Digital Commons Network^™

Watershed Solutions: Collaborative Problem Solving For States And Communities, National Policy Consensus Center

National Policy Consensus Center Publications

In July 2002, the National Policy Consensus Center (NPCC) hosted a colloquium for people involved in watershed collaborations, academics, and other experts from government and non-profit organizations. Its aim was to identify lessons learned from successful watershed initiatives, and to develop recommendations for governors and other state officials on ways to enhance the use and effectiveness of watershed partnerships. This report is an outgrowth of that conference.

Studies on watershed collaborations are beginning to identify what makes them successful and what some of the barriers are to greater success. For example, contrary to the fears of some observers, successful collaborations …

Single-Particle Model For A Granular Ratchet, Albert J. Bae, Welles Antonio Martinez Morgado, J. J. P. Veerman, Giovani L. Vasconcelos

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

A simple model for a granular ratchet corresponding to a single grain bouncing off a vertically vibrating sawtooth-shaped base is studied. Depending on the model parameters, horizontal transport is observed in both the preferred and unfavoured directions. A phase diagram is presented indicating the regions in parameter space where the different regimes (no current, normal current, and current reversal) occur.

Dynamics Of A Granular Particle On A Rough Surface With A Staircase Profile, J. J. P. Veerman, F. V. Cunha Jr., G. L. Vasconcelos

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

A simple model is presented for the motion of a grain down a rough inclined surface with a staircase profile. The model is an extension of an earlier model of ours where we now allow for bouncing, i.e., we consider a non-vanishing normal coefficient of restitution. It is shown that in parameter space there are three regions of interest: (i) a region of smaller inclinations where the orbits are always bounded (and we argue that the particle always stops); (ii) a transition region where halting, periodic and unbounded orbits co-exist; and (iii) a region of large inclinations where no halting …

On A Conjecture Of Furstenberg, Grzegorz Świçatek, J. J. P. Veerman

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Hausdorff dimension of the set of numbers which can be written using digits 0, 1,t in base 3 is estimated. For everyt irrational a lower bound 0.767 … is found.

Prognostic Model For Terminally Ill Cancer Patients On Laboratory Data, Kenji Hira, Noriaki Aoki, Akitoshi Hayashi, Janez Demsar, Blaz Zupan, Kim Dunn, William Jack Schull, Tsuguya Fukui

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Stomatal Responses Of Douglas-Fir Seedlings To Elevated Carbon Dioxide And Temperature During The Third And Fourth Years Of Exposure, James D. Lewis, Melissa S. Lucash, David M. Olszyk, David T. Tingey

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Two major components of climate change, increasing atmospheric [CO₂] and increasing temperature, may substantially alter the effects of water availability to plants through effects on the rate of water loss from leaves. We examined the interactive effects of elevated [CO₂] and temperature on seasonal patterns of stomatal conductance (g_s), transpiration (E) and instantaneous transpiration efficiency (ITE) in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) seedlings. Seedlings were grown in sunlit chambers at either ambient CO₂ (AC) or ambient + 180 µmol mol^-1 CO₂ (EC), and at ambient temperature (AT) or ambient + 3.5° …

Reconnaissance Of Pharmaceutical Chemicals In Urban Streams Of The Tualatin River Basin, Oregon, 2002, Stewart A. Rounds, Micelis C. Doyle, Patrick M. Edwards, Edward T. Furlong

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

A reconnaissance of pharmaceutical chemicals in urban streams of the Tualatin River basin was conducted in July 2002 in an effort to better understand the occurrence and distribution of such compounds, and to determine whether they might be useful indicators of human-related stream contamination. Of the 21 pharmaceutical chemicals and metabolites tested, only 6 (acetaminophen, caffeine, carbamazepine, codeine, cotinine, and sulfamethoxazole) were detected in filtered stream samples from 10 sites. The concentrations of most of the detected compounds were relatively low (less than 0.05 microgram per liter). The most frequently detected compounds were cotinine (a nicotine metabolite, 8 of 10 …

Thread Transparency In Information Flow Middleware, Rainer Koster, Andrew P. Black, Jie Huang, Jonathan Walpole, Calton Pu

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Existing middleware is based on control-flow centric interaction models such as remote method invocations, poorly matching the structure of applications that process continuous information flows. Difficulties cultiesin building this kind of application on conventional platforms include flow-specific concurrency and timing requirements, necessitating explicit management of threads, synchronization, and timing by the application programmer. We propose Infopipes as a high-level abstraction for information flows, and we are developing a middleware framework that supports this abstraction. Infopipes transparently handle complexities associated with control flow and multi-threading. From high-level configuration descriptions the platform determines what parts of a pipeline require separate threads or …

A Comparison Of Evolutionary And Coevolutionary Search, Ludo Pagie, Melanie Mitchell

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Previous work on coevolutionary search has demonstrated both successful and unsuccessful applications. As a step in explaining what factors lead to success or failure, we present a comparative study of an evolutionary and a coevolutionary search model. In the latter model, strategies for solving a problem coevolve with training cases. We find that the coevolutionary model has a relatively large efficacy: 86 out of 100 (86%) of the simulations produce high quality strategies. In contrast, the evolutionary model has a very low efficacy: a high quality strategy is found in only two out of 100 runs (2%). We show that …

Racks, Quandles And Virtual Knots, Victor Samuel Nelson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

We begin with a brief survey of the theory of virtual knots, which was announced in 1996 by Kauffman. This leads naturally to the subject of quandles and quandle homology, which we also briefly introduce. Chapter 2 contains a proof in terms of Gauss diagrams that the forbidden moves unknot virtual knots. This chapter includes material which has appeared in the Journal of Knot Theory and its Ramifications and is reprinted here by permission of World Scientific Publishing. In chapter 3 (cowritten with my advisor R.A.Litherland) we confirm a conjecture of J.S.Carter et.al. that the long exact sequence in rack …

Denitrification Potential Of Sediment From A Future Mississippi River Diversion Site In Louisiana, Roy Ryuta Iwai

LSU Master's Theses

Denitrification potential was determined in surface sediment from Lake Cataouatche, the receiving basin for a future Mississippi River diversion located in the northern portion of the Barataria Basin estuary. Nitrate removal and denitrification was measured in the laboratory using static sediment microcosms flooded with lake water. Dissolved potassium nitrate (KNO₃) was added to the microcosms to achieve: 1) an initial nitrate concentration similar to the mean Mississippi River concentration (~1.4 mg NO₃-N l^-1), and, 2) a high initial nitrate concentration to elicit a denitrification potential (~50 mg NO₃-N l^-1). Denitrification …

Treatment Of Organic And Inorganic Pollutants In Municipal Wastewater By Agricultural By-Product Based Granular Activated Carbons (Gac), Rishipal Rastrapal Bansode

LSU Master's Theses

The objective of this investigation was to evaluate pecan and almond shell-based granular activated carbon's viability to effectively remove organic and inorganic pollutants in municipal wastewater compared to commercial carbons, Filtrasorb 200 (bituminous coal-based), and GRC-20, 206C AW (coconut shell-based). The solution to the objective was approached under three distinct phases, namely (I) physical and chemical characterization of the pecan and almond shell-based experimental and bituminous coal and coconut shell-based commercial granular activated carbons; (II) treatment of organic contaminants in municipal wastewater by experimental and commercial GACs; (III) treatment of inorganic contaminants in municipal wastewater by experimental and commercial GACs. …

Analytical Model To Control Off - Bottom Blowouts Utilizing The Concept Of Simultaneous Dynamic Seal And Bullheading, Victor Gerardo Vallejo-Arrieta

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The current methods for off - bottom control of blowouts involve pumping kill fluid into the well through an injection string. These are the dynamic kill and the momentum kill. The dynamic kill, which is based on the steady state system analysis approach, and the momentum kill, that is loosely based on the Newton's Second Law of Motion, have been used extensively in off-bottom control of actual blowouts. A comprehensive study of these two concepts was performed. The review included an analytical analysis of the published design techniques for both of these methods. The application of these techniques to several …

Is "Thinking Like A Lawyer" Really What We Want To Teach?, Nancy B. Rapoport

Scholarly Works

This article argues that the phrase thinking like a lawyer assumes that other professions don't have their own ways of approaching problems and that law schools only need to teach how lawyers think, rather than how lawyers do what they do. It suggests that law schools should do much more than just teach law students how to think.

Development Of Trip Generation Models Of Hurricane Evacuation, Bing Mei

LSU Master's Theses

In this study, alternative trip generation models for hurricane evacuation movement were developed using logistic regression and neural networks. The southwest Louisiana post-Andrew survey data were used for model estimation, validation, and comparison. The performance of the alternative models was compared with each other as well as against that of an existing evacuation model, the PBS&J model, developed for the same area. The results showed that the models developed in this study displayed similar performance. It was also found that the models developed in this study performed better than the existing PBS&J model in predicting household evacuation trip generation for …

The Ligase Detection Reaction: The Evolution Of A Mutation Detection Strategy, Hannah D. Farquar

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Early detection of genetic mutations is important for control of diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's. Early detection requires methods that detect small amounts of mutated DNA in very large amounts of normal or wild type DNA. One method to detect mutated DNA is the ligase detection reaction (LDR). Since its inception LDR has evolved greatly from a simple detection reaction after PCR amplification to PCR/RE/LDR, a scheme which uses nucleoside base analogs in PCR to convert wild type sequences to sequences containing restriction endonuclease (RE) sites which can then be cleaved leaving only mutant sequences for detection by LDR. …

Modeling Canopy Structure Effects On Loblolly Pine Growth, Mauricio Jerez Rico

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined several aspects of canopy structure and their influence on growth of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations. Foliage distribution, crown hydraulic architecture, and the effect of chronological changes in canopy structure on stand development were explored as possible components of a future process-based model intended for management purposes. A model based on the Johnson’s SB distribution was developed to predict leaf area distribution of loblolly pine trees. This is a preliminary step for building a submodel capable of simulating chronological changes in canopy structure and stand growth. The model accurately predicted the cumulative distribution of leaf area …

Validation Of Annagnps At The Field And Farm-Scale Using An Integrated Agnps/Gis System, Glenn M. Suir

LSU Master's Theses

Non-Point Source (NPS) pollution models are effective watershed-scale predictors of NPS loadings and useful evaluators of agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) and water quality Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). The work reported in this thesis examined two applications of the AGricultural Non-Point-Source (AGNPS) pollution model: 1) predicting surface runoff, nutrient loading, and sediment yield predictions for an artificially delineated farm-scale watershed; and 2) evaluating relative benefits of different BMPs on reducing sediment accumulation in a lake surrounded by agricultural land. A procedure using identification, extraction, and processing of critical area data using an ArcView Geographic Information System (GIS) was used …

Characterization Of An In Vivo Diode Dosimetry System For Clinical Use, Kai Huang

LSU Master's Theses

An in vivo dosimetry system that uses p-type semiconductor diodes with buildup caps was characterized for clinical use. The dose per pulse dependence was investigated. This was done by altering the SSD, field size and wedge for photons, and by altering SSD and cone size for electrons. The off-axis correction and effect of changing repetition rate were also investigated. A model was made to fit the measured diode correction factors.

Agroeconomic Effect Of Soil Solarization On Fall-Planted Lettuce, Julio Eduardo Hasing

LSU Master's Theses

The effects of summer soil solarization on the production and economics of four lettuce cultivars were evaluated in two plantings conducted during the fall growing season of 2001, to determine the feasibility of integrating strip-solarization in plasticulture cropping systems. Soil was solarized for 53 and 34 days for the first and second plantings, respectively, using transparent (T4, T5) and black films (T6) that were kept in place as plastic mulches in raised beds through the fall season. Soil temperatures were recorded at 5 and 10-cm depths at 1-hour intervals during the solarization period. Mulch on T5 was painted black before …

Relationship Between Neuropsychological Deficits And Cerebral Perfusion Abnormalities In Cocaine Abusers, Karen A. Tucker

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between the severity of cocaine/alcohol use, neuropsychological functioning, and cerebral blood flow abnormalities. Cocaine users (n = 60) and control subjects (n = 13) were administered a battery of neuropsychological tests that yielded the following factors: Attention/Executive Functioning, Memory, Simple Motor, and Sensorimotor. Participants were assessed for decreased cerebral blood flow with single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Examination of group differences indicated that cocaine users performed significantly worse than controls on the Memory and Sensorimotor factors. The frequency/duration of cocaine use, alcohol use, and a combination of both substances were …

Techniques And Algorithms For Immersive And Interactive Visualization Of Large Datasets, Ashish Sharma

LSU Master's Theses

Advances in computing power have made it possible for scientists to perform atomistic simulations of material systems that range in size, from a few hundred thousand atoms to one billion atoms. An immersive and interactive walkthrough of such datasets is an ideal method for exploring and understanding the complex material processes in these simulations. However rendering such large datasets at interactive frame rates is a major challenge. A scalable visualization platform is developed that is scalable and allows interactive exploration in an immersive, virtual environment. The system uses an octree based data management system that forms the core of the …

Attributional Style, Depression And School Mobility : Assessing The Impact On Academic Achievement, Anne Grey

Theses : Honours

Academic achievement can impact on psychological wellbeing and can have a profound impact on later educational and vocational opportunities. Failure to achieve well academically has been associated with a number of factors including depression, a pessimistic explanatory style and mobility. There is evidence too to suggest that the impact of these variables is greater on younger boys and older girls. One hundred and eight students (54 M, 54 F) from two Catholic metropolitan schools took part in this study into the impact of depressive symptomatology, attributional style and school mobility on academic achievement. It was hypothesised that lower levels of …

The Effect Of Peer Collaboration On Children's Problem Solving Ability, Lillian M. Fawcett

Theses : Honours

Peer collaboration is a commonly used learning strategy, perceived by educators as a valuable educational activity. Studies do indicate a performance output benefit for children working collaboratively compared to children working individually. However, the longer term cognitive benefits of collaboration appear to be limited by a number of factors. It is suggested that cognitive change following peer collaboration is limited to children working with a more cognitively competent peer (or one with a different perspective), active participation and reasoned communication. This paper considers elements of Piaget's and Vygotsky's cognitive development theories in an attempt to explain some of the processes …

Development Of Principles For The Integration Of Technology Education In The Primary Curriculum In Botswana, Patrick Tlalelo Mmokele

Theses : Honours

Design and Technology is being taught in secondary schools in Botswana. This innovation began in junior secondary schools in 1989 and senior secondary schools in 1993. However it has not yet been introduced in primary schools. There have been some Design and Technology attainment targets which are outlined in the primary curriculum, but it is proposed that these do not fit well into the curriculum structure. This study seeks to investigate the principles upon which Design and Technology can be integrated into the primary curriculum in Botswana. Data for this study was collected through a review of related literature and …

Student Learning And Cognition In Cooperative Small Groups : Towards A Fourth Metaphor Of Human Learning, Scott C. Zehnder

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Research into the benefits of cooperative learning has focussed most attention onto a social psychological perspective with the result that the putative cognitive benefits of these strategies have not been thoroughly researched and clearly delineated. One consequence of this research focus has been that cooperative learning strategies are not always adopted by teachers and included permanently into their regular classroom practice, thereby possibly denying some students the potential for cognitive gain. This study was conceived originally as an investigation into the claimed cognitive benefits of small-group cooperative learning from a cognitive perspective but the investigation of the cooperative learning literature …

A Study Of The Influences Of Computer Interfaces And Training Approaches On End User Training Outcomes, Raj Gururajan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Effective and efficient training is a key factor in determining the success of end user computing (EUC) in organisations. This study examines the influences of two application interfaces, namely icons and menus, on training outcomes. The training outcomes are measured in terms of effectiveness, efficiency and perceived ease of use. Effectiveness includes the keystrokes used to accomplish tasks, the accuracy of correct keystrokes, backtracks and errors committed. Efficiency includes the time taken to accomplish the given tasks. Perceived ease of use rates the ease of the training environment including training materials, operating system, application software and associated resources provided to …

Academic Gains Of Students With Special Needs In An Independent Religious School, Ivanka Saric

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The number of children who are performing poorly in school-wide tests seems to be increasing in an independent religious school in the metropolitan area. Several children have been identified "at risk" or having special needs but they seem to show little if any improvement as they get promoted to higher grades. The study investigated the instructional and assessment strategies that upper primary school teachers were using in their classrooms to improve the academic and social skills of children defined as having special needs. Teachers' perceptions were examined to determine whether there had been any observable increases in the academic performance …

Analysis Of Job Satisfaction Between Full And Part Time Faculty Teaching At South Puget Sound Community College, Lee Paavola

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The problem under investigation was to determine if the perceived loss of job satisfaction by the part-time faculty was an accurate assessment of the situation. The purpose of this study was to use inferential statistics to compare the level of job satisfaction of part-time faculty to fulltime faculty currently teaching at the college. The research question to be answered was, "Are the perceived levels of job satisfaction of the part- time faculty equal to the perceived levels of job satisfaction of full-time faculty?" Validation followed these procedures. First, a review of the literature was conducted to discover research relevant to …

Development Of An Alternate Curriculum For Bachelor Degree Completion Students In The Lead Program At Ohio Dominican College, William A. Vensel

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

In the Learning Enhanced Adult Degree (LEAD) program at Ohio Dominican College (ODC), a cohort based accelerated delivery format, students who complete the Associate of Science (AS.) degree had only one bachelor's degree program to choose from, the B.S. in Business Administration. Because Ohio Dominican is a bachelor degree granting institution, classified as Baccalaureate General by the Carnegie Commission, it is desirable to see all enrolled students through to the bachelor degree. The problem addressed by this practicum was that with only one degree program to choose from at the bachelor level, retention of AS. students who desired the accelerated …