsley Hunter

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this research was to compare biogeochemical functions of restored and natural bottomland hardwood (BLH) wetlands to determine if re-establishment of hydrology and vegetation is equivalent to restoration of ecosystem function. Three wetland types were studied: natural BLH (NAT), restored with hydrology re-established (RWH), and restored without hydrology re-established (RWOH). Denitrification potential (DEA), soluble organic carbon (SOC), soil moisture, readily mineralizable carbon (RMC), and heterotrophic microbial activity were measured seasonally from 1997--99. Leaf litter mass, total carbon and nitrogen concentrations, moisture, and microbial activity were also measured at three soil depths in study wetlands. The effect of organic …

Characterization Of Low Dielectric Constant Pecvd Fluorinated Silicon Oxide Film And Its Application To Copper Metallization Using Tantalum As A Diffusion Barrier., Kihong Kim

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The reduction of RC time delay is critical in high speed and ultra density submicron devices. One of the ways to reduce RC time delay is to use fluorinated silicon oxide (SiOF) film as an intermetal dielectric material and Cu as an interconnect metal. In this study, the chemical and electrical properties of the SiOF films prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition were studied, then the optimized film was integrated with Cu using Ta as a diffusion barrier. The deposition of the SiOF films was made by incorporating CF4 as the fluorine source into the deposition process of SiO2 …

Manipulations Of Natural System Functions Within The Mississippi Delta: A Simulation-Modeling Study., Jay Franklin Martin

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation uses two estuarine spatial models and energy analysis of two river diversions within the Mississippi Delta to test the hypothesis that natural river inputs maximize marsh coverage and have net societal benefits. Substantial advancements including a higher resolution, variable time-step hydrodynamic module, a mass-balance sediment component, and a marsh colonization routine, distinguished the Mississippi Deltas Model (MDM) from the Barataria-Terrebonne Landscape Simulation Model (BTELSS). These advancements made the MDM capable of simulating the progradation of river deltas with varying river regimes. No Action Plans (NAP), simulated by both models, were used as a baseline of comparison for simulations …

Reconstruction Of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 5, "Adagietto" For Trombone And Piano., Yuri Murata

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study is to reconstruct Gustave Mahler's Symphony No.5, Adagietto, for trombone and piano and to discuss the procedure of the reconstruction. This paper is divided into four chapters. In the first chapter, there are three main introductory materials. First, definitions taken from different sources of the musical terms arrangement and transcription are given to show how inconsistently those two terms are used and to show why the writer decided to use a third term reconstruction. Second, a brief background on Mahler and his fifth symphony is provided. Third, the importance of comparing sources is discussed. In …

Narrative Structure And Characters In The Nanzi Stories Of Curacao: A Discourse Analysis., Joke Maaten Mondada

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation develops a new approach to the analysis of narratives by combining the analysis of narrative structure and character analysis. Through the in-depth analysis of two stories of a collection of 32 Nanzi stories (from Curacao), which are spider/trickster stories in Papiamentu, I develop a method to analyze the structure of the Nanzi stories. My method is based on the determination of narrative division into (1) episodes, organized as macro-propositions under a macro-structure (Van Dijk 1982; 1992); (2) different sections (six), based on narrative and free clauses (Labov 1972); and, (3) major events (Barthes 1975; Chatman 1978). By applying …

Rhetoric, Prudence, And The "Morrill Act" Of 1862., Jason Brian Munsell

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The Morrill Act was the political telos of numerous rhetorical messages calling for pedagogical changes in higher education. This study examines the role of prudence in four of them. The method is a mode of textual criticism that attempts to capture the bifurcated sense of rhetorical invention: The immediate rhetorical situation, and the cultural grammar that constrains the rhetor performatively. The author illustrates how the relevant rhetorical strategies/gestures within each text and the text's textual context pointed to a certain conception of prudence. Historically, the author argues that the struggles between different notions of prudence impacted political, pedagogical action. Theoretically, …

The Effect Of Negative Events And Firm Responses On Brand Associations, Organizational Associations, And Brand Evaluations., Chris Patrick Pullig

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation examines the impact of negative events and firm responses to such events on an associative network of brand knowledge; key consumer brand and organizational associations, risk perceptions, and brand response variables. To accomplish this objective the issue of how negative event information is integrated with an existing brand/organizational image was assessed within the framework of a consumer-brand relationship. Two between-subjects experiments were conducted using adult consumers as subjects. In Study One, negative events were found to affect associations linked to the brand and limit the brand's ability to fulfill the consumer-brand relationship. Two types of events were identified, …

A Method To Discriminate Species From Hydroacoustic Fish Sampling Systems., Rui De Paula E Silva

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Samples of species and size composition obtained by trawling were matched with the corresponding echo-distributions from two hydroacoustic and trawl surveys in the western Indian Ocean, off Mozambique, and in two surveys in the northern Gulf of Mexico. In the Mozambique surveys, a Simrad EY-M echosounder was used and the data was analyzed by applying the Craig & Forbes algorithm. In the Gulf of Mexico surveys, a BioSonics Dual-beam System (Model 102 echosounder, ESP echo-integrator, and ESP dual-beam processor) was used. The results obtained show that, provided that a particular hydroacoustic and trawl sample yielded a stable size-distribution of the …

A Matter Of Life And Death: Jose Maria Arguedas, Mario Vargas Llosa, And The Postmodern Condition., Lynn Marie Walford

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Despite all that has been written in recent years on the subject of literary postmodernism, theorists and critics have yet to arrive at a consensus about the meaning of the term. In the context of Latin America, the theoretical disagreement is given an added dimension by an ongoing debate over whether the notion of postmodernism, in any of its manifestations, is relevant to contemporary Latin American letters. This study maintains that at least some of the issues raised in the debate over postmodernism are not only relevant, but crucial to an understanding of the many complex worlds of Latin America …

General Studies In Mass Spectrometry. Part A: Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization (Maldi) Analysis Of Oligonucleotides. Part B: Electrospray Ionization (Esi) Studies Of Metalloporphyrins., Victor Ewell Vandell

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The application of mass spectrometry for the analysis of biomolecules and metalloporphyrins is the aim of the work presented within this document. Part A of this document addresses the use of Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-MS) for the analysis of oligonucleotides. The goal of Part A is to develop a better understanding of the matrix/analyte relationship in the condensed phase required for MALDI analysis of oligonucleotides. Part A also focuses on the employment of novel co-matrices to help improve oligonucleotide mass resolution and ion abundance. The objectives for Part B was to study the use of Electrospray Ionization (ESI) …

Karel Husa's Concerto For Alto Saxophone And Concert Band: A Performer's Analysis., Kevin Robert Burns

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Concert Band by Karel Husa is regarded as one of the great wind concertos of the 20th century. It is an atonal composition with an unusual and complex rhythmic language. In and of itself analysis is a creative and intellectual endeavor. It also can give the performer a deeper understanding of the piece so that he or she can give a better performance. This paper is the first analysis of Husa's concerto to use Allen Forte's set theory method of melodic and harmonic analysis. The rhythm analysis is unique in that it recognizes the philosophical …

Selected Songs Of Dinos Constantinides (B. 1929)., Leonard Earl Day

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Dr. Dinos Constantinides, a prolific composer of Greek origin whose works are performed throughout the world, is Boyd Professor of Music and Coordinator of Composition Studies at the Louisiana State University School of Music. His music has received many awards, including first prize in the 1981 Brooklyn College International Chamber Opera Competition, the 1985 First Midwest Chamber Opera Conference, and the 1997 Delius Composition Contest. Dr. Dinos Constantinides writes Twentieth-Century contemporary music that is fresh, passionate, and deserves to be heard by a broader public. The purpose of this document is to better acquaint the reader with the composer, Dr. …

Effects Of Microstructure And Crystallographic Texture On Yield Behavior Of Aluminum-Copper-Lithium 2195 Plate., Karen Elizabeth Crosby

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The focus of this research is to study the effects of deformation and aging on the yield behavior of precipitation-hardened Al-Cu-Li alloys, specifically AI-Cu-Li 2195 plate. Al-Cu-Li 2195 is a relatively new and exceptionally strong, yet lightweight aluminum alloy. Experimental methods applicable to mechanical/structural engineering and materials science problems provide the means for understanding the interrelation of deformation, microstructure, and crystal orientation (texture) as they affect the mechanical properties of crystalline materials. Yield strength is a vital mechanical property in that it defines the boundary of stress that may be applied to a part before a permanent, in some cases, …

The Effects Of Equine Somatotropin (Est) On Reproductive Function In The Domestic Mare., Richard Anthony Cochran

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The effects of somatotropin on ovarian reproductive function has become a keen research area in mammalian species over the past decade. However, to date, very little information is available as to the effects of somatotropin administration on reproduction in the domestic mare. Therefore, the purpose of these experiments was (1) to determine the potential effects (if any) of administration of exogenous equine somatotropin on ovarian follicular development and plasma and follicular fluid hormone concentrations in cyclic and noncyclic mares, (2) to determine the mechanism(s) of action of somatotropin treatment on these parameters in the mare, (3) to develop an efficient …

Third -Party Organization Endorsement Of Products: An Advertising Cue Affecting Consumer Pre-Purchase Evaluation Of Goods And Services., Dwane Hal Dean

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Observation of advertising in current use suggests that a new type of ad is emerging as a product positioning tool. The new ad features third-party organization (TPO) product endorsement as one of the elements of the ad (e.g. "Car of the Year" award by Motor Trend magazine, and "4-star" mutual fund rating from Morningstar). Marketers appear to be using favorable TPO statements about their products to enact their positioning strategy. This dissertation proposed that TPO endorsements are perceived by consumers as extrinsic quality cues, similar to the established quality cues of brand, price, retailer reputation, and warranty. This proposition was …

Shihō Ni Nani O Nozomu Ka [What I Desire For The Justice System], Daniel H. Foote

Articles

Explanatory Note: In 1999, the Japanese government established the Justice System Reform Council and charged that Council with “clarifying the role to be played by justice in Japanese society” and examining and deliberating measures necessary to realize an appropriate system. The Council met from 1999 through 2001. In its final report it recommended major reforms to numerous aspects of the justice system, many of which were achieved (including the enactment of over twenty significant pieces of legislation, along with a wide range of reforms that did not require legislative action). In 2000, as the Reform Council was embarking work on …

Why Lawyers Have Often Worn Strange Clothes, Claimed To Work For Free--And Been Hated, Hugh D. Spitzer

Articles

Why have lawyers and judges always adorned themselves in ancient regalia? Obviously, they must symbolically transform themselves from private individuals into "law speakers" for the community. They become tools of a longstanding legal system, and special clothes offer clues to others (and reminders to themselves) that they have special responsibilities, both to their clients and to the community at large. The "retro" clothes that lawyers and judges wear also remind everyone that law is old that it isn't meant to change rapidly, and that it offers stability and predictability in a changing world.

The Most Creative Moments In The History Of Environmental Law: "The Whats", William H. Rodgers, Jr.

Articles

In preparation for this symposium piece, Professor Rodgers asked a number of his colleagues active in the field of environmental law to identify what they considered to be the most creative moments in the history of environmental law. He gave no specific instructions with his request other than providing a definition of what he considered to be a creative moment: "A legal initiative that advances environmental law with a new level of analysis, new structure, or new institutional bridge. "

This article is a compilation of the numerous responses the author received. The responses formulate a detailed and informative description …

Patent Infringement Damages In Japan And The United States: Will Increased Patent Infringement Damage Awards Revive The Japanese Economy?, Toshiko Takenaka

Articles

This Article will look at the impact of the new Japanese legislation on patent infringement damages and will discuss whether the increase in damage awards contributes to the creation of breakthrough technology. To understand this impact, Part I will discuss pre-1998 legislation damages and highlight the difference between damages awarded by United States courts and those awarded by Japanese courts, by comparing United States and Japanese case examples. In examining the general tort and patent law theories, Part I will also try to identify the source of the difference and discuss how this difference is reflected in current United States …

Financing Clinical Research And Experimental Therapies: Payment Due, But From Whom?, Patricia C. Kuszler

Articles

This article will explore the realm of clinical research and the question of who should finance such research. The first part will define the various types and levels of clinical research in terms of the regulatory controls and oversight applied to such research. Then the article will summarize how the costs of clinical research and experimental therapies have been covered in the past. Finally, the article will evaluate the risks and benefits derived by the various stakeholders and propose a financing rationale for therapies that places the burden of cost squarely on the stakeholders most likely to benefit.

Patent Infringement Damages In Japan And The United States: Will Increased Patent Infringement Damage Awards Revive The Japanese Economy?, Toshiko Takenaka

Articles

Accordingly, this Article will look at the impact of the new Japanese legislation on patent infringement damages and will discuss whether the increase in damage awards contributes to the creation of breakthrough technology. To understand this impact, Part I will discuss pre-1998 legislation damages and highlight the difference between damages awarded by United States courts and those awarded by Japanese courts, by comparing United States and Japanese case examples. In examining the general tort and patent law theories, Part I will also try to identify the source of the difference and discuss how this difference is reflected in current United …

Gray's Ghost—A Conversation About The Onshore Trust, Karen E. Boxx

Articles

A trust is an arrangement whereby one person (the trustor) transfers property to another person (the trustee) and directs the trustee to hold the property for the benefit of another person (the beneficiary). Multiple persons may fill each role; for example, there can be several beneficiaries or co-trustees. One person may play several of these roles; for example, the trustor may also serve as trustee or may be a beneficiary of the trust. However, if the same person plays all three roles alone, then no trust is created.

A self-settled trust is a trust that a person settles, or establishes, …

Who Owns The Customer? The Emerging Law Of Commercial Transactions In Electronic Customer Data, Jane Kaufman Winn, James R. Wrathall

Articles

The Information Revolution is changing the way commerce acted and value is defined within transactions. Before the Internet and "e-business" took center stage, "electronic commerce" meant electronic data interchange, just-in-time inventory systems, supply chain automation, and corporate reengineering.

But the rise of the Internet as a communications medium has coincided with a shift in management focus, from merely trying to improve the efficiency of business logistics systems to a more holistic perspective on improving customer relationships. Intangible assets such as intellectual property rights, human capital in the form of employee knowledge, and established relationships with customers and suppliers are playing …