Digital Commons Network^™

Hysteria, Greed, And The Public Purse: The Litigation Impacting A Local Governmental Agency, Claire D. Simno

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This research is a case study of the litigation in progress by hundreds of St. Bernard Parish families against the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans and Browning Ferris Industries (BFI). The families are suing for personal and property damages sustained as a result of the poor operation and maintenance of the East Bank Sewerage Treatment Plant (EBSTP) and the Crescent Acres Landfill. The purpose of the study will be to examine the consequences, links, and process of interaction among three key units of analysis: the plaintiffs, their lawyers, and one of the major defendants in the litigation, the …

The Lived Experiences Of Immigrant Arab Muslim Women In The United States: Implications For Counselors And Other Helping Professionals, Iman En-Nabut

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

As the demographic landscape of the United States continues to change, counselors along with other helping professionals are going to be challenged to find ways to meet the varying personal, social, and academic needs of an increasingly multiracial, multi-religious, and multicultural population. This study was an attempt to document and explain through an ethnographic study the experiences of six immigrant Arab Muslim women, ranging in age from 21 to 35, living in the United States. Data were gathered in the participants' natural setting, utilizing ethnographic interviews. The general research question was "What are the lived experiences of immigrant Arab Muslim …

Toward The Synthesis Of Cay-1, An Antifungal Steroidal Saponin, Katharine Bowdy

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Invasive fungal infections are prevalent and often deadly in immunocompromised patients. There continues to be a pressing need for the development of novel antifungal compounds since there are currently only 13 compounds licensed for the treatment of invasive fungal infections and antibiotic-resistant strains have been emerging. CAY-1 is an antifungal steroidal saponin which was isolated from the fruit of the cayenne pepper plant in 0.1% yield. In Vitro studies of CAY-1 have shown it to be an effective antifungal agent against sixteen pathogenic fungal strains and it showed no cytotoxicity toward mammalian cells up to 100 ìg/mL. The development of …

Misfortune, Kristen Van De Biezenbos Gresham

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Historical Land Fragmentation And Its Effects On Genetic Diversity And Parasitism Of Island Populations Of Podarcis Erhardii (Lacertidae, Reptilia), Heather Hurston

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The Pleistocene land bridge islands in the Aegean Sea make an ideal natural experimental system for testing how island age, area and isolation affect genetic variation. My research focuses on the population genetics of the Aegean wall lizard Podarcis erhardii (Lacertidae, Reptilia), which because of its wide distribution, and poor dispersal abilities is a sensitive indicator of fragmentation history. I predict that genetic diversity will be positively correlated with island area and negatively correlated with age. I also predict that island characteristics, host genetic variability or grazing may impact parasite prevalence. Findings showed that larger islands maintained more genetic diversity …

Analysis Of Oocyte Quality In The Rhesus Macaque (Macaca Mulatta), Stephanie Nichols

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Many primate populations face the threat of extinction due to habitat loss, intensive agriculture, hunting for meat, the pet trade and/or use in traditional medicines. An alternative approach to in situ conservation includes gene banking and the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART), such as oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM) and in vitro fertilization (IVF). Although many of these 'high-tech' solutions have not yet been proven viable for pragmatic wildlife conservation, basic research and development of these emerging tools can provide necessary information needed to optimize these techniques and institute ART as a routine practice in conservation efforts. A severely …

Characterization Of Structures And Deformation In The Brittle-Ductile Transition, Western Termination Of The Chugach Metamorphic Complex, Southern Alaska, Erik Day

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Field mapping along the western termination of the Chugach Metamorphic Complex (CMC) revealed a new D2 structure, the Bremner foliation fan. This structure has a high strain, vertically foliated core, with moderate-shallow dipping cleavages to the north and south which rollover into the core. The fan appears to have propagated from below by a shear-zone at depth (O'Driscoll, 2006). Description of the Bremner foliation fan revealed that the Bremner shear zone of Pavlis and Sisson (2003) is a D3 structure, and that the Stuart Creek fault is a younger brittle fault with 90km of dextral offset. Electron Back Scatter Diffraction …

Buildup/Washoff Model For Dissolved Iron In Stormwater Runoff, Werner Gander

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This research focused on the calibration of the Buildup and Washoff for dissolved iron. The test site located at the intersection of the Interstate-10 and Interstate-610, New Orleans, Louisiana. Storm water runoff from the examined elevated roadway section was analyzed for 14 storm events. The model used a linear function of antecedent dry time for the buildup model. The rating curve assumption was selected to estimate the pollutant transport capacity. In a further step the two were combined. The derived Buildup/Washoff model was calibrated for the collected data and precipitation data of the International Airport of New Orleans. The obtained …

Stormwater Runoff From Elevated Highways: Prediction Of Cod From Field Measurements And Tss, Claudio L'Altrella

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This proposed research focused on the prediction and identification of chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentrations in storm water runoff from elevated roadways, which transports a significant load of contaminants. The objective of this research was to develop a mathematical model to relate COD concentration to different measurable parameters which are easily available and routinely measurable for elevated roadways. The test site for this research was selected at the intersection of the Interstate-10 and Interstate-610, Orleans Parish, New Orleans, Louisiana. Subsequently a research test site was developed and highway storm water runoff was collected. The developed model enables the user to …

Analysis Of Nanopore Detector Measurements Using Machine Learning Methods, With Application To Single-Molecule Kinetics, Matthew Landry

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

At its core, a nanopore detector has a nanometer-scale biological membrane across which a voltage is applied. The voltage draws a DNA molecule into an á-hemolysin channel in the membrane. Consequently, a distinctive channel current blockade signal is created as the molecule flexes and interacts with the channel. This flexing of the molecule is characterized by different blockade levels in the channel current signal. Previous experiments have shown that a nanopore detector is sufficiently sensitive such that nearly identical DNA molecules were classified successfully using machine learning techniques such as Hidden Markov Models and Support Vector Machines in a channel …

First Flush Characterization Of Storm Water Runoff, Simon Ringler

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This proposed research focused on the characterization of first flush in storm water runoff from elevated roadways, to assist the establishment of a storm water program and to facilitate the selection of treatment technology. Storm water runoff from highways transports a significant load of contaminants, especially heavy metals and particulate matter, to receiving waters. Heavy metals, either in dissolved or particulate bound phases, are unique in the fact that unlike organic compounds, they are not degraded in the environment. The objective was to develop a mass loading based diagram of the "first flush." In order to achieve this goal, a …

Planning For Chaos: Cluster Strategies Of Economic Development, Lisa Brosnan

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

With this thesis I will attempt to demonstrate the value of using chaos theory as a framework for understanding the emergence and development of clusters as a strategy for economic development. The application of the principles of chaos theory will be used to judge the relative success of specific clusters through a case study approach and historical analysis to determine the change agents and other significant factors influential to the growth of economic clusters. Because clusters are turbulent, non-linear systems that are sensitive to endogenous and exogenous triggers, chaos theory may provide the conceptual foundation appropriate to the study of …

Nano-Filled Epoxy: Mechanical And Fire Behavior And Modeling Of Nanocomposite Columns Under Fire, Stefano Bietto

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In this work, fracture, mechanical, and flammability tests, along with a modeling of the stability of nanocomposite columns under fire are presented for nano-filled Diglycidyl Ether of Bisphenol A epoxy. The nanofillers used are montmorillonite nanoclays and carbon nanofibers. Three types of nanocomposites are manufactured: epoxy-clay, epoxy-carbon nanofiber, and epoxy-clay-carbon nanofiber nanocomposites. Fracture tests performed include Izod impact and fracture toughness, for the determination of the net Izod impact strength, the stress intensity factor, and the critical energy release rate. With static mechanical tests the tensile and flexural properties of the nanocomposites are measured. Flammability tests made by cone calorimetry …

African American Sons' Perceptions Of Their Fathers' Influence On Their Decision Whether To Pursue Higher Education, Tameka Bob

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate African American sons' perceptions of their fathers' influence on their decision whether to pursue higher education. This research has qualitatively explored the connection between fathers' influence and sons' decision whether to pursue higher education. Data collection consisted of a preliminary focus group discussion, two rounds of individual interviews, and a post focus group discussion. Themes that emerged from participants' stories were: (a) similar definitions of the term"father", (b) perceptions of fathers' educational level vs. being a role model, (c) thoughts regarding fathers' emotions and masculinity, (d) beliefs that fathers have an influence …

Hspf Modeling Of Nonpoint Sources In Tickfaw River Watershed, Satya Sumanth Reddy Gala

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The Tickfaw watershed is located in southeastern Louisiana with the Tickfaw River originating in Southern Mississippi, flowing through St. Helena and Livingston Parishes, and eventually emptying into Lake Maurepas. The total drainage area is 1,896 km2. Forests cover 66% of the watershed and agriculture is the second predominant land use type. The elevation of the watershed changes from 0 m above sea level in the south to 130 m in the north. According to the 2004 Louisiana Water Quality Inventory report section 303(d), outstanding natural resource and secondary contact recreation designated uses are fully supported, but fish and wildlife propagation …

Kinetics Of Hydrogen Sulfide Oxidation In Sanitary Sewer Systems, Karloren J. Guzman

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

There is a need to evaluate different technologies such as FeCl2, H2O2 and O2 addition as odor and corrosion control alternatives to determine required dosages and detention times. The goal of this research is to study the kinetics of H2S removal using the techniques commonly employed in sanitary sewer systems to determine the effectiveness of each process. To achieve this objective a laboratory simulation of these chemicals additions was carried out using completely mixed BOD bottles as batchreactors. The BOD reactor was filled with a 7 mg/L H2S solution. FeCl2, 50%-H2O2, O2 and a combination of FeCl2 and H2O2were added …

Effects Of Habitat Degradation On The Evolutionary Dynamics Of Populations In A Rainforest Cycad (Gymnospermae), Cristina Lopez-Gallego

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In addition to habitat loss and fragmentation, habitat degradation can have important consequences for biodiversity and population persistence, including effects on ecological and genetic processes beyond decreased demographic viability and the loss of genetic variation. Particularly interesting is the potential for evolutionary changes and adaptation to degraded habitats, that can affect population viability even in the short-term. Here, I explore how environmental changes after habitat degradation affect the evolutionary dynamics of populations of the rainforest cycad Zamia fairchildiana, specifically how habitat degradation affects gene dispersal, inbreeding, directional selection, and genotype-by-environment interactions, and the potential for genetic differentiation between populations. Colonies …

Relationships Of Self-Efficacy, Exercise, Social Support To Strain And Burnout In University Faculty, Mark P. Kelly

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between occupational selfefficacy, exercise behaviors, and social support with strain and burnout in faculty. Previous studies have shown each variable is associated with reduced strain. The Demand-Control- Supports Theory by Karasek and Theorell (1990) asserts when an individual is in a work situation characterized by high demands, low control, and low social support they will tend to have strain symptoms. Burnout is another psychological strain symptom common in the teaching profession. The current study used the three different variables mentioned and determined their relationships to reported strain and burnout. A …

Stress Response Of Working African Elephants To Transportation And Safari Adventures, Joshua J. Millspaugh, Tarryne Burke, Gus Van Dyk, Rob Slotow, Brian E. Washburn, Rami J. Woods

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

African elephants (Loxodonta africana) are intensively managed in southern Africa and are routinely translocated between reserves. Domesticated elephants are used for elephant-back safaris and interactions with guests. Understanding how elephants respond to such activities is critical because of welfare issues associated with both humans and elephants. We investigated the stress response (i.e., fecal glucocorticoid metabolite secretion [FGM]) of working elephants in Letsatsing Game Reserve, South Africa, over 1 year to evaluate their response to transportation and ecotourism activities. We used free-ranging elephants in adjacent Pilanesburg National Park as controls. Fecal glucocorticoid metabolites were greatest prior to and during …

The Colby Echo (2007-05-18), Colby College

The Colby Echo

Published by the students of Colby College since 1877, The Colby Echo is the weekly, editorially independent student-run newspaper of Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Published monthly, 1877-1886; semi-monthly, 1886-1897; and weekly, during the academic year, 1898-present.

Comparative Patterns Of Predation By Cougars And Recolonizing Wolves In Montana’S Madison Range, Todd C. Atwood, Eric M. Gese, Kyran E. Kunkel

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Numerous studies have documented how prey may use antipredator strategies to reduce the risk of predation from a single predator. However, when a recolonizing predator enters an already complex predator–prey system, specific antipredator behaviors may conflict and avoidance of one predator may enhance vulnerability to another. We studied the patterns of prey selection by recolonizing wolves (Canis lupus) and cougars (Puma concolor) in response to prey resource selection in the northern Madison Range, Montana, USA. Elk (Cervus elaphus) were the primary prey for wolves, and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) were the primary …

The Social Construction Of Loss And Grief: Experiences Of Coastal Louisiana Residents, Nicole Buras

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The overall goal of this study is to gain a better understanding of disaster-stricken communities using the experiences of the community of Boothville-Venice, Louisiana, and examining their narratives for an understanding of loss. This thesis uses symbolic interactionism, and draws from existing literature in psychology, thanatology, and sociology to develop the understanding of loss and grief. The strategy of inquiry employed for this qualitative study is ethnography, and the study uses fifteen in-depth interviews. The analysis addresses the pre-Katrina reality of residents, broken into the six dimensions (Community, Work, Family, Identity, Faith in the Systems, and Future), then compared to …

Sensitivity Analysis Of The Uno Activated Sludge Model, Ysabel Viloria

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Different types of mathematical models have been proposed to predict the activated sludge process final effluent quality. La Motta (2004b) developed a mathematical model linking the operating parameters of an activated sludge system and the classical limiting flux sludge settling theory. This project studies the estimation of the unknown parameters of La Motta's model and also the model's sensibility. To obtain unknown parameters true values Full Information Maximum Likelihood (FIML) estimator is used, it will converge on a set of values that satisfy all the estimating equation simultaneously. Favorable results were obtained when correlations are applied between predicted values using …

Contextual And Dispositional Influences On Low-Income Children's School Adjustment, Sonya Shaniece Myers

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Examination of child temperament and early adult-child relationships is of vital importance to children's socio-emotional development, school success, and the prevention of future problem behaviors. In response, the current project examined the interaction of parenting style, child temperament, and the quality of the teacher-child relationship in predicting low-income children's school adjustment. One hundred fifty-four children (70 girls and 84 boys), their parents, lead teachers, and teacher aides participated in this study with data collected in both preschool (Head Start) and in Kindergarten. Parents completed questionnaires pertaining to parenting styles and child temperament, while teachers also completed questionnaires on child temperament, …

Numerical Analysis And Applications Of The Process Of Nonlinear Supratransmission In Mechanical Systems Of Coupled Oscillators With Damping, Diaz Jorge Macias

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In this paper we develop a finite-difference scheme to approximate radially symmetric solutions and (1 + 1)-dimensional solutions of the initial-value problem with smooth initial conditions Ý2w Ýt2. Þ2w. ƒÀ Ý Ýt..Þ2w + ƒÁ Ýw Ýt + m2w + GŒ(w) = 0, subject to : ( w(Px, 0) = ƒÓ(Px), Px ¸ D, Ýw Ýt (Px, 0) = ƒÕ(Px), Px ¸ D, in an open sphere D around the origin, where the internal and external damping coefficients ƒÀ and ƒÁ, respectively, are constant. The functions ƒÓ and ƒÕ are radially symmetric in D, they are small at infinity, and rƒÓ(r) …

Council On Academic Affairs Minutes, May 17, 2007, Eastern Kentucky University

Council on Academic Affairs

No abstract provided.

Interview With Emil Slowinski, Dewitt Wallace Professor Of Chemistry, Emil Slowinski

Chemistry Department Oral Histories

No abstract provided.

Western Nebraska Health Information Exchange Network Public Health Reporting- Schematics And Matrix, The University Of Nebraska Public Policy Center

University of Nebraska Public Policy Center: Publications

This report documents the flow of health information for public health reporting specifically from the perspective of Western Nebraska providers and organizations.

The schematics attempt to outline the steps of different reporting processes. The steps are depicted by basic flowchart shapes and icons. A box with special comments and a key with icons are displayed in the lower right corner of each schematic.

Washington University Record, May 17, 2007

Washington University Record

No abstract provided.

Low Temperature Induces Two Growth-Arrested Stages And Change Of Secondary Metabolites In Bursaphelenchus Xylophilus, L. L. Zhao, W. Wei, David L. Kulhavy, Xing Yao Zhang, Jiang Hua Sun

Faculty Publications

The third-stage dispersal juvenile (JIII) is the stage for survival and dispersal in the winter of the pine wood nematode,

Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. Through investigations at different temperatures, we found two kinds of growth-arrested development, including the adult longevity extension and JIII formation induced by low temperature. They showed similar characters: densely packed lipid droplets and extended longevity. We considered that there were four stages in the formation of growth-arrested stages: induction, growth-arrested pathway, growth-arrested development and cold-tolerance duration. Moreover, at 4◦C there were significant changes in secondary metabolites, which may be related to signal communication and metabolism associated with …