Digital Commons Network^™

Ethanol Production Using Continuous Multi-Staged Microbe Bioreactors: A Laboratory Study, William Bruce King

LSU Master's Theses

Alternative fuels are important for the United States to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels. Currently, ethanol is the only renewable fuel that is produced in commercial quantity. The demand for ethanol is increasing throughout the world. The production of ethanol is limited by the available feedstocks and processing technology. Corn is the primary feedstock for ethanol in the United States. It is processed in either the wet milling or dry milling process. Both processes use either the batch or continuous fermentors. Both batch and continuous systems have operational restrictions with maintaining a good growth of yeast and preventing contamination …

An Embarrassment Of Riches: The Enzymology Of Rna Modification, Dirk Iwata-Reuyl

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

The maturation of transfer RNA (tRNA) involves extensive chemical modification of the constituent nucleosides and results in the introduction of significant chemical diversity to tRNA. Many of the pathways to these modified nucleosides are characterized by chemically complex transformations, some of which are unprecedented in other areas of biology. To illustrate the scope of the field, recent progress in understanding the enzymology leading to the formation of two distinct classes of modified nucleosides, the thiouridines and queuosine, a 7-deazaguanosine, is reviewed. In particular, recent data validating the involvement of several proposed intermediates in the formation of thiouridines are discussed, including …

Wetland Mitigation Banks And The No-Net-Loss Requirement: An Evaluation Of The Section 404 Permit Program In Southeast Louisiana, Abbey Anne Tyrna

LSU Master's Theses

Section 404 of the Clean Water Act provides regulatory oversight for wetland conservation. One goal of the Section 404 program is to achieve a no-net-loss of the remaining wetland acres and functions. Wetland mitigation banks have been incorporated into wetland policy because of their potential advantage in achieving the no-net-loss requirements. This study analyzed four wetland mitigation banks with credits sold between 1991 and 2007 in southeastern Louisiana to determine if they were contributing to the goal of no-net-loss. The goal of no-net-loss is reached when there is complete compensation of wetland structure and function. The study area for this …

Syntheses And Evaluation Of Phthalocyanine Derivatives For Applications In Photodynamic And Boron Neutron Capture Therapies For Cancer, Hairong Li

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Chapter I introduced the background of phthalocyanines including its physical properties and various synthetic methods of free-base and metallo-phthalocyanines. The background of PDT and BNCT was introduced and the objective of ideal sensitizers was described. Chapter II described the synthesis and characterization of a series of pyridiloxy-substituted zinc phthalocyanines with different length of alkyl groups. Pyridiloxy-substituted silica phthalocyanines bearing different associated axial ligands, were alkylated with methyl or PEG chains. Biological study was performed on these cationic pyridiloxy-substituted zinc phthalocyanines. Chapter III introduced the synthesis and photophysical properties of A3B-type zinc phthalocyanines conjugated with one or two cobalta-carborane cages. They …

Unsymmetric Aryl–Alkyl Disulfide Growth Inhibitors Of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus And Bacillus Anthracis, Edward Turos, Kevin D. Revell, Praveen Ramaraju, Danielle A. Gergeres, Kerriann Greenhalgh, Ashley Young, Nalini Sathyanarayan, Sonja Dickey, Daniel Lim, Mamoun M. Alhamadsheh, Kevin A. Reynolds

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study describes the antibacterial properties of synthetically-produced mixed aryl alkyl disulfide compounds as a means to control the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus anthracis. Some of these compounds exerted strong in vitro bioactivity. Our results indicate that among the twelve different aryl substituents examined, nitrophenyl derivatives provide the strongest antibiotic activities. This may be the result of electronic activation of the arylthio moiety as a leaving group for nucleophilic attack on the disulfide bond. Small alkyl residues on the other sulfur provide the best activity as well, which for different bacteria appears to be somewhat dependent on …

The Cis-Δ2,3-Double Bond Of Phoslactomycins Is Generated By A Post-Pks Tailoring Enzyme, Nadaraj Palaniappan, Mamoun M. Alhamadsheh, Kevin A. Reynolds

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

The antifungal phoslactomycins (PLM A-F), produced by Streptomyes sp HK803, are structurally unusual in that three of their four double bonds are in the cis form (Δ^12,13, Δ^14,15, Δ^2,3). The PLM polyketide synthase (PKS) has the predicted dehydratase catalytic domain in modules 1,2 and 5 required for establishing two of these cis double bonds (Δ^12,13Δ^14,15), as well as the only trans Δ^6,7double bond. By contrast, the formation of the cis Δ^2,3 in the unsaturated lactone moiety of PLMs has presented an enigma because the predicted dehydratase domain …

Freezing Processes In Cell Suspensions Evaluated Using Cryomicroscopy, Tathagata Acharya

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis aims at evaluating the freezing response of three different cell types, Pacific Oyster embryos, Jurkats and Helas, using the technique of cryomicroscopy. The choice of cells was primarily based on supporting ongoing research work at the Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. On a secondary basis, the cells were chosen based on their contrasting nature. While Pacific Oyster being a favorite food in USA calls for successful techniques of cryopreservation of their embryos in order to keep up with the growing demand, Jurkat and HeLa are undesired malignant human cells that …

Investigation Of Superconductivity And Physical Properties Of Intermetallic Compounds: Mon, Mo₃Sb₇, Mgcni₃ And Transition Metal Diborides, Amar Bahadur Karki

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation work, I report on the interesting results of our detailed investigations of the synthesis, structural, electrical and magnetic characterization of three different classes of intermetallic systems. Mo₃Sb₇ wires, thin films and microfibers exhibit the highest T_c ~ 8 K, which is substantially higher than the 2.2 K reported for the single crystal and powder of Mo₃Sb₇. The suppression of the spin fluctuations in Mo₃Sb₇ is evident by the absence of a parabolic dependence of magnetic susceptibility at 1 T. MoN wires, thin films and coated microfibers …

Model-Based Framework For Alloy Electrodeposition Processes, Miguel Eduardo Estrada

LSU Master's Theses

The electrodeposition of iron-group alloys has been widely studied due to their interest as materials used for their magnetic and thermo-physical properties. Models such as ternary NiCoFe and quaternary NiCoFeCu multilayer alloys have been previously developed to simulate mass transfer and reaction kinetics. The reactions involved in the models contain kinetic parameters such as rate constants and inverse Tafel slopes which are estimated using trial and error techniques. The previous models are limited to a set of kinetic parameters for each change in concentrations of the electrolyte. Although deposition behaviors such as anomalous codeposition are captured, functionalities to use the …

Evaluation Of Sweep Efficiency Of A Mature Co2 Flood In Little Creek Field, Mississippi, Didem Senocak

LSU Master's Theses

CO2 displacement is the most widely used EOR process, but poor sweep efficiency and large CO2 utilization rates are limitations to the economic and technical success of CO2 floods. Developing a methodology to maximize the sweep efficiency and minimize the CO2 utilization rate would greatly improve the economics of these fields. This thesis evaluates the sweep efficiency of a successful, late-in-life, continuous injection CO2 flood at the Little Creek Field, Mississippi. In this work, we evaluate several heterogeneity measures in terms of recovery efficiency and utilization rate. Core studies available from 41% of the wells in the field were used …

Elasto-Plastic And Damage Modeling Of Reinforced Concrete, Ziad N. Taqieddin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Modeling the mechanical behavior of Reinforced Concrete (RC) is still one of the most difficult challenges in the field of structural engineering. The Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis (NFEA) and modeling of the behavior of RC members are the primary goals of this study. The macroscopic components of RC, Concrete material and reinforcing steel, are represented herein by separate material models. These material models are combined together using a model that describes the global effect of interaction between reinforcing steel and concrete in order to simulate the behavior of the composite RC material. A thermodynamically consistent constitutive model for concrete that …

Investigation Of Antimonide Structure Types And The Structural Studies Of Molybdates, Dixie Plaisance Gautreaux

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation highlights the investigation of ternary lanthanide antimonide structure types and their physical properties. In particular, these ternary phases allow for the systematic investigation of the structure in an effort to correlate structure and properties. The ternary antimonides are layered structures with two-dimensional square sheets or nets, which influence the properties of these materials. In an effort to determine how structural changes influence the physical properties, various single crystals of compounds relating to the orthorhombic CeNiSb3 structure have been grown and characterized. The layered CeNiSb3 structure consists of Sb sheets, NiSb6 distorted octahedra, and CeSb9 monocapped square anti-prisms. LnNi(Sn,Sb)3 …

Space-Time Multiresolution Approach To Atomistic Visualization, Dipesh Bhattarai

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Time-varying three-dimensional positional atomistic data are rich in spatial and temporal information. The problem is to understand them. This work offers multiple approaches that enable such understanding. An interactive atomistic visualization system is developed integrating complex analyses with visualization to present the data on space-time multiresolution basis facilitating the information extraction and generate understanding. This work also shows the usefulness of such an integrated approach. The information obtained from the analyses represents the system at multiple length and time scales. Radial distribution function (RDF) provides a complete average spatial map of the distribution of the atoms in the system which …

A Symphonic Poem On Dante's Inferno And A Study On Karlheinz Stockhausen And His Effect On The Trumpet, Michael Joseph Berthelot

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The first portion of this dissertation is an original composition A Symphonic Poem on Dante’s Inferno. This symphonic poem is in three movements: I. The Dream, depicts Dante falling asleep and describes the beginning of the Inferno, II. The Journey, depicts Virgil and Dante walking towards the Gates of Hell, III. Hell’s Depths; explores Hell’s Gates, the Souls of Limbo and the Nine Circles of Hell. Dante realizes at the age of thirty-five that he has wandered into the Dark Wood of Error. As soon as he realizes his loss, Dante lifts his eyes and sees the first light, lighting …

Exploring Stochastic Characteristics Of Freeway Traffic Breakdown And Recovery Conditions, Chaitanya Mamidala

LSU Master's Theses

In recent times, the term ‘congestion’ has gained a lot of attention due to its negative impact on the mobility and efficiency of transportation network. Congestion control and mitigation of its effects has become a prime concern to many transportation agencies. With breakthroughs in transportation technologies, effective management and utilization of existing infrastructure capacities has been possible. One of the key functions of technological advancements is the ability to understand the different characteristics of traffic that prevail on major freeways and arterials, and to model short-term predictions of traffic conditions with reasonable accuracy. Providing accurate, real-time information makes travelers aware …

No Law Respecting The Practice Of Religion, Leslie C. Griffin

Scholarly Works

No abstract provided.

An Overview Of The Wood Product Import Sector In The United States With An Emphasis On Opportunities For Sri Lankan Exporters, Rangika Thilaksri Perera

LSU Master's Theses

The U.S. has dramatically altered its wood product imports and exports during the past few years, and at present, it is the leading wood product importer in the world. An understanding of market structures, factors in selecting foreign suppliers and the emphasis they place on environmental issues/certification are critical to understand from the perspective of wood products importers in the U.S. Sri Lanka exports wood products to U.S. markets. Sri Lanka’s wood product manufacturing sector is characterized by small companies, low volumes of production, inefficient processing techniques, and outdated processing equipment. However, Sri Lankan wood products are generally of good …

Utilization Of Aptamers As Affinity Probes In Polymeric Microdevices For Disease Management And The Production Of A Recombinant Membrane Protein, Anne Obubuafo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Aptamers have emerged as potential affinity agents that rival or complement antibodies in developing diagnostic assays for disease detection. We have demonstrated the use of PMMA microfluidic devices for conducting rapid affinity microchip CGE of a target protein using aptamers as the affinity probes with an electrophoresis development time of <2 min. Migration times were reproducible for thrombin complexes and free aptamers in CGE buffer with device-to-device RSD variations below 10%. By removing salts from plasma and adding an unlabeled random sequence oligonucleotide to the plasma, thrombin was detected in plasma. This method can be easily adapted to high-throughput parallel screening of plasma samples in multi-channel polymeric microdevices. The expression of rEpCAM in bacteria and mammalian cells was investigated with results showing successful expression in the mammalian systems, while protein expression in the bacteria was inhibited. Higher and prolonged expression levels were obtained in Cos 7 cells as compared to BHK and Hep2 cells due to episomal expression in Cos 7 cells. By combining a one-step IMAC procedure with electrophoresis and electro elution a more selective approach to obtaining electrophoretically pure rEpCAM was achieved. We developed dual-aptamer sandwich assays for thrombin and PDGF-BB targets on PMMA substrate using UV modification with a one-step EDC/NHS coupling reaction. Results indicate that the use of high EDC concentrations lead to faster immobilization and increased coverage density with a shorter sandwich assay development time. The assays were sensitive for both proteins and showed linearity in fluorescence response to changing protein concentration. Single molecule detection methods provide high sensitivity techniques in which aptamers can find use. We have demonstrated the use of two aptamers in a FRET-based assay for the detection of low levels of thrombin. Sensitivity and reliability of the aptamer smFRET assay depends on complex formation and stability. Due to the dissociation constants of the aptamers, single molecule events detected were below the calculated value for a 6 pM concentration of thrombin. Future work will involve adjusting the single molecule system by the use of pinholes to enable analysis of higher sample concentrations.

Retro Models Of The Cisplatin-Dna Cross-Link With Carrier Ligands Having Sp2 N-Donor Triazine Rings, Vidhi Maheshwari

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Rapid rotation of guanine base derivatives about Pt–N7 bonds results in fluxional behavior of models of the key DNA intrastrand G–G cross-link leading to anticancer activity of Pt(II) drugs (G = deoxyguanosine). This behavior impedes the characterization of LPtG2 models (L = one bidentate or two cis-unidentate carrier ligands; G = guanine derivative). The objective of this study is to understand the types of conformers formed as L is systematically varied. This work, relevant to Pt(II) anticancer drugs, has evolved from published studies with sp3 N-ligands (e.g., 2,2'-bipiperidine), to C2 symmetrical or unsymmetrical sp2 N-ligands having pyridine and/or triazine rings. …

Nonlocal Gradient-Dependent Modeling Of Plasticity With Anisotropic Hardening, Gerald Pekmezi

LSU Master's Theses

This work is concerned with the formulation of the thermodynamics of nonlocal plasticity using the gradient theory. The formulation is based on the nonlocality energy residual introduced by Eringen and Edelen (1972). Gradients are introduced for those variables associated with isotropic and kinematic hardening. The formulation applies to small strain gradient plasticity and makes use of the evanescent memory model for kinematic hardening. This is accomplished using the kinematic flux evolution as developed by Zbib and Aifantis (1987). Therefore, the present theory is a four nonlocal parameter-based theory that accounts for the influence of large variations in the plastic strain, …

Formalism: From Racial Integration To Same-Sex Marriage, Holning Lau

UC Law Journal

Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District, No. i concerned racial integration in public schools; however, the case has a doctrinal impact that extends beyond the context of race, extending specifically to same-sex marriage. Ironically, the five Supreme Court Justices who formed a majority in the casefour of whom are commonly labeled social conservatives - bolstered the case for same-sex marriage. They did so by introducing a new exercise of formalism to equal protection analysis. Specifically, they created doctrine that supports the argument that same-sex marriage bans warrant heightened scrutiny because such bans discriminate on the basis of …

The Philosophy Of Forensic Scientific Identification, Allan Jamieson

UC Law Journal

This paper outlines a convenient categorization of the means by which evidence moves from crime scene to court; the forensic process. This process is proposed to include; Protection, Recording, Collection, Analysis, Interpretation, Evaluation, and Presentation.

A rational scientific approach to the process is discussed in terms of a cycle of observation, and hypothesis building and testing. The matching process, common to almost all forensic sciences, is assessed in the forensic and scientific contexts. Particular emphasis is recommended to differentiate between the processes of interpretation and evaluation. 'Interpretation' is proposed to be the results of the analytical process with no case-dependent …

Conceptual Hurdles To The Application Of Atkins V. Virgina, Lois A. Weithorn

UC Law Journal

In its 2002 decision in Atkins v. Virginia, the United States Supreme Court held that the Eighth Amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment precludes the execution of "mentally retarded offender[s]." Despite the apparent "brightline" clarity of an absolute ban on the execution of mentally retarded offenders, the determination of which offenders fall within the protected group is deceivingly complex. The meanings of the concepts of "mental retardation," "intelligence," and "adaptive behavior" are-like the standards of decency guiding the Court-continually evolving, and are subjects of ongoing reevaluation and debate. Given what is at stake in Atkins assessments, lawmakers, jurists, practitioners, …

The Myth Of "Lucky" Patent Verdicts: Improving The Quality Of Appellate Review By Incorporating Fuzzy Logic In Jury Verdicts, Michael T. Nguyen

UC Law Journal

Fuzzy logic, a relatively new mathematical concept, has emerged over the past few decades as an effective tool to model complexity and uncertainty. In a nutshell, fuzzy logic recognizes that truth is not always black or white, but rather, truth can be measured in shades of gray. Patents, because they rely on language to claim inventions, are fuzzy legal concepts. Fuzzy logic may help to simplify the jurors' comprehension of complex real-world problems in patent law.

In this Note, I propose a "fuzzy" special verdict form and procedure for "defuzzifying" the verdict that would allow the jury the freedom to …

Why Binomial Distributions Do Not Work As Proof Of Employment Discrimination, Ben Ikuta

UC Law Journal

Although it is possible for employer discrimination policies to be facially apparent in employment discrimination cases, usually employer policies are not overtly discriminatory. In those situations where it is not apparent, the only method of proving a prima facie case of discrimination in most systemic disparate treatment instances is to show a pattern of discrimination in the employer's hiring decisions. Since these patterns can usually "be identified and analyzed in quantitative form," cases rely primarily, and often exclusively, on statistics. If the plaintiff offers statistics that indicate a hiring practice that is unlikely absent discrimination, then the plaintiff is deemed …

Characterization Of The Lucinid Bivalve-Bacteria Symbiotic System: The Significance Of The Geochemical Habitat On Bacterial Symbiont Diversity And Phylogeny, Angela Marissa Green-Garcia

LSU Master's Theses

Extensive characterization of a single lucinid bivalve habitat was conducted to characterize the relationship between host bivalve and thiotrophic bacterial endosymbionts. For lucinids, the ecological and evolutionary relationships between hosts and endosymbionts are poorly understood. Reconstructing the evolutionary history of lucinid endosymbiosis, and the geologic significance of the association, has been hampered by insufficient knowledge of endosymbiont ecology and taxonomic diversity. Host organisms (Lucinisca nassula and Phacoides pectinatus) were collected from Cedar Keys, Florida, within the top 15-20 cm of the sediment in sea grass beds. PCR amplification and sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes from lucinid gills and sediment …

Disciplinary Differences In Preferred Research Methods: A Comparison Of Groups In The Biglan Classification Scheme, Mark A. Alise

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The Biglan system of classifying disciplines in groups based on similarities and differences in their subject matter has been validated in numerous empirical studies. The present study sought to expand that validation by comparing two Biglan groups that include disciplines representing the social and behavioral sciences. As a unique point of comparison, preferred research methods were contrasted between Psychology and Sociology forming one group of pure disciplines and Education and Nursing forming another group of applied disciplines. A code sheet was developed to categorize the various components of published research, distinguishing at the most basic level quantitative, qualitative, and mixed …

Analysis Of Equation And Diagram Construction In Applied Calculus Problem Solving, Ahmed Ibrahim Usman

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess algebra and geometric prerequisites skills as incorporated into the Applied Calculus Optimization Problem (ACOP) solution. The difficulties that students encounter in applying algebraic and geometric prerequisites at the early stages of the ACOP solution were identified. The study analyzes errors related to variables and equations (i.e. algebraic symbol/transformation skills), drawing of geometric diagrams (visualization skills) and those associated with application of basic differentiation concepts into ACOP solution process. The study’s goals were addressed as seven specific research questions further subdivided into three main parts: the first four research questions investigated prerequisite algebraic …

Cognitive Bias And The Motherhood Penalty, Stephen Benard, In Paik, Shelley J. Correll

UC Law Journal

Women experience significant penalties in wages and other labor market outcomes when they have children. In this Article, we review and evaluate theory and research on cognitive bias and the motherhood penalty. Several theories predict that discrimination in the form of cognitive bias accounts for at least a part of the penalty that mothers experience. These theories include status characteristics theory, the stereotype content model, the shifting standards model, and the lack of fit model. Empirical evidence from controlled laboratory experiments and field studies strongly supports the general hypothesis that women experience labor market discrimination when they have children. There …

Measuring The Tax Subsidy In Private Equity And Hedge Fund Compensation, Thomas J. Brennan, Karl S. Okamoto

UC Law Journal

This Article offers a new analysis of the debate over the taxation of private equity and hedge fund managers. We provide an analytical model that allows us to compare the relative risk-reward benefit enjoyed by these fund managers and other managers. We look to "relative benefits" in order to determine the extent to which the current state of the world favors the services of a fund manager over these other workers. Our conclusion is that private equity and hedge fund managers do outperform other workers on a risk-adjusted, after-tax basis. We assume that over time compensation of private equity and …