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Bounding The Wild Set (Counting The Minimum Number Of Wild Primes In Hilbert Symbol Equivalent Number Fields), Marius M. Somodi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation makes a contribution to the study of Witt rings of quadratic forms over number fields. To every pair of algebraic number fields with isomorphic Witt rings one can associate a number, called the minimum number of wild primes. The situation is particularly nice when this number is 0; often it is not 0. Earlier investigations have established lower bounds for this number. In this dissertation an analysis is presented that expresses the minimum number of wild primes in terms of the number of wild dyadic primes. This formula not only gives immediate upper bounds, but can be considered …

Heavy Metal Distribution For Aqueous And Solid Phases In Urban Runoff, Snowmelt And Soils, Donald W. Glenn Iii

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

At the start of the third millennium, over 50% of the world’s population lives in urban areas. Anthropogenic activities associated with urban development such as traffic generate significant particulate and heavy metal mass loadings. Ten urban highway sites located throughout the metropolitan area of Cincinnati, Ohio were studied. Storm water, snow and transportation land use soil/residual complexes (RSCs) were collected at each site. For the storm water, results are presented for a series of eight rainfall runoff events over a two-year period and included analyses between dissolved and particulate-bound fractions of heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Cd and Zn), and water …

Creation Of A Leadership Development Handbook For Asia Pacific Assemblies Of God Leaders, Benjamin M. Kaufman

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Few issues will be as important in the new millennium as the development of leaders. Character and managerial leadership competencies and skills are particularly important to those who lead the churches and Christian colleges and universities in the new era. The purpose of this applied dissertation was to create a handbook, including implementation and evaluation plans, that Asia Pacific Assemblies of God leaders can utilize for their own character and managerial development.

Six research questions guided this research. First, what broad content categories need to be addressed in the leadership development handbook? Second, within each of the categories, what issues …

The Effects Of Wild Pigs (Sus Scrofa) On Woody Understory Vegetation In Lowland Rain Forest Of Malaysia, Kalan Leonard Ickes

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

An increasingly urgent task in the field of conservation biology is to identify changes in abiotic and biotic interactions that result when large areas of forest are converted to small fragments surrounded by anthropogenic landscapes. My research, conducted in lowland dipterocarp rain forest at the 2,500-ha Pasoh Forest Reserve in Peninsular Malaysia, investigated a novel but strongly negative edge effect - namely, a tremendous increase in the density of wild pigs (Sus scrofa) and the resulting deleterious impacts on the understory plant community. The absence of feline predators due to the small size of the reserve and the presence of …

Pen Or Printer: Can Students Afford To Handwrite Their Exams?, Kif Augustine-Adams, Suzanne B. Hendrix, James R. Rasband

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The Rise Of Urban Archipelagoes In The American West: A New Reservation Policy?, James R. Rasband

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Breakdown Voltage In Thin Iii-V Avalanche Photodiodes, Mohammad A. Saleh

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

1. The dead-space multiplication theory of Hayat et al. [Journal of Lightwave Technology 10, 1415 (1992)], in conjunction with the multiplication-width-independent ionization-coefficient model developed by Saleh et al. [IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 47, 625 (2000)], are shown to accurately predict breakdown voltages for thin avalanche photodiodes of GaAs, InP, In_0:52Al_0:48As, and Al_0:2Ga_0:8As, over a broad range of device widths. The breakdown voltage is determined from the analytical expression for the impulse-response-function decay rate.

Artin-Schreier Families And 2-D Cycle Codes, Cem Guneri

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

We start with the study of certain Artin-Schreier families. Using coding theory techniques, we determine a necessary and sufficient condition for such families to have a nontrivial curve with the maximum possible number of rational points over the finite field in consideration. This result produces several nice corollaries, including the existence of certain maximal curves; i.e., curves meeting the Hasse-Weil bound.We then present a way to represent two-dimensional (2-D) cyclic codes as trace codes starting from a basic zero set of its dual code. This representation enables us to relate the weight of a codeword to the number of rational …

Numerical Simulations Of Dynamical Mass Transfer In Binaries, Patrick Michael Motl

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

We present results from investigations of mass transfer instability in close binary star systems. By unstable mass transfer we mean the exchange of material where the response of the binary to the initial Roche lobe overflow causes the donor to loose even more material. Our work is guided by approximate arguments that dictate the stability boundaries for binary star systems. To proceed further one must explicitly treat extended mass and velocity distributions that are both nitially, and through their subsequent evolution in time, self-consistent. In this dissertation, we present the first three-dimensional, fully self-consistent treatment of mass transfer in close …

Influence Of Short-Term Endurance Exercise Training On Heart Rate Variability, Clarence Matthew Lee

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if 8 exercise endurance training (ET) sessions over 2 weeks significantly alters cardiac autonomic modulation, as measured by heart rate variability (HRV). Twenty-four college-aged males were recruited for this study and were randomized into either an exercise group (EX; n=12) or a control group (CT; n=12). EX underwent 2 weeks of ET on a cycle-ergometer (frequency: four times/week; duration: 40 minutes; intensity 80-85% HRreserve), whereas CT was instructed not to alter their previous level of physical activity. Five-minute ECG tracings were collected for HRV under the following conditions: 5 minutes of paced …

Grave Matter: Contestations In Actress Burial, Christine Courtland Mather

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Death disrupts. The social space accorded to rituals of death and memorialization differs from all other spaces. Actresses disturb. Society contests, determines, and enacts the burial of an actress as her final performance. This study explores the actress burial as a site of meaning. Contestations over the fate of the actress body reveal power structures and the motivations of cultural institutions. This study highlights four actresses—Lecouvreur, Oldfield, Bernhardt, and Duse—whose burials cover a wide range of circumstances. Each chapter gives the relevant biographical information for the actress and the social background for the cultural contestation over the actress body. Traditional …

Analysis Of Inorganic Materials Using Advanced Nmr And Nqr Techniques, Anthony Adrian Mrse

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Several advanced solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) techniques have been applied to inorganic materials of commercial interest. The specific techniques applied to each system were chosen to solve specific obstacles which impeded the flow of industrial science.

First, the dispersion of brominated flame retardants in polymers is monitored using pulsed ⁸¹Br NQR (nuclear quadrupole resonance) techniques. The NQR spectrometer consists of a homemade NMR console and an automatically tuned loop-gap resonator probe. The two factors which affect the ⁸¹Br NQR transition frequencies of brominated aromatics are: electron-donating and withdrawing substituents on the ring …

Analysis Of Near-Infrared Dye-Labeled Sanger Sequencing Fragments With Gel Electrophoresis Using The Time-Resolved Flourescence Lifetime Indentification Methods, Suzanne Jeanel Lassiter

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The research presented in this dissertation involves the identification of sequencing fragments with time-resolved methods. For this application, near-infrared heavy-atom tricarbocyanine dyes were developed in our laboratory, which can be excited with a single laser and emission collected using a single detection channel. The dyes have four spectroscopically unique, but relatively short lifetimes that can be altered by the intramolecular heavy-atom they contain. The work described here involves the optimization of dye-primer chemistry for preparing Sanger sequencing reactions for longer reads and the optimization of the separation matrix for capillary gel electrophoresis that produces favorable statistical analysis of the aforementioned …

The Association Of Food Cravings And Preferences With Food Intake, Corby Kyle Martin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

An ubiquitous assumption about food intake behavior is that people eat the types of foods that they crave and prefer. Food preferences reflect hedonic ratings of the degree to which people like certain foods. The present study investigated the association of food cravings and hedonic ratings with food intake behavior, assessed in the laboratory with a Universal Eating Monitor (Kissileff, Klingsberg, & Van Itallie, 1980). The study sample consisted of 162 adults who completed the Food Craving Inventory (FCI; White, Whisenhunt, Williamson, Greenway, & Netemeyer, 2001), a questionnaire that measures craving, including cravings for specific types of foods (i.e., High …

Ivr Test & Survey: A Computer Program To Collect Data Via Computerized Telephonic Applications, Louis H. Janda, Michael Janda, Eric Tedford

Psychology Faculty Publications

Several studies have demonstrated the advantages of using interactive voice response (IVR) technology to collect self-report data from research participants and recipients of psychological/medical services. IVR allows participants to phone a computer and respond to recorded questions by pressing the appropriate touch-tone keys on their telephone. Because this technology offers substantial benefits in terms of cost and efficiency, it is surprising that it has not been more widely utilized by researchers and practitioners. Along with the automation of the administration and scoring of tests or surveys, IVR provides for questioning to be adapted to the participants' responses. One possible explanation …

The Time-Course Of Vascular Adaptations Following Localized Short Term Exercise Training, Jason David Allen

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This is a series of 3 experiments in the area of vasoreactivity. The first study investigated the stability and reproducibility of brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (BAFMD). Twenty-six healthy volunteers underwent 3 scans on 2 days, performed by 2 ultrasonographers, and analyzed by 2 readers. All subjects were tested between 7 and 11am after refraining from food and exercise. Average baseline diameter was 3.48±0.53mm, which increased to 3.71±0.57mm (6.58±4.15%) at peak dilation. ICCC's for days, testers and readers were 0.9188, 0.9394, and 0.8982 respectively. To detect a difference in vasoreactivity of 60% (two-tailed), e.g. 5% vasodilation versus 8% vasodilation, at 90% …

Nutrition Education Programs - Program Evaluation Manual - Part One: Introduction To Program Evaluation, Elizabeth J. Sandell

Elementary and Literacy Education Department Publications

This manual is the "recipe book" for evaluation in NEP.

Increasing The Independent Living Skills Of Lower Functioning Students In A Special School, Through Teacher Training, Motivational Strategies, Parent Involvement, Hands-On Experiences, And Music., Joan Reid

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This practicum was designed to increase the independent living skills of low functioning students in a special school. Parents were not involved in the school's programs and were not committed to seeing that their children develop independence. Teachers were not motivated or adequately trained and equipped to assist these students. These low functioning students were not aware that their needs were not being met.

The writer selected and utilized five strategies as solutions for the problem. These included: Teacher training, motivational strategies, parental involvement, hands-on experiences, and music. Weekly planning and training sessions were conducted for teachers, who were provided …

Development And Implementation Of A Program To Increase Communication And Collaboration Among Early Adopters Of Instructional Technology At The Elementary Level, Debbie Lind

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to provide a means of communication for teachers at several elementary schools. Isolation is a common issue facing K-12 teachers sustained by the organizational constraints of traditional methods of education. Few opportunities for interaction and collaboration were provided by the school district. Interaction is needed to change the image of teachers from independent instructors to members of a community of practice like other professions.

The writer developed an Intranet site that utilized synchronous and asynchronous communication technology to create an online learning community. To facilitate collaboration the discussion board and chat facility were supplemented with …

Laboratory Denitrification Using Sediments From The Elk Valley Aquifer, Alison E. Kammer

Theses and Dissertations

An experiment was conducted to determine if a decrease in the content of sulfides related to denitrification could be measured in the laboratory using sediments of the Elk Valley Aquifer in eastern North Dakota. The experiment entailed analyzing sediments for sulfides and solid organic carbon and isolating them in sample containers with a nitrate solution to determine if a measurable decrease in these components could be observed.

Previous denitrification studies in the Elk Valley Aquifer showed an increase in sulfate in conjunction with a decrease in the concentration of nitrate. Sulfate is a by product of autotrophic denitrification where sulfide …

Flow Through Well Screens As A Function Of Pump Intake Location, Kristjan F. Bekker

Theses and Dissertations

Greater well efficiency and lower production costs may result from a knowledge of water flow through well screens. Current practice generally locates the intake of a pump in the cased section of the well above the screen. This work shows that placing the pump within the screen will increase well efficiency and therefore lower energy cost. This work also shows a correlation of increased well efficiency with respect to larger sand size, larger screen slot size, and lower flow rates.

A semicircular model based on the radial symmetry of a well and screen was used to simulate water flow from …

[Introduction To] Managing Human Resources In The Public Sector: A Shared Responsibility, Gill Robinson Hickman, Dalton S. Lee

Bookshelf

This book is written for the large number of public administration students and practitioners who are interested in becoming department managers and supervisors in various areas of government service. It emphasizes the interdependence between the human resource department and line managers in implementing personnel functions. It also provides enough background and history about human resource management in the public sector for line managers to appreciate why the field functions as it does.

Instructor's Manual To Accompany The Leader's Companion: Insights On Leadership Through The Ages, J. Thomas Wren

Bookshelf

The materials included in this handbook are, most obviously, intended to accompany The Leader's Companion: Insights on Leadership through the Ages (New York: The Free Press, 1995). Nonetheless, this manual seeks to serve a larger purpose as well. Most immediately, it is a teaching guide for those using The Leader's Companion in the classroom. In a larger sense, however, these materials serve as a primer for the conceptualization, organization, and implementation of an introductory course on leadership. The exercises contained herein, while geared to the specific readings of The Leader's Companion, can be adapted easily to other texts and …

Lithospheric Flexure Of The Devils Lake Basin, North Dakota, Erica M. Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

Devils Lake is the largest lake in a chain of approximately 20 interconnected lakes in east central North Dakota. The Devils Lake drainage basin of approximately 8,600 km2, lies in a bowl sculpted by glaciation; thus it is closed and receives and loses water only through precipitation and evapotranspiration. Since 1940, the lake level has risen 14.4 m due to increased precipitation. Geological data show that in the past 10,000 years the lake has alternately dried up and filled due to climate fluctuations (Murphy et al., 1997). During this time it has reached its spill elevation of 444. 7 m …

Development Of A Strategic Plan To Integrate Leadership And Management Concepts Throughout Frankford Hospital School Of Nursing Curriculum With Plans For Implementation And Evaluation, Jo Ann Runewicz

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The problem is that a gap exists between the Frankford Hospital School of Nursing (FHSN) curriculum design, increased National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) passing standards, and the revised NCLEX-RN examination that has integrated leadership and management concepts. The FHSN curriculum design does not adequately prepare students to address leadership and management concepts that are being tested on the NCLEX-RN.

The purpose of this project was to develop a strategic plan to integrate leadership and management concepts throughout the FHSN curriculum. A plan for implementation and evaluation was also developed. The following five research questions were addressed: (1) …

Improving Teacher Intern Self-Evaluation Through The Use Of Preservice Experience, Pamela Sanders

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This practicum involved an analysis of the relationship between preservice experience and the self-evaluation of teaching ability of 1st-year teacher interns in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS). The preservice experience was part of the Teachers For Chicago (TFC) program. The practicum took place at an elementary and a high school in the CPS that implemented the program between July 2000 and June 2001.

As part of the practicum, a survey was developed by the researcher and the program's independent evaluator. The 110 selected teacher interns in the practicum were a heterogeneously mixed group of aspiring educators with common beginning teaching …

A Special Remedial Program To Improve The Skills Of Failing Eighth-Grade Students, John J. O'Malley Jr.

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This report describes an afterschool remedial program during the 2000-2001 school year at Forest Grove Middle School in Worcester, Massachusetts. The remedial program was an effort to improve the skills of 8th-grade students who fall short of the state norms on the mandatory 8th-grade Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment Test (MCAS; Massachusetts Department of Education, 1999). An analysis of the 1999 test indicated that 480 8th-grade students in a 905-pupil enrollment at the school fell short of the passing grade, 51% in the mathematics section and 21% in the language arts section.

Planned solution strategies included (a) an afterschool and vacation remedial …

Teaching Children How To Learn: A Program To Teach Self-Regulation Skills, Connie C. Lawrence

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This report describes an intervention to train teachers how to instruct and support self-regulated learning in the classroom. An analysis of 4th- and 7th-grade student responses on a modified Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (Pintrich, Smith, Garcia, & McKeachie, 1991) revealed that, although 43% of the students indicated that they always or almost always use some self-regulation skills, 23% stated that they never or almost never use them. In a private school where the mission is to equip future learners, 50% of the students should be using self-regulation skills all or most of the time. An analysis of the teaching …

How Can Increasing Parent Involvement Improve Student Performance In Reading And Math?, Mary O. Jones

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

In 2000, parents were less likely to be involved in school than in the previous decade. Increasing parent involvement may be related to improved student performance and prevention of poor performance in students. This practicum was conducted at 1 elementary school in a small, rural school district to investigate how to increase parent involvement and how that increased involvement would affect student performance in reading and mathematics.

Teachers were surveyed about school needs and identified parent involvement as the needed area of improvement. Parents were surveyed about participation in the school, and a set of strategies was designed to involve …

Comprehensive Evaluation Of Critical Thinking Skills And Attitudes Of Students In The Department Of Nursing At Rockford College, Kathleen A. Schultz

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The problem addressed in this study was that there had been no evaluation of improvement in the critical thinking (CT) skills and attitudes of nursing students related to the nursing curriculum. No mechanism existed to obtain student input.

The purposes for this project were to determine if there were longitudinal changes in CT skills and attitudes during the sophomore and junior years of the nursing curriculum and if there were cross sectional differences in CT test scores between sophomore, junior, and senior students. In addition a mechanism was developed to obtain feedback from nursing students related to the improvement in …