Digital Commons Network^™

The Integration Of Graphic Communication And Educational Tools For Children With Dyslexia, Amar Abdulla Behbehani

Theses

Design for education is an important approach in the graphic design field. The intention of this thesis is to conduct further research that can help educators and designers build healthier learning environments for children with learning disabilities. Learning environments are not limited to physical environments such as classroom designs or school architecture; they are extended to cognitive environments that are greatly affected by external influences such as sensory stimulation and learning methods. Children with special educational needs could benefit from effective design solutions for better information processing. This designer attempts to develop typographic solutions to facilitate the reading process of …

Property Rules, Liability Rules, And Immunity: An Application To Cyberspace, Keith N. Hylton

Faculty Scholarship

This Article sets out a theory of torts and cyberspace wrongs. My goal is to provide a sparse theoretical account of tort law and apply it to cyberspace torts, both negligent and intentional. I approach this goal by applying the framework of property rules and liability rules to cyberspace torts. That framework suggests that trespass doctrine is appropriate in instances of cyber invasions of private information resources, such as the breaking of codes to access private information on the web. However, trespass doctrine should play no role in cyber-invasions of public information resources, such as the sending of spam email. …

Tort Negligence, Cost-Benefit Analysis, And Tradeoffs: A Closer Look At The Controversy, Kenneth Simons

Faculty Scholarship

What is the proper role of cost-benefit analysis in understanding the tort concept of negligence or reasonable care? A straightforward question, you might think. But it is a question that manages to elicit groans of exasperation from those on both sides of the controversy.

For most utilitarians and adherents to law and economics, the answer is obvious: to say that people should not be negligent is to say that they should minimize the sum of the costs of accidents and the costs of preventing accidents. Under the economic formulation of the famous Learned Hand test, they should take a precaution …

Mostly Unconstitutional: The Case Against Precedent Revisited, Gary S. Lawson

Faculty Scholarship

In Part I of this Article, the author briefly recaps the argument against precedent that the author sketched in The Constitutional Case Against Precedent. Although the author’s purpose here is to refine that argument, the author still believes that the original argument is right in most particulars, and it still functions as a prima facie case against the use of precedent in constitutional interpretation. In Part II, the author surveys different possible grounds for the practice of precedent. In Part III, the author dismisses the possibility that the Constitution or some other controlling legal source affirmatively commands the use of …

Developing/Testing A New Approach For Assessing Rapid Visual Identification Of Hematological Cells Using Principles Of Visual Cognition: A Health Science Education Study, Deborah Elizabeth Fox

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was the development and testing of a novel method for assessment of white blood cell (WBC) identification skills used in the field of Clinical Laboratory Sciences (CLS). A dual format exam was administered to both novices (students) and experts (laboratory professionals). Format 1 was similar to current assessment formats, simply presenting a series of single WBC images for identification. Format 2 applied principles of visual cognition, grouping WBCs for identification by patient and presenting multiple example images from the patient before requesting identification of individual cells. This novel exam format was intended to: (a) provide …

Reservoir Characterization Of The Broom Creek Formation For Carbon Dioxide Sequestration, Justin J. Kringstad

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

This engineering design is aimed at providing a thorough investigation on the potential of carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration in the Williston Basin’s Broom Creek Formation. The objective of the design is to characterize the Broom Creek’s reservoir properties and provide detailed results of CO2 sequestration capacity, plume migration, and safety level. The methodology used to obtain results is an incorporation of geology, reservoir engineering, and injection operations. The reservoir simulation operations were conducted using Schlumberger’s ECLIPSE (Schlumberger, 2006).

Backward Stochastic Navier-Stokes Equations In Two Dimensions, Hong Yin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

There are two parts in this dissertation. The backward stochastic Lorenz system is studied in the first part. Suitable a priori estimates for adapted solutions of the backward stochastic Lorenz system are obtained. The existence and uniqueness of solutions is shown by the use of suitable truncations and approximations. The continuity of the adapted solutions with respect to the terminal data is also established. The backward stochastic Navier-Stokes equations (BSNSEs, for short) corresponding to incompressible fluid flow in a bounded domain $G$ are studied in the second part. Suitable a priori estimates for adapted solutions of the BSNSEs are obtained …

Three-Dimensional Quantitative Analysis Of The Trajectory Of The Foot While Running, Thomas J. Cunningham

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Exercising the leg in a manner similar to running is theorized to have the potential effect of increasing performance and reducing occurrence of injuries in running athletes. Development of an exercise device that can help facilitate this method of specificity training could be beneficial to the sports community and should be investigated. Understanding the trajectory of the foot during the running gait is primary to further pursue this concept. 26 running athletes of varying characteristics participated in this study. Each subjects sex, age, weight, height, leg length, activity level and participation amount in their respective sport was recorded. Retro-reflective cameras …

Shelf-Margin Delta Morphology As A Paleo Sea Level Indicator: Implications On Late Quaternary Relative Sea-Level Changes In The Northeast Gulf Of Mexico, Swati Ghoshal

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A new technique to determine relative sea level history at siliciclastic settings is proposed in this dissertation. The clinoform break (defined as the topset-foreset transition point) of the modern Mississippi River Delta shows a direct relationship with sea level elevation. The analysis of Holocene lobes 8 and 9 belonging to the St. Bernard delta complex of the Mississippi Delta suggests that delta clinoforms can be significantly modified by post-abandonment processes, and hence a detailed stratigraphic evaluation is necessary to determine whether the clinoform geometry is a result of wave erosion or any other post-abandonment processes. The strategy was tested on …

Nest Success And Nest Site Selection Of Shorebirds In North Dakota, Darren Kirk Wiens

LSU Master's Theses

I compared nest success estimates for both shorebirds and Sharp-tailed Grouse between controls and 36 square-mile blocks that were trapped for intermediate mammalian predators. I also investigated shorebird nest site selection by comparing vegetation visual obstruction and species composition between nest sites and the surrounding field. Nest success (Mayfield estimate ± SE) was not different between trapped and control blocks for shorebirds (trap: 50.8% ± 6.3%; control: 69.1% ± 17.5%) or Sharp-tailed Grouse (trap: 61.3% ± 8.3%; control: 48.7% ± 10.0%). This indicates that trapping intermediate mammalian predators is not an efficient method of increasing shorebird or Sharp-tailed Grouse nest …

An Evaluation Of An Inshore Aquaculture Park For Sustainable Coastal Community Development, Vanesssa Maxwell

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation addresses applying industrial park concepts to the development of aquaculture parks in public waters specifically for off-bottom triploid Easter oyster, Crassostrea virginica, culture. The objectives are to identify the permitting process, relevant agencies, and legislation needed to facilitate development of aquaculture parks in the Gulf of Mexico states, and test and analyze off-bottom oyster culture for commercial production of triploid oysters. Off-bottom culture can increase oyster production, but fouling organisms can reduce growth and survival rates. The Adjustable Longline System (ALS), commercially used in Australia, allows oyster bags to be suspended in the water column and positioned for …

Responding To Nietzsche: The Constructive Power Of Destruktion, Francis J. Mootz Iii

Scholarly Works

As a student of Hans-Georg Gadamer, and later a translator and important commentator on Gadamer’s philosophy, P. Christopher Smith is widely acknowledged to be a leading hermeneutical philosopher. In a series of works, Smith has argued that Gadamer provides an important corrective to Nietzsche’s caustic critical challenges, but that Gadamer’s hermeneutics has no relevance for legal theory because law is just the manifestation of will to power. In this paper I argue that Smith misunderstands the nature of legal practice. Starting with a re-reading of the debate between Gadamer and Jacques Derrida about the legacy of Nietzsche’s philosophy, I argue …

Survival, Habitat Use, And Movements Of Female Mallards Wintering In Southwestern Louisiana, Paul Thomas Link

LSU Master's Theses

Little information is available concerning survival, habitat use, and movements of mallards (Anas platyrhychos) wintering on the Gulf Coast Chenier Plain (GCCP). Quantitative data on these parameters would be useful in making effective management decisions by GCCP waterfowl managers. Accordingly, I radio-marked 135 female mallards during winters 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 in southwestern Louisiana. My estimated survival rate for both winters combined was 0.68 ± 0.06 and did not differ by female age. Hazard ratios indicated that radio-marked females were 21-24 times more likely to die during hunted time periods than during non-hunted time periods. Estimated hunting and non-hunting mortality rates …

Feral Swine Action Plan For Oregon, Mark Sytsma, Arick Christopher Rouhe

Center for Lakes and Reservoirs Publications and Presentations

Feral swine are defined as free roaming animals of the genus Sus that are not being held under domestic management or confinement. Swine have spread from Europe and Russia to habitats around the world via human introduction. Currently, feral swine populations are established on every continent except Antarctica. Unlike other large mammal invaders, swine have a high reproductive capacity and are omnivorous, which allows for a quick assimilation into most habitats. Once a breeding population is established in an area, the population can quickly increase and negatively impact the ecosystem. A successful invasion of feral swine is difficult, and sometimes …

Deficits In Social Skills And Feeding Behaviors Associated With Adults Diagnosed With Autistic Disorder Living In An Institutionalized Setting, Cindy Terlonge Graham

LSU Master's Theses

Autistic disorder, a syndrome beginning in infancy and persisting into adulthood, has captured the attention of researchers and clinicians alike. Although this disorder has been studied since the mid-1940s, there is a lack of literature addressing certain adaptive skills in adults with autism. The aim of this study was to examine the differences in social and feeding skills between individuals with and without autistic disorder. Given the importance of acquiring these skills to facilitate proper adjustment and decrease potential health risks, better understanding of these behaviors in persons with autism is warranted. Participants comprised three separate groups: an autism group, …

Investigation Of Phospholipid Tubule Morphology For Use In Drug Delivery, Colleen Colson Garrett

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Spherical vesicles consisting of phosphatidylcholines in which diacetylene groups have been inserted in the hydrocarbon tail centers give rise to hollow cylindrical tubes, known as “tubules”. The study of tubules has become an area of intense interest in recent years due to their unusual morphology, which raises several profound theoretical issues and suggests their use in a variety of applications. Tubule hollowness suggests medical and industrial encapsulations as well as filtration and purification applications. These potential uses, e.g., for drug and gene delivery, requires optimization of their morphology for the application. Tubules have many technologically desirable properties, such as a …

Paleoceanography Of The Gulf Of Papua Using Multiple Geophysical And Micropaleontological Proxies, Lawrence A. Febo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Recent marine and late Pleistocene sediments examined from the Gulf of Papua (GoP), Papua New Guinea investigate the flux and fate of detrital sediments and organic carbon over the last glacial-interglacial cycle. Based on surface sediment magnetic susceptibility (MS) and calcium carbonate concentrations, recent marine sediment is exported off the narrow shelf and into deeper regions via the Kerema Canyon of the northern Pandora Trough. Detrital clastic sediment is then dispersed deeper into the central and southern Pandora Trough. Except for pelagic deposition, very little detrital material reaches the Ashmore Trough and Eastern Plateau adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef. …

Production Well Operations Optimization In Water Distribution System Using Genetic Algorithm, Vineet Katiyar

LSU Master's Theses

The City of Chandler, Arizona lies in semi-arid area and the water resources management has been a major concern by the State citizen. There is always a need of optimizing the available water resources when the rate of demand constantly beats the rate of replenishment. In this study we have developed a management model to link the Chandler water distribution model (EPANET) with the Chandler groundwater flow model (MODFLOW) under an optimization framework (Genetic algorithm). The EPANET model supplied by the Chandler city municipal authority has several improper setting (pumping schedules, valves settings, pressure zones etc.). The original model has …

Sediment Transport On A River-Dominated Shallow Water Shelf: Atchafalaya Bay Region, Louisiana, Renee T. Bellotte

LSU Master's Theses

Cold front passage impacts on sediment transport on the inner continental shelf near Atchafalaya Bay were studied, combining satellite imagery and in-situ meteorological and oceanographic measurements. An empirical model relating atmospherically corrected MODIS imagery reflectance to surface measurements of suspended sediment concentration was developed and successfully applied to the coastal waters. An equation for predicting total suspended sediment from Nephelometric Turbidity Units was also applied to the water column at 1, 2, and 3 meters from the seabed. Five case study weeks were selected to examine the dynamics of pre-frontal and post-front forcing mechanisms on sediment transport in a fine-grained …

I Met You, Momoko Kimura

LSU Master's Theses

My goal for the work documented in this paper was to create and install an immersive multimedia environment, using animation and interactivity to express and communicate ideas drawn from personal experience of how people may meet, influence each other and enrich each other’s lives. With my projects over the past few years, I learned that sharing personal stories is a powerful tool for communicating with others. The I MET YOU piece provided the perfect opportunity for me to pull together all my thoughts and tell people who have made difference in my life “I’m so glad I met you.” I …

The Search Interest In Contract, Joshua Fairfield

Articles by Maurer Faculty

Parties often do not negotiate for contract terms. Instead, parties search for the products, terms, and contractual counterparties they desire. The traditional negotiation-centered view of contract leads courts to try to determine the meaning of the parties where no meaning was negotiated and to waste time determining the benefits of bargains that were never struck. Further, while courts have ample tools to validate specifically negotiated contract terms, they lack the tools to respond to searched-for terms. Although the law and literature have long recognized that there is a disconnect between the legal fictions of negotiation and the reality of contracting …

Characterization Of Polyethylene Glycol Hydrogels For Biomedical Applications, Anushree Datta

LSU Master's Theses

Polyethylene glycol is one of the most widely used synthetic materials for biomedical applications. Its biocompatibility, flexibility, and 'stealth' properties make it ideal for use in drug delivery applications. The main objective of this paper is to characterize the structural and mass transfer properties of polyethylene glycol hydrogels for applications in drug delivery and biological immobilization. Swelling behavior of the gels was studied to determine the mesh size, and other significant structural parameters of the gel. For accurate design of drug delivery device, along with network design, mathematical modeling of release profiles was performed. The study of PEG hydrogels was …

Synaptic Boojums: Lewis Carroll, Linguistic Nonsense, And Cyberpunk, Jennifer Kelso Farrell

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Tracing a line from Lewis Carroll to 20th-century science fiction and cyberpunk, this project establishes an alternate genealogy based on the use of linguistic nonsense. Science fiction, rather than being merely a genre defined by specific narrative devices or character traits, is instead a language in and of itself. And like any language, it must be learned in order to be understood. Carroll used nonsense as a means of subverting conventional 19th-century opinions of language and, and by extension, society. Carroll was so successful at this that in 1937 American psychiatrist Paul Schilder discussed the dangers to a child's mind …

A Proposed Solution To The Scholarly Communication Crisis, Chad J. Schatzle

Scholarly Works

After reviewing the history and parameters of the scholarly communications crisis, particularly in regard to skyrocketing prices for journals in the natural sciences, the author reviews and rejects previously attempted solutions. He then employs the principles of game theory in proposing a new solution to the crisis.

The Use Of A Chiral Fluorescent Resorcinarene For The Enantiomeric Recognition Of Amino Acids, Gerald I. Richard

LSU Master's Theses

The spectroscopic properties of a chiral boronic acid based resorcinarene macrocycle employed for chiral analysis were investigated. Specifically, the emission and excitation characteristics of tetraarylboronate resorcinarene macrocycle (TBRM) and its quantum yield were evaluated. The chiral selector TBRM was investigated as a chiral reagent for the enantiomeric discrimination of amino acids using steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy. Chiral recognition of amino acids in the presence of the macrocycle was based on diastereomeric complexes. Results demonstrated that TBRM had better chiral discrimination ability for lysine as compared to the other amino acids. Partial-least-squares regression modeling (PLS-1) of spectral data for macrocycle-lysine host-guest complexes …

The Apologia Of Franchino Gafurio: A Critical Edition And Translation, Patrick Joseph Kaufman

LSU Master's Theses

Franchino Gafurio’s Apologia (Turin, 1520) is one musical treatise in a series of works that constituted the famous “pamphlet war” between he and Giovanni Spataro. The dispute originated with the publication of Bartholomeo Ramis de Pareia’s Musica practica (Bologna, 1482). Unconventional and unapologetically critical, Ramis rejected venerated musical traditions in an attempt to align music theory with contemporary music practice. He opposed the Pythagorean division of the monochord and Guidonian solmization syllables, and instead proposed a division which produced pure thirds, and a solmization system based on the octave. His iconoclastic proposals and his highly sarcastic tone called forth a …

Subrepresentation Semirings And An Analogue Of 6j-Symbols, Nam Hee Kwon

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Let G be a quasi simply reducible group, and let V be a representation of G over the complex numbers $mathbb{C}$. In this thesis, we introduce the twisted 6j-symbols over G which have their origin to Wigner's 6j-symbols over the group SU(2) to study the structure constants of the subrepresentation semiring S_{G}(End(V)), and we study the representation theory of a quasi simply reducible group G laying emphasis on our new G-module objects. We also investigate properties of our twisted 6j-symbols by establishing the link between the twisted 6j-symbols and Wigner's 3j-symbols over the group G.

Establishment And Chemical Analysis Of Hairy Roots Of Eucommia Ulmoides, Xiaojun Wu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The bark of Eucommia ulmoides Oliver (Eucommiaceae) has been used over thousands of years as a folk remedy. Extracts from the bark exhibit multiple pharmacological functions, especially in lowering blood pressure. Geniposidic acid (GA), pinoresinol diglucoside (PG) and chlorogenic acid (CA) are three compounds isolated from the bark of the Eucommia tree, which display enormous bioactivities. As a type of plant tissue culture, the hairy root culture system displays prospective application over traditional cell or callus cultures, which are characterized by rapid growth, and stable biochemical and genetic capacity. The present dissertation discusses the establishment and chemical analysis of E. …

Evaluation Of Mvct Images With Skin Collimation For Electron Treatment Planning, Allen Beardmore

LSU Master's Theses

Purpose: To evaluate the accuracy of electron beam dose calculations in MVCT images containing lead alloy masks. Method and Materials: A phantom consisting of two 30x30x5 cm³ slabs of CIRS plastic water® was imaged using kVCT (GE Lightspeed-RT) and MVCT (TomoTherapy Hi·Art). Nine MVCT scans were taken with different square masks of lead alloy (Cerrobend®, density = 9.4 g·cm^-3) on top of the phantom. The masks contained square apertures of 3x3 cm², 6x6 cm² and 10x10 cm² and had thicknesses of 6 mm, 8 mm and 10 mm. The same collimation was simulated …

Wet And Dry Aging Of Polymer-Asphalt Blends: Chemistry And Performance, Ionela Chiparus Glover

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A PG 76-22 Polymer Modified Asphalt Cement composition was subjected in the laboratory to accelerated aging using both a standard Thin Film Oven Test and a Pressure Aging Vessel. Conditions simulating wet atmospheres (PAV in saturated water vapors) as well as very long service terms (multiple dry and wet PAV operations) were studied. A Rotating Cylinder Aging Test has been employed as an alternate asphalt aging technique using the same PMAC composition in order to observe the initial phases of the oxidative aging process. The data provided by this technique was correlated with the actual aging in the field of …