Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

2005

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 2761 - 2790 of 3163

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

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 Jan 2005

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 …

Go to article

Use Of Systematic Screening To Increase The Provision Of Reproductive Health Services In Bolivia, James R. Foreit, Ricardo Vernon, Patricia Riveros Hamel Jan 2005

Use Of Systematic Screening To Increase The Provision Of Reproductive Health Services In Bolivia, James R. Foreit, Ricardo Vernon, Patricia Riveros Hamel

Reproductive Health

The objective of this study was to determine if the use of a checklist to screen for unmet service needs could increase the number of services per visit provided to clients using rural Bolivian health facilities. Measurement included changes in services per visit before and after the introduction of the intervention, and a comparison of services received at screened and non-screened visits. Findings show that, to the degree that provider compliance can be secured, systematic screening of clients appears to be an effective method for reducing unmet health service needs. The findings of this study replicate those of other studies …

Go to article

Systematic Screening To Integrate Reproductive Health Services In India, N.P. Das, Urvi Shah, Varsha Chitania, Pratibha Patel, M.E. Khan, Anurag Mishra, James R. Foreit Jan 2005

Systematic Screening To Integrate Reproductive Health Services In India, N.P. Das, Urvi Shah, Varsha Chitania, Pratibha Patel, M.E. Khan, Anurag Mishra, James R. Foreit

Reproductive Health

This study, conducted in large public clinics and small health posts in the city of Vadodara, India, tested the effectiveness of a systematic screening technique in integrating reproductive health services at the provider level. The objective was to determine if women screened during clinic visits received more services, appointments, and referrals per visit than women who were not screened. Results show that in experimental group clinics the number of services per visit increased while control clinics experienced a slight decrease; the effect of systematic screening was smaller in health posts than in clinics. In experimental posts, services per visit increased …

Go to article

Feasibility Of Introducing A Comprehensive Package Of Antenatal Care Services In Rural Public Clinics In South Africa, Jane Chege, Ian Askew, Nzwakie Mosery, Mbali Ndube-Nxumalo, Busi Kunene, Mags Beksinska, Janet Dalton, Ester Snyman, Wilem Sturm, Preshny Moodley Jan 2005

Feasibility Of Introducing A Comprehensive Package Of Antenatal Care Services In Rural Public Clinics In South Africa, Jane Chege, Ian Askew, Nzwakie Mosery, Mbali Ndube-Nxumalo, Busi Kunene, Mags Beksinska, Janet Dalton, Ester Snyman, Wilem Sturm, Preshny Moodley

Reproductive Health

The Maternal, Child and Women’s Health Unit, in collaboration with the Population Council’s FRONTIERS in Reproductive Health (FRONTIERS) program, the Reproductive Health Research Unit of the University of Witwatersrand, and the Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases of the Nelson Mandela School of Medicine, University of Natal, developed and then pilot-tested this revised model in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The project’s objective was to develop and test an improved and integrated antenatal care program for public-sector clinics that would increase the range and quality of services received by pregnant women and improve their reproductive health behavior and status. Various problems, …

Go to article

The Role Of Vitamin E In The Prevention Of Coronary Events And Stroke. Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Controlled Trials, Abdullah H. Alkhenizan, Mohammed A. Al-Omran Jan 2005

The Role Of Vitamin E In The Prevention Of Coronary Events And Stroke. Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Controlled Trials, Abdullah H. Alkhenizan, Mohammed A. Al-Omran

Neurosciences

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the world. Vitamin E as an anti-oxidant vitamin, was suggested to have a role in the prevention of CVD. We did a meta-analysis, using the Cochrane Group Methodology, of all available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the role of vitamin E in the prevention of CVD. Nine studies met inclusion criteria, including 80,645 participants. Vitamin E supplementation was not associated with a reduction in total mortality or total CVD mortality, but it was associated with a small statistically significant reduction in non-fatal myocardial infarction in patients with …

Go to article

Feeding Ecology Of Juvenile Spiny Lobster, Panulirus Interruptus, On The Pacific Coast Of Baja California Sur, Mexico, Verónica Castañeda‐Fernández‐De‐Lara, Elisa Serviere‐Zaragoza, Sergio Hernández‐Vázquez, Mark J. Butler Iv Jan 2005

Feeding Ecology Of Juvenile Spiny Lobster, Panulirus Interruptus, On The Pacific Coast Of Baja California Sur, Mexico, Verónica Castañeda‐Fernández‐De‐Lara, Elisa Serviere‐Zaragoza, Sergio Hernández‐Vázquez, Mark J. Butler Iv

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Many aspects of the early life history of the red lobster Panulirus interruptus are little known, including the relationship between habitat structure, food resource availability, and nutrition of juveniles. We investigated the spatial and temporal differences in food intake, diet composition, and nutritional condition of juveniles at two sites along the Pacific coast of the Baja California Peninsula (Mexico) with contrasting oceanographic and biological conditions. One site (Arvin) is located inside a protected bay, Bahia Tortugas, where the waters are cooler and temperate seagrasses and macroalgae are the dominant benthic flora. The second site (Queen) in Bahia Sebastian Vizcaino was …

Go to article

Perspectives On Brown: The South African Experience, Penelope E. Andrews Jan 2005

Perspectives On Brown: The South African Experience, Penelope E. Andrews

NYLS Law Review

No abstract provided.

Go to article

A Guide To The Management & Operation Of A Chinese Restaurant In The United States, Wen-Chiung Huang Jan 2005

A Guide To The Management & Operation Of A Chinese Restaurant In The United States, Wen-Chiung Huang

Theses

Before writing this thesis, the reason I choose for the issue of management and operation of Chinese restaurant is not because so much mass communication was related. It is the idea of the restaurant business how it to be created by using media or people's words of mouth. It is difficult to start a new business in the foreign country. Restaurant business does the same. In the early a late age of immigration, people realized only work hard can made a better life for themselves and their next generation. They started have their own business, created job opportunity even contributed …

Go to article

Blood Lead And Decision Speed In Working Age Adults, S. W. Harkins Jan 2005

Blood Lead And Decision Speed In Working Age Adults, S. W. Harkins

Theses and Dissertations

Lead is a central nervous system poison. Healthy People 2010 established a target blood lead level (BLL) for children of 0 μg/dL by 2010, but is silent with regard to any changes in BLLs standards for working age adults. In this paper, the relation of BLL to performance on two neurobehavioral tests was assessed in working age adults (N = 4909; Age 20 to 59 years; 51.4% Female) employing data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES 111). Multiple linear regression analyses indicated a significant effect of BLL on time taken to complete an attention demanding cognitive task …

Go to article

Effect Of Medicaid/Schip And Wic On Oral Health Of Low-Income Children, Dahlia Naqib Jan 2005

Effect Of Medicaid/Schip And Wic On Oral Health Of Low-Income Children, Dahlia Naqib

Theses and Dissertations

Oral caries is the most prevalent chronic disease among US children, and disproportionately impacts those of low socioeconomic status. Studies have shown that the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC) improves access to dental care among Medicaid children. This study investigated the impact of WIC, Medicaid, and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) on the prevalence of dental caries among low-income children. The 1999-2000 and 2001-2002 NHANES data were utilized for this analysis. Children 2-4 years old who participated in WIC, Medicaid, or SCHIP, or who were uninsured, and for whom both interview and complete …

Go to article

Analysis Of The Impact Of A Social Norms Campaign On The Alcohol Use Of Undergraduate Students At A Public, Urban University, Amanda B. Wattenmaker Jan 2005

Analysis Of The Impact Of A Social Norms Campaign On The Alcohol Use Of Undergraduate Students At A Public, Urban University, Amanda B. Wattenmaker

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To conduct a secondary analysis of survey data collected at a large, urban university assessing for change in students' alcohol use perceptions and behaviors between 2002 and 2004. After the baseline data collection in 2002, the campus launched an intensive media intervention to normalize low-risk drinking. Simultaneously, the campus shifted from being a primarily commuter to primarily residential. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis used data collected from students in randomly selected undergraduate classes in February 2002 (n= 662) and 2004 (n=1334). The survey instrument used was the National College Health Assessment. Variables were categorized as demographic, alcohol perception, and alcohol …

Go to article

Comparison Of Two Development Systems For March-Born Replacement Beef Heifers, Kelly W. Creighton, Jacqueline A. Musgrave, Terry J. Klopfenstein, Richard T. Clark, Don C. Adams Jan 2005

Comparison Of Two Development Systems For March-Born Replacement Beef Heifers, Kelly W. Creighton, Jacqueline A. Musgrave, Terry J. Klopfenstein, Richard T. Clark, Don C. Adams

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A three-year study (2001-2003) was conducted to determine the effect of development system on reproductive performance of first-calf heifers. March-born heifers (n=261) were developed to reach either 55% of mature body weight (MBW) before a 45-day breeding season or 50% of MBW before a 60-day breeding season. Extending the breeding season 15 days for heifers developed to 50% of MBW prior to the first breeding season resulted in equal pregnancy, calving and weaning rates to heifers developed to 55% of MBW. Furthermore, the reduction in development costs in the 50% of MBW system more than offset the reduced income from …

Go to article

Direct-Fed Microbial Products For Escherichia Coli O157:H7 In Market Ready Feedlot Cattle, Robert E. Peterson, David R. Smith, Jeffrey D. Folmer, Galen E. Erickson, Susan Hinkley, Rodney A. Moxley Jan 2005

Direct-Fed Microbial Products For Escherichia Coli O157:H7 In Market Ready Feedlot Cattle, Robert E. Peterson, David R. Smith, Jeffrey D. Folmer, Galen E. Erickson, Susan Hinkley, Rodney A. Moxley

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A clinical trial was conducted during the summers of 2002 and 2003 to evaluate the effect of a direct-fed microbial product (DFM) on the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in feces of feedlot steers. The DFM consisted of Lactobacillus acidophilus (NPC 747) fed at the rate of 1x109 colony forming units (CFUs) per head per day. Treatments included supplemental DFM or no supplemental DFM. Feedlot steers supplemented with DFM were 35% less likely to shed E. coli O157:H7 in the feces compared with steers that were not supplemented with the DFM. Finishing performance was not affected by adding a DFM …

Go to article

The Role Of Teachers' Self-Efficacy In Increasing Children's Physical Activity, James Frederick Roth Jan 2005

The Role Of Teachers' Self-Efficacy In Increasing Children's Physical Activity, James Frederick Roth

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

It is well documented that elementary school children do not participate in recommended amounts of physical activity, and that elementary physical education programs generally are unable to insure that children engage in appropriate amounts of activity. One solution to this dilemma is to increase children’s activity levels through collaborative efforts such as whole school programs involving the classroom teachers. If this approach is to be successful, it is important to investigate ways that elementary classroom teachers can be actively involved in school level programs that will ultimately increase children’s physical activity levels. Elementary classroom teachers are often responsible for at …

Go to article

An Evaluation Of The Lsu Agricultural Center's Agriculture Leadership Development Program, 1988-2004, Michele Abington-Cooper Jan 2005

An Evaluation Of The Lsu Agricultural Center's Agriculture Leadership Development Program, 1988-2004, Michele Abington-Cooper

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if participants in the LSU AgCenter’s Agricultural Leadership Development Program have increased their leadership skills and become more involved in agricultural and community issues. The target population for this study was the 252 graduates of Classes I - VIII of the LSU Ag Leadership Program. This was a descriptive study using quantitative data. The questionnaire was developed from a review of the literature and instruments from related research. It was validated by a panel of experts from the LSU School of Human Resource Education and Workforce Development and the LSU AgCenter. The …

Go to article

Supercritical Fluid Extraction Of Rice Bran With Adsorption On Rice Hull Ash, Paresh Manilal Patel Jan 2005

Supercritical Fluid Extraction Of Rice Bran With Adsorption On Rice Hull Ash, Paresh Manilal Patel

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Rice bran oil was extracted using environmentally-friendly supercritical carbon dioxide at varying conditions. Experimental treatments included pressure (27.6, 41.4 and 55.2 MPa), temperature (40 and 60 oC) and flow rates (25, 45 and 65 g/min) of supercritical carbon dioxide. Extracts collected at different time intervals during 4-hour extraction runs in a 3-L extractor were analyzed for oil yield and antioxidants. Normal-phase HPLC was used for analyzing the extract for important antioxidant compounds of oryzanol, tocopherols, tocotrienols. Silica rich rice hull ash adsorbent was also incorporated in combined extraction-adsorption experiments under similar supercritical fluid conditions. Supercritical extraction yields of rice bran …

Go to article

Red Rice Competition And Control In Cultivated Rice, Christopher Todd Leon Jan 2005

Red Rice Competition And Control In Cultivated Rice, Christopher Todd Leon

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Studies were conducted to evaluate rice competitiveness with red rice and how to utilize glufosinate- and imazethapyr-resistant rice in water-seeded rice to control red rice. In the interference study, CL 121, Cocodrie, Drew, and Jasmine were seeded to obtain 95, 190, and 290 plants/sq m. Red rice density was 0 or 20 red rice plants/sq m. Jasmine, a tall, vigorous tillering, mid-season cultivar was more competitive with red rice. With the exception of Cocodrie grown red rice free, no benefit existed from increasing the seeding rate above 190 plants/sq m. Another study examined the effect of permanent flood establishment in …

Go to article

Effects Of Adding Sediment To A Fresh Water Thin Mat Floating Marsh, Kate Carpenter Jan 2005

Effects Of Adding Sediment To A Fresh Water Thin Mat Floating Marsh, Kate Carpenter

LSU Master's Theses

Floating marshes are wetlands of emergent vascular vegetation which have a significant mat of live and dead roots, decomposing and dead organic material, and mineral sediments. This mat moves vertically as ambient water levels rise and fall. These marshes have unique hydrology in that overland sheet flow is reduced or eliminated leaving no inorganic sediment input, but there is extensive belowground water exchange. The effect of significant sediment introduction into wetlands with floating marshes is unknown. The purpose of this study was to observe the marsh mat response to Mississippi River sediment addition and measure species composition change and growth …

Go to article

Enantioselective Syntheses And Chemical Investigations Of Plant-Derived Bioactive Volatile Compounds, Anne Marie Sauer Jan 2005

Enantioselective Syntheses And Chemical Investigations Of Plant-Derived Bioactive Volatile Compounds, Anne Marie Sauer

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Research, inspired by nature, provides ample opportunity for discovery, ingenuity, and creative endeavor. For these reasons, the work and accomplishments presented herein focus on the total syntheses and related investigations of a variety of natural product derivatives, specifically (+)-nootkatone and jasmone. While the former consists of several independent projects: (a) an enantioselective synthetic route to (+)-nootkatone and derivatives, (b) examination of the valencane ring system, (c) determination of the absolute configuration of (+)-nootkatone, and (d) rearrangements of various sesquiterpenoid derivatives; the latter focuses on the construction ofƒndelta, epsilon-unsaturated carbonyl compounds, hetero Pauson-Khand substrates, via [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangements.

Go to article

Osteoporosis And Osteopenia Management In Women: Survey, Case-Referent Study, And Interventional Exercise Trial, Rania A. Mekary Jan 2005

Osteoporosis And Osteopenia Management In Women: Survey, Case-Referent Study, And Interventional Exercise Trial, Rania A. Mekary

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Three studies are presented; the first epidemiological study was a survey of Baton Rouge/New Orleans physicians who manage osteoporosis. When the respondents’ answers were compared to selected guidelines, they displayed poor knowledge regarding osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis, and treatment (X2=39.88; P<0.0001). Rheumatologists and endocrinologists scored globally better on osteoporosis management when compared to ObGyn (OR= 6.98) (CI=2.4; 22.8). Physicians with more years of experience were more knowledgeable of osteoporosis care (OR=1.04) (CI=1.014; 1.071). The second epidemiological study was a case referent study looking at osteoporosis treatment and patient adherence of selected women in Baton Rouge. Results showed that osteoporosis management depended partly on patient adherence. Barriers to patient’s adherence varied from physiological to psychological reasons. Physicians need to provide more explanation and motivation to the patients. Spine was the area most affected and showed more improvement with treatment than the femur (P<0.01). Bisphosphonates were the most effective treatment for the spine (P<0.05). In patients with osteoporosis, being on just calcium and exercise is not enough to counteract bone resorption. They also need to be on an anti-resorptive therapy. Low body mass index, genetics, and history of fractures were negatively correlated to bone mineral density (BMD) increase (P<0.05). The third interventional pilot study was a non-randomized controlled study done on osteopenic postmenopausal women to examine the effect of calcium supplements and core/lower back strengthening exercises on lumbar density and muscle strength. Repeated measures analysis showed that both groups increased in isometric lumbar strength with time (P=0.02). When fosamax and exercise were taken as treatments, with baseline BMD as a covariable, the one-tailed P value of the two-way ANOVA showed a numerically positive but not significant increase in the exercise group (yearly change=2.373 ± 2.625; T value=0.9; P=0.21). Also, the exercise group showed increased feelings of well-being as opposed to the control group who showed no change or worsening. One woman in the control group fractured a bone. Ultimately, osteoporosis management relies on physicians’ knowledge, involvement, and patient adherence. Calcium, exercise and anti-resorptive treatments are needed in case of osteoporosis. Calcium supplements and site-specific strengthening exercises may be enough in case of osteopenia.

Go to article

Integrated Pest Management Of The Mexican Rice Borer In Louisiana And Texas Sugarcane And Rice, Francis P. F. Reay-Jones Jan 2005

Integrated Pest Management Of The Mexican Rice Borer In Louisiana And Texas Sugarcane And Rice, Francis P. F. Reay-Jones

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Interactions between sugarcane, Saccharum spp., and the invasive species Mexican rice borer, Eoreuma loftini (Dyar), were evaluated in field experiments and in the greenhouse with rice, Oryza sativa L., as an additional host. By determining adult emergence holes together with percent bored internodes, a novel method for evaluating sugarcane cultivar resistance was developed. In 2001, LCP 85-384 had the greatest moth production per hectare, significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) than HoCP 85-845. High levels of sodium and magnesium salt stress in the soil were associated with higher E. loftini injury in all cultivars except HoCP 91-555 and CP 70-321. Irrigation …

Go to article

Amino Acid Requirements And Low Crude Protein, Amino Acid Supplemented Diets For Swine And Poultry, Dustin Wade Dean Jan 2005

Amino Acid Requirements And Low Crude Protein, Amino Acid Supplemented Diets For Swine And Poultry, Dustin Wade Dean

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine requirements for amino acids that limit the use of crystalline amino acids, to determine the effects of reducing crude protein, and to evaluate the problems associated with low crude protein diets for swine and poultry. Four experiments were conducted to determine the Lys and sulfur amino acid requirements for 5- to 10-kg pigs. The results of these experiments suggest pigs in this weight range require a diet containing 1.40% true digestible (TD) Lys and the ratio of sulfur amino acids to Lys is not greater than 0.54. Two experiments were conducted to …

Go to article

Characteristics Of Reduced Fat Milks As Influenced By The Incorporation Of Folic Acid, Kamalesh Achanta Jan 2005

Characteristics Of Reduced Fat Milks As Influenced By The Incorporation Of Folic Acid, Kamalesh Achanta

LSU Master's Theses

Folic acid plays an important role in the prevention of neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly, heart defects, facial clefts, urinary abnormalities and limb deficiencies. Milk and milk products serve as a potential source for folic acid fortification due to the presence of folate binding proteins which seem to be involved in the folate bioavailability. Though milk is a not a good source of folic acid, fortification could help in the prevention of the above mentioned defects. The objective of this study was to examine the physico-chemical characteristics of reduced fat milks fortified with folic acid. Reduced …

Go to article

Vinegar Fermentation, San Chiang Tan Jan 2005

Vinegar Fermentation, San Chiang Tan

LSU Master's Theses

Traditionally, the manufacture of vinegar provided a means of utilizing a large proportion of the cull fruit from apple-packing establishments and the waste from apple processing facilities. Most vinegar is now produced from distilled grain alcohol. Vinegar may be defined as a condiment made from various sugary and starchy materials by alcoholic and subsequent acetic fermentation. The vinegar bacteria, also called acetic acid bacteria, are members of the genus Acetobacter and characterized by their ability to convert ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH) into acetic acid (CH3CO2H) by oxidation. Vinegar can be produced from various raw materials like distilled alcohol, wine, rice wine …

Go to article

Matrix Metalloproteinase 3, Matrix Metalloproteinase 13, And Tissue Inhibitor Of Metalloproteinase 1 Concentrations In Normal And Naturally-Occurring Osteoarthritic Canine Stifles, Blaine Allen Burkert Jan 2005

Matrix Metalloproteinase 3, Matrix Metalloproteinase 13, And Tissue Inhibitor Of Metalloproteinase 1 Concentrations In Normal And Naturally-Occurring Osteoarthritic Canine Stifles, Blaine Allen Burkert

LSU Master's Theses

Osteoarthritis is arguably the most common ailment in both dogs and people in the developed World. Treatment for osteoarthritis is currently symptomatic. Development of therapies designed at stopping the progression of osteoarthritis, require a method of evaluating efficacy. Objective analysis by measuring joint metabolism via clinical trials of the cross-over design is currently not possible with the methods utilized. Extracellular matrix degradation is a hallmark of osteoarthritis. The matrix metalloproteinases are major degradative enzymes. There are currently no commercially available assays to measure canine matrix metalloproteinases. Human and canine matrix metalloproteinases are highly homologous. The use of antibodies and assays …

Go to article

Development And Characterization Of Antimicrobial Edible Films From Crawfish Chitosan, Kandasamy Nadarajah Jan 2005

Development And Characterization Of Antimicrobial Edible Films From Crawfish Chitosan, Kandasamy Nadarajah

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Inherent antibacterial/antifungal properties and film-forming ability of chitosan make it ideal for use as a biodegradable antimicrobial packaging material. This study was attempted to develop antimicrobial films from crawfish chitosan. Traditional chitosan production involves: deproteinization (DP), demineralization (DM), decolorization (DC), and deacetylation (DA). Modification of chitosan production affects film properties. Effects of chitosan production protocols, film-casting solvents, and plasticizer contents on physicochemical, mechanical and antibacterial properties were investigated. Four chitosans were prepared from traditional (DPMCA) and modified processes [excluding either DP, DC or both DP and DC]. Chitosan (1%w/v) was dissolved in 1% acetic, ascorbic, citric, formic, lactic and/or malic …

Go to article

Belowground Productivity Of Mangrove Forests In Southwest Florida, Beatriz Eugenia Giraldo Sánchez Jan 2005

Belowground Productivity Of Mangrove Forests In Southwest Florida, Beatriz Eugenia Giraldo Sánchez

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Studies in belowground dynamics are limited mainly due to the difficulty of studying roots despite wide recognition of its importance. This dissertation focused on methods for analyzing mangrove roots, root responses to phosphorus and flooding, and variation in root production between forest types. Techniques to separate live and dead roots such as colorimetric, fluorescence, buoyancy, and visual assessment were compared. The traditional method of visual assessment combined with root buoyancy was accurate, fast, and applicable to larger samples. Additionally, techniques such as rhizotrons, root ingrowth cores, and root image analysis were useful to study mangrove roots. Root and litter production, …

Go to article

Modulation Of Adipocyte Genes By Signal Transducers And Activators Of Transcription, Jessica C. Hogan Jan 2005

Modulation Of Adipocyte Genes By Signal Transducers And Activators Of Transcription, Jessica C. Hogan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Members of the STAT transcription factor family are expressed in adipocytes, including STATs 1, 3, 5A, 5B, and 6. Although STATs 1 and 5 proteins are known to be induced during adipogenesis, the functions of these STATs in mature adipocytes are not known. Hence we have sought to identify adipocyte genes which are transcriptionally regulated by STATs to elucidate a role of these proteins in fat cells. We have characterized STAT binding sites in the promoters of four adipocyte genes, PPARγ2, LPL, FAS and C/EBPδ. PPARγ2 expression decreases in adipocytes following exposure to IFNγ, an activator of STAT1. IFNγ induces …

Go to article

Molluscan Taphonomy As A Proxy For Recognizing Fossil Seagrass Beds, Jill Suzanne Leonard-Pingel Jan 2005

Molluscan Taphonomy As A Proxy For Recognizing Fossil Seagrass Beds, Jill Suzanne Leonard-Pingel

LSU Master's Theses

Seagrass beds, important marine ecosystems both economically and environmentally, have a poor fossil record. As a result, little is known about the geographic distribution of seagrasses over historic and geologic time, or their abundance when unaltered by anthropogenic effects. The purpose of this study is to define a taphonomic signature unique to seagrass beds that can be used as a proxy for identifying the seagrass habitat in the fossil record. In order to develop this proxy, sediment samples from Recent seagrass and non-seagrass environments were collected, and the molluscan bioclasts from these samples were categorically ranked for the following taphonomic …

Go to article

Export-Led Growth In Honduras And The Central American Region, Hermann Castro Zuniga Jan 2005

Export-Led Growth In Honduras And The Central American Region, Hermann Castro Zuniga

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis examines the validity of the export-led growth (ELG) hypothesis in Honduras and compares the Honduran experience to that of other Central American countries, specifically Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua. It further evaluates the ELG hypothesis for the agricultural sector of Honduras. The conceptual model incorporates exports into a Cobb-Douglas production function and formulates dynamic econometric models of real gross domestic product (GDP), real gross fixed capital formation (GFCF), labor and real exports for the 1970-2000 period. To test for the validity of the ELG hypothesis, Granger-causality was tested on the export coefficients of the growth equation …

Go to article

First Prev Next Last