Digital Commons Network^™

The Perks Of High Tech Pr: Examining Diffusion Of Innovations In Public Relations And Its Effect On Practitioners' Roles, Status And Power, Jennifer Plaisance Hughes

LSU Master's Theses

This qualitative study examines the field of public relations though the lens of Everett Rogers’ diffusion of innovation research. The fields of public relations and diffusion of innovations are paired for the first time in a study of the effects of proximity to innovators on public relations practitioners. In-depth interviews and focus groups with practitioners working in both high-tech and low-tech environments are transcribed and coded to compare the effects of technology adoption on roles, status and power in organizations. This study not only contributes to the literature in public relations and diffusion of innovations, but also its findings are …

Hetch Hetchy: To Drain Or Not To Drain, Hastings Law Journal

UC Law Journal

Can California afford to lose a major reservoir, even if it restores a jewel of Yosemite Valley? The California Department of Water Resources is scheduled to release a report (requested by Governor Schwarzenegger) on the feasibility of draining the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and restoring the valley that John Muir referred to as "one of natures rarest and most precious mountain temples." Proponents and opponents disagree over the cost of dam removal and valley restoration. This Panel of experts discussed and debated the numerous issues related to this matter.

Keynote Address, Roderick E. Walston

UC Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Social Ape, Morgan Dione Harris

LSU Master's Theses

“Social Ape” is an investigation and rationalization of America’s obsession with consumption. As a designer, this battle between consumption and individualistic expression has been intriguing. It is a platform for questioning how the public processes information supplied by marketing and advertising, resulting visually in interpretations of this information. It seems fascinating that even though consumers are constantly bombarded by persuasive propaganda, they feel in control of their purchasing decisions. To this end, I am using fashion as a tool for investigation. Fashion is a powerful commodity, representing identity and status, and thus fueling consumption and expression.

Environmental Justice: Access To Clean Drinking Water, Hastings Law Journal

UC Law Journal

Many low-income communities and communities of color are unable to advocate for clean drinking water or oppose rate hikes for drinkable water. Failing infrastructure, industrial pollution, and increasing water scarcity in California disproportionately affect vulnerable, marginalized communities. This Panel focused on community organization and novel legal approaches (such as Title VI Civil Rights complaints) that could be used to advocate for clean drinking water.

Cryopreservation And Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection With Bovine Epididymal Spermatozoa, Carlos Andres Guerrero

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Recently, interest in the preservation of epididymal sperm as a potential source of valuable genes for genome resource banks has escalated. The development of a successful protocol to recover and cryopreserve sperm harvested from the epididymides would salvage germplasm from genetically valuable males that are injured and can no longer mate or have unexpectedly died and can be used as a model for the preservation of male gametes from endangered species. In a series of experiments, epididymal sperm was successfully harvested, cryopreserved and used for intracytoplasmic sperm injection. In Experiment I, ethylene glycol was found to cause significantly (P<0.05) less osmotic damage to bovine sperm during a one step addition and/or removal at 4°C as compared with glycerol in all concentrations evaluated. Furthermore, prolonged exposure (5 days at 4°C) of ethylene glycol was found to be less toxic than glycerol to sperm. In Experiment II, it was demonstrated that glycerol was more effective than ethylene glycol in providing protection against freezing injury during the cryopreservation process in the concentrations evaluated. In Experiment III, it was demonstrated that epididymal sperm retrieval using seminal plasma is beneficial to enhance sperm overall and progressive motility characteristics and to protect it from morphological abnormalities derived from the freezing process. In Experiment IV, a one step dilution process for removal of glycerol from cryopreserved epididymal sperm was found to significantly affect plasma membrane integrity and mitochondrial function of sperm previously exposed to seminal plasma. However, seminal plasma exposure did not have any significant detrimental effect on acrosome integrity. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the longevity and survivability in vitro during a 4-hour incubation period at 37°C of post-thaw epididymal sperm exposed to seminal plasma prior to cryopreservation was not compromised when compared with the control extended sperm. In Experiment V, we have demonstrated that fertilization, blastocyst and fetal development could be achieved with cryopreserved bovine epididymal sperm by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). To our knowledge, this is the first report in the United States and second in the world to use bovine epididymal sperm for ICSI. We achieved far markedly improved blastocyst rates over those results recently reported in the first study originating in Japan.

The Voting Rights Act And The Racial Gap In Lost Votes, Paul Moke, Richard B. Saphire

UC Law Journal

Recent presidential and gubernatorial elections have exposed serious flaws in the process by which American voters participate in the democratic franchise. Studies have shown that African- Americans who use inferior punch card technology are more likely than non-African-Americans to be disenfranchised because of unintentional errors in the use of voting equipment. Following the disputed 2000 presidential election, several civil rights and civil liberties organizations used section 2 of the Voting Rights Act to challenge state voting technology, arguing that punch card equipment has an adverse impact on racial minorities.

This Article examines the empirical evidence on voting technology, residual votes, …

Ice Sheet Grounding Zone Deposits On Ross Sea Continental Shelf (Antarctica): Seismic Facies Analysis And P-Wave Reflectivity Attributes, Adeniyi Adewumi Saanumi

LSU Master's Theses

Subglacial till and overlying glaciomarine deposits are difficult to distinguish because the physical properties of subglacial till may vary depending on the drainage conditions of the rock directly beneath the ice sheet. Based on approximately 120 kilometers of multi-channel seismic data, detailed seismic facies analysis and amplitude variation with offset (AVO) analysis are carried out to examine the distribution of ice sheet grounding zone deposits on the continental shelf of the Northern Basin, Ross Sea (Antarctica) and infer the physical properties of interpreted subglacial till. Seismic facies analysis led to the differentiation of distinct sub-environments around a grounded ice sheet: …

The Abc's Of Hiv: When "Just Say No" Is Not Enough-Queer Critique Of Aids Policy, Lisa Laura Ladwig

LSU Master's Theses

This paper will critique the United States' AIDS policy, both domestic and international. I demonstrate how queer theorists have used Jacques Lacan's concepts of "jouissance" and the "unconscious desire" to suggests ways in which the current policy has dangerous implications for real people, for public health, and human rights. I reveal how the problem of rising HIV infection is not due to the lack of availability of safer-sex information, but rather it is a problem of execution: the Religious Right's ideology inscribed in our public health policy. Finally, I wish to expose how people in this country and others are …

Positional Effects Of Trna Genes: Transfer Rna Genes As Chromatin Boundaries In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Tiffany Anne Simms

LSU Master's Theses

Recently, much evidence has been brought forth into the scientific community supporting the idea that RNA Polymerase III transcribed regions of DNA may serve as chromosomal landmarks for silencing. Transfer RNA genes are known to involve themselves in several extra-transcriptional functions within the chromosome, including the pausing of replication forks, Ty element integration, tRNA position effects (repression of neighboring genes), acting as a barrier to the spread of heterochromatin, and over-riding nuclosome positioning sequences. Our results suggest that many tRNA genes may serve these functions as well as exhibiting behavior similar to metazoan insulators. Also, ETC (Extra TFIIIC) sites within …

Evaluation Of Media Influence And Practical Applications For The Use Of Static Low Density Media Filters In Domestic Wastewater Treatment, Steven Marty Bellelo

LSU Master's Theses

Static Low Density Media filters have been used over the past two decades for nitrification and solids removal in high-density recirculating aquaculture systems. The SLDM filters are submerged biofilters which contain a plastic media with a density less than that of water. The media beds remain packed, or static, during operation except for periodic expansion of the bead bed during a backwash. More recently SLDM filters have been evaluated for secondary clarification of domestic wastewater where concurrent biological treatment and particulate removal occur within one unit. Recirculation is accomplished using airlifts which provide external aeration coupled with multiple pass removal …

Media Use, Hiv/Aids Knowledge, And Sexual Beliefs: An Exploration Of Differences Between Races, Tarana Hammond

LSU Master's Theses

As the numbers rise among African Americans who are contracting HIV/AIDS, it becomes evident that research is needed to examine where African Americans obtain HIV/AIDS information. This study identified where African Americans obtain HIV/AIDS information and examined how that information affects African Americans’ sexual beliefs about HIV/AIDS. The theoretical foundation for this study was the Health Belief Model (HBM). This study used a survey method. The data analysis demonstrated that race does influence the type of media an individual uses. Race does not impact an individual’s access to health information. Knowledge about HIV/AIDS impacts an individual’s sexual beliefs about HIV/AIDS. …

Numerical Solution Of Flow Resistance In Outflow Pathway And Intravitreal Drug Delivery In Vitrectomised Eyes, Jyoti Gururaj Kathawate

LSU Master's Theses

In this study, numerical computations of the ocular fluid dynamics in a human eye are presented with a perspective of understanding the mechanisms of increased flow resistance. In the present study, the TM is represented as a multilayered-graded porous structure with specific pore size and void fraction. The flow patterns and pressure distribution in anterior chamber are analyzed to delineate key flow mechanism; the shear stresses on the lens, iris and IW of SC are also examined to locate the maximum values. Inside the human eye, the largest pressure drop occurs across JCT and IW of SC. The highest pressure …

Agrobacterium Tumefaciens-Mediated Transformation Of Tobacco (Nicotiana Tabacum L.) Leaf Disks: Evaluation Of The Co-Cultivation Conditions To Increase Beta-Glucuronidase Gene Activity, Sunjung Park

LSU Master's Theses

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation is generally used for genetic transformation of higher plants. Several experimental factors important for the increase of beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene activity were evaluated in this study using leaf disks of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Xanthi). We found that co-cultivation temperature at 20C is the most critical factor to obtain the reproducible enhancement of GUS activity. pCAMBIA 1305.01 resulted in higher GUS activity than the other two pCAMBIA vectors 1301 and 1305.02. The highest GUS activity and transformation efficiency were achieved under the following experimental conditions: Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404 containing pCAMBIA1305.01 was grown overnight at …

Determination Of Antioxidant Capacity In Corn Germ, Wheat Germ And Wheat Bran Using Solvent And Microwave-Assisted Solvent Extraction, David Swenson Oufnac

LSU Master's Theses

ABSTRACT Solvent extraction methods are widely used for extracting antioxidant in foods and other sources. In this study, Traditional Solvent Extraction (TSE) and Microwave-Assisted Solvent Extraction (MASE) were utilized to determine the content of antioxidants in corn germ, wheat bran and wheat germ. Corn germ, wheat bran and wheat germ all contain different levels of antioxidants; TSE and MASE were utilized to determine the content of antioxidants in these three samples. TSE was performed at 60 ¨¬C employing three solvents, acetone, hexane and methanol. MASE was performed using the solvent methanol at four different temperatures, 60, 80, 100 and 120 …

Control Of Listeria Species And Other Bacteria In Crawfish And Crab Processing Facilities, Utilizing Copper Drains, Coatings And Concrete, Containing Copper Ions, Artem S. Rogovskyy

LSU Master's Theses

The antibacterial properties of copper ions against Listeria spp., Pseudomonas spp., Escherichia coli and other coliforms, and total aerobic bacteria have been investigated in seafood processing environments. Our hypothesis was that drains fabricated from copper and coatings and concrete containing copper ions that have been used for sealing floors and walls could be utilized in crawfish and crab processing facilities as an effective means of controlling Listeria spp. and other unwanted bacteria. Copper in the form of copper sulfate pentahydrate was incorporated into coatings and concrete at the salt concentration of 25 ppm (6.36 ppm Cu++). Sampling sites were selected …

Validity Of The Reflux Symptoms Index For Post-Pubescent Female Vocalists, Natalie Herpin Overall

LSU Master's Theses

The Reflux Symptoms Index (RSI), a nine-item self-rated questionnaire, has been suggested as a way of monitoring severity of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) symptoms during treatment. However, limited research has been conducted to assess the validity of the RSI as a way of identifying severity of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) symptoms as differentiated from gastroesophageal reflux (GER) symptoms. Twenty-five post-pubescent female vocalists participated by completing a one-hour voice evaluation, including a Voice Handicap Index (VHI), an RSI, a Reflux Finding Score (RFS) completed with videostroboscopy for visualization of the laryngeal cavity, and analysis of an acoustic sample with the Multi-Dimensional Voice Profile …

Anoxia Tolerance, Anaerobic Metabolism, And The Lack Of A Mitochondrial Permeability Transition In The Ghost Shrimp, Lepidophthalmus Louisianensis, Schmitt, 1935, Jeremy Dale Holman

LSU Master's Theses

The ghost shrimp, Lepidophthalmus louisianensis, burrows up to meters deep in oxygen-limited marine sediments along the Gulf coast. During low tides these animals are subjected to extended periods of anoxia. The main objective of this study was to assess survival under anoxia and evaluate the physiological mechanisms that underlie the anoxia tolerance of this species. I observed large specimens of L. louisianensis (>2g) having an LT₅₀ of 64 h under anoxia at 25º C. Smaller specimens (<1g) have a significantly higher LT₅₀ of 113 h under identical conditions (P<0.0001). I measured whole body lactate levels in shrimp exposed to anoxia for up to 72 h, and recorded significant accumulation of this anaerobic end product (ANOVA, P<0.001). I also measured adenylates and arginine phosphate in shrimp exposed to anoxia for up to 48 h, and after a 24-h recovery period. Adenylates were not significantly altered during the anoxia regime, and reductions in arginine phosphate occurred after 12 and 24 h, but returned to normoxic values during recovery (ANOVA, P<0.001). While reserves of arginine phosphate are used to some extent to buffer losses in ATP, substantial contribution to the maintenance of energetic status comes from the high rate of anaerobic glycolysis. Energized mitochondria isolated from ghost shrimp hepatopancreas possess a pronounced ability to take up exogenous Ca²⁺ (compared to mitochondria-free controls) as measured by following the external free Ca …

Swamp Tours In Louisiana Post Hurricane Katrina And Hurricane Rita, Dawn Schaffer

LSU Master's Theses

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita made landfall in southern Louisiana during August and September 2005, respectively. Prior to these storms swamp tours were a popular nature-based tourism experience that entertained visitors while teaching them about local flora, fauna, and culture. The number of swamp tour businesses in the state was slowly increasing. The purpose of this study was to determine how many swamp tours were operating after the hurricanes, what type of damage they sustained, and how they repaired their businesses. Differences between those tours that remained open after the hurricanes and those that closed were also examined. A 3-phase mail …

Brugia Phangi: Effects Of Third Stage Larvae Es Immunization On Early Migration And Parasite Establishment In Mongolian Gerbils (Meriones Unguiculatus), Ginger Ann Robertson

LSU Master's Theses

Brugia infections occur via the bite of an infected mosquito. Third stage infective larvae (L3) deposited on the skin during feeding migrate into the bite wound, through skin and into the lymphatic system. It is hypothesized that L3 excretory/secretory products (ES) are important in this initial phase of the infection. A model for these early migrations has been established by inoculating L3s into the dermis (ID) of the permissive gerbil host. In this model, most L3s injected ID in the louer hind limb travel to the popliteal lymph node by 3 days post infection. Adult parasites are located primarily in …

Voluntary Childlessness In The United States: Recent Trends By Cohort And Period, Laurie Chancey

LSU Master's Theses

Most large-scale studies on voluntary childlessness since the waning of the baby boom provide cross-sectional estimates for a single time period. They cannot be synthesized to estimate change because of the varied definitions used to operationalize voluntary childlessness. In this study, I use data from the 1973-2002 cycles of the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) to estimate change in voluntary childlessness using a consistent definition by period and birth cohort. I find that voluntary childlessness stayed relatively constant through the seventies and eighties, but showed a large increase from the mid-nineties to 2002. I show that voluntary childlessness increased …

Effect Of Vaccination Of Goats With H-Gal-Gp And H11 Antigens From Intestinal Membrane Cells Of Haemonchus Contortus, Donya Dupree Olcott

LSU Master's Theses

Extracts of adult Haemonchus contortus were purified and used as a vaccine against the blood feeding parasite in goats as previously studied in sheep. The proteins used were H11 and H-gal-GP, hidden gut antigens from the microvillar membrane of the gut of the worm and combined with Quil A as adjuvant, then administered to a group of goats kept on concrete then artificially infected with H. contortus. The control group received Quil A injections and also infected. This study was performed to analyze the effects of the H11/H-gal-GP vaccine when given to goats as compared to sheep. The trial showed …

Mass Media Usage During A Natural Disaster: Lsu College Students And Hurricane Katrina, Pavica Juric

LSU Master's Theses

A survey with 293 American and 68 international LSU students and two focus groups with American students and one with international students were conducted between November 2005 and February 2006 to determine the difference in media use between American and international LSU students in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina: What were students’ main sources of information after the storm? What were their sources when electricity was out? Which source of information helped students feel less lonely? Which source of information helped students fell less stressful? Finally, which medium did the students believe, when compared to others, did the best job …

Communicating The Modern Entrepreneurial University In The 21st Century: A Case Study Of Academic Capitalism And Media Messaging In The Pursuit Of Revenues And National Prominence At Louisiana State University, Charles F. Zewe

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

American public universities have passed through three stages of development: the religious, the philanthropic/land-grant, and the federal research university. Squeezed by government budget cuts and demands for more money to pay for research and faculty raises, U.S. higher education has entered a fourth phase, the entrepreneurial university. Public universities are increasingly capitalizing on the intellectual property of their faculty and students to sustain themselves and expand. Administrators spout free-market rhetoric as faculty attempt to commercialize research by creating spin-off companies. Using Louisiana State University as a case study, this dissertation, applies a combination of organizational knowledge creation and resource dependence …

Domesticating The Exotic Species: International Biodiversity Law In Canada, Natasha Affolder

All Faculty Publications

While a significant body of international and regional agreements now addresses habitat preservation, wildlife protection, and biological diversity, these advances on the international level often fail to be effectively translated into domestic law. In this article, the author argues that international biodiversity law is being treated in Canada as "exotic". It is peppered into parties' submissions without a principled explanation of its role in Canadian law, receives little consideration from the courts, and must ultimately rely on non-legal means of enforcement. The author examines the jurisprudence dealing with four major biodiversity treaties. She notes that the judicial treatment of these …

Schottky Field Effect Transistors And Schottky Cmos Circuitry, Reinaldo Vega

Theses

It was the primary goal (and result) of the presented work to empirically demonstrate CMOS operation (i.e., inverter transfer characteristics) using metallic/Schottky source/drain MOSFETs (SFETs - Schottky Field Effect Transistors) fabricated on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates - a first-ever in the history of SFET research. Due to its candidacy for present and future CMOS technology, many different research groups have explored different SFET architectures in an effort to maximize performance. In the presented work, an architecture known as a "bulk switching" SFET was fabricated using an implant-to-silicide (ITS) technique, which facilitates a high degree of Schottky barrier lowering and therefore an …

Red And Black Tides: Quantitative Analysis Of Water-Leaving Radiance And Perceived Color For Phytoplankton, Colored Dissolved Organic Matter, And Suspended Sediments, Heidi M. Dierssen, Raphael M. Kudela, John P. Ryan, Richard C. Zimmerman

OES Faculty Publications

Using field measurements and quantitative modeling, we demonstrate that red coloration of the sea surface is not associated with any particular group of phytoplankton and is strongly dependent on the physiology of the human visual system. Red or brown surface waters can be produced by high concentrations of most types of algae, colored dissolved organic matter, or suspended sediment. Even though light reflected by red tides commonly peaks in the yellow spectral region (570–580 nm), human color perception requires consideration of the entire spectrum of light relative to receptors within the human eye. The color shift from green to red …

A Comparison Of Dominance And Affiliation Ratings Based On Emotional State, Sex, And Status, Jennifer Bernardi

LSU Master's Theses

Perceptions of interpersonal dominance and affiliation have been extensively examined throughout past research. In the current study, the purpose was to fill in the some of the gaps of existing research well, specifically the gap created by current confusion in the literature regarding the effects of sex, status, and emotional display on ratings of dominance and affiliation. Also, interactions between the primary variables of interest (sex, status, and emotional display) were observed. Results revealed significant relationships within several of the dimensions addressed, specifically between emotional display and ratings of dominance and affiliation such that individuals displaying anger were viewed as …

A New Method To Determine Radiative Properties Of Rough Solid Surfaces, Raghu Nandan Mutukulla

LSU Master's Theses

The radiative properties of the rough surfaces are important both from fundamental and practical standpoint. Thus, there is a need to determine the effect of roughness on radiative properties of materials accurately, as these properties effect the performance of electronic devices, communication devices, optical sensors, and furnaces, amongst others. The effects of roughness are assessed by measuring the reflection coefficients from the carbon rod surfaces and steel 1086 samples over the range of angles 25 to 75 in the visible range and near infrared region. Different levels of roughness are induced on the surfaces by utilizing different grid size sand-paper …

Media Framing Of Prescription Drug Coverage Following A Recall, Rebecca Ann Hotard

LSU Master's Theses

Direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs receives significant attention from academic researchers. Advertising, however, is not the only way prescription drugs are discussed in the public sphere. Many Americans learn about science through mass media. Additionally, researchers believe readers place more trust in editorial content than in advertisements. This study took a quantitative and qualitative approach to content analysis of prescription drug coverage to examine the effects of the highly publicized and controversial Vioxx recall on the news. Significant changes in framing, drugs mentioned, and prominence of story placement were shown. There were no changes in sources used in prescription drug …