Digital Commons Network^™

Discerning Lines Of Demarcation, Jennifer Dawn Poueymirou

LSU Master's Theses

Discerning Lines of Demarcation is an investigation into the accumulated landscape of distressing times. Situations of mass destruction, loss of family, substance abuse, domestic violence, loss of friendship, and uncertain health have all been encountered within a steady progression in the last five to six years of my life. The digestion of these situations has been slow as the events overlap and intertwine each other. I have tweezed and distilled these circumstances. This is described through different types of terrains that create physical boundaries to represent psychological fears or events. Tied to Your Hate; How Much More Will Fall, Untitled, …

Influence Of Temperature On The Performance Of Wetlands Treating Chlorinated Volatile Organic Compounds, Maria G. Murillo

LSU Master's Theses

Various studies have presented models to predict the performance of constructed wetlands at different temperatures focused on the removal of conventional pollutants, and common configuration of constructed wetlands. Investigations on the effect of temperature on the performance of constructed wetlands treating chlorinated volatile organic compounds are limited to microcosm studies. This study is meant to come up with kinetic and energy balance input data for mathematical models that can be used to predict the performance of upflow constructed treatment wetlands treating chlorinated ethenes and ethanes at different ambient temperatures. Bench scale continuous upflow columns will be conducted to investigate the …

Evaluation Of Allochthonous And Autochthonous Microbial Populations In The In-Situ Remediation Of Weathered Oil In A Coastal Freshwater Habitat, Kyle Alan Schmidt

LSU Master's Theses

Use of bioremedial technologies has gained popularity in recent decades for application at oil spill sites. While much research has been done on specific case studies along marine shores, such as with the spill of the Exxon Valdez, there still remain questions as to the advantage of active biological treatment vs. natural attenuation in freshwater environments. To examine this question, a comparative study of allochthonous and autochthonous microbial communities ability to degrade weathered oil residuals was implemented at the CITGO Petroleum Refinery in Lake Charles, Louisiana following a spill of approximately 40,000 barrels of slop oil on June 19th, 2006 …

The Role Of Tennessee Williams In Tennessee Williams In Quarter Time, Adapted By John Dennis: A Production Thesis In Acting, Derek Mudd

LSU Master's Theses

In February 2006, Swine Palace Productions premiered a collection of scenes from the works of Tennessee Williams titled Tennessee Williams in QUARTER Time. This thesis describes from start to finish the process through which the author created the role of Tennessee Williams for that production. This thesis includes an Introduction, Character Analysis, Actor’s Score, reactions to the show in performance, a Conclusion, and four appendices.

Providing The Best Of Both Worlds: Balancing Conservation And Recreation In A System Of Protected Areas In Texas, Kellen Allison Smith

LSU Master's Theses

Societies are becoming increasingly urban and isolated from natural areas. Protecting certain natural areas is vital for building and maintaining resilience in ecological systems for the continued conservation of biodiversity and provision of ecological services. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) promotes the development of systems of protected areas within nations and regions as a sustainable means of preserving the biodiversity within natural areas. Allowing sustainable ecotourism and wildlife-based recreation activities in protected areas can provide economic incentives to surrounding communities making protection an attractive alternative to more extractive forms of land use. Managing …

Evaluation Of Compliance With The Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule, Racquel Rena Douglas

LSU Master's Theses

Cryptosporidium is a common protozoan parasite that causes cryptosporidiosis, a severe gastrointestinal disease. Currently, there is no antibiotic available to treat the disease. Cryptosporidium has been responsible for several waterborne disease outbreaks in the United States. The largest cryptosporidiosis outbreak in United States history occurred in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in spring 1993. The vulnerability of the United State drinking water supply to waterborne disease outbreak is still prevalent nearly 15 years after the Milwaukee outbreak. In order to effectively control Cryptosporidium, the EPA has strengthened the regulations on turbidity control for filtration performance by implementing the Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface …

Behavior Problems Exhibited In Institutionalized Persons With Intellectual Disabilities And Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders, Ryan Thorson

LSU Master's Theses

Although our understanding of dual diagnosis has improved in recent years, a deficit exists in our knowledge of how schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) manifest themselves in individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID). We also know very little about the behavioral problems present with the ID population based on the existence of psychopathology. The present research attempted to extend the literature by comparing behavior problems of individuals with intellectual disability with SSD, any form of psychopathology, and no psychopathology. Utilizing the Behavior Problems Inventory (BPI), three areas of problem behaviors were examined (self-injurious behavior, stereotypic behavior, and aggressive/destructive behavior) and a total …

Dragons Behind Glass: Views Of China And Japan In Three American Museums, Kristina Elaine Polizzi

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis will focus on three museums: the American Museum of Natural History in New York, New York, the Mobile Museum of Art in Mobile, Alabama and the Morikami Museum in Del Ray Beach, Florida. Overall the museums took surprisingly different approaches to designing their exhibits. The American Museum of Natural History gave a general overview of Japan and China. The Mobile Museum of Art focused only on pottery and the Morikami Museum focused on the Japanese immigrants that settled in Del Ray Beach. Differences and similarities of these museums and what these exhibits tell the viewer about the two …

The Effects Of Smoking Cessation On Control Of Food Intake In Postmenopausal African-American And Caucasian Women, Amanda K. Manning

LSU Master's Theses

Smoking cessation leads to greater weight gain in women than men, and older and postmenopausal women are at greater risk for weight gain than younger, premenopausal women. African-American postmenopausal women may be at the greatest risk. Weight gain after smoking cessation is primarily due to increased caloric intake. Currently, the literature regarding measurement of macronutrient intake after smoking cessation is plagued with methodological problems. The Geiselman Macronutrient Self-Selection Paradigm (MSSP) significantly and systematically varies fat across other macronutrients and the Geiselman Food Preference Questionnaire (FPQ) measures the negative feedback of satiation via pre- and postprandial hedonic ratings of foods. Fifty-five …

Experimental Investigation Of An Electronically Collimated Radiation Detector For Location Of Gamma-Ray Sources, William H. Hill Jr.

LSU Master's Theses

A electronically collimated prototype detector was built with commercially available cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) modules and assessed by experiment and simulation. Sensitivity was roughly equivalent to a common hand held 1"x1" NaI(Tl) detector. The maximum useful count rate was 300 counts per second (cps) per module. Overall angular error was less than 7°, which is generally less than source placement uncertainty, and angular resolution was between 20° and 40° for several common isotopes with photon energies between 511 keV and 1333 keV. Prototype data and backprojections were used to verify a simple three dimensional model of charge induction in pixellated …

The Education Of Princess Mary Tudor, Katherine Lee Pierret Perkins

LSU Master's Theses

Mary Tudor, the first officially crowned queen regnant of England, received a humanist education. A curriculum was recommended for her in multiple writings by Spanish humanist Juan Luis Vives. This thesis attempts to synthesize and examine information the nature of this plan for a princess's education and the extent to which it was implemented.

Hurricane Andrew And Pregnancies In Louisiana, Anzhelika Antipova

LSU Master's Theses

There are anecdotal accounts about the possible impact of a pregnant woman's mental health on her unborn fetus. This thesis investigates the possible association between hurricane-related stress experienced by pregnant women living in the area afflicted by Hurricane Andrew in Louisiana in 1992 and poor pregnancy outcomes such as preterm and Low Birth Weight (LBW) births. This is an important topic of research because by investigating past events one can better understand the pregnancy-related health issues for areas affected by extreme weather events such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This research analyzed birth data from Louisiana both before and after …

Racial Differences In Health Care Utilization Between Older African American And Caucasian Medicare Beneficiaries, Olivio J. Clay

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Admissions Brochure 2007-2008, William & Mary Law School

Admissions Brochures

No abstract provided.

Equality In The War On Terror, Neal K. Katyal

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Today, much public attention and litigation in the wake of the government's response to the September 11, 2001 attacks centers on one or another claims about the government's substantive illegality (such as claims based on the Due Process Clause). This is a mistake. Instead of focusing on the ultimate individual liberty questions, challenges should first focus on equality.

Since the terrorist attacks, the government has repeatedly singled out aliens for special disfavor. For example, the Military Commissions Act blatantly discriminates against aliens - shunting the 20 million green-card holders and 5 billion people across the planet into a different, and …

The Black Death And Its Effect On Fourteenth- And Fifteenth-Century Art, Anna Louise Desormeaux

LSU Master's Theses

In early October of 1347, ships from Caffa docked at the port of Messina in Sicily. The traders brought with them a fierce plague that swept through Europe from 1348 to 1352. This pandemic, which killed approximately half of Europe's population, came to be known as the Black Death. The fear propagated by the spread of the plague and its cyclical recurrence greatly affected the art created in Europe over the next 150 years. Accounts of victims of the plague and other contemporary documents, such as medical treatises, give modern readers a glimpse into the psyche of medieval people. These …

Chemical Analysis Of Extracts From Port-Orford Cedar Wood And Bark, Heng Gao

LSU Master's Theses

This study investigated a Soxhlet extract procedure to separate chemical components in the wood and bark of Port-Orford cedar (POC) (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana). The bio-activities, antioxidant properties, and decay resistance were evaluated. The heartwood extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Three vitro assays including (1) 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH• ) radical scavenging assay, (2) 2,2-azinobis ( 3-ethylbenzothiszoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) radical cation scavenging ability assay, and (3) metal chelating activity assay were carried out to evaluate the antioxidant activity. The total phenol content of the extracts was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method and expressed as Gallic Acid Equivalent …

The Clinical Utility Of Mlu And Ipsyn For Aae-Speaking Children, Emily Lee Jones

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the clinical utility of two assessment measures for one group of nonstandard English dialect speakers, that of African-American English- (AAE) speaking children. The measures were mean length of utterance (MLU) and Index of Productive Syntax (IPSyn). The clinical utility of these measures was examined by comparing MLU and IPSyn values of three different groups of AAE speakers to determine if these measures are influenced by a child’s socio-economic status, dialect status, and/or clinical language status. An item analysis was also completed for IPSyn to determine if the items on this tool are …

Population Change And Social Vulnerability In The Wake Of Disaster: The Case Of Hurricanes Katrina And Rita, Candice A. Myers

LSU Master's Theses

Previous sociological research on natural disasters has highlighted how various dimensions of social vulnerability influence the impact of, and recovery from, such disasters. This research contributes to the literature by examining population change in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, with an explicit focus on how social vulnerability moderates this relationship. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, I construct a macro-level Social Vulnerability Index (SoVI) for the impacted region and then use regression analysis to explore how various dimensions of social vulnerability are related to population change in the six months following the storms. The results reveal a …

In Vivo Facial Tissue Depth Study Of Chinese-Americans In New York City, Wing Nam Joyce Chan

LSU Master's Theses

Facial tissue depth measurements are used to create forensic facial reconstructions to aid in human remains identification. Collection of such measurements began in the late nineteenth century with anatomists His, Kollman, and Welcker. Their results were used to bring the rich and famous back to life. In the 1970s, the technique of facial reconstruction was revitalized and incorporated into the forensic science field to aid in human identification. However, certain populations are extremely under-represented. This study collected facial tissue depth information from the adult Chinese-American population in New York City. The study sample included 101 adult Chinese-Americans of varying weights …

Prevalence Of Family History Of Speech-Language Impairment In An African American Sample, Tricia Mccully Rodrigue

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of a positive family history of speech and/or language impairments in an African American sample. The first phase of the study used questionnaires from the primary caregivers of 161 children. The questionnaires allowed for an examination of family history as a function of a child’s socioeconomic level (+/- high school level of maternal education), educational placement (+/- receipt of services by a speech language clinician), and clinical status (+/- profile consistent with a diagnosis of SLI). The second phase of the study included interviews that were collected from 17 families …

The Failure Of Louisiana Campaign Finance Law: A Case Study Of Brnext And The 2004 Mayoral Election, Casey Elizabeth Rayborn

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis is a case study in how weak campaign finance laws and government oversight can undermine democracy in a local election. It does so by demonstrating how Louisiana campaign finance law enabled one wealthy businessman to play a major role in a mayoral election under the auspices of an issue-based political action committee. Through the examination of the Louisiana PAC BRNext, its financial activities, and its relationships, this study suggests that BRNext and its founder Lane Grigsby were able to violate the spirit of the law in each of these areas. BRNext was able to take advantage of the …

Public Relations And Political Controversy: A Case Study Of The Assembly Of Turkish American Associations' Public Relations Campaign Regarding The Ottoman Empire's Deportation Of The Armenians, Tamar Grace Meguerditchian

LSU Master's Theses

An organization will almost always use persuasive communication tactics to influence public opinion. Persuasive communication tactics can be either pubic relations or propaganda. The definitions of both public relations and propaganda, as well as a study of the relevant models, reveals that neither practice heavily stresses the importance of social responsibility. Using the importance of social responsibility in honest persuasive communication tactics, this qualitative case study of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations’ (ATAA) determined that the efforts of the ATAA’s persuasive communication efforts are in line with the methods of propaganda, as stated in the operational definition of propaganda …

Political Conspiracy In Napoleonic France: The Malet Affair, Kelly Diane Whittaker

LSU Master's Theses

The French Revolution ushered in a period of political unrest in France which appeared never-ending, even when a seemingly stable government rose to power. After a series of failed Republican governments, Napoleon Bonaparte seized control on 18 Brumaire VIII, promising to uphold the revolutionary ideals that had permeated the nation. As time passed, however, it became clear that he aimed at gathering all political power for himself. With his consular and imperial regimes accepted by French citizens, Napoleon effectively returned the country to autocratic rule. Needing talented officials to serve in his military, ministries, and prefectures, Napoleon enlisted the services …

Hallowed Halls: Abandoned Schools Of Louisiana, Lauren Q. Greathouse

LSU Master's Theses

"Hallowed Halls: Abandoned Schools of Louisiana" is an exploration of the remnants found in vacant educational institutions around the state. With the use of color and black and white images, I deal with my own memories of grade school by recreating the vibrancy and color I remember with the poignancy of those things and places that remain. These objects and spaces speak of an interaction with society and emit a history of the complex relationship between people, and the places and things that were once a part of their lives. The images are meant to suggest a contrast between what …

Genotypic Variability And Inheritance Of Iron And Zinc In Sweetpotato, Michael William Courtney

LSU Master's Theses

Sweetpotato [Ipomœa batatas (L.) Lam.] is a major subsistence crop in Sub-Saharan Africa, where iron and zinc deficiency in humans is an important health problem. A sweetpotato cultivar suited for subsistence farming, with high iron and zinc concentration, would be important in alleviating these deficiencies. The main objective of this research was to identify the extent of genetic variability of iron and zinc concentration in sweetpotato germplasm. An important subcomponent of this research was to determine the heritability of iron and zinc in sweetpotato. Protocol development studies were also conducted to aid in determining proper sampling technique. The results of …

Reevaluating Age In Subadult Remains In Response To Secular Changes In Skeletal Growth, Katherine Ann Blackwelder

LSU Master's Theses

The goal of forensic anthropology is the analysis and identification of human skeletal remains in a medicolegal context (Byers 2005:1-2). A forensic anthropologist can determine the age of subadult remains by various means, including dentition, centers of ossification, cranial suture closure, and epiphyseal union. Epiphyseal union is when all bones have completed their growth and fused, which happens for all bones by early adulthood. In this way, a forensic anthropologist can analyze the extent of epiphyseal union to determine the age of a deceased individual. This is done by comparing the skeletal remains to age-specific x-ray images of bones featured …

Is Ready-To-Eat-Cereal Consumption Associated With Nutrient Adequacy And Weight Status In Hispanic-American Children And Adolescents?, Solange Stella Pineda Vargas

LSU Master's Theses

Breakfast consumption has been associated with an improved nutrient intake and diet quality in children and adolescents. Ready to eat cereal (RTEC) breakfast contributes to macro and micronutrient intake, because it is usually fortified with vitamins and minerals, and is low in fat and high in fiber content. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of RTEC consumption on nutrient intake and weight status in Hispanic-American (HA) children and adolescents using data from 1999 to 2002 The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Participants were categorized by breakfast skippers, RTEC breakfast, and other breakfast consumers. Hispanic-American …

A Geographical Investigation Of Chagas' Disease Risk In The Community Of La Brea, Guatemala, Gerardo J. Boquin

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis will display how the use of a GIS is an important tool in understanding geographic patterns of Chagas' disease vector risk in a rural community in Guatemala. This is an important topic of investigation as Chagas' disease is the leading cause of heart failure in rural Latin America, and yet study has been limited due to a prioritization of national resources to urban diseases. Obviously this can have a severe impact on rural areas, especially if they already lack adequate health care provision. As a response to this deficiency, a collaboration between the Laboratory of Entomology and Applied …

The Relationship Between Premarital Sexual Behaviors And The State Of The Marriage, Allison Claire Rayburn

LSU Master's Theses

The current study examined the possible relationship between premarital sexual behaviors and the state of the marriage as reported by women. Participants were recruited from local Southern Baptist churches and were sent an anonymous mail-out questionnaire; 36 women returned questionnaires that were usable for analyses. Bivariate correlations for the variables that were considered demonstrated that the number of premarital sexual intercourse partners for the participant and her husband were strongly and negatively correlated to marital satisfaction, marital stability, low divorce thoughts, and feelings about the marriage. An analysis of variance showed that the women who experienced premarital sex (intercourse or …