Digital Commons Network^™

Adoption Notices To Genetic Fathers: No To Scarlet Letters, Yes To Good Faith Cooperation, Jeffrey A. Parness

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

American courts and legislatures have struggled to define the participation rights of genetic fathers in governmental adoption schemes for infants born to unwed mothers as a result of consensual sexual intercourse. Federal constitutional privacy interests in both paternity opportunity and childrearing compel a certain level of genetic father participation. However, excessive levels of participation undermine the goals of swift, final, and inexpensive adoptions, as well as deny some maternal preferences. The difficulties in balancing genetic father participation with competing interests are well illustrated by recent developments in Florida. There, the so-called "Scarlet Letter" law of 2001 (effectively branding women as …

The Role Of Feeding Behavior In Sustaining Copepod Populations In The Tropical Ocean, J. D. Wiggert, A. G. E. Haskell, G.-A. Paffenhofer, E. E. Hofmann, J. M. Klinck

CCPO Publications

A fundamental question regarding marine copepods is how the many species coexist and persist in the oligotrophic environment (i.e. Hutchinson’s paradox). This question is addressed with a stochastic, object-oriented Lagrangian model that explicitly simulates the distinct foraging behaviors of three prominent tropical species: Clausocalanus furcatus, Paracalanus aculeatus and Oithona plumifera. The model also individually tracks all prey cells. Each particle’s motion combines sinking, turbulent diffusion and active swimming when applicable. The model successfully simulates observed size partitioned carbon uptake rates. Based on the model results, the wide-ranging translational ambit employed by C. furcatus is best suited for the acquisition …

Factors Influencing Venture Capital Availability In Rural States: Possible Lessons Learned From West Virginia, David W. Hughes, Kris Mallory, Mihaela A. Szabo

Regional Research Institute Working Papers

Venture capital has been identified by many as a vital element in the rapid economic growth of certain regions. The lack of access to capital, especially equity capital, has been identified as a major constraint to the economic growth of rural areas (i.e., venture capital access, as a centripetal force, concentrates rather than disperses economic activity). Researchers have advanced a focus on primarily urban sectors, such as information technologies, higher administration costs due to a lack of deal flow, and a limited support network for entrepreneurs as explanations for the lack of venture capital in rural areas. Yet, some venture …

The Fear Of Death And The Fear Of Dying: Possible Barriers To Altruistic Behavior, Jennifer Haskin Corwin

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Research in the study of the fear of death and dying and the study of altruism implies that there is a dynamic relationship between the two fields. Rarely, if ever, has a direct connection been made. This study is an effort to further explore the relationship that exists between the fear of death and dying, altruistic behavior, self-esteem, and perceptions of a common humanity. Through the synthesis of these four key social psychological concepts, a theoretical model was developed and tested.

Through the examination and statistical analysis of quantitative data and the systematic evaluation of interview data, several connections between …

Compassion Fatigue, Amanda Jackson

Honors Capstones

This paper addresses the issue of compassion fatigue as a symptom of the stress and strain induced upon individuals working with the field of social services. The purpose of this paper is to make individuals aware of the issue of compassion fatigue and its' implications upon workers in this field and related helping fields. Among the literature presented, job-burnout, countertransference, secondary traumatic stress disorder and vicarious traumatization are defined as issues relating to and synonymous with compassion fatigue. It has been found, through the literature and research available, that individuals working within the helping field can prevent the occurrence of …

The Impact Of Childhood Mortality On Fertility In Six Rural Thanas Of Bangladesh, Mian Bazle Hossain, James F. Phillips, Thomas K. Legrand

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This Population Council working paper examines the causal structure of the relationship between child mortality events and subsequent fertility during a time of rapid decline in fertility in Bangladesh. Results lend support to the hypothesis of an insurance effect, while demonstrating that its demographic significance is likely to be less prominent than that of replacement behavior. Findings indicate that the insurance motive remains intact even after total fertility declined to fewer than three children per woman. The well-documented role of gender bias as a determinant of child health and survival is also a factor in child-replacement decisionmaking. Although the rapid …

How Many Years Of Life Could Be Saved If Malaria Were Eliminated From A Hyperendemic Area Of Northern Ghana?, Ayaga A. Bawah, Fred N. Binka

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

For some time, Chinese government policies have treated rural and urban areas very differently, and a by-product of China’s rapid development seems to be an even greater differentiation between urban and rural social and economic life. Over the next several decades, in part because of rapid fertility declines and in part as a result of mortality declines at older ages, China and other developing countries will experience enormous increases in the proportion of older adults and the proportion of the “oldest-old.” It is reasonable to expect that these age structure changes will alter the provision of health care, making an …

Entrance Ramps, Tolls, And Express Lanes – Proposals For Decreasing Traffic Congestion In The Patent Office, Kristen Jakobsen Osenga

Law Faculty Publications

This Article proposes implementing a multitier patent system by the creation of two additional "roads" or routes that a patent application may follow. Because many patents are not sought with the intention of pursuing the traditional patent reward of commercialization or profit through access control, that is, the exercise of the limited patent monopoly, there is no reason for every single application to follow the current route. The creation of an auxiliary, or "side road," would decrease crowding on the current patent grant highway while still allowing the nontraditional applications to enter and traverse the patent grant system with different …

Refusal To Undergo A Cesarean Section: A Woman's Right Or A Criminal Act ?, Monica K. Miller

Health Matrix: The Journal of Law-Medicine

No abstract provided.

Assessment Of Water Conservation Technique In Rice Culture To Develop Water Use Policies, Manoch Kongchum

LSU Master's Theses

The rapid growth of world population has resulted in significantly increased global water demand. According to a recent report on limited water supply, conservation techniques and water use policies are needed to preserve water resources. Worldwide agriculture is the largest consumer of water, particularly for growing rice. Water use for rice production was chosen because rice will continue to be a staple crop for the majority of the world’s population and because of its pervasive use of water. Hence, this thesis was designed to investigate water conservation possibilities for rice production in two water management regimes: alternate flooding and drying, …

An "Ecolodge" In Thailand: A Site Design Based Upon The Local Vernacular Village, Pudtan Chantarangkul

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis began from my interest in using indigenous architectural and dwelling patterns of fishing villages in coastal Thailand as a model for a new sustainable community. The provincial government has a policy promoting longstay tourism for affluent retirees from other countries, enabling them to experience the natural, historical, and cultural heritage of the area at an economical cost. To fulfill the local government's policy and my intention to design such a facility, this thesis proposes to design an international "ecolodge" for a site near Yisan Village. The area is very peaceful yet it is not so far from downtown …

Secular Change In The Skull Between American Blacks And Whites, Nicole Danielle Truesdell

LSU Master's Theses

Biologically, discernable differences exist between and within populations based on environmental and genetic factors. Understanding these differences is necessary in forensic anthropology as biological ancestry is asked of forensic anthropologists when assessing an individual’s biological profile. In order to make this assessment, secular changes in population dynamics need to be tracked. The purpose of this research is to examine nonmetric racial characteristics in the skull between American blacks and whites. This study used twelve nonmetric traits as criteria on two different temporal groups from collections at the Smithsonian Institution (N=408) and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (N=218). Frequencies were calculated, …

Mania And Intellectual Disability: The Course Of Mania Symptoms In Persons With Disability Over Three Years, Melissa Luke Gonzalez

LSU Master's Theses

Although bipolar disorder was one of the earliest described mental illnesses, there is a dearth of research on bipolar disorder in individuals with intellectual deficits. The present study aimed to extend this literature by comparing the presence and variation of manic symptoms over time of persons with intellectual deficits with and without bipolar disorder. Three groups of individuals participated: a bipolar group, a psychopathology group (other than bipolar disorder) and a control group. Two dependent measures of mania were taken from retrospective data, Mania subscale of the DASH-II and a Criterion-referenced subscale. The presence and consistency of mania symptom endorsements …

Purification Of Lysozyme From Shell Liquor Of Eastern Oysters (Crassostrea Virginica) And Its Use In Antimicrobial Films To Preserve Smoked Fish, Shreya Datta

LSU Master's Theses

The objective of our study was to purify lysozyme from the fluid filling cavity (shell liquor) of the eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) and determine the antimicrobial activity of purified lysozyme against foodborne pathogens in smoked salmon samples. Oyster shell liquor was collected over four seasons namely summer 2003, fall 2003, winter 2004, and spring 2004. Spring season showed the highest lysozyme concentration. Lysozyme was purified from 300 liters of oyster shell liquor by a two-step ion exchange chromatography using SP- and CM- Sepharose Fast Flow columns, respectively. Two hundred five mg of pure lysozyme was obtained which represented a recovery …

Lactate And Optic Neuropathy In Glaucoma., Quintus Chukwuemeka Ngumah

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Environmental Factors Influencing Incubation Constancy And Recess Frequency In Gadwall (Anas Strepera) In The Prairie Pothole Region Of North Dakota, Nicole F. Lorenz

LSU Master's Theses

I examined nest attendance patterns for 132 Gadwall (Anas strepera) females breeding in the prairie pothole region located in Towner County, North Dakota from May to July 2000 - 2001. Overall, Gadwall had a daily incubation constancy of 76.5 ± 10.8%, and daily recess frequency of 2.2 ± 1.1 with each recess lasting 179.8 ± 133.8 minutes. Unlike other waterfowl species, Gadwall increased incubation constancy and decreased recess frequency as daily high temperature increased and showed no change in constancy with precipitation. Gadwall incubation constancy did not fit the body-size hypothesis, as Gadwall have a lower incubation constancy compared to …

Antimicrobial Effect Of Cetylpyridinium Chloride Against Listeria Monocytogenes Growth On The Surface Of Raw And Cooked Shrimp, Tracie Michelle Dupard

LSU Master's Theses

Listeria monocytogenes has emerged as a major foodborne pathogen for the seafood industry due to its psychrotrophic nature and its ubiquitous presence. It has been isolated from soil, sewage, dead vegetative matter, aquatic environments, fecal material, fish, crustaceans, and domesticated animals. As a result, L. monocytogenes has been responsible for several shrimp recalls and has been epidemiologically linked to human listeriosis. Fresh seafood products are highly perishable and their shelf-life is limited by microbiological spoilage. Therefore, when pathogenic microorganisms are involved, it poses a health threat to the general public. The situation is further complicated because seafood processing plants are …

Effects Of Protein Sources With Differing Ruminal Degradation Characteristics On Nutrient Digestibilities And Flows Through Various Segments Of The Gastrointestinal Tract Of Non-Lactating Holstein Cows, Taylor Whitney Braud

LSU Master's Theses

Six non-lactating Holstein cows with ruminal and duodenal cannulas were used in a replicated 3x3 Latin square design experiment to investigate the effects of supplemental protein source on ruminal and total tract nutrient digestibility. Supplemental protein was provided from soybean meal (SBM), expeller processed soybean meal (EXP), or menhaden fish meal (FM). Basal diets consisted of (DM basis) 33% corn silage, 20% bermudagrass hay, 27% ground corn, and 2% minerals and vitamins. Supplemental protein was provided as (DM % of total diet) 18% soybean meal (SOY), 17% soybean meal and 1% fish meal (FM), or 12% soybean meal and 6% …

Baseball And Steroids In The News: How Politicians And Reporters Construct The News, Claudia Kozman

LSU Master's Theses

This study is a content analysis of newspaper coverage of baseball and steroids. The data are a random sample from four newspapers: Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, and The Washington Post. The period under study consists of 77 weeks, from April 10th, 2003, to December 9th, 2004. The results supported four hypotheses and negated one. Analysis showed that the issue of baseball and steroids was not institution-driven news; it was the result of governmental action, events outside of government, and local interest. The number of stories rose after governmental action. It also rose after …

Food Security Status, Nutrient Intake At The Beginning And End Of The Monthly Resource Cycle, And Body Mass Index In Female Food Stamp Recipients, Caroline C. Burke

LSU Master's Theses

Diets are typically poorer and risk of chronic disease (e.g. obesity) is greatest in low-income populations. Food security status, nutrient intake, and Body Mass Index were assessed in 64 female food stamp recipients in Southeast Louisiana. One 24-hour dietary recall was collected at the beginning of the month (Day 1) and one at the end of the month (Day 2). Food security status was: 29 food secure (FS), 26 food insecure (FIS), and nine food insecure with hunger (FISH). Sixty-two % (n=39) of our study participants were obese. Mean % energy from protein (p=0.03); total fat (p=0.029), % saturated fatty …

Autonomic Nervous System Modulation Of The Heart Following A High Carbohydrate Liquid Meal, Calynn Davis Bunol

LSU Master's Theses

The involvement of the sympathetic nervous system in the pathology of obesity has long been a debate among researchers. Various methods of capturing the resting sympathetic activity as well as the response of the sympathetic activity elicited by the introduction of a meal or a bout of exercise in both lean and obese individuals have been investigated. This study examined the autonomic modulation of the heart following a high carbohydrate liquid meal in various body types. Twenty-five females with body mass indexes [weight (kg)/height²(m)] ranging from 19.3-39.5 were grouped according to relative basal energy expenditure adjusted for lean …

Usability Of Home Cholesterol Test Kits And Their Impact On Patients' Decision, Deepti Surabattula

LSU Master's Theses

Release of home health testing kits into the market has enabled people to take care of their own health. Misinterpretation of results and delays in treatments are the major concerns of the doctors. In the present study, two cholesterol test kits, AccuchekÒ Instant plusÒ and Home Access® Instant Cholesterol Test, were compared on the basis of user performance, accuracy, and the patient’s future medical decisions based on the test results. The study was conducted with 30 participants, 15 men and 15 women. Participants tested their overall cholesterol level with both kits. In addition, a clinical cholesterol evaluation, the medical gold …

Reproductive Characteristics Of High Body Condition Mares With High Versus Low Leptin Concentrations, Cara A. Waller

LSU Master's Theses

Two experiments were performed to discover what, if any, reproductive differences exist in high body condition (BCS) mares with varying concentrations of leptin. Previous research showed that mares with high body condition scores can have a range of leptin levels, from very low (<5 ng/mL) to very high (>10 ng/mL). Earlier results indicated that most mares with high body condition scores maintain estrous cycles or show significant follicular activity during the winter. Among these high BCS mares, about 30% of them exhibit hyperleptinemia and hyperinsulinemia. The first experiment was designed to compare the reproductive characteristics of high BCS mares with high versus low leptin …

An Examination Of U.S. Rice Export Promotion Programs, Yiqian Wang

LSU Master's Theses

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) administers two primary promotion programs for rice exports: the Foreign Market Development Program (FMDP) and the Market Access Program (MAP). Based on the literature, a single equation framework is specified to estimate the rice import demand model. Three major U.S. rice importing countries are selected: Mexico, Costa Rica, and Honduras. Single equation analysis methods are applied. The effectiveness of the two programs for rice exports to the Latin American markets is evaluated. Promotion programs and the competitors’ exchange rate as primary explanatory variables for the U.S. rice import demand in …

Oxidation Of Sugarcane Bagasse Using A Combination Of Hypochlorite And Peroxide, Yong-Jae Lee

LSU Master's Theses

Sugarcane bagasse is a source of lignocellulosic biomass. It is a potential renewable energy source for ethanol production. It is naturally cheap, plentiful and has high cellulose content. The sugarcane bagasse contains 34.5% cellulose, 24% hemicellulose, and 22-25% lignin. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), singlet oxygen (1O2), superoxide (O2-), hydroxyl radicals (OH?, and hypochlorite ion (OCl-), were found to remove both hemicellulose and lignin from sugarcane bagasse. Ox-B (Day. 2004, US Patent 6,866,870), a solution of sodium hypochlorite and hydrogen peroxide, was studied for its effectiveness as a pretreatment for lignocellulosic biomass. The cellulose structure of the bagasse was easily separated …

The Application Of The Stages Of Change To Select Health Behaviors: A Local Adaptation Of The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System., William B. Rogers

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

2004 Annual Town And School Reports Lempster, New Hampshire., Lempster Town Representatives

Lempster, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire.

Catch Basin Ecosystems And Effects Of The Mosquito Larvicide Methoprene, Mari Butler

Open Access Dissertations

The mosquito larvicide methoprene is a juvenile growth hormone mimic that is widely used to control mosquitoes. This chemical disrupts normal mosquito development, drastically inhibiting emergence from the pupal to the adult stage. Methoprene is active at extremely low levels and is widely used; so it could affect arthropods, other than mosquitoes, that have similar endocrine systems. This study evaluates the efficacy at controlling mosquitoes in storm water drainage catch basins and potential nontarget effects of methoprene. Secondly, whether methoprene attracts or deters mosquitoes likely to oviposit in catch basins was examined. Thirdly, the catch basin community was described and …

Nepal: Support Communication To Enhance Young Mothers' Reproductive Health, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

From 2000 to 2003, FRONTIERS supported a study by the Center for Research on Environment, Health, and Population Activities to test communication-based models for improving young couples’ access to and use of reproductive health (RH) information and services in the Udaypur district of eastern Nepal. The 14-month intervention, undertaken as part of an RH project implemented by the Nepal Red Cross Society and the Center for Development and Population Activities, sought to improve social norms that leave young women vulnerable to health risks related to early marriage and childbearing and limited access to RH services. The study compared two experimental …

Transferring Ghana's System Of Evidence-Based Health Program Development: Program For An Initial Exchange With Sierra Leone And Burkina Faso, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

Ghana’s Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) experiment demonstrated that mobilizing community volunteerism, in combination with retraining and redeploying nurses to village-based locations reduced childhood mortality rates in that country. Thus, CHPS has become the government’s primary strategy for realizing universal access to health care. This report provides a description of an initial exchange organized by the Ghana Health Service, the Navrongo Health Research Centre, and the Population Council to explore ways of transferring and adapting these evidence-based strategies to other countries in the region. The exchange included representatives from the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation and the …