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Comparing Calf Sex Ratio And Semen Sex Ratio Determined By Conventional Pcr, Tara Marie Taylor

LSU Master's Theses

Thirty-nine ejaculates from 8 Holstein bulls were collected. Straws of semen (n=750) were distributed among dairies in three states. Ten straws per ejaculate were sent to Louisiana State University (LSU) Dairy Improvement Center for conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Spermatozoal DNA was extracted and PCR analysis was done using one primer set amplifying a single copy 125 base pair (bp) section of the Bos taurus factor IX (Christmas factor) precursor (found on the X chromosome) and another primer set amplifying a single copy section of the Bos taurus sex determining region Y protein (SRY) gene (found on the Y …

The Importance Of Size And Shape In Imprinted Polymers, Jason Campbell

LSU Master's Theses

The existence of shape selectivity in non-covalent molecularly imprinted polymers has been proven using molecular probes. A series of amines varying with different structural motifs and secondary amines with different sized side chains were imprinted, and binding evaluated by HPLC for each amine on polymers imprinted with similar amines. Trends in the binding relationships revealed two major contributions of cavity structure on selectivity afforded by molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). First, sterics play a dominant role in cases where a molecules structure is too big too fit into an imprinted site formed from a smaller template molecule. Second, molecular structures that …

Geologic Variability And Holocene Sedimentary Record On The Northern Gulf Of Mexico Inner To Mid-Continental Shelf, Triniti A. Dufrene

LSU Master's Theses

Sidescan Sonar, chirp sonar sub-bottom profiles, and grab samples were collected on the north-central Gulf of Mexico continental shelf as part of an interdisciplinary study mapping juvenile red snapper habitat. Demarcation of essential fish habitat for juvenile red snapper (Lutjanus campechansis) in the Gulf of Mexico is considered critical for effective management of this valuable species. The first goal of this study was to map and describe the geology of this region. The second goal was to attempt to relate variations in geology to juvenile red snapper abundance and distribution. Sidescan mosaics were created for ten polygons, ranging in size …

Modification Of Ct Quality Assurance Phantom For Pet/Ct Alignment And Pet Resolution, Prashanth K. Nookala

LSU Master's Theses

Radiotherapy treatment planning utilizing PET and CT is rapidly gaining acceptance in oncology. A limiting factor of the dual modality is the PET/CT alignment. A small error in PET/CT alignment may result in giving large doses of radiation to healthy tissues as a result of poor treatment planning. For this purpose, regular quality assurance testing of PET/CT must be performed. Separate QA procedures and phantoms have been developed for the two different modalities. In particular, many existing phantoms cannot be used for both modalities, which is a requirement for evaluating PET/CT alignment. Our goal is to evaluate several existing phantom …

Spotted Sea Trout (Cynoscion Nebulosus) And Pinfish (Lagodon Rhomboides) Dietary Analysis According To Habitat Type, Micah Russell

LSU Master's Theses

The diets of a transitory fish (spotted sea trout, Cynoscion nebulosus) and a fish with presumed greater site-fidelity (pinfish, Lagodon rhomboides) were analyzed with respect to habitat. Sampling occurred in Barataria Bay, Louisiana between May 2003 and May 2004. Spotted sea trout were caught using gillnets, and pinfish were caught using baited fish traps. Each gear was used on three habitats: mud bottom, oyster shell, and marsh edge. In addition, sampling for spotted sea trout was repeated at three locations along a salinity gradient. A total of 175 spotted sea trout stomachs and 137 pinfish stomachs were examined. Seventeen prey …

Flexibility – Examining An Underappreciated Motivation For Outsourcing With An Optimization Model In A Small E-Product Manufacturer, Asser Fayed, Timothy R. Anderson, David Fenwick

Engineering and Technology Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Technology outsourcing has recently become a politically sensitive issue with proponents emphasizing longterm economic growth opportunities, and opponents pointing out immediate job losses. The underlying reason for outsourcing is often assumed to be the availability of cheaper labor outside the USA but this overlooks the possibility that companies may simply be seeking greater labor flexibility outside of US state and federal labor laws. This paper quantitatively tests a software company’s motivation to secure a flexible and adaptable labor pool. Although production lines located at multiple sites provide great flexibility for scheduling and costs because each site has its own local …

Do Maps Guide The Way To Npd Success? Theoretical And Practical Aspects Of Knowledge Mapping In Product Development, Antonie J, Jetter

Engineering and Technology Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

New product development success largely depends on the ability to combine newly acquired information on customer demands and technological options with knowledge that exists within the company. Project organization and high employee turnover, however, make it difficult to be informed about what knowledge is available within the company and to access it successfully. Knowledge maps, a popular concept in present knowledge management, offer a possible solution by ?guiding the way to knowledge?. Their purpose, structure and content varies greatly, as does their ability to capture different aspects of knowledge. This paper investigates the theoretical basis of different types of knowledge …

Methods For Correcting Topographically Induced Radiometric Distortion On Landsat Thematic Mapper Images For Land Cover Classification, David Michael Rosen

Geography Masters Research Papers

Satellite imagery is commonly used to study land-use, land-cover change in mountainous areas. Classification of land-cover types is particularly difficult in this type of terrain because topography affects the spectral response of surface features. Several techniques have been developed to help compensate for this topographic effect and to increase classification accuracy.

The purpose of this study is to compare topographic correction methods to determine which produces the most accurate results. Method 1 does not use any topographic correction, serving as a control. Method 2 is based on the Lambertian model, and uses topographical data as variables in an equation. Method …

Infrared Response Of Charge-Coupled Devices, Matthias Loch, Ralf Widenhorn, Erik Bodegom

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

With a band gap of silicon of 1.1eV, the largest wavelength that can excite electrons from the valence to the conduction band is roughly 1100nm. As a consequence, in, for instance, a charge-coupled device, the quantum efficiency (QE) for wavelengths larger than 1100nm is assumed to be zero. We found that there is a response at those longer wavelengths and that the response decreases with increasing wavelength. The QE increases with increasing chip temperature which suggests a thermally activated process. Impurities in the silicon provide the energy levels in the band gap, from which electrons can be excited either thermally …

Making Sense Of Nanocrystal Lattice Fringes, P. Fraundorf, Wentao Qin, Peter Moeck, Eric Mandell

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The orientation dependence of thin-crystal lattice fringes can be gracefully quantified using fringe-visibility maps, a direct-space analog of Kikuchi maps [Nishikawa and Kikuchi, Nature (London) 121, 1019 (1928)]. As in navigation of reciprocal space with the aid of Kikuchi lines, fringe-visibility maps facilitate acquisition of crystallographic information from lattice images. In particular, these maps can help researchers to determine the three-dimensional lattice of individual nanocrystals, to 'fringe-fingerprint' collections of randomly oriented particles, and to measure local specimen thickness with only a modest tilt. Since the number of fringes in an image increases with maximum spatial-frequency squared, these strategies (with help …

Spectroscopy Of Kiss Emission-Line Galaxy Candidates. Iii. A Second Set Of Mdm Observations, Anna Jangren, Gary Wegner, John J. Salzer, Jessica K. Werk, Caryl Gronwall

Dartmouth Scholarship

Spectroscopic observations for 315 emission-line galaxy (ELG) candidates from the KPNO International Spectroscopic Survey (KISS) have been obtained using the MDM Observatory 2.4 m telescope on Kitt Peak. KISS is a wide-field objective-prism survey for extragalactic emission-line objects that has cataloged over 2200 ELG candidates to date. Spectroscopic follow-up observations are being carried out to study the characteristics of the survey objects. The observational data presented here include redshifts, reddening estimates, line equivalent widths, Hα line fluxes, and emission-line ratios. The galaxies have been classified based on their emission-line characteristics. The procedure for selecting the ELG candidates in KISS is …

Synthetic Studies In Phytochrome Chemistry, Peter A. Jacobi, Imad Odeh, Subhas Buddhu, Guolin Cai, Sundaramoorthi Rajeswari, Douglas Fry, Wanjun Zheng, Robert W. Desimone, Jiasheng Guo, Lisa D. Coutts, Sheila I. Hauck, Sam H. Leung, Indranath Ghosh, Douglas Pippin

Dartmouth Scholarship

An account is given of the author’s several approaches to the synthesis of the parent chromophore of phytochrome (1), a protein-bound linear tetrapyrrole derivative that controls photomorphogenesis in higher plants. These studies culminated in enantioselective syntheses of both (2R)- and (2S)-phytochromobilin (4), as well as several ¹³C-labeled derivatives designed to probe the site of Z,E-isomerization during photoexcitation. When reacted in vitro, synthetic 2R-4 and recombinant-derived phytochrome apoprotein N-C produced a protein-bound chromophore with identical difference spectra to naturally occurring 1.

Preliminary Study Comparing Precipitation Quality Between Nominal Land Uses In Portland, Oregon, Lacey Sullivan

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

The purpose of this study is to analyze the precipitation quality in various land use categories throughout Portland. Because of its significance in the removal of atmospheric pollutants, wet deposition is an important component to study. In addition to its significant role in cleansing the atmosphere, wet deposition can have a direct impact on the ecosystem due to its potential pollutant load. Various land uses may provide different emission sources, each uniquely affecting the composition of the atmosphere. A literature review found few studies comparing precipitation quality between local land uses within an urban area. Wet deposition studies seem to …

Development Of A Ctd System For Environmental Measurements Using Novel Pcb Mems Fabrication Techniques, Heather Allison Broadbent

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The development of environmental continuous monitoring of physicochemical parameters via portable small and inexpensive instrumentation is an active field of research as it presents distinct challenges. The development of a PCB MEMS-based inexpensive CTD system intended for the measurement of environmental parameters in natural waters, is presented in this work. Novel PCB MEMS fabrication techniques have also been developed to construct the conductivity and temperature transducers. The design and fabrication processes are based on PCB MEMS technology that combines Cu-clad liquid crystal polymer (LCP) thin-film material with a direct write photolithography tool, chemical etching and metallization of layers of electroless …

Estimation Of Subject Specific Icp Dynamic Models Using Prospective Clinical Data, Wayne W. Wakeland, Joe Fusion, B. Goldstein

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

We used a prospective clinical trial to generate physiologic data to create subject-specific in silico (computer simulation) models of intracranial pressure dynamics in children with severe traumatic brain injury. The trial included a physiologic challenge protocol with changes in head-of-bed elevation and minute ventilation, applied over multiple iterations to three subjects. Physiologic signals (electrocardiogram, respiration, arterial blood pressure, intracranial pressure [ICP], oxygen saturation) were recorded continuously, along with clinical annotations indicating the precise timing of physiologic challenges. Several parameters within the model of ICP dynamics were estimated for each subject based on the ICP response to the challenges. Estimation was …

Hamilton's Rule In Reciprocal Altruism And Symbiosis, Jeffrey Fletcher, Martin Zwick

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

In lieu of an abstract, here is the outline:

Do Inclusive Fitness and Reciprocal Altruism Models embody different or similar mechanisms?

Background

• The Prisoner’s Dilemma (PD), Hamilton’s Rule (Queller’s version)

Apply Hamilton’s Rule to Reciprocal Altruism:

• Iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma model
• A model of symbiosis

Towards a Unified Theory

Dynamic Systems And Organizational Decision-Making Processes In Nonprofits, Jennifer S. Tucker, Jennifer C. Cullen, Robert S. Sinclair, Wayne Wakeland

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

Social purpose organizations (SPOs) are nonprofit organizations that fulfill their social missions by seeking revenue from traditional business activities. SPOs often face difficulties attracting and retaining organizational members with the necessary mix of social and business skills and values. When coupled with resource limitations and an unstable environment, these issues create serious strategic challenges for leaders of small SPOs. In the present article, the authors describe several systems thinking concepts that may enable leaders to understand and therefore more effectively contend with the challenges of the SPO context. The authors also present a case study demonstrating the utility of systems …

Combining Optimizer And Metamodeling For Railcar Structural Optimization, Longjun Liu, Wayne Wakeland

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

Stress constraint is a hard issue for structural topology optimization, especially for large-scale structures, e.g. railcars. Another technique is proposed to combine a sizing optimizer with metamodelling for topology optimization. At the lower level, for each topology design sampled within the topology design space, a sizing optimizer finds feasible and optimal solutions in terms of sizing variables (plate thickness in continuum structures). All performance constraints such as stress, displacement, and stability, are handled only at this level. At the upper level, a metamodel is built to fit all the optimal solutions found at the lower level and is optimized for …

University Studies Annual Assessment 2004-2005, Portland State University. University Studies Program

University Studies Annual Assessment Reports

No abstract provided.

Crystal Structure Of The Gtpase Domain Of Rat Dynamin 1, Thomas F. Reubold, Susanne Eschenburg, Andreas Becker, Marilyn Leonard, Sandra L. Schmid, Richard B. Vallee, F. Jon Kull, Dietmar J. Manstein

Dartmouth Scholarship

Here, we present the 1.9-A crystal structure of the nucleotide-free GTPase domain of dynamin 1 from Rattus norvegicus. The structure corresponds to an extended form of the canonical GTPase fold observed in Ras proteins. Both nucleotide-binding switch motifs are well resolved, adopting conformations that closely resemble a GTP-bound state not previously observed for nucleotide-free GTPases. Two highly conserved arginines, Arg-66 and Arg-67, greatly restrict the mobility of switch I and are ideally positioned to relay information about the nucleotide state to other parts of the protein. Our results support a model in which switch I residue Arg-59 gates GTP binding …

The Predictive Validity Of Four Reading Fluency Measures On A State's "High-Stakes" Outcome Assessment, Jose Michael Castillo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the long-term predictive validity of four reading fluency measures on a statewide reading assessment. The reading fluency measures were administered to a group of first and second grade students and their utility for predicting outcomes on a state's reading assessment in third grade was examined. Specifically, the amount of variance accounted for on the outcome assessment by Curriculum-Based Measurement ñ Reading (R-CBM) probes from two sources, a list fluency measure, and a group measure of fluency was investigated. The extent to which each is an accurate predictor of long-term performance when considered individually and in combination with …

The Effect Of Direct Instruction Math Curriculum On Higher-Order Problem Solving, Pamela Christofori

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has examined the effectiveness of Direct Instruction Curriculum over the past thirty years in a variety of areas including rate of learning, effectiveness on different types of learners, and comparisons to other types of instruction. This study attempted to determine the effects of the use of a direct instruction math curriculum on higher-order problem solving. Two groups of 3 – 5 students each participated. The procedures included administering the Kauffman Achievement test to determine current grade level in math and reading. The Saxon Math Second Grade Curriculum was used to instruct the participants. The effects on higher-order problem …

Development Of Interactive Web-Based Tutorials For Chemical Engineering Undergraduates, Stefan Cular

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents the design, creation, and testing of a web-based tool for generating interactive web-based problem set assignments. In prior research (Stetka, 2001) it was shown that students enjoyed interactive problems. In this research, multiple programming languages were used to provide a web-based, fully interactive, problem solving environment for the students. Sample problem sets were written by the author and a few chemical engineering students.

These web pages were then used as a basis to test the effectiveness of the webbased interactive problem sets for two engineering courses. Initial findings are presented illustrating the student’s results along with results …

Early Learning Experiences: Education With Coaching And The Effects On The Acquisiton Of Literacy Skills In Preschool Children, Dale Lynn Cusumano

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Reading to learn becomes a difficult task for children if they have not become proficient at comprehending written text. It was hypothesized that, for some children, reading difficulties may have been averted had they been reared in homes or participated in early childhood settings where literacy-based activities, interactions, or materials were prevalent. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact that training early childhood educators in researchbased early literacy instructional strategies (within the HeadsUp! Reading curriculum ñ HUR) had on the development of early reading skills in the preschool children they taught. Further examination also identified the impact …

Theoretical And Experimental Investigation Of Phase Behavior Of Polymeric Systems In Supercritical Carbon Dioxide And Their Modeling Using Saft, Ratka Damnjanovic

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Environmentally friendly processing of materials is becoming an increasingly important consideration in a wide variety of emerging technologies. Polymer processing, in particular, has benefited tremendously in this venue from numerous advances achieved using high-pressure carbon dioxide (CO₂) as a viscosity modifier, plasticizing agent, foaming agent, and reaction medium. Polymer processing in supercritical fluids has been a major interest for a portfolio of materials processing applications including their impregnation into porous matrices. Also, SCF solvents are being examined as a media for polymerization processes, polymer purification and fractionation, and as environmentally preferable solvents for solution coatings. Pressurized CO_{2 …}

Coral Reef Assessment: An Index Utilizing Sediment Constituents, Camille A. Daniels

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Resource managers need inexpensive bioindicators to evaluate the health of coral reef ecosystems and to inform decisions on when and where to utilize more expensive assessment techniques. Following USEPA Guidelines for Evaluating Ecological Indicators, I developed the SEDCON Index (SI), a rapid-assessment protocol which utilizes reef sediment composition to assess the integrity of coral-reef communities. Key advantages of this index are that it entails non-destructive sampling and is applicable to reefs worldwide. The underlying assumption of the index is that community structure is reflected by proportions of recognizable remnants of calcareous shells and skeletal remains of mixotrophic (zooxanthellate corals and …

Formation Of Nanocoatings By Laser-Assisted Spray Pyrolysis And Laser Ablation On 2d Gold Nanotemplates, Gayan S. Dedigamuwa

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis describes a new Laser-Assisted Spray Pyrolysis technique developed to grow nanoparticle coatings with controllable particle sizes. In this method, droplets of a precursor formed by a nebulizer are injected into a growth chamber using SF6 carrier gas. An experimental study and a computational model to investigate the particle size dependence on various growth parameters have been carried out. The results show that heating of 1.5µm droplets of metalorganic precursor in a carrier gas using a CO2 laser resulted in the formation of TiC and Fe3O4 particles with diameters in the range of 50- 60nm. Also the results show …

Aortic Valve Analysis And Area Prediction Using Bayesian Modeling, Miheer S. Ghotikar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Aortic valve stenosis affects approximately 5 out of every 10,000 people in the United States. [3] This disorder causes decrease in the aortic valve opening area increasing resistance to blood flow. Detection of early stages of valve malfunction is an important area of research to enable new treatments and develop strategies in order to delay degenerative progression. Analysis of relationship between valve properties and hemodynamic factors is critical to develop and validate these strategies.

Porcine aortic valves are anatomically analogous to human aortic valves. Fixation agents modify the valves in such a manner to mimic increased leaflet stiffness due to …

Light Element And Lithium Isotope Signatures Of The Emii Reservoir - The Society Islands, French Polynesia: Geochemical Results And An Educational Application, Judy Ann Harden

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the abundance systematics of Li, Be and B, and Li isotopic systematics in lavas from the Society Islands, an enriched mantle (EMII) intraplate site, to further characterize the chemical signatures in the sources for ocean island basalts that may result from subduction-related processes and mantle entrainment. The goal is to see how light-element and Li-isotope systematics vary during ocean-island volcanic evolution and during tropical weathering.

B/K, B/Be and Li/V ratios in basaltic Moorea lavas are 0.0001-.0002, 0.6-2.0 and 0.01-0.05 respectively, and the more evolved samples are somewhat higher. These ratios are similar …

The Position Of The Ophiuroidea Within The Phylum Echinodermata, Mary C. Harmon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cladistic analyses of the interclass relationships of the phylum Echinodermata have not provided a phylogeny that is separately supported by both larval and adult characters. Similar to the reported incongruence with cladistic analyses, molecular analyses of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes have also given ambiguous results, which could be due to a number of factors. The use of short sequences, systematic errors such as long branch attraction, and mis-alignments of the data that are introduced by programs which are unsuitable for non-protein coding genes, have resulted in a controversy as to the true nature of echinoderm relationships. Historically, it is the …