Digital Commons Network^™

“Culture Of Life” Politics At The Bedside: The Case Of Terri Schiavo, George J. Annas

Faculty Scholarship

For the first time in the history of the United States, Congress met in a special emergency session on Sunday, March 20, to pass legislation aimed at the medical care of one patient — Terri Schiavo. President George W. Bush encouraged the legislation and flew back to Washington, D.C., from his vacation in Crawford, Texas, so that he could be on hand to sign it immediately. In a statement issued three days earlier, he said: “The case of Terri Schiavo raises complex issues. . . . Those who live at the mercy of others deserve our special care and concern. …

Turning From Damage Caps To Information Disclosure: An Alternative To Tort Reform, Kathryn Zeiler

Faculty Scholarship

Medical malpractice damage caps are among the most popular instruments of tort reform at the state level. Recently the Bush administration proposed a federal damage cap on non-economic damages to quell the rise of medical malpractice insurance premiums despite the paucity of empirical evidence demonstrating that damage caps actually decrease premiums. This Case Study argues that imposing statutory caps on medical malpractice damages is not an effective method of remedying the medical malpractice insurance crisis: therefore, policymakers should consider alternatives to damage caps. In particular, evidence suggests that implementing mandatory disclosure of the contract terms between managed care organizations and …

I Want To Live: Medicine Betrayed By Ideology In The Political Debate Over Terri Schaivo, George J. Annas

Faculty Scholarship

The public's view of the political intrusion into the medical care of Theresa Marie Schiavo is well illustrated by two political cartoons. The first, by Tony Auth, reprinted in the Boston Globe shortly after Congress passed a law authorizing intervention by the federal courts, pictures a horde of congressmen charging mindlessly out of the Capitol, all dressed as physicians-one carrying a saw, another an I.V. pole-with the caption, "Coming Soon to a Sickbed Near You . .. [tihe United States Congress." The second, by Tom Toles, published in the Washington Post shortly after the results of the autopsy report were …

The Scopes Trope, Jay D. Wexler

Faculty Scholarship

In his book, Where Darwin Meets the Bible: Creationists and Evolutionists in America, journalist Larry Witham introduces the reader to the various characters involved in the ongoing controversy over evolution and creationism. His account is subtle and nuanced, and he demonstrates that the controversy is more complicated than many believe. Far from caricatures of godless scientists seeking to discard religion in thedustbin of history and reactionary religious fundamentalists decrying Darwinism as the downfall of mankind, Witham gives us the real stories of real people who dwell in shades far more gray than usually recognized. This book review builds upon Witham's …

Pharmaceutical Arbitrage: Balancing Access And Innovation In International Prescription Drug Markets, Kevin Outterson

Faculty Scholarship

While neoclassical economic theory suggests that arbitrage will undermine global differential pricing of pharmaceuticals, the empirical results are more complex. Pharmaceutical regulation, IP laws, global trade agreements, and company policies support differential pricing despite the pressure of arbitrage. For essential access programs in particular, the theoretical threat of pharmaceutical arbitrage is shown to be rarely observed empirically. Counterfeiting is demonstrated to be the more serious threat. These conclusions call for changes in the U.S. PEPFAR program for AIDS and in the implementation of the WTO TRIPS Agreement.

A more fundamental question, however, is whether pharmaceutical differential pricing is appropriate for …

The Vanishing Public Domain: Antibiotic Resistance, Pharmaceutical Innovation And Global Public Health, Kevin Outterson

Faculty Scholarship

Penicillin and other antibiotics were the original wonder drugs and laid the foundation of the modern pharmaceutical industry. Human health significantly improved with the introduction of antibiotics. By 1967, the US Surgeon General declared victory over infectious diseases in the US. But pride goes before a fall. The evolutionary pressure of antibiotic use selects for resistant strains with the least fitness cost. Effective drugs should be used. But when they are used, no matter how carefully, evolutionary pressure for resistance is created. The problem is not limited to antibiotics. Variants of the human immunodeficiency (AIDS) virus develop resistance to anti-retroviral …

Ripple Or Revolution? The Indeterminacy Of Statutory Bankruptcy Reform, Melissa B. Jacoby

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Fabrication Of Core-Shell Nanoparticles, Zhanhu Guo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Metallic Cu and Au shells were fabricated around cobalt nanoparticles. A new technique to coat nanoparticles with carbon coatings and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was developed. The copper shell formation is a self-limiting process. A thin copper shell (0.82 nm) around the cobalt nanoparticle (1.56 nm) enhanced the magnetic property by increasing the blocking temperature from 124 K to 235 K for nanoparticles with a copper shell. The formed gold shell (0.67 nm) enhanced the cobalt nanoparticle magnetic property by increasing the blocking temperature above room temperature. The magnetic moment in the Co-Cu and Co-Au core-shell nanoparticle is much higher than …

Multiphase Mechanisms And Fluid Dynamics In Gas Injection Enhanced Oil Recovery Processes, Madhav M. Kulkarni

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Currently, the Water-Alternating-Gas (WAG) process is the most widely practiced horizontal mode gas injection process in the industry. Although this process is conceptually sound, it has resulted in low (5 – 10%) oil field recoveries. Conversely, the gravity stable mode of gas injection has carved its niche as one of the most effective methods of gas injection EOR in the dipping reservoirs and pinnacle reefs. The Gas Assisted Gravity Drainage (GAGD) process is therefore being developed at LSU to extend these highly successful gravity stable applications to horizontal type reservoirs. The dissertation attempts to address six key questions: (i) do …

American Disillusionment And The Search For Self-Fulfillment In The 1970'S: A Cultural History Of Taxi Driver, Annie Hall, And Saturday Night Fever, Joshua Elliot Lubin

LSU Master's Theses

Three popular and critically acclaimed films of the post-Watergate era illustrated and criticized the period’s disillusionment. Likewise, a series of political and economic crises spawned a shift in American culture. The Sixties’ mass social movements dissolved into the Seventies and launched a trend in which Americans became preoccupied with themselves more than the state of the nation. Controlling one’s own destiny became a collective obsession when confronted with the period’s various political and economic ailments. The “Me” decade turned inward rather than concern itself with public issues. Therefore, American culture earned dubious labels such as narcissistic and decadent from critics …

Capillary And Microchip Gel Electrophoresis Using Multiplexed Fluorescence Detection With Both Time-Resolved And Spectral-Discrimination Capabilities: Applications In Dna Sequencing Using Near-Infrared Fluorescence, Li Zhu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Increasing the information content obtainable from a single assay and system miniaturization has continued to be important research areas in analytical chemistry. The research presented in this dissertation involves the development of a two-color, time-resolved fluorescence microscope for the acquisition of both steady-state and time-resolved data during capillary and microchip electrophoresis. The utility of this hybrid fluorescence detector has been demonstrated by applying it to DNA sequencing applications. Coupling color discrimination with time-resolved fluorescence offers increased multiplexing capabilities because the lifetime data adds another layer of information. An optical fiber-based fluorescence microscope was constructed, which utilized fluorescence in near-IR region, …

Merit V. Ideology, Michael J. Gerhardt

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Study Of The Effects Of Magnetic Field On The Properties Of Combustion Synthesized Iron Oxide Nanoparticles, Nagaraju Komuravelli

LSU Master's Theses

Nanosized chain-like aggregates were developed in an iron pentacarbonyl-carbon monoxide (Fe(CO) 5 ¨C CO) air diffusion flame system. Magnetic field was applied around the diffusion flame using an electromagnet with an intensity of 0.4 Tesla. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis was performed to observe the behavior of the chains formed and to study the effect of magnetic field on these chains. These chain aggregates consist mainly of Fe2O3, which play a vital role in magnetic storage devices. Diffraction pattern analysis and X-ray Photon Spectroscopy (XPS) were carried out to confirm that the chain aggregates consist of mainly ¦Ã-Fe2O3. The effect …

Antimicrobial Effects Of Copper And Brass Ions On The Growth Of Listeria Monocytogenes At Different Temperatures, Ph And Nutrients, Aisha Abushelaibi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Listeria monocytogenes has been recognized as a human pathogen since 1929. This pathogen is found in many foods and listeriosis infections affect approximately 2,500 people in the United States each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of those infected with L. monocytogenes approximately 500 die as a result of the illness. Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium, commonly found in water, soil, plant material, animals and human. Today, different methods are used by food manufacturers, to reduce the risk of Listeria monocytogenes, such as antimicrobial agents, heating, irradiation, and fermentation. The ability of the bacteria to grow …

Physical Model Experiments Of The Gas-Assisted Gravity Drainage Process, Amit P. Sharma

LSU Master's Theses

The displacement of oil by gas injection in oil reservoirs is an attractive method of improved oil recovery. Commercial gravity-stable gas injection projects have demonstrated excellent recoveries; however, their application has been limited to dipping reservoirs and pinnacle reefs. Horizontal gas floods and the water alternating gas (WAG) processes, practiced in horizontal type reservoirs, have yielded less than satisfactory recoveries of 5-10%. The Gas Assisted Gravity Drainage (GAGD) Process being developed at LSU extends the concept of gravity-stable gas floods to horizontal type reservoirs to improve volumetric sweep and oil recovery. This experimental study consists of a series of visual …

Happy Cake Meltdown, Joshua Spahr

LSU Master's Theses

This group of work addresses the complexities that come as a result of stimulation overload. The breakdown of singular focus triggers the demand that everything in your reality be considered simultaneously. The result is a Happy Cake Meltdown, a visual and auditory coping mechanism with no beginning, no middle and no end. It’s about fragmentation and choosing flexibility over specialization. It’s about everything.

Toward A Construct Validation Of The Louisiana School Analysis Model Instructional Staff Questionnaire, Nikki Bray Clark

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study assessed the construct validity of the School Analysis Model (SAM) Instructional Staff Questionnaire. Construct validation was necessary for several reasons. First, it has not been possible to obtain evidence of the latent factor structure of this key component of the School Analysis Model (SAM). A factor analysis using data collected with the questionnaire was conducted to assess and identify the underlying factor structure of the instrument. Second, there is no evidence that the constructs measured by the SAM are associated with attributes of school performance further empirical analysis was done to determine if latent constructs contained within the …

An Assessment Of Consumer Preferences For Louisiana Strawberries, Michael Neil Bruchhaus

LSU Master's Theses

Louisiana strawberry production has decreased over a period of years while national production has increased, leading to concern that Louisiana's strawberry industry might disappear. California, the leading producer state, has exploited its production advantages and marketing efficiency to increase production. The objectives of the study were (1) to identify strawberry attributes preferred by consumers in the selected market area, (2) to analyze key demographic factors that influence the decision about sources of and preferences for strawberries, and (3) to identify key steps that the Louisiana strawberry industry might take to improve marketability of product and profitability of its production. Conjoint …

When I Die, I Won't Stay Dead: The Poetry Of Bob Kaufman, Mona Lisa Saloy

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation begins with the premise that critical attention to the work of Bob Kaufman is long overdue, and that Bob Kaufman is a significant American poet in the African American and Beat traditions. The purpose of this dissertation begins to rectify this need with a study of Bob Kaufman’s verse. My exploration of Kaufman necessitates some pointed attention to the cultural, social, and psychological influences that gave rise to his work, specifically his upbringing in the south, his travels, and the misrepresented times of his life in current biographical entries and some present scholarship. I will also address the …

Virtual Property, Joshua Fairfield

Articles by Maurer Faculty

This article explores three new concepts in property law. First, the article defines an emerging property form - virtual property - that is not intellectual property, but that more efficiently governs rivalrous, persistent, and interconnected online resources. Second, the article demonstrates that the threat to high-value uses of internet resources is not the traditional tragedy of the commons that results in overuse. Rather, the naturally layered nature of the internet leads to overlapping rights of exclusion that cause underuse of internet resources: a tragedy of the anticommons. And finally, the article shows that the common law of property can act …

Photobiological And Thermal Effects Of Uva Light On Cell Culture, Julianne Forman

LSU Master's Theses

The objective of this study is to characterize the photobiological and thermal effects of UVA light on cell cultures. While near-ultraviolet light has been widely used to photoactivate fluorophores and caged compounds in cells, little is known of the long-term biological effects of this light. UVA (320-400nm) photoactivating light has been used for studying fast kinetic processes and is now being employed in higher doses to target longer duration phenomena (e.g. gene expression and silencing). Photoexposure experiments using 365nm light will examine how longer duration and increased UV doses affect photoactivation cell studies. Apoptotic and cellular injury assays have been …

Legal Reform: The Role Of Public Institutions And Legal Culture, Ruben J. Garcia

Scholarly Works

In this symposium held at California Western School of Law, Professor Garcia comments on the presentations of other participants and provides his own reflections about the role that legal cultures and legal institutions play in emerging democracies and in our very own.

Integrating Horticulture Biology And Coastal Environmental Issues Into The Middle School Science Curriculum, Kathryn Lauren Karsh

LSU Master's Theses

Louisiana is losing nearly 34 square miles of coastal land each year. Scientists predict by 2050 one-third of Louisiana’s coast land will disappear (LaCoast, 2004). Many restoration projects have begun to counteract the severe land loss. Scientists use restoration methods such as vegetative plantings, sedimentary and freshwater diversions, and hydrologic projects to prevent land loss. Coastal Roots, a school-based nursery stewardship project for upper elementary to high school students coordinated by Louisiana Sea Grant College Program and LSU AgCenter, helps students understand the land loss crisis and gives them a constructive way to help restore the damaged coastal habitats by …

The Foundation Of An Apparel Factory: Culture's Place Becomes A Practiced Space, Kim T. Chavis

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The study provides a reformulation of culture as space. Building on Michel Certeau's theory of space and place, this study incorporates Karla Holloway's theory of historicity, memory, and metaphor - specifically, how these elements are formed and behave - W.E.B. Dubois's theory of double consciousness, Homi Bhabha's theory of the beyond and interstices, John Fiske's culture of everyday life, Bourdieu's idea of the habitus, Brett Williams' theory of texturing, and Edward Said's travel theory. These critical ideas are woven together to construct an operating construct of space, which allows for that culture to be a dynamic, fluid construction, represented in …

Biologically Inspired Learning System, Patrick Mcdowell

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Learning Systems used on robots require either a-priori knowledge in the form of models, rules of thumb or databases or require that robot to physically execute multitudes of trial solutions. The first requirement limits the robot’s ability to operate in unstructured changing environments, and the second limits the robot’s service life and resources. In this research a generalized approach to learning was developed through a series of algorithms that can be used for construction of behaviors that are able to cope with unstructured environments through adaptation of both internal parameters and system structure as a result of a goal based …

Conspiracy Culture In America After World War Ii, Valerie Rose Holliday

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Feminism has all too often been reified as a theoretical category. Specifically, Marxist critical categories fail to account for the integral importance of gender in any sociopolitical critique. This dissertation attempts to dereify gender and demonstrate a theoretical model that seamlessly integrates psychoanalysis, Marxism, and feminism. Conspiracy culture in America since World War II is an ideal aperture through which we may envision such a theoretical approach, and indeed see the critical need for such an approach. This dissertation looks at several post-war American conspiracy narratives, including Oliver Stone’s JFK and Nixon, Don DeLillo’s Libra, Sidney Lumet’s Fail Safe, John …

Cultural Performance Of Roadside Shrines: A Poststructural Postmodern Ethnography, Rebecca Marie Kennerly

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Marking the site of death on the road with a shrine, an increasingly popular cultural practice in the United States, is a deeply personal, private affair, however, because shrines are placed in the public right-of-way, they attract attention and invite participation, comment, and criticism. These sites, the materials that mark them, how people come to build them, the messages that those who build them hope to convey, and the accumulative force these sites bring to bear in various contexts offer unique insights into our complex, fragmented, and often confounding relationships with death, living memory, and selective forgetting. This project takes …

Foreign News Coverage In Selected U.S. Newspapers 1927-1997: A Content Analysis, Cleo Joffrion Allen

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This content analysis was designed to examine, in a single longitudinal study, trends in the quantity and kinds of world news coverage in selected U.S. newspapers during times of relative peace. Using complementary proportion and absolute-item frequencies, two constructed weeks in 1927, 1947, 1977, and 1997 in three newspapers, 168 issues in all, were analyzed. The findings indicate that the percentage of foreign news coverage compared to non-foreign coverage in the three newspapers actually increased between 1927 and 1997. The amount of foreign coverage spiked in 1947 and then started to decline. But even with the decline, coverage by proportion …

Relative Permeability And Wettability Implications Of Dilute Surfactants At Reservoir Conditions, Ayodeji Adebola Abe

LSU Master's Theses

The improvement or increase of oil recoverable from discovered reservoirs has always been a very important issue as this helps to meet ever growing energy demand. Several methods have been put forward as means of achieving this objective. Chemical flooding, using surfactants has been considered in enhanced oil recovery processes. Surfactants are used primarily to lower oil-water interfacial tension (IFT) and thus improve production. However, surfactants possess the ability to alter rock wettability and hence increase oil production. Previous investigations were performed at ambient conditions using stocktank oil. Extrapolation of the findings from the ambient conditions testing to reservoir conditions …

"Let Me Play A While": Storytelling Characters And Voices In The Works Of Mark Twain, William Faulkner, And Lee Smith, Kenneth Mark Broyles

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the difference between narrators and characters in fiction who tell stories. It also argues that traditional orality persists in American culture and is a significant influence in the fiction of Mark Twain, William Faulkner and Lee Smith. In their work, they try to overcome what some perceive as a structural discrimination inherent in the novel and imbue their characters' speaking voices with authority that is determined by something other than their position in the structural hierarchy. All three authors attempt to give their characters speaking voices which are not necessarily inferior to the narrative or authorial …