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2009

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Comparative Phylogeography Of Neotropical Birds, Curtis Wade Burney Jan 2009

Comparative Phylogeography Of Neotropical Birds, Curtis Wade Burney

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Despite the theoretical link between the ecology and the population genetics of species, little empirical evidence is available that corroborates the association. Here, I examined genetic variation in 40 co-distributed species of lowland Neotropical rainforest birds that have populations isolated on either side of the Andes, Amazon River, and Madeira River. I found widely varying levels of genetic divergence among these taxa between the same biogeographic barriers. My investigation of the extent to which ecological traits predicted the level of cross-barrier divergence revealed a significant relationship between the forest stratum at which a species forages and the level of within-population …

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Evaluation Of Interwell Connectivity Of Little Creek Field, Mississipii [Sic] From Production Data, Gbemisola Yewande Ogunyomi Jan 2009

Evaluation Of Interwell Connectivity Of Little Creek Field, Mississipii [Sic] From Production Data, Gbemisola Yewande Ogunyomi

LSU Master's Theses

The understanding of geological characteristics and heterogeneity of a reservoir enables better decisions for reservoir development. Statistical methods use universally available injection and production rate data to help evaluate reservoir characteristics and behavior.In this research project, statistical methods typically used to infer communication between injector-producer well pairs in a waterflood reservoir using only production and injection rate data are applied to a CO2 flood. The multivariate linear regression (MLR) technique computes weighting coefficients possibly related to the fraction of the flow in a producer that comes from each of the injectors (Albertoni and Lake, 2002). MLR was applied to the …

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Studies On The Effect Of Natural Organic Matter And Hydration On The Sorption And Desorption Of Trifluorinated Pesticides, Charisma Vinarao Lattao Jan 2009

Studies On The Effect Of Natural Organic Matter And Hydration On The Sorption And Desorption Of Trifluorinated Pesticides, Charisma Vinarao Lattao

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This work was done in order to deepen our molecular level understanding of how soil organic matter (SOM) is assembled in a whole soil and to provide further insight on the effect of SOM assembly on the uptake and release of hydrophobic organic compounds. Various techniques, including ultraviolet absorbance, fluorescence, and total carbon analysis, demonstrate that hydration/solvation of SOM is kinetically controlled. Initial wetting of a soil releases the hydrophobic moieties that are located at the outer surface of SOM, and longer wetting times exfoliate more hydrophobic quinone type moieties that are present in the middle layer, which in turn …

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Evolution Of Vocal Signals In A Neotropical Avian Lineage, Brian J. O'Shea Jan 2009

Evolution Of Vocal Signals In A Neotropical Avian Lineage, Brian J. O'Shea

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation I explored variation in vocalizations of the avian genus Synallaxis (Passeriformes: Furnariidae) and the use of vocal characters to determine phylogenetic relationships at the species level. Vocalizations of suboscine passerines have recently gained favor as a proxy for genetic material in systematic studies; however, individual and geographic variation are both widespread in suboscines, complicating the definition and analysis of vocal characters. This is particularly true for species that have simple, phylogenetically conserved vocalizations. Moreover, the use of vocal characters in suboscine systematics depends on the confident assessment of homologous vocalizations, as well as a thorough understanding of …

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Aristotelian Liberalism: An Inquiry Into The Foundations Of A Free And Flourishing Society, Geoffrey Allan Plauche Jan 2009

Aristotelian Liberalism: An Inquiry Into The Foundations Of A Free And Flourishing Society, Geoffrey Allan Plauche

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

My dissertation builds on the recent work of Douglas Rasmussen, Douglas Den Uyl and Roderick Long in developing an Aristotelian liberalism. It is argued that a neo- Aristotelian form of liberalism has a sounder foundation than others and has the resources to answer traditional left-liberal, postmodern, communitarian and conservative challenges by avoiding certain Enlightenment pitfalls: the charges of atomism, an a-historical and a- contextual view of human nature, license, excessive normative neutrality, the impoverishment of ethics and the trivialization of rights. An Aristotelian theory of virtue ethics and natural rights is developed that allows for a robust conception of the …

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Why The Old Traditions Will Not Fail: Landscape, Legends, And The Construction Of Place At Dartmouth College, Charles H. Wade Jan 2009

Why The Old Traditions Will Not Fail: Landscape, Legends, And The Construction Of Place At Dartmouth College, Charles H. Wade

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Dartmouth College, located in Hanover, New Hampshire, is one of the nine Colonial Colleges and a member of the exclusive Ivy League. Congregationalist minister Eleazar Wheelock founded Dartmouth in 1769 on the premise of training missionaries to Christianize the Indians of the region and, over the years, Dartmouth developed into a premier college. Dartmouth is famous for its traditions, its ardently loyal alumni, and as a classic New England liberal arts college. But this image does not correspond with a closer, more critical look at the College. Through both archival and ethnographic research, this dissertation examines the cultural landscape, folklore, …

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Experimental Design, Synthesis And Application Of Molecular Micelle Modified Polymeric Nanoparticles For Drug Delivery Systems And Free Radical Detection, Gabriela M. Ganea Visser Jan 2009

Experimental Design, Synthesis And Application Of Molecular Micelle Modified Polymeric Nanoparticles For Drug Delivery Systems And Free Radical Detection, Gabriela M. Ganea Visser

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Biodegradable and biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles such as poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles have been extensively studied as drug delivery systems for a variety of pharmaceutical agents. Nanoparticle surface properties are primarily determined by the emulsifiers used in the synthesis process, which have a significant impact on nanoparticle physico-chemical and biological properties. Anionic amino acid – based molecular micelles were used in the emulsification process to prepare monodisperse, small (below 100 nm) PLGA nanoparticles with a well defined spherical shape. Such molecular micelle – modified nanoparticles were used as drug carriers for delivery of antioxidants. Thymoquinone is a natural antioxidant, and an …

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Integrated Technology: Does It Affect Learner Outcomes?, Adam Ross Barrett Jan 2009

Integrated Technology: Does It Affect Learner Outcomes?, Adam Ross Barrett

LSU Master's Theses

Because technology has become prevalent in classrooms, this study was undertaken to test whether the use of integrated technology, specifically computers and online activities, affects learner outcomes in a classroom setting. The outcomes from classes taught using integrated technology were compared to classes taught with traditional teaching strategies. Students in a 7th grade life-science class were given pre-tests and post-tests to determine their learning gains on the topics of genetics and photosynthesis. Each class was assigned different activities based on the subject. Each unit was covered in four 90 minute periods. When one set of classes was using integrated technology …

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An Examination Of Louisiana Educational School Improvement Legislation, Policy Decisions, Initiatives, And Fiscal Expenditure From 1997 To 2005, Belinda Marie Cambre Jan 2009

An Examination Of Louisiana Educational School Improvement Legislation, Policy Decisions, Initiatives, And Fiscal Expenditure From 1997 To 2005, Belinda Marie Cambre

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study sought to identify major school improvement reform programs and initiatives in Louisiana during the period of 1997 to 2005. The criteria used to identify each program included: state funding that averaged at least $2 million per year in state funds; programs that affected teachers and students for school improvement purposes; and, programs that remained in place for at least two school years. The study ultimately yielded nine initiatives that met each of the above listed criteria. Some, but not all, were the result of the School and District Accountability Commission, which was established by Act 478, the 1997 …

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Generation Of Novel Pikromycin Antibiotic Products Through Mutasynthesis, Shuchi Gupta, Venkatraman Lakshmanan, Beom Seok Kim, Robert Fecik, Kevin A. Reynolds Jan 2009

Generation Of Novel Pikromycin Antibiotic Products Through Mutasynthesis, Shuchi Gupta, Venkatraman Lakshmanan, Beom Seok Kim, Robert Fecik, Kevin A. Reynolds

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Mutasynthesis in pikromycin PKS: The amenability of pikromycin polyketide synthase to mutational biosynthesis has been demonstrated. A natural triketide and its analogues, activated as N-acetyl-cysteamine thioesters, were synthesized and fed to a pikAI-deleted strain; this led to the production of new antibiotics. A vinyl analogue was found to have better antibacterial activity than pikromycin.

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The Development Of A Pore Pressure And Fracture Gradient Prediction Model For The Ewing Banks 910 Area In The Gulf Of Mexico, Jeffrey Steven Fooshee Jan 2009

The Development Of A Pore Pressure And Fracture Gradient Prediction Model For The Ewing Banks 910 Area In The Gulf Of Mexico, Jeffrey Steven Fooshee

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this project is to develop a pore pressure and fracture gradient prediction strategy for the Ewing Banks 910 (EW 910) area. Petrophysical and measured pressure data for eight wells previously drilled in the EW 910 area will be examined and reviewed. This strategy will help design future drilling and completion operations in the aforementioned area. Two pore pressure prediction strategies and one fracture gradient prediction strategy will be reviewed and applied to the available data. The first pore pressure prediction strategy reviewed was developed by W. R. Matthews. This strategy utilizes a geologic age specific overlay which …

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The Effects Of Booker On Inter-Judge Sentencing Disparity, Ryan W. Scott Jan 2009

The Effects Of Booker On Inter-Judge Sentencing Disparity, Ryan W. Scott

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.

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Bacterial Characterization Of Louisiana Groundwater Contaminated By Dnapl-Containing Chloroethanes And Other Solvents, Kimberly Bowman Jan 2009

Bacterial Characterization Of Louisiana Groundwater Contaminated By Dnapl-Containing Chloroethanes And Other Solvents, Kimberly Bowman

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In support of an effort to determine the feasibility of using an in-situ bioremediation strategy for cleanup of groundwater in an area containing chlorinated solvents present as a dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL), the bacterial population in the groundwater at a Superfund site located near Baton Rouge, Louisiana was characterized. More than 3¡Á107 cells/mL in the groundwater were observed via microscopy. Universal bacterial and ¡°Dehalococcoides¡±-specific 16S rRNA gene libraries were constructed and analyzed. Universal clones grouped into 18 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), as defined by sequence similarity ¡Ý97.0%, which included several as yet undescribed organisms. Multiple unique sequences closely related …

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Identification Of Falls Risk Factors In Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Validation Of The Comprehensive Falls Risk Screening Instrument, Jennifer Marie Fabre Jan 2009

Identification Of Falls Risk Factors In Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Validation Of The Comprehensive Falls Risk Screening Instrument, Jennifer Marie Fabre

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Identifying risk factors and those at risk for falls is necessary. The first purpose of the dissertation was to validate the Comprehensive Falls Risk Screening Instrument (CFRSI) that weights falls risk factors and includes the subscale scores of history, physical, vision, medication, and environment, and a total falls risk score. The CFRSI total falls risk score was compared to subscale scores, physical activity, physical function, health-related quality of life (HRQL), and history of falls (Study 1). The second purpose of the dissertation was to determine associations between the CFRSI total falls risk score, race, education, and income (Study 2). Data …

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Relationship Of Maternal Serum Fatty Acids And Body Mass Index, Emily Fontenot Gilbert Jan 2009

Relationship Of Maternal Serum Fatty Acids And Body Mass Index, Emily Fontenot Gilbert

LSU Master's Theses

Maternal supply of nutrients is critical for the developing fetus during all stages of gestation. The altered lipid metabolism that is often seen in pregnancies complicated by obesity and insulin resistance may negatively impact maternal supply to the fetus. More women are entering pregnancy overweight or obese and recently body mass index (BMI) has been found to be a positive predictor for decreased maternal plasma phospholipid concentrations of the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) docosahexanoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA). These nutrients play important roles in early development and their availability is critical to fetal growth and development. The …

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Strangers In The Postcolonial World, Thomas F. Halloran Jan 2009

Strangers In The Postcolonial World, Thomas F. Halloran

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation analyzes American writing from and about the former British and French colonies in order to critique postcolonial theory and also to establish a new genre of expatriate literature. Focusing on the works of J. P. Donleavy, Edith Wharton, Paul Bowles, and Paul Theroux, I argue that reading these Americans disrupts the binary concepts encouraged by postcolonial theory. This project rethinks important dichotomies such as colonizer/colonized, center/margin, metropolis/margin, civilized/primitive, and white/non-white by examining the ambiguous American character in the postcolonial context. I argue that by categorizing the themes of American literature in the colonies, and analyzing the similarities and …

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A Modular Approach To Lung Nodule Detection From Computed Tomography Images Using Artificial Neural Networks And Content Based Image Representation, Omer Muhammet Soysal Jan 2009

A Modular Approach To Lung Nodule Detection From Computed Tomography Images Using Artificial Neural Networks And Content Based Image Representation, Omer Muhammet Soysal

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Lung cancer is one of the most lethal cancer types. Research in computer aided detection (CAD) and diagnosis for lung cancer aims at providing effective tools to assist physicians in cancer diagnosis and treatment to save lives. In this dissertation, we focus on developing a CAD framework for automated lung cancer nodule detection from 3D lung computed tomography (CT) images. Nodule detection is a challenging task that no machine intelligence can surpass human capability to date. In contrast, human recognition power is limited by vision capacity and may suffer from work overload and fatigue, whereas automated nodule detection systems can …

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Dosimetric Evaluation Of A Delivery Verification And Dose Reconstruction Method For Helical Tomotherapy, Ricky Hesston Jan 2009

Dosimetric Evaluation Of A Delivery Verification And Dose Reconstruction Method For Helical Tomotherapy, Ricky Hesston

LSU Master's Theses

Purpose: To determine the dosimetric accuracy of a dose reconstruction method used for verification of helical tomotherapy delivery for three different clinical sites. Methods and Materials: A delivery verification and dose reconstruction method has been applied to helical tomotherapy treatment plans of three different treatment sites (head & neck, prostate and lung). Treatment plans were generated on a cylindrical measurement phantom (TomoPhantom) using contours, prescriptions and planning objectives taken from clinical patient plans of the three sites. Film and ion chamber measurements were made for each plan with and without intentional changes in the machine output [-4% to 4%] or …

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Effect Of Group Aphasia Treatment On Word Retrieval Skills, Claire Renee Zimmerman Jan 2009

Effect Of Group Aphasia Treatment On Word Retrieval Skills, Claire Renee Zimmerman

LSU Master's Theses

ABSTRACT The present single subject study investigated the treatment effects of group aphasia treatment (GAT) on word retrieval skills. Two participants participated in 1.5 hours of GAT, two times a week for 17 sessions. Both participants demonstrated significant improvements in percent of correct responses, but theses gains were not maintained. Slight improvements were noted on the Boston Naming Test (BNT; Kaplan et al., 2001) in one participant, but not the other. Both participants demonstrated improvement in discourse as evidenced by percent correct information units (CIUs; Nicholas & Brookshire, 1993) and in functional communication abilities as evidenced by the ASHA Functional …

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The Study Of Sediment Dynamics In A Shallow Estuary Using Integrated Numerical Modeling And Satellite Remote Sensing, Haihong Zhao Jan 2009

The Study Of Sediment Dynamics In A Shallow Estuary Using Integrated Numerical Modeling And Satellite Remote Sensing, Haihong Zhao

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The primary objective of the study is to develop an effective tool to investigate the resuspension, deposition and transport of mixed cohesive and non-cohesive sediments in an estuary. The research has integrated 1) statistical analyses of the primary forcing, 2) numerical models for hydrodynamics, surface waves and sediment transport, and 3) the MODIS (Moderate Imaging Spectroradiometer) remotely sensed imagery, to investigate hydrodynamics and sediment dynamics in Mobile Bay, Alabama. First, based on long-term meteorological and tidal observations, statistical analyses have been conducted to predict extreme values of winds and water levels at different return periods in the estuary. Application of …

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Child Support And (In)Ability To Pay: The Case For The Cost Shares Model, Pamela Foohey Jan 2009

Child Support And (In)Ability To Pay: The Case For The Cost Shares Model, Pamela Foohey

Articles by Maurer Faculty

Currently enacted child support guidelines primarily focus on maintaining children's economic well-being when a single household is split into two. This article argues that this focus discounts another consideration which, when combined with the current analysis, could further advance children's well-being: the ability of parents to pay. An analysis of payment characteristics demonstrates that lower child support obligations may increase the amount of child support paid on average. Lowering presumptive obligations will make lower-income parents better able and more likely to pay their obligations, thereby increasing the amount of child support paid to lower-income children, while at most only marginally …

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A Medical Student's Role In Health Care Reform - Getting The Conversation Started, Kellie Faircloth, Kristen Lee Jan 2009

A Medical Student's Role In Health Care Reform - Getting The Conversation Started, Kellie Faircloth, Kristen Lee

Quill & Scope

With the country spending 16% of its GDP on health care and 47 million Americans still uninsured, everyone agrees that change is necessary. The New York Medical College chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) recognizes these plan to "get the conversation started". With the collaboration of NYMC's chapters of AMA,AMSA, Improve Health Care, and the Family Medicine Interest Group and School of Public Health, a lecture series has been piloted this year with the central goal of educating students and raising awareness on campus about the crippled state of our current health care system. We believe that …

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Updating Data Protection: Part I -- Identifying The Objectives, Fred H. Cate Jan 2009

Updating Data Protection: Part I -- Identifying The Objectives, Fred H. Cate

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.

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Media Misinterpretation, James Naples Jan 2009

Media Misinterpretation, James Naples

Quill & Scope

There have been a great number of news articles that focus on clinical health issues that manifest themselves as a result of a faulty genome. The media's interpretation and translation of scientific research aimed at understanding the human genome may be inappropriately presented to the lay public. In its presentation the media seems to have created a public that is unwilling to accept responsibility for their personal health, particularly in regards to the diagnosis of ADHD and obesity. This article explores the ramifications of media influence on public perception of these two diseases.

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Colors, Mike Platt Jan 2009

Colors, Mike Platt

Quill & Scope

Colors is a story likely familiar to many medical students; the anxiety, panic and fear associated with our first clinical exposure. It tells the story of a college senior's experience as a volunteer at a Chicago children's hospital, and traces it to a discussion of our sources of motivation for becoming a doctor.

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Without Improved Security, Biodefense Laboratories May Double As Arsenals For Terrorists, Jim Shen Jan 2009

Without Improved Security, Biodefense Laboratories May Double As Arsenals For Terrorists, Jim Shen

Quill & Scope

In the wake of the "Amerithrax” anthrax attacks of September and October 2001, the United States committed a large amount of funding towards biodefense research. With this commitment came a large increase in the number of federally-funded and private laboratories conducting biodefense research that was not well-regulated by the federal government. The result is that many laboratories are currently studying dangerous agents such as anthrax with inadequate security measures and little oversight. Unless reform is enacted to correct this situation, these laboratories will continue to represent a potential threat to public safety.

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Dna Before Proteins? Recent Discoveries In Nucleic Acid Catalysis Strengthen The Case, Aaron Steven Burton, Niles Lehman Jan 2009

Dna Before Proteins? Recent Discoveries In Nucleic Acid Catalysis Strengthen The Case, Aaron Steven Burton, Niles Lehman

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

An RNA-DNA World could arise from an all-RNA system with the development of as few as three ribozymes— a DNA-dependent RNA polymerase, an RNA-dependent DNA polymerase, and a catalyst for the production of DNA nucleotides. A significant objection to DNA preceding proteins is that RNA has not been shown to catalyze the production of DNA. However, RNA- and DNAzymes have been recently discovered that catalyze chemical reactions capable of forming deoxyribose, such as mixed aldol condensation of 5’-glyceryl- and 3’- glycoaldehyde-terminated DNA strands. Thus, the only remaining obstacles to RNA-catalyzed in vitro DNA synthesis are alterations of substrate and template …

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The Future Of Corporate Accountability For Violations Of Human Rights, Christiana Ochoa Jan 2009

The Future Of Corporate Accountability For Violations Of Human Rights, Christiana Ochoa

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.

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Exploring The Ph Dependence Of Viologen Reduction By Alpha-Carbon Radicals Derived From Hcy And Cys, Dong Wang, William E. Crowe, Robert M. Strongin, Martha Sibrian-Vazquez Jan 2009

Exploring The Ph Dependence Of Viologen Reduction By Alpha-Carbon Radicals Derived From Hcy And Cys, Dong Wang, William E. Crowe, Robert M. Strongin, Martha Sibrian-Vazquez

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

The colorimetric reaction of homocysteine (HCy) with a series of viologen salts suggests a linear correlation between the mid-point reduction potential of Hcy-derived α-carbon radicals and pH.

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The Expansion And Diversification Of The Export Sector And Economic Growth: The Costa Rican Experience, Gustavo Filipe Canle Ferreira Jan 2009

The Expansion And Diversification Of The Export Sector And Economic Growth: The Costa Rican Experience, Gustavo Filipe Canle Ferreira

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A large body of empirical literature has investigated the linkages between exports and output. Nevertheless, empirical evidence remains inconclusive and the topic remains open to discussion. Additionally, a number of studies have examined the positive effects that export diversification may have on economic growth. Within the Latin America region, Costa Rica has been lauded for its long democratic tradition, relative economic stability, and for evolving from being a small economy heavily reliant on exports of coffee and bananas, to become the largest software exporter per capita in Latin America. This study examined the impact that the expansion and diversification of …

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