Digital Commons Network^™

Clustering Of Leukemia Patients Via Gene Expression Data Analysis, Zhiyu Zhao

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This thesis attempts to cluster some leukemia patients described by gene expression data, and discover the most discriminating a few genes that are responsible for the clustering. A combined approach of Principal Direction Divisive Partitioning and bisect K-means algorithms is applied to the clustering of the selected leukemia dataset, and both unsupervised and supervised methods are considered in order to get the optimal results. As shown by the experimental results and the predefined reference, the combination of PDDP and bisect K-means successfully clusters the leukemia patients, and efficiently discovers some significant genes that can serve as the discriminator of the …

Swan-Diving At The Milan Lounge, Jana Mackin

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Bloom Filters For Filesystem Forensics, Rachel Bourg

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Digital forensics investigations become more time consuming as the amount of data to be investigated grows. Secular growth trends between hard drive and memory capacity just exacerbate the problem. Bloom filters are space-efficient, probabilistic data structures that can represent data sets with quantifiable false positive rates that have the potential to alleviate the problem by reducing space requirements. We provide a framework using Bloom filters to allow fine-grained content identification to detect similarity, instead of equality. We also provide a method to compare filters directly and a statistical means of interpreting the results. We developed a tool--md5bloom--that uses Bloom filters …

Some Novice Methods For Software Protection With Obfuscation, Saikrishna Aravalli

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Previously software is distributed to the users by using devices like CD.S and floppies and in the form of bytes. Due to the high usage of internet and in order to perform the tasks rapidly without wasting time on depending physical devices, software is supplied through internet in the form of source code itself. Since source code is available to the end users there is a possibility of changing the source code by malicious users in order to gain their personnel benefits which automatically leads to malfunctioning of the software. The method proposed in this thesis is based on the …

Development Of An Image Noise Estimation Method And A Sub-Imaging Based Wiener Method, Eric F. Smith

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This research consists of three parts. The first part is an investigation of several popular image restoration techniques. The techniques are used to restore 2-D image data, f(x, y), that has been blurred by a known point spread function (PSF), b(x, y) and corrupted by an unknown amount of noise, n(x, y). Several sample images are restored using all of the techniques. Of the methods investigated the one which produces the best restoration results was determined to be the Wiener deconvolution method. The determination of the best method is based on the quality of the restored image and the required …

The Native, Jeffrey J. Hartwick

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This thesis paper discusses the emerging 24p and High Definition formats, and how they were utilized in the production of a short film. The benefits of these new technologies and how they compare to widely used, contemporary formats are discussed in detail.

Hoppin' Down The Bunny Trail: Behind The Banishment Of Walt Disney's Song Of The South In Search Of Uncle Remus, Michael Galiano

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This study is an informative discussion on the history behind Walt Disney's film, Song of the South, based on the Uncle Remus tales originally written by Joel Chandler Harris, which will be addressed in Chapter One. Chapter Two elaborates on the methods within the vehicles of two distinct media versions in two different time periods as the problematic source of perception. Chapter Three relates why this is due to cultural sensitivities pertaining to the film and the suggested media guidelines by minority organizations that have gained power since the Civil Rights movement. Chapter Four discusses the historical data showing the …

Adult Education, James Wyatt

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Animal Lives Of People, Emily Dziuban

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Purification Of Global Regulator, Spx, And Rna Polymerase From Staphylococcus Aureus For Use In In Vitro Transcription Of Redox Genes, Jane Mcbride

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Spx is a global regulator discovered in Bacillus subtilis to suppress basal growth and development processes and activate transcription of genes involved in thiol homeostasis when a cell encounters oxidative stress. Its activity relies on reversible thiol-disulfide bond formation and binding RNA polymerase rather than DNA. The discovery that Staphylococcus aureus global virulence regulator, SarA, is more active upon cysteine reduction suggests that redox response could mediate virulence in this important human pathogen. We describe the cloning of spx from S. aureus strain RN6390, overexpression in Escherichia coli, and purification of native protein. Antibodies against Spx were raised for western …

Identification And Characterization Of A New Class Of Bilin Lyases In Synechococcus Sp. Pcc 7002, Nicolle Saunée

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this research is to identify and characterize the enzymes (lyases) responsible for chromophore (bilin) attachment to phycobiliproteins (light harvesting) in cyanobacteria. Candidates for these lyases were first identified in Fremyella diplosiphon as cpeS and cpeT. In Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002, there are three cpeS-like genes (named cpcS, cpcU, and cpcV) and one cpeT-like gene (named cpcT). These genes were cloned, overexpressed, and purified from E. coli. The CpcS and CpcU proteins form a 1:1 complex and catalyze the addition of phycocyanobilin (PCB) to â-82 cysteinyl residue on phycocyanin (PC) in vitro. Tryptic digestion and C18 RP-HPLC confirmed …

A Parallel Architecture For Analog-To-Digital Conversion With Improved Dynamic Range, Brandy Sausse

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, a parallel architecture for Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs) is developed to increase the system dynamic range. The proposed architecture is a critical component for a Continuous Wave Stepped Frequency (CWSF) radar system. Existing Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) components are inadequate to meet the demands of a high sample rate and a high dynamic range specification. The proposed parallel architecture meets the design criteria by extending the upper voltage limit of high sample rate converters. Extensive simulation study verifies that the desired high sample rate and increased resolution is achieved.

Anthony Eden, The Egypt Committee, And The Politics Of Prestige During The Suez Crisis, Alexander Shelby

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The impact of the Gamal Abdul Nasser's nationalization of the Suez Canal on Anthony Eden's policy making during the Suez Crisis is the bases of this research. Using data from the Cabinet records of Eden's Egypt Committee, this research will demonstrate that Eden and the Egypt Committee acted irrationally during the Suez Crisis and by doing so created a schism in the Atlantic Alliance. This rift would force President Dwight Eisenhower to side with the Soviet Union against Britain to resolve the conflict. The effects of the crisis caused the British to lose their prestige as a world power and …

Analysis Of Two Neighboring Miocene Paleo-Turbidite Systems In A Complex Deep-Water Environment: Implications For Biostratigraphic Techniques Used In Gulf Of Mexico Petroleum Exploration Studies, Andrew Tipton

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Biostratigraphic techniques are commonly used in shallow environments of the Gulf of Mexico basin for depositional history modeling in petroleum exploration applications. Extending these interpretations to deep-water settings, where the structural and depositional history is more complex, is problematic. A localized study area was used for a case-analysis of a typically complex deep-water study area. A dataset of seismic, well-log, and biostratigraphic information was used to: (a) assess accuracy of the biostratigraphic interpretations produced by Fillon (2005), (b) determine specific pitfalls of micropaleontology as a tool in this environment, and (c) provide guidelines for the application of biostratigraphic data in …

Successful Transitions Of Runaway/Homeless Youth From Shelter Care, Von Eugene Nebbitt, Laura E. House, Sanna J. Thompson, David E. Pollio

Social Work Faculty Publications

Previous research indicates that runaway and homeless youth often achieve positive outcomes after shelter stays however few studies have examined how these outcomes are achieved. This study employs qualitative methods to explicate this phenomenon. Twenty-five providers and 21 youth from four shelters participated in this study. Youth were recruited who had completed shelter care and returned home for minimally six months. Multiple raters identified themes and created a conceptual model. While in shelter, youths experienced structure and freedom, and the family experienced respite. Once youth became involved in treatment, the family re-connected and the youth returned home. After returning home, …

The Zircon, December 15, 2006 [Spoof Issue], Dordt College

Dordt Diamond

No abstract provided.

A Program Of Self-Esteem Development For Deaf Children In Rural Areas, Candi Daviton

Theses

Deaf children in rural areas often lack the development of self-esteem essential to their overall development of social and academic skills. Deaf children in rural communities generally have low interpersonal communication and leadership skills. Being isolated with no role model for their identification (deafness) could limit their language acquisition and identity development. The purpose of this project is to develop a special curriculum project which would help initiate a program that would enable deaf children in rural areas to develop self-esteem skills through a one week summer camp program focusing on learning about themselves and related essential self-esteem skills through …

Statistical Methods For Kinetic Modeling Of Fischer Tropsch Synthesis On A Supported Iron Catalyst, Brian L. Critchfield

Theses and Dissertations

Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) is a promising technology for the production of ultra-clean fuels and chemical feedstocks from biomass, coal, or natural gas. Iron catalysts are ideal for conversion of coal and biomass. However, precipitated iron catalysts used in slurry-bubble column reactors suffer from high attrition resulting in difficulty separating catalysts from product and increased slurry viscosity. Thus, development of an active and selective-supported iron catalyst to manage attrition is needed. This thesis focuses on the development of a supported iron catalyst and kinetic models of FTS on the catalyst using advanced statistical methods for experimental design and analysis. A high …

Validation Of An Inertial Sensor System For Quantifying Knee Function, Aaron Koslin

All Theses

Gait analysis has become a useful tool for clinicians in evaluating the progression of pathologies through functional analysis. The high cost and dedicated laboratories associated with the traditional camera-based motion analysis systems present the need for an alternative system. Direct measurement of kinetic parameters using inertial sensors (gyroscopes and accelerometers), in place of indirect calculations from position data obtained using cameras, has been shown effective in resolving important gait parameters.
In order to directly compare gait parameters obtained using inertial sensors and a camera system, data was simultaneously collected from both systems for seven test subjects during normal gait. Three …

Usability Studies With Virtual And Traditional Computer Aided Design Environments, Syed Adeel Ahmed

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

For both the CAVETM and the adaptable technology possessed by the University of New Orleans, crystal eye glasses are used to produce a stereoscopic view, and an ascension flock of birds tracking system is employed for tracking of the user's head position and position of a wand in 3D space. It is argued that with these immersive technologies along the use of gestures and hand movements should provide a more natural interface with the immersive virtual environment. This allows a more rapid and efficient set of actions to recognize geometry, interaction with a spatial environment, the ability to find errors, …

Acoustic Seabed And Target Classification Using Fractional Fourier Transform And Time-Frequency Transform Techniques, Madalina Barbu

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

An approach for processing sonar signals with the ultimate goal of ocean bottom sediment classification and underwater buried target classification is presented in this dissertation. Work reported for sediment classification is based on sonar data collected by one of the AN/AQS-20's sonars. Synthetic data, simulating data acquired by parametric sonar, is employed for target classification. The technique is based on the Fractional Fourier Transform (FrFT), which is better suited for sonar applications because FrFT uses linear chirps as basis functions. In the first stage of the algorithm, FrFT requires finding the optimum order of the transform that can be estimated …

Modern Foraminiferal Bio-Facies Within A Transgressive Saline Influenced Deltaic Headland, South-Central Louisiana, Chandra Dreher

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Incorporating improved preparation techniques, modern taxonomy, and quantitative analysis of environmental variables known to influence marsh foraminifers in other coastal regions refined marsh foraminiferal biofacies of the Mississippi delta region. Elevation, pore water salinity, total carbon, and mean grain size were compared with foraminiferal distributions in a transgressive marsh system of the lower Lafourche headland of the south-central delta plain. Cluster analysis aided definition of two biofacies, one from the marsh interior and one from the marsh edge. The marsh edge biofacies was further subdivided into levee crest and bayou margin biofacies. Correlation analysis suggested that seven of the 21 …

Optical Spectroscopy To Determine Intermediate Combustion Product Radicals In A Hydrocarbon Fueled Rocket Engine Exhaust Plume, Lester A. Langford

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

With the prospect of hydrocarbon-fueled rocket engines, such as Rocket Propellant 1 (RP-1) or methane (CH4) fueled engines being considered for use in future space flight systems, the contributions of intermediate or final combustion products resulting from these hydrocarbon fuels are of great interest. The effect of several diatomic molecular radicals, such as Carbon Monoxide, Molecular Carbon, Methylene Radical, Cyanide or Cyano Radical, Hydroxyl, and Nitric Oxide, needs to be identified and the effects of their band systems on the spectral region from 300 nm to 850 nm determined. This work shows the effect of different engine operating parameters, oxidizer-to-fuel …

A Study Of Conditional Volatilities In Financial Markets Using Generalized Conditional Heteroscedasticity Jump Models, Babatunde Olatunji Odusami

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In this manuscript, I investigate the time-varying volatilities and co-volatilities in the fixed income and equities market using jump augmented stochastic volatility models. The results highlights that the fact that jumps are inherent in financial markets and have implications for the dynamics of volatilities and co-volatilities of financial assets over time. Jump augmented models provide a superior description of instantaneous market conditions and a promising avenue for future research in areas of asset pricing, portfolio selection, and risk management.

A Case Study Of Inter-Arrival Time Distributions Of Container Ships, Tu-Cheng Kuo, Wen-Chih Huang, Sheng-Chieh Wu, Pei-Lun Cheng

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Given the recent prevalence of periodical container liners, the applicability of related models of widely applied queuing theory is left in doubt. Since they focus on marine liners, the distribution pattern is always considered to be a deterministic distribution for periodical schedule. In order to investigate the distribution patterns of container liners, observation units are segmented into single shipping liners, single berths, single container terminals and entire ports. The evolution of the ship arrival distribution pattern and the goodness-of-fit test for observation are based on the ship dynamic data of international harbors in Taiwan. This study aims to implement tests …

The Relative Universality Of Human Rights (Revised), Jack Donnelly

Human Rights & Human Welfare

© Jack Donnelly. All rights reserved.

This article is forthcoming in Human Rights Quarterly.

This paper may be freely circulated in electronic or hard copy provided it is not modified in any way, the rights of the author not infringed, and the paper is not quoted or cited without express permission of the author. The editors cannot guarantee a stable URL for any paper posted here, nor will they be responsible for notifying others if the URL is changed or the paper is taken off the site. Electronic copies of this paper may not be posted on any other website …

Onset And Persistence Of Biogenic Meromixis In A Filling Pit Lake-A Limnological Perspective , Oscar Flite

All Dissertations

Open pit mining usually results in a void that, over time, fills with water and becomes a pit lake. The goal for pit lakes is to create sustainable systems that positively contribute to local and regional watersheds. One long-standing hypothesis for attaining the goal of sustainability has been to create and maintain meromictic lakes (lakes that do not completely mix on a yearly cycle). It is believed that meromixis minimizes atmospheric oxygen exposure to pit walls and concomitant acid generation and minimizes reentrainment of metals to the upper waters during seasonal mixes. This seems to be a reasonable goal but …

The Portland Spectator, December 2006, Portland State University. Student Publications Board

Portland Spectator

Editor: Crystal Joele Rea

Articles in this issue include: Investigating why "Christmas" has becomes politically incorrect; The REAL reason that we celebrate Christmas; Curriculum and the Student Bill of Right; The reason why feminism is stupid; An examination of what caused the power shift from Republican to Democrat; Solutions to holiday shopping; and Another look at illegal immigration.

Optimal Tax Compliance And Penalties When The Law Is Uncertain, Kyle D. Logue

Law & Economics Working Papers Archive: 2003-2009

This Article examines the optimal level of tax compliance and the optimal penalty for noncompliance in circumstances in which the tax law is substantively uncertain – that is, when the precise application of the Internal Revenue Code to a particular situation is not clear. In such situations, two interesting questions arise: First, as a normative matter, how certain should a taxpayer be before she relies on a particular interpretation of a substantively uncertain tax rule? That is, if a particular position is not clearly prohibited, but neither is it clearly allowed, under the tax law, what is the appropriate threshold …

Restoring The Right Constitution?, Eduardo M. Peñalver

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

After years of relative neglect, the past few decades have witnessed a dramatic renewal of interest in the natural law tradition within philosophical circles. This natural law renaissance, however, has yet to bear much fruit within American constitutional discourse, especially among commentators on the left. In light of its low profile within contemporary constitutional debates, an effort to formulate a natural law constitutionalism is almost by definition an event worthy of sustained attention. In "Restoring the Lost Constitution," Randy Barnett draws heavily upon a natural law theory of constitutional legitimacy to argue in favor of a radically libertarian reading of …