Digital Commons Network^™

Design, Synthesis, And Applications Of Bio-Derived Crosslinking Monomers For Molecular Imprinting, Martha Sibrian-Vazquez

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Most of the research in the field of molecular imprinting has been focused on the development of new functional monomers, in order to improve the molecular recognition properties afforded by these materials. The role of the crosslinking monomer has often been overlooked, since it is considered an inert component that only provides a scaffold to support the binding sites. However, the crosslinking monomer represents a high percent (80-90%) of the composition of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), which can have a large influence on the MIPs properties. This research addresses the design, synthesis, and applications of new crosslinking monomers for molecular …

Mediators Of Weight Loss In An Internet-Based Intervention For African American Adolescent Girls, Marney A. White

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The primary aim of this study was to assess the process variables involved in a weight loss program for African-American adolescent girls. This internet-based intervention compared a behavioral treatment program to an educational treatment program; it was hypothesized that participants randomized to the behavioral condition would lose more weight at 6 months than those in the educational condition. Several process variables have been identified as affecting success in in vivo weight loss programs for adults and children, including program adherence, self-efficacy, and social support. The current study sought to broaden the understanding of these process variables as they pertain to …

The Contribution Of The Alpha Subunit Of The Bacillus Subtilis Rna Polymerase In The Enhancement Of Transcription By Curved Dna, Caroline Telles

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Adenine-tract mediated, intrinsic DNA curvature is found upstream of highly transcribed promoters in bacteria. In Bacillus subtilis, curved DNA immediately upstream of the core promoter stimulates promoter function. The curved DNA functions in a position-sensitive fashion indicating that it likely interacts with the RNA polymerase. There are two components of the curved DNA that mediate this interaction with RNA polymerase, the A+T rich nature of the runs of adenines spaced with the helical repeat of the DNA and the curved shape of the DNA. The alpha subunit of the RNA polymerase from Escherichia coli is known to bind to A+T …

Abundance Trends And Environmental Habitat Usage Patterns Of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) In Lower Barataria And Caminada Bays, Louisiana, Cara Edina Miller

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The paucity of research into the environmental requirements, stock membership, abundance and residency patterns of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in coastal Louisiana creates difficulty in understanding how local ecosystems and threats (such as fishery interactions, habitat degradation and pollution) affect populations. This study combined fine-scale environmental measurements and photo-identification techniques to describe patterns of habitat usage and abundance of bottlenose dolphins in lower Barataria Basin from June 1999 to May 2002. In addition I investigated the validity and limitations of using mark-recapture models to estimate abundance from cetacean photo-identification data. Bottlenose dolphins were present year-round in a wide range of …

Parallel Molecular Dynamics Simulations Of Dynamics Of Oxidation And Reactive Wetting In Metal/Ceramic Systems, Gurcan Aral

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Oxidation of a flat aluminum (111) surface and the reactive wetting of the aluminum (Al) droplet on a flat alumina (α-Al₂O₃) surface are investigated by using parallel molecular-dynamics simulations with dynamic charge transfer among atoms on a microscopic length scale. The interatomic potential, based on the formalism of Streitz and Mintmire, allows atoms to vary their charges dynamically between anions and cations, when atoms move and their local environment is altered. We investigate the oxidation thickness as a function of time and the oxygen density which is 10-40 times that of the normal state (1 atm …

A Path Analysis Of Binge Eating And Obesity In African Americans: Acculturation, Racism, Emotional Distress, Binge Eating, Body Dissatisfaction, Attitudes Towards Obesity, Dietary Restraint, Dietary Fat Intake, And Physical Activity, Joy Rose Kohlmaier

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to test a general stress-related health behavior model as it applied to binge eating and obesity in African Americans using path analysis. Acculturation, racism, emotional distress, binge eating, and obesity were among the variables related to this theory, and included in the model. Other variables that have been implicated in the study of obesity in African Americans were also included, such as; lack of body dissatisfaction, accepting attitudes towards obesity, decreased dietary restraint, increased dietary fat intake and decreased physical activity. The study sample was 325 African Americans, including 187 females with a mean …

Block-Level Discrete Cosine Transform Coefficients For Autonomic Face Recognition, Willie L. Scott, Ii

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation presents a novel method of autonomic face recognition based on the recently proposed biologically plausible network of networks (NoN) model of information processing. The NoN model is based on locally parallel and globally coordinated transformations. In the NoN architecture, the neurons or computational units form distributed networks, which themselves link to form larger networks. In the general case, an n-level hierarchy of nested distributed networks is constructed. This models the structures in the cerebral cortex described by Mountcastle and the architecture based on that proposed for information processing by Sutton. In the implementation proposed in the dissertation, the …

Activity-Dependent Regulation Of Actin Depolymerizing Factor/Cofilin At Synaptic Sites, Matthew W. Miller

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Distribution, Abundance And Habitat Use Of Overwater Colonial Nesting Waterbirds At Lake Alice National Wildlife Refuge, Joel Seth Brice

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Postpartum Anxiety And Depression : The Contribution Of Social Support, Erin Nicole Haugen

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

White Flight? : George Pepperdine College's Move To Malibu, 1965-1972, Candace Denise Jones

Theses and Dissertations

George Pepperdine College, a Church of Christ affiliated institution of higher education in Los Angeles, California, had its foundation rocked in the 1960s by two events: The Watts Riots of 1965 and the 1969 shooting of Los Angeles youth, Larry Donnell Kimmons. These events challenged the original commitment that founder George Pepperdine had for the Los Angeles area and forever changed the future direction of George Pepperdine College (GPC). The Watts Riots served as the catalyst, generating a desire by the executive administrators of GPC to leave the perceived chaotic and unpredictable urban setting. The second event, the tragic shooting …

Federalizing Birth Certificate Procedures, Jeffrey A. Parness

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

A natural father is usually afforded under American law the unique "opportunity... to develop a relationship with his offspring" born to an unwed mother as a result of consensual sexual intercourse. This paternity opportunity interest often merits federal constitutional due process protection. Its enforcement, however, is often impaired by unfair state paternity designation procedures, especially in birth certificate settings. Inadequate procedures cause systematic losses of parental rights for "many responsible" natural fathers. Under Section 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment, Congress can act to enforce better male parental rights. It should now unify certain birth certificate practices for all children born …

Old-Fashioned Pregnancy, Newly-Fashioned Paternity, Jeffrey A. Parness

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

This paper explores contemporary American laws on paternity as of the time of the live birth of a child conceived through sexual intercourse. In doing so it necessarily examines the roles of biological ties in all determinations of legal parenthood. It does not speak directly to legal paternity arising from the use of reproductive technology; to legal fatherhood arising long after birth for reasons unrelated to biology; or, to actual fatherhood, which remains unrecognized under law. It does assume that there can be no legal paternity of an unborn child, though there certainly may be prospective legal paternity that prompts …

Hemorrhagic Fever Viruses, Jeffery A. Goad, J Nguyen

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) viruses are diverse and include arenaviruses, bunyaviruses, filoviruses, and flaviviruses. Lassa fever, South American hemorrhagic fever (HF), Rift Valley HF, Crimean-Congo HF, Ebola, Marburg, yellow fever, and dengue fever are well known examples of the hemorrhagic fever viruses. They are often difficult to diagnose and treat resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Transmission varies from vector borne to person-to-person. The common clinical presentation includes fever, myalgia, microvascular damage, and hemorrahage as well as a history of travel to the tropics. If VHF is suspected, strict infection control procedures must be implemented to prevent the spread of …

Prophylactic Use Of Force In International Law: The Illegitimacy Of Canada’S Participation In "Coalitions Of The Willing" Without United Nations’ Authorization And Parliamentary Sanction, Ikechi Mgbeoji

Articles & Book Chapters

The author examines the legitimacy o Canada's participation in acts of non-defensive aggression in light of Canada 's international obligations and international law. He contends that in the domestic terrain, constitutional conventions, practices, and applicable laws as factors that shape Canada's decisions to participate in international conflicts, must also be critically reconsidered.

Health Risks From Exposure To Metal-Working Fluids In Machining And Grinding Operations, Kun Li, Fereydoun Aghazadeh, Selen Hatipkarasulu, Thomas G. Ray

Faculty Publications

Metal-working fluids (MWFs) are used in machining and grinding operations to cool the tool and work, reduce the friction between the tool and work, improve the surface integrity of the work piece, and increase tool life and productivity. Health problems have been reported among workers exposed to MWFs, including incidences of respiratory, digestive and skin cancers, and increased rates of cough and phlegm. This paper reviews and discusses issues concerning health risks from exposure to MWFs in machining and grinding operations, the various factors that influence the degree of exposure, and control methods to reduce exposure to metal-working fluids. © …

A Predator's Perspective On Causal Links Between Climate Change, Physical Forcing And Ecosystem Response, William R. Fraser, Eileen E. Hofmann

CCPO Publications

The mechanisms by which variability in sea ice cover and its effects on the demography of the Antarctic krill Euphausia superba cascade to other ecosystem components such as apex predators remain poorly understood at all spatial and temporal scales, yet these interactions are essential for understanding causal links between climate change, ecosystem response and resource monitoring and management in the Southern Ocean. To address some of these issues, we examined the long-term foraging responses of Adelie penguins Pygoscelis adeliae near Palmer Station, western Antarctic Peninsula, in relation to ice-induced changes in krill recruitment and availability. Our results suggest that (1) …

Bio-Optical Properties Of The Labrador Sea, Glenn F. Cota, W. Glen Harrison, Trevor Platt, Shubha Sathyendranath, Venetia Stuart

CCPO Publications

Three cruises were conducted during fall and spring in the Labrador Sea to investigate the effects of bio-optical properties on satellite retrievals of phytoplankton chlorophyll in this important high-latitude ecosystem. Taxon-specific and regional differences were found. Diatoms had similar to 1.5 lower chlorophyll-specific absorption but significantly higher reflectance ratios than prymnesiophytes. Particulate absorption at 443 nm for total, phytoplankton, and "detrital'' fractions was related to chlorophyll, but values were lower than reported for lower latitudes. Decreased particulate absorption is attributed primarily to pigment packaging, while low backscattering to scattering ratios result from a lower relative abundance of bacteria and picophytoplankton …

Beyond Rhetoric: State Sovereignty, Common Concern, And The Inapplicability Of The Common Heritage Concept To Plant Genetic Resources, Ikechi Mgbeoji

Articles & Book Chapters

Until the emergence of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992 and the FAO Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources in 2001, opinion had hardened in some quarters that the principle of a common heritage of mankind regulated international transfer of plant genetic resources, By a historical analysis of customary international law in the colonial age and the recent pedigree of the principle of common heritage, this article points out the fallacies in such arguments and contends that plants have always been subject to various national jurisdictions. It has to be conceded, however, that contemporary developments in the field of international …

Conversations About Families In Canadian Courts And Legislatures: Are There "Lessons" For The United States?, Mary Jane Mossman

Articles & Book Chapters

No abstract provided.

Privilege, Gender, And The Fourteenth Amendment: Reclaiming Equal Protection Of The Laws, Stephanie M. Wildman

Faculty Publications

The United States Supreme Court's failure to understand the relationship between individuals and groups in its equal protection jurisprudence has resulted in jurisprudence that makes no sense. The Court's inability to recognize the forms of bias associated with group membership has hampered the realization of the equal protection ideal. Analyzing the Court's gender equality decisions, the author proposes another path in equal protection jurisprudence that would analyze systemic privilege, recognizing the structures of subordination and domination. Examining equal protection through a privilege lens would clarify the interrelation of individuals to groups, provide an avenue for addressing biases, and sidestep the …

The Aqueous Phase Yield Of Alkyl Nitrates From Roo+No: Implications For Photochemical Production In Seawater, Elizabeth E. Dahl, Eric S. Saltzman, Warren J. De Bruyn

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Alkyl nitrates have been observed in remote oceanic regions of the troposphere and in the surface ocean. The mechanism for their production in the oceans is not known. A likely source is the reaction of ROO + NO (where R is an alkyl group). Steady-state laboratory experiments show that alkyl nitrates are produced in the aqueous phase via this reaction, with branching ratios of 0.23 +/- 0.04, 0.67 +/- 0.03, and 0.71 +/- 0.04 for methyl, ethyl, and propyl nitrate respectively. The branching ratios in aqueous solution are significantly higher than in the gas phase. Irradiation of surface seawaters yield …

Diversity And Community Structure Of Littoral Zone Macroinvertebrates In Southern Illinois Reclaimed Surface Mine Lakes, Thomas Heatherly Ii

Honors Theses

I sampled fourteen reclaimed surface mine lakes within the Sparta Illinois National Guard training facility for benthic macroinvertebrates in spring of 2003 as part of an overall environmental assessment of the property. The objectives of this research were: (1) to inventory the aquatic macroinvertebrates present; (2) to evaluate the current quality of the aquatic habitats so that the effects of subsequent management and development by the National Guard can be assessed; (3) examine which factors influence invertebrate community structure in these systems; and (4) observe the applicability of several commonly used stream bioassessment metrics to Midwestern surface mine lakes. A …

An Informational Presentation For Parents On Stuttering, Laura Hale

Honors Capstones

This paper will educate parents about the nature of stuttering. Characteristics of stuttering and stutterers are examined, in an attempt to help those parents with concerns and questions about stuttering in their child. Many people are unaware how stuttering develops. This paper informs parents interested in stuttering development and makes them more knowledgeable about the important aspects of this speech disorder. In addition, parents can learn about the problem and techniques for assisting their child at home. Parents of children who stutter often desire information about their child's problem and how they can contact a speech pathologist. Contact information for …

Winter Ceremonial Script, December 14, 2003, Eastern Michigan University

Commencement Programs and Materials

No abstract provided.

Center For Psychological Studies 2003-2004 Catalog, Nova Southeastern University

College of Psychological Services / College of Psychology Postgraduate Student and Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Center For Psychological Studies 2003-2004 Catalog, Nova Sounteastern University

College of Psychological Services / College of Psychology Postgraduate Student and Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Undressing The Diaspora, Bakirathi Mani

English Literature Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

The Supreme Court's 2003 Employment Rulings: Surprising Gains For Workers And Women, Joanna L. Grossman

Faculty Journal Articles and Book Chapters

The notoriously conservative Supreme Court returned some surprising victories for employees, women, and families during the October, 2003 term. Its most notable employment decision was in Nevada Department of Human Resources v. Hibbs, a case exploring whether the Family and Medical Leave Act, a federal statute mandating unpaid leave for employees who need it because of illness or care giving responsibilities, protects state government employees.

A second important case, Desert Palace, Inc. v. Costa, resolved a long-brewing split among federal appellate courts about the proof requirements in so-called “mixed motive” discrimination cases—those in which an adverse employment action …

Emergent Behavior In Phonological Pattern Change, M. Dras, K. David Harrison

Linguistics Faculty Works

No abstract provided.