Digital Commons Network^™

Supply Restrictions At The Margins Of Heller And The Abortion Analogue: Stenberg Principles, Assault Weapons, And The Attitudinalist Critique, Nicholas J. Johnson

UC Law Journal

Through a consideration of the assault weapons question, this Article engages the criticism that District of Columbia v. Heller provides an insufficient standard for resolving many questions that emerge under the newly-clarified Second Amendment. After arguing that assault weapons might enjoy threshold protection under Heller's common-use test, the Article shows how the principles grounding the Supreme Court's abortion jurisprudence are especially suited for resolving aspects of the question that Heller does not explicitly answer. Particularly, this Article shows how constitutional protection of the best methodology for preserving life or health-advanced by the liberal wing of the Court in abortion jurisprudence-is …

Second Amendment Limitations And Criminological Considerations, Don B. Kates, Clayton E. Cramer

UC Law Journal

Criminological studies which identify perpetrator characteristics are unanimous in finding that almost all murderers fall into three categories: (i) the mentally disturbed, and/or (2) adults with criminal records, and/or (3) juveniles with juvenile records. Many murder perpetrators exhibit two or all three characteristics. Thus laws such as the ones Heller invalidated that seek to disarm the general population have minimal value and deprive victims of the means of self-defense.

The Second Amendment does not guarantee: (i) weapons of indiscriminate destructiveness such as cannons, (2) any right of violent felons or of other felons whom legislatures reasonably identify as likely to …

Heller And Nonlethal Weapons, Craig S. Lerner, Nelson Lund

UC Law Journal

Two important opinions in the past decade, both written by Justice Antonin Scalia, have sought to apply originalist jurisprudence to constitutional issues raised by technologies that were unknown at the time of the founding. In Kyllo v. United States, the Court held that using sense-enhancing technology to obtain information about the interior of a home, even without a physical intrusion, constitutes a Fourth Amendment search, at least if the technology is not "in general public use." This rule appropriately preserves the privacy that could only have been violated by a trespass in 1791. In District of Columbia v. Heller, the …

The Passion Over Perpetua: A New Approach To The Passio Perpetuae Et Felicitatis, Eric Poche

LSU Master's Theses

Although the Passio Santarum Perpetuae et Felicitatis has received much scholarly attention in the past twenty years, it has been used primarily as a source of information on the martyr Perpetua. Other aspects of the account, such as its Montanist theology and its unique portrayal of women have been largely ignored by scholars interested in tearing it apart for relavent information on Perpetua. The Passio contains three distinct portions, each produced by a member from the religious community of Carthage in the early third-century C.E. It therefore serves as a unique historical window into early Christian North Africa, displaying a …

The Procedural Annihilation Of Structural Rights, Steven G. Gey

UC Law Journal

For several years, the Supreme Court has been systematically erecting obstacles to the litigation of constitutional claims in federal court. Although this trend toward limiting federal court authority affects all types of constitutional claims, including those involving traditional individual constitutional rights, the most serious effect is on what can be called "structural rights." The term "structural rights" describes constitutional provisions that are designed to protect the basic nature of democratic government. These provisions constrain the power of the elected branches of government, preserve citizen autonomy, and otherwise ensure that political winners in the democratic process do not use their power …

Rethinking Consideration In The Electronic Age, Robert A. Hillman, Maureen A. O'Rourke

UC Law Journal

Our fast-paced age of electronic agreements that ostensibly govern transactions as diverse as downloading software, ordering goods, and engaging in collaborative development projects raises questions regarding the suitability of contract law as the appropriate legal framework. While this question arises in many settings, we focus here on the free and open source software (FOSS) movement because of the maturity and success of its model and the ubiquity of its software. We explore in particular whether open source licenses are supported by consideration, and argue that they are, and that open source licenses are contracts. We further argue that a contractual …

Transparency, 2009, Eugene R. Fidell

UC Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Increasing The Risk Perception Of High-Risk Behaviors On Decision Making Among College Daily Smokers And Never-Smokers, Scott Patterson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Participation in high-risk behaviors, such as substance use or dangerous driving practices, is widely reported by young adults and college students. Psychosocial theories explain participation in high-risk behaviors by the effects of risk perception on the outcome of behavior. Physiological researchers assert that biological factors (such as the role of the prefrontal cortex) better account for participation in high-risk behaviors based on impulsive decision-making patterns in substance users. The current study explored the relationship between impulsive decision-making and risk perception by assessing the impact of changes in high-risk perceptions on a measure of impulsive decision-making (delay discounting task). A sample …

Processor Design Space Exploration And Performance Prediction, Balachandran Ramadass

LSU Master's Theses

The use of simulation is well established in processor design research to evaluate architectural design trade-offs. More importantly, Cycle by Cycle accurate simulation is widely used to evaluate the new designs in processor research because of its accurate and detailed processor performance measurement. However, only configuration in a subspace can be simulated in practice due to its long simulation time and limited resources, leading to suboptimal conclusions that might not be applied to the larger design space. In this thesis, we propose a performance prediction approach which employs a state-of-the-art technique from experimental design, machine learning and data mining. Our …

Team Task Interdependence Perceptions: Toward An Integrative Model Of Teamwork, Jared Ledoux

LSU Master's Theses

The present study examines perceptions of task interdependence and workflow at the individual- and team-levels to evaluate the degree to which team perceptions and homogeneity of perceptions predict team communication and performance in a military combat computer simulation. Team members who perceived higher levels of task interdependence and workflow performed better at both the individual and team levels of analysis. These teams also communicated more frequently, although communication was not significantly correlated with performance. The present findings provide support for the examination of task interdependence perceptions as a means to explain team performance and communication.

The Effects Of Visual Representations On Teacher Training Of Phonological Awareness Principles, Rachel Kennedy Powell

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Teachers are now being held to high accountability standards in reading instruction, yet studies show that teachers lack adequate knowledge in reading and phonological awareness principles (Moats, 1994, 2009; Spencer, Schuele, Guillot, & Lee, 2008). The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of visual representations of letter/sound production (i.e., Phonic Faces, Norris, 2001) on improving teacher knowledge of phonological awareness principles, and to determine if there is a concomitant improvement in phonological awareness and reading acquisition for children in those classrooms. Seventeen kindergarten teachers from a Mississippi school were pretested on phonological awareness principles, then divided into …

The Effect Of Interactive Homework On Dibels Performance, Shelley M. Scott

LSU Master's Theses

Homework is a common practice in most kindergarten classrooms. There are varying opinions on the purpose of homework, the frequency in which homework should be given, the duration of time kindergarten-aged students should spend on homework, and how the use of homework impacts student performance. The DIBELS (Good & Kamanski, 2003) is an assessment tool that measures student performance on early literacy skills and identifies students who are at-risk for failure to read. The proposed study will incorporate recommendations for creating developmentally appropriate homework that addresses skill deficiencies identified by the DIBELS to determine the impact of homework on DIBELS …

Realtime Reservoir Characterization And Beyond: Cyber-Infrastructure Tools And Technologies, Yaakoub Youssef El-Khamra

LSU Master's Theses

The advent of the digital oil _x000C_eld and rapidly decreasing cost of computing creates opportunities as well as challenges in simulation based reservoir studies, in particular, real-time reservoir characterization and optimization. One challenge our e_x000B_orts are directed toward is the use of real-time production data to perform live reservoir characterization using high throughput, high performance computing environments. To that end we developed the required tools of parallel reservoir simulator, parallel ensemble Kalman _x000C_lter and a scalable work ow manager. When using this collection of tools, a reservoir modeler is able to perform large scale reservoir management studies in short periods …

Integrated Management Of Creeping Rivergrass In Rice, Sunny Lynn Bottoms

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Studies were conducted to evaluate growth and reproductive capabilities of creeping rivergrass in response to flood depth, burial depth, desiccation, herbicide programs and interference with rice. Seed production of a natural population of creeping rivergrass was 0.8 seeds per panicle. Germination was 45% and seedling vigor was poor. Flowers from surviving seedlings were male sterile. A 5 and 10 cm flood depth increased fresh weight, stolon length, and node production of creeping rivergrass compared with non-flooded plants. However, depths at 15 and 20 cm did not differ from no-flood; therefore permanent flooding should be delayed until rice can survive a …

Integrated Model-Centric Decision Support System For Process Industries, Daira Aragon

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

To bring the advances in modeling, simulation and optimization environments (MSOEs), open-software architectures, and information technology closer to process industries, novel mechanisms and advanced software tools must be devised to simplify the definition of complex model-based problems. Synergistic interactions between complementary model-based software tools must be refined to unlock the potential of model-centric technologies in industries. This dissertation presents the conceptual definition of a single and consistent framework for integrated process decision support (IMCPSS) to facilitate the realistic formulation of related model-based engineering problems. Through the integration of data management, simulation, parameter estimation, data reconciliation, and optimization methods, this framework …

Population Characteristics Of A White-Tailed Deer Herd In A Bottomland Hardwood Forest Of South-Central Louisiana, Justin W. Thayer

LSU Master's Theses

White-tailed deer are an important economic and recreational resource in Louisiana. A basic understanding of population dynamics is essential to ensure sound management, but baseline information in Louisiana is lacking. Likewise, the notion of Quality Deer Management (QDM) continues to gain momentum in Louisiana. Our objectives were to evaluate space use, survival, and mortality for a deer herd managed under a QDM regime in south Louisiana. We captured 65 deer in West Baton Rouge and Iberville Parishes during 2007 and 2008, radio-marked 37 males and 11 females, and ear-marked an additional 10 males and 7 females. Home ranges (95%) for …

Fine- To Basin-Scale Distributions Of Calanus Finmarchicus And Its Predators In Three Deep Basins Of The Gulf Of Maine During December 1998 And 1999 From Video Plankton Recorder (Vpr) Data, Christian Briseño-Avena

LSU Master's Theses

The calanoid copepod Calanus finmarchicus is broadly distributed in the North Atlantic, where it dominates the spring zooplankton biomass of shelf ecosystems. Calanus finmarchicus diapauses in the deep basins of the Gulf of Maine (GOM) during late-summer through early-winter. During diapause, predators that co-occur in regions of high copepod abundance may reduce survivorship through predation. Consequently it is important to measure the distribution patterns of C. finmarchicus and its predators. Two cruises were carried out during December of 1998 and 1999 in the GOM. Video Plankton Recorder (VPR) data collected in Wilkinson, Jordan and Georges Basins were used to describe …

Two-Dimensional Microscanners With T-Shaped Hinges And Piezoelectric Actuators, Wenyu Song

LSU Master's Theses

For a wide range of application areas such as medical instruments, defense, communication networks, industrial equipment, and consumer electronics, microscanners have been a vibrant research topic. Among various fabrication methodologies, MEMS (microelectromechanical system) stands out for its small size and fast response characteristics. In this thesis, piezoelectric actuation mechanism is selected because of its low voltage and low current properties compared with other mechanisms, which are especially important for the target application of biomedical imaging. Although 1- and 2-dimensional microscanners with piezoelectric actuators have been studied by several other groups, this thesis introduces innovative improvements in design of the piezoelectric …

Project-Based High School Geometry, Danica Le'trice Robinson

LSU Master's Theses

Project-based learning (PBL) is an instructional strategy that allows students the autonomy to learn, explore and investigate throughout the learning process by means of projects. Many educators have seen the need for such a strategy in the classroom as a remedy for motivating students, showing relevance of student’s education to everyday life, preparing students for college and the work force, and the dire need for students to develop critical thinking skills to encourage future success. In my thesis I will define project-based learning, discuss its characteristics, compare PBL to traditional teaching methods and reflect on my experiences with project-based learning …

Spot-Carp Symposium And Collective Dissent: A Cross-National And Sub-National Analysis, Swetasree Ghosh Roy

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The main analytical concern of this dissertation is to develop theoretical and methodological tool to improve our understanding of collective violence, like civil wars, riots, etc. There are essentially two major problems in the existing literature: compartmentalization of focus on structure or action and inadequate systematic analysis of bridging this gap. This dissertation is an attempt to address these deficiencies in the literature. Using the opportunity-willingness framework of interstate conflicts, I propose a mid-range theoretical approach to the structure-action problem. I argue that structural and political opportunities lead to more collective action if willingness is present in the form of …

Studies Of States And State Transitions In Low Mass X-Ray Binaries, Charles Bradley

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

We investigate the model of a disk/coronal accretion flow into a black hole. We build a numerical code to ascertain whether the inner regions of an accretion disk in X-ray binaries can transform from a cool standard disk to an advection-dominated flow through the known properties of Coulomb interaction in a two-temperature plasma, taking into account viscous heating, standard radiation processes, and thermal conduction. A hot, diffuse corona covering the whole disk is powered by accretion, but it exchanges energy with the underlying cool disk through radiative interactions and conduction. If the accretion rate is low enough, at some intermediate …

A Non-Invasive Semiconductor Optical System To Measure Skin Tension, Anna Charron Dugas

LSU Master's Theses

The objectives of this project are to design, construct, validate and test a low-cost, non-invasive and painless device to measure skin tension. Skin is a complex, multi-layered, anisotropic material with non-linear viscoelastic behavior during stress application. The intricate balance of different semi-elastic fibers and continuous regeneration has brought difficulty to the accurate measurement of its mechanical properties. Commercial skin tension measurement products have been described, but are too expensive to be readily accessible for skin research and clinical utilization. The device to be developed in this project differs from existing devices in that it measures skin deformation under vacuum using …

The Developing Of Leadership In Rural North Dakota Medicine, Kaleigh Lindholm

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Dose Titration Of Sericea Lespedeza Leaf Meal On Haemonchus Contortus Infection In Crossbred Lambs, Dana Alicia Pollard

LSU Master's Theses

Gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) parasitism is a problem for small ruminant producers. Haemonchus contortus is the most detrimental because of substantial economic losses. Over the past decades, chemical anthelmintics have been used to control GINs. Recently, GINs have developed resistance to most anthelmintics, and now reliance on anthelmintics is not possible. Alternative control methods are needed. Also, the use of fewer chemicals in agricultural products has called for alternative methods to be less synthetic and more organic. One promising alternative method is the feeding of condensed tannin (CT) containing forages as either fresh forage or dried products such as hay, ground …

Analyzing The Honors Program : A Survey To Students And Faculty To Assess The Fulfillment Of Its Goals, Caroline Burkland

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Gender Biases In Hiring Practices, Heather Howe

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of The Pilot Program Forward Impact, Caleb Skipper

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

What's For Lunch? : Summer Lunch Program 2008, Brieanna Siefken

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Study Of Male Body Image And Factors In The Development Of Eating Disorders In Fraternity And Non-Fraternity Males, Kylee K. Ferris

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Language Sample Length Effectiveness In Diagnosing Delays Of Language Development, Carmen Anderson

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.