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Effects Of Submergence And Hypoxia On The Growth And Anatomy Of Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) Seedlings, Denise M. D'Abundo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Aerenchyma - a specialized tissue with abundant, interconnected gas spaces - facilitates oxygen transport from shoots to roots in many emergent wetland plants. The importance of oxygen transport to root elongation and aerenchyma development in rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings was demonstrated in this investigation. Germinated seeds of Lemont (a commercial cultivar) and red rice (an agricultural weed) were positioned at 4.5, 2.5, or 1.0 cm below the surface of aerated or hypoxic water to control the duration of leaf submergence and the availability of oxygen. Primary root and leaf lengths were measured daily. Aerenchyma was compared among emergent and …

Solute Transport In A Porous Medium: A Mass-Conserving Solution For The Convection-Dispersion Equation In A Finite Domain, William Golz

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation considers the proper mathematical description for the physical problem of a miscible solute undergoing longitudinal convective-dispersive transport with constant production, first-order decay, and equilibrium sorption in a porous medium. Initial and input concentrations may be any continuously differentiable functions and the mathematical system is articulated for a finite domain. This domain yields a mass balance which requires Robin (i.e., third-type) boundaries, which describe a continuous flux but a discontinuous resident-concentration. The discontinuity in the resident concentration at the outflow boundary yields an underdetermined system when the exit concentration is not experimentally measured. This is resolved by defining the …

Evolution Of Ecological Diversity In The Neotropical Tanagers Of The Genus Tangara (Aves: Thraupidae), Kazuya Naoki

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The origin and maintenance of biological diversity has been one of the fundamental issues in biology. However, the evolution of ecological traits that affect species coexistence and species diversity is poorly known. My research aimed to investigate the evolution of species-specific ecological and morphological traits and to understand the process of ecological diversification and species coexistence in Tangara tanagers (Thraupidae) by using phylogenetic comparative methods. Tangara is the largest avian genus in the New World with 50 recognized species. As many as ten species of Tangara are found sympatrically in the same Andean cloud forest, and many syntopic species travel …

The Invasive Tropical Shrub Clidemia Hirta (Melastomataceae) In Its Native And Introduced Ranges: Tests Of Hypotheses Of Invasion, Saara Jennie Dewalt

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Exotic pest plants often grow to greater stature, become more abundant, and display increased shade tolerance in their introduced ranges than in their native ranges. These differences have been hypothesized to result from genetic shifts in biomass allocation, growth, or photosynthesis between genotypes in native and introduced ranges or from plastic, phenotypic responses to different environmental conditions, such as lower herbivore or fungal pest loads in areas of introduction. I used the tropical shrub Clidemia hirta (Melastomataceae) as a model exotic pest plant to test these two non-mutually exclusive hypotheses of invasion. Clidemia hirta invades forest understory and is more …

Subversive Bodies: Embodiment As Discursive Strategy In Women's Popular Literature Of The Long Eighteenth Century, Phyllis Ann Thompson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

“Subversive Bodies: Embodiment as Discursive Strategy in Women’s Popular Literature of the Long Eighteenth Century” examines literary representations of the body as strategies of resistance. This study demonstrates that Manley's Secret Memoirs from the New Atalantis, Haywood's Female Spectator, and Burney's Journal and Letters, as well as unpublished receipt books for medicinal and cosmetic preparations, challenge the prevailing masculinist notion of a passive, distinct topography of womanhood and lay the groundwork for a feminist tradition of recognizing the body as an explicit part of experience. Tracing the origins of today's critical perspectives, my study draws on the insights of recent …

Biology And Ecology Of Leptographium Species And Their Vectos As Components Of Loblolly Pine Decline, Lori G. Eckhardt

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) decline (LPD) has been present in upland sites of central Alabama since the 1960s. Symptoms of LPD (fine root deterioration, short chlorotic needles, sparse crowns, reduced radial growth) begin in the 30-40 yr age class, resulting in premature death at ages 35-50. Previously, declining loblolly was diagnosed as littleleaf disease (LLD); however, site conditions associated with LPD are different from LLD sites. Littleleaf disease only occurs on eroded, heavy clay soils and is secondarily associated with the fungus, Phytophthora cinnamomi. In contrast, LPD occurs on sandy, well-drained soils and is associated with Leptographium spp., as …

A Comparison Of Life Histories And Ecological Aspects Among Snappers (Pisces: Lutjanidae), Fernando Martinez-Andrade

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

An extensive search for data on life-history and ecological variables was conducted for a representative number of the species within the family Lutjanidae. After creating different databases and standardizing all data, these variables were examined in statistical, correlation and graphic analyses. Additionally, a series of Principal Component Analyses were used to examine patterns among variables. Life-history variables included age at length zero, asymptotic length, maximum length, longevity, asymptotic weight, length at maturity, age at maturity, reproductive life span, growth rate and mortality rate. Ecological variables included latitudinal and vertical distribution, habitat selection (represented by substrate type), and spawning seasons. The …

The Effects Of Message Direction And Sex Differences On The Interpretation Of Workplace Gossip, Kristen Marie Berkos

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Gossip occurs in the organization and individuals exposed to these gossip messages must decide how to interpret the gossip. This dissertation explains the definitions and research for gossip, message direction, sex differences, message interpretation, politicalism, and believability. Applying symbolic interactionism and social exchange theory, seven relationships between variables are proposed. The seven hypotheses are tested via a web-based questionnaire that manipulated the message direction and sex of the gossiper and gossip receiver. Two hundred seventy-six full time employees completed instruments measuring gossip believability, purpose, and politicalism. Data were subjected to a MANCOVA, and correlation statistics. Results supported three of the …

Bioavailability And Bioaccumulation Of Sediment-Associated, Desorption-Resistant Fraction Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Contaminants, Xiaoxia Lu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study is directed toward identifying and characterizing the bioavailability of both reversibly sorbed and desorption-resistant fraction of hydrophobic organic contaminants in natural biologically active sediments and the corresponding consequences to prediction, control and regulation of these contaminants. The focus is on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with particular emphasis on phenanthrene and benzo[a]pyrene. A quantity of well-characterized and extensively desorbed sediments was prepared by desorbing the lab-inoculated sediment with an isopropanol and electrolyte solution. This procedure was proved to be a very effective method to prepare sediments containing contaminants largely limited to a desorption-resistant compartment. Accumulation of contaminants in the …

The Ecology Of Two Estuarine-Dependent Tonguefishes, The Blackcheek Tonguefish (Symphurus Plagiusa) And The Offshore Tonguefish (S. Civitatium), In Coastal Louisiana, Theodore Scott Switzer

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The pattern and process of wetland loss in coastal Louisiana has the potential to influence the distribution and abundance of fishes and macroinvertebrates that utilize inshore estuarine habitat as nurseries during their early life histories. Current management plans designed to stabilize marsh elevations, such as freshwater diversions, may also influence the distribution and abundance of estuarine-dependent nekton. Given the importance of nursery function of inshore estuaries in coastal Louisiana, it is of interest to explore the response of estuarine-dependent organisms to environmental gradients. To this end I examined the ecology of two sympatric tonguefishes, the blackcheek tonguefish (Symphurus plagiusa) and …

Quantitative Trait Loci Mapping For Agronomic And Fiber Quality Traits In Upland Cotton (Gossypium Hirsutum L.) Using Molecular Markers, Muhanad Walid Akash

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The breeding of Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivars that combine high yield and fiber quality is a major challenge to the breeder. The understanding of the quantitative trait loci (QTL) contributing to agronomic and fiber quality traits offers an excellent route to solve this problem. A QTL analysis was carried out after an F_2:3 population composed of 138 lines, derived from the intraspecific cross between Paymaster 54 and PeeDee 2165, was developed and a linkage map including 143 AFLP markers was constructed. The F_2:3 population was grown in two locations, Alexandria and Baton Rouge in LA. The …

Adherence To Medical Regimens In Low-Income Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: The Influence Of Perceived Control Constructs, Erin L. O'Hea

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Individuals with Type 2 diabetes often do not adhere to their treatment regimens (e.g., exercise, diet, medication, glucose monitoring). Non-adherence results in poor metabolic control, further morbidity and mortality, and increased health care utilization and costs. One common thread among many health-behavior-theories that attempt to explain non-adherence behaviors is the importance of perceived control. This psychosocial variable has most often been conceptualized as ‘health locus of control,’ which refers to the belief that one has the ability to influence or change one’s health outcomes. Inconsistent findings have been reported regarding the relationship of health locus of control and medical regimen …

Cissus Sicyoides C. Linnaeus (Vitaceae), A Potential Exotic Pest In The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, J. V. French, Robert I. Lonard, James H. Everitt

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

English:Cissus sicyoides C. Linnaeus, a perennial vine native to tropical Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, has recently been rediscovered in the Lower Rio Grande Valley,Texas. A dense population of this exotic species has been located in a brushy area along a canal network and in two adjacent citrus groves near Weslaco. This species produces a dense mantle that covers other vegetation, appears to be invasive, and may pose a potential weed problem in citrus in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.

Spanish: Cissus sicyoides C. Linnaeus, una enredadera perene nativa de los trópicos de México, América Central y el Caribe, …

First Nesting Attempt Of Yellow-Faced Grassquit (Tiaris Olivacea) In The United States, Timothy Brush

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

No abstract provided.

Integrating Natural Coping And Survival Strategies Of African American Women Into Social Work Practice: Lessons Learned From The Works Of Nannie Helen Burruoghs, Lolita Cecelia Boykin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines the historical coping and survival strategies of African American women - as reflected through the works of Nannie Helen Burroughs- that can be integrated into current social work practice. This research is important because is describes, explores and analyzes culturally relevant helping traditions, among African American women that have historically promoted their emotional and psychological well-being. An analysis of methods used by Burroughs was derived from articles, letters, speeches and minutes from various convention meetings. Also, a variety of secondary sources were also used during the research process. Results from the study are important in that they …

A Comprehensive Analysis Of Recently Integrated Human Line-1 Mobile Elements, Jeremy Shawn Myers

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Long INterspersed Elements (LINE or L1) have had an enormous influence on human genomic structure, comprising about 20% of the mass of the human genome. In this analysis the most recent L1 insertions in the human genome belonging to L1Hs Ta and preTa subfamilies were examined to further understand the impact L1 elements have had on human genomic structure and diversity. Collectively, over 800 human specific L1 elements from the draft sequence of the human genome were characterized. Estimates suggest that human specific L1 mobilization alone is responsible for increasing the size of the human genome by roughly 1.4 million …

Characterization Of Protein Secretion In Mycobacterium Leprae Using Phoa Fusions In Escherichia Coli And Mycobacterium Smegmatis, Marina Noemi Torrero

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Complete sequencing and annotation of the M. leprae genome has provided new information related to proteins constituting its hypothetical proteome. Since M. leprae can not be grown in vitro, novel approaches are needed to determine which proteins are expressed during infection and whether these proteins are related to pathogenesis. Secreted proteins represent a distinct group of protein with respect to their structure and function, contribution to virulence and are of particular importance for vaccine development because they are often immunogenic and have the potential to be recognized early in infection. The objectives of this study were: 1) to identify putatively …

Assia Djebar. Le Corps Invisible: Voir Sans Etre Vue, Anna Rocca

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This thesis traces the evolution of attitudes towards the body, desire, autobiography, and self-affirmation, in three novels of Assia Djebar: L'amour, la fantasia, Vaste est la prison, and Les nuits de Strasbourg. The three novels share a common trait: the narrators' will to express their body and their desires. This body, which is simultaneously anonymous and concealed, is at the very center of a contradiction; it is often relegated to representation as a ghost without any corporeal reality. It is been our objective to follow the narrators' introspective reflection on the multiple relationships between Algerian women and public space, designated …

Cs 750 Bioethics: Creation And The Environment, James R. Thobaben

Syllabi

Barkey, M. (ed) Environmental Stewardship in the Judeo-Christian Tradition [a very short book, easy to read] Bradie, M. The Secret Chain: Evolution and Ethics [a fairly difficult book; try to pick up arguments without excessive concern on exactly who said what; the major “players” will be discussed in class] Moreland, J.P. & Reynolds, J., editors Three Views on Creation and Evolution [an accessible book covering three Christian positions] Ruse, M. (ed.) Philosophy of Biology (scan Chapters 12 – 15, 19 - 20, 26 – 27; read remainder) [this is a difficult book that assumes, in some chapters, a knowledge of …

Perception Of Health, Hiv Clinical Disease Status, And The Use Of Complementary And Alternative Medicines Among A Cohort Of Hiv-Positive Women, Isis S. Mikhail

All ETDs from UAB

The objectives of this study are two-fold: (a) to assess the association between use of CAM and HIV clinical disease indicators; and (b) to assess the association between patient's self-perceived health status (POH) and clinical disease indicators. Clinical disease indicators were measured per CD4+ T-cell count, viral load, number of infections, CDC stage, and Karnofsky Performance Scores (KPS). This was a cross-sectional study including 391 HIV-positive women ages 18–50 years, living in Alabama and Georgia. Participants included 84% African Americans ( n = 327), 15% Caucasians ( n = 58), and 1% other races ( n = 6). A written …

Statistical Efficiency And Complexity Of Curve Fitting Algorithms., Claire Lesort

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Factors Affecting Ammonium Uptake In Streams - An Inter-Biome Perspective, Jackson R. Webster, Patrick J. Mulholland, Jennifer L. Tanks, H. Maurice Valett, Walter K. Dodds, Bruce J. Peterson, William B. Bowden, Clifford N. Dahm, Stuart Findlay, Stanley V. Gregory, Nancy B. Grimm, Stephen K. Hamilton, Sherri L. Johnson, Eugenia Marti, William H. Mcdowell, Judy L. Meyer, Donna D. Morrall, Steven A. Thomas, Wilfred M. Wollheim

Faculty Publications

The Lotic Intersite Nitrogen experiment (LINX) was a coordinated study of the relationships between North American biomes and factors governing ammonium uptake in streams. Our objective was to relate inter-biome variability of ammonium uptake to physical, chemical and biological processes. 2. Data were collected from 11 streams ranging from arctic to tropical and from desert to rainforest. Measurements at each site included physical, hydraulic and chemical characteristics, biological parameters, whole-stream metabolism and ammonium uptake. Ammonium uptake was measured by injection of '5~-ammonium and downstream measurements of 15N-ammonium concentration. 3. We found no general, statistically significant relationships that explained the variability …

The Chronic Health Effects Of Smokeless Tobacco Use., Neil Allen Accortt

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

An Innovative Approach To Training Hospital -Based Clinicians For Bioterrorist Attacks., Camille Hartong Filoromo

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Syndecan-4 In Cell Adhesion., Ssang-Taek Lim

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Identifying Priority Learning Needs To Improve Adherence To Self -Management Regimens Among Individuals With Chronic Heart Failure: Developing A Clinic -Based Screening Instrument., Joan Mary C Mangan

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Infection In Wild Chimpanzees., Mario Luis Santiago

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Parameter Estimation For A Proposed Joint Distribution Of Correlated Bernoulli Trials., Yufeng Li

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Integrin-Mediated Adhesion Of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells To Hard-Tissue Implant Biomaterials., Krista Lyn Kilpadi

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

The Predictors Of Exercise Participation And Physical Fitness Levels In Firefighters In Birmingham, Alabama., Yothaka Pakapong

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.