Digital Commons Network^™

Snap Use Among Older Adults, Jennifer R. Geiger

LSU Master's Theses

Older adults participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at much lower rates than the general population. Possible explanations for this disparity include stigma, lack of information, and lack of transportation. However, past research focusing on SNAP use among older adults is limited and utilizes age cohorts in their analyses that may not accurately reflect actual age differences in SNAP participation. This study explored four different models of age categorizations as they relate to SNAP participation rates among older adults over 55. Using a sample of 10,116 from the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study (HRS), the research used …

The Effects Of Self-Examination To Peers On Student Learning In Physical Science, Leah Ellis Thompson

LSU Master's Theses

This study was undertaken to test if the use of self-explanation to a peer would affect learning outcomes in the classroom. The outcomes of classes taught using the self-explanation technique were compared to outcomes from traditional lecture courses in lessons of comparable content. Great Scholars and traditional students in a sixth grade physical science classroom setting were given pre-and post-tests in two units of study, matter and waves. In the matter unit, students participated in a lesson on density using traditional lecture and a lesson on changes in matter using self-explanation. In the waves unit, students utilized lecture instruction for …

Problem Based Learning In A Middle School Science Class : Effect On Student Retention Of Concepts In Plate Tectonics And Rocks, Brittany Sharday Hinyard

LSU Master's Theses

This study investigated the effectiveness and student perceptions of Problem Based Learning (PBL) compared to Traditional Based Learning (TBL) in an eighth grade rural, public middle school using two earth science concepts. Over a four week period, students were taught concepts related to both Plate Tectonics and Rocks. The control group (TBL) for Plate Tectonics (n = 46) was the experimental group (PBL) for Rocks (n = 47). Similarly, the experimental group (PBL) for Plate Tectonics (n = 49) was the control group (TBL) for Rocks (n = 51). The pretest scores and learning gains for the students were compared …

Inertial Oscillations In The Gulf Of Mexico During 2005 Hurricane Season, Fan Zhang

LSU Master's Theses

Near Inertial Oscillations (NIOs) are widely observed in ocean current data after severe weather. In this work, we analyzed the NIOs in the Central Gulf of Mexico (GoM) associated with 6 hurricanes/tropical storms in 2005, including Katrina and Rita, based on the deep ocean mooring from Coastal Studies Institute (CSI), LSU. The basic characteristics of the NIOs, such as phase speed, group speed, frequency, energy were discussed. The phase speed ranged from 0.56 cm/s to 2 cm/s above the thermocline for the NIOs during Hurricane Katrina and Rita, while the group velocity varied from 0.047 cm/s above the thermocline to …

The Blessing Of The Fleet : Heritage And Identity In Three Gulf Coast Communities, Audriana Hubbard

LSU Master's Theses

Annual Blessing of the Fleet festivals are held throughout communities all along the Gulf Coast; each year boats parade down local waters to receive the blessing of the priest before the opening of the shrimp season. The shrimping industry has a long history in the area and has become intrinsically tied to local individual and community identities. This thesis investigates three festivals held in Chauvin and Morgan City, Louisiana, and Biloxi, Mississippi to understand how the festival is used by participants as a way of negotiating their shrimping identities in a changing socio-economic environment. The tourism and the oil industries …

A Phylogenetic Analysis Of Species Diversity, Specificity, And Distribution Of Mycodiplosis On Rust Fungi, Donald Jay Nelsen

LSU Master's Theses

There are more than 7800 species of Pucciniales (rust fungi) described. Aeciospores and urediniospores of rust fungi are a food source for the larval stage of members of the fly genus Mycodiplosis, hence these could be of interest as potential biological control agents. Currently, Mycodiplosis contains 49 described species based on adult male morphology. A survey of 1,350 rust-infected plants from 44 countries was recently conducted to assess the occurrence of Mycodiplosis fly larvae across a broad spectrum of Pucciniales. Larvae were found on 261 collections from 25 countries. Statistical analyses explored the distribution of larvae in relation to host …

Schizotypy: The Dynamic Relationship Between Trait And State Processes, Rebecca K. Macaulay

LSU Master's Theses

Importantly, elevations in emotional reactivity to stress are often found in individuals vulnerable for psychosis. This study investigated several meaningful factors that appear to either increase vulnerability to stress (degree of schizotypy traits, trait negative affect, low perceived control, and impaired selective attention), or increase resiliency to stress (trait positive affect). A modified Posner spatial-cueing task utilizing affective cues was employed to assess selective attention within a neutral and an uncontrollable stressor condition. Between group differences (high, medium and low in schizotypy traits) and interactions between affective traits, state affect, and perceived control were evaluated in order to shed light …

The Effect Of Graphic Organizers On Science Education : Human Body Systems, Kristen Alana Antoine

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this research is to determine whether graphic organizers foster better student achievement in science classrooms than guided note taking with PowerPoint presentations. The study was quantitative. Using approximately 69 high school Biology I students, two body systems were taught using graphic organizers as the main lesson plan tool and two body systems were taught only using a guided notes lecture with PowerPoint. A pre-test and a post-test were administered for each body system studied. Student test scores were evaluated to determine whether knowledge gains differed between the two types of lessons. It was found that the use …

Investigation Of Best Practices For Maintenance Of Concrete Bridge Railings, Angel Luis Lence

LSU Master's Theses

Biodeterioration on concrete surfaces of vertical elements of bridges represents a serious challenge to the highway infrastructure in Louisiana. This investigation aims to document the causes of biodeterioration of concrete surfaces and to document current conventional and state-of-the-art practices implemented to prevent and clean biofilm. A comprehensive literature review of previous research has been carried out in order to determine the cause and mechanisms of the biodeterioration as well as to identify current methods that state DOTs have implemented in order to maintain their bridges and allow them to function in optimal structural and performance conditions. A survey was developed …

Chronic Pain In Entertainment Media: Using Empathy To Reduce Stigma, Rebecca Lang

LSU Master's Theses

Entertainment media represent a primary source of health information, making it a prime area of research for wide-spread health issues such as chronic pain. Chronic pain conditions can elicit stigmatization due to pain representing a subjective experience; coming to understand the experience of a person in pain can reduce stigma for that person as well as the entire group of people with chronic pain. Entertainment media, through the use of an engaging narrative and characters, can portray an illness experience that potentially elicits empathy and reduces stigma for chronic pain conditions. This study is among the few to employ empathy …

Impacts Of Artificial Reef Addition On The Nekton Community Of Louisiana Marsh Ponds: A Before-After-Control-Impact Analysis, Kari Elizabeth Klotzbach

LSU Master's Theses

Louisiana’s coastal estuaries are dynamic, highly variable environments that provide nursery areas for numerous recreationally and commercially important species. Louisiana’s coastline is constantly changing due to natural and anthropogenic processes, and it is important to know how nektonic species are impacted by such changes. This study sought to assess the effects of introducing a hard substrate artificial reef on the nekton community of a Louisiana estuary. A before-after-control-impact (BACI) design was used to assess the impacts of artificial reef addition on nektonic fishes and crustaceans in four shallow marsh ponds near Empire, Louisiana. Marsh ponds were sampled by purse seine …

Influence Of "Added" Lactose On Probiotic Properties Of Yogurt Culture Bacteria And Yogurt Characteristics, Behannis Jasmin Mena-Chalas

LSU Master's Theses

Lactose sugar is a source of energy for Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) in dairy fermented products. Enrichment of yogurt with lactose addition may increase growth and viability of the yogurt starter culture (Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus) and enhance yogurt physico-chemical and sensory attributes. The objectives of this study were: to determine the influence of added lactose on (1) acid and bile tolerance of yogurt starter culture Streptococcus thermophilus ST-M5 and Lactobacillus bulgaricus LB-12, (2) the final lactose content of yogurt during its shelf life, (3) the physico-chemical characteristics of yogurt during shelf life, (4) the growth of …

I Died I Lived : Shaping An Ecological Balance, Shelby Prindaville

LSU Master's Theses

I Died I Lived: Shaping an Ecological Balance is a body of work about our tenuous ecological situation and the power humanity has to preserve or destroy it. Through a broad range of two- and three-dimensional media, my installation transforms the gallery into an environment that demonstrates the enrichment nature delivers and the compensatory responsibility we have to conserve that experience.

Effects Of Deepwater Horizon Oil On The Growth Rates And Pigment Composition Of Phytoplankton Isolated From Grand Isle, La, Jie Li

LSU Master's Theses

This research focused on the effects of un-weathered Macondo crude oil on the growth rates and pigment ratios of phytoplankton isolated from Grand Isle, LA. The experiments involved incubating nutrient-enriched artificial media containing a range of oil concentrations up to 19.2 ppm with small aliquots of coastal water from Grand Isle and measuring the growth rates of the phytoplankton during the subsequent 10–14 days and the pigment ratios of the phytoplankton at the end of log-phase growth to determine whether the crude oil affected the growth rate of the phytoplankton and their composition in terms of pigment ratios. Pigment analysis …

Monitoring The Survival Of Hatchery-Produced Spat And Larvae On Louisiana Public Oyster Reefs, Erin R. Leonhardt

LSU Master's Theses

Alternative or supplemental management activities may be necessary to restore and enhance oyster production on Louisiana public oyster reefs. The production of wild oysters is variable due to anthropogenic and environmental factors that affect recruitment, growth and survival. The availability and structure of cultch material for larval recruitment and survival is particularly important to maintain oyster production. Beginning in 2011, the Sea Grant Oyster Hatchery on Grand Isle, LA and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) collaborated to test the survival of hatchery-produced spat and hatchery-produced larvae deployed on public oyster grounds and cultch plant sites. In 2011, …

Three From The Bottom : Examining Racial And Ethnic Identity Among Italian Americans In Bossier City, Jamie Rene Digilormo

LSU Master's Theses

This study examines the use of ethnic and racial labels as they are used in the construction of social identity among Italian Americans in Bossier City, Louisiana. In particular, the researcher is interested in how racial and ethnic identities are constructed through linguistic features, such as labels, and how these labels can often reflect the beliefs, values, or ideologies that influence the speaker. By examining which labels are used and how, it is possible to better understand what it means for each participant to be an Italian American today. The researcher relies heavily on Foucault’s notion of knowledge/power and the …

Relationship Between Childhood Sexual Abuse, Weight, And Attitudes Toward Obesity In Lesbians, Amy L. Wright

LSU Master's Theses

In many professional practice settings, it is very likely that social workers will work with female clients who identify as lesbian or bisexual. These sexual minority females are more likely to be overweight or obese, have a history of childhood sexual abuse, and have more positive attitudes toward overweight and obesity than heterosexual women. In this study, the author sought to identify the relationship between childhood sexual abuse, obesity, (specifically, body mass index [BMI]), and attitudes toward obesity among lesbian and bisexual women. Eighty-five sexual minority females completed a survey. Childhood sexual abuse was found to be positively correlated with …

The Use Of Classroom Demonstrations To Improve High School Students' Ability To Understand Concepts In Chemistry, Jessica Langlois Shelton

LSU Master's Theses

This study was completed to determine if implementing demonstrations in specific chapters of a high school chemistry classroom would enhance students understanding of the topics the demonstrations represented. The study consisted of five sections of college preparatory high school chemistry. The sections were made up of both male and female students. The sections were randomly broken up into two groups. Each group acted as the experimental and control at different points in the study. Four chapters were used in the study. Each group represented the control group in two chapters and the experimental group in two chapters, flip flopping with …

Wet Meadow Plant Associations, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Harney County, Oregon, John A. Christy

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

In July 2012, we sampled 131 plots in wet meadow habitat at the southern end of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Analysis of the data identified eleven different plant associations: Alopecurus pratensis, Carex aquatilis var. aquatilis, Carex nebrascensis, Carex pellita, Carex praegracilis, Carex sheldonii, Distichlis spicata, Juncus balticus, Leymus triticoides, Phalaris arundinacea, and Sparganium eurycarpum. Plant associations spanned a wetland gradient from seasonally moist to seasonally or perennially flooded, but surface water had left most stands at time of sampling. Mean Wetland Indicator Status scores help to place the plant associations within gradients in soil moisture and alkalinity. The Alopecurus …

Investigation Of Nanodiamonds With Si-V Defect Centers For Applications In Fluorescence-Based Sensing And Drug Delivery, Sonal Singh

All ETDs from UAB

Fluorescent Nanodiamond (FND) offers a promising platform for many therapeutic applications involving drug and gene delivery, optical agents for bioimaging and labeling, and molecular detection. This is due to the potential to incorporate photostable luminescent vacancy-related defects into sub-10 nm diamond crystals which are biologically compatible and easy to functionalize. Moreover, the development of future nanoscale devices and arrays based on nanodiamonds (NDs) will require precise spatial control. Hence, the direct placement and manipulation (control of size, shape and chemical functionality) of brightly fluorescent sub-10 nm NDs offers potential for highly localized /specific imaging and sensing, while also providing the …

The Politics Of Homosexuality In The Twentieth Century Black Freedom Struggle, Glenda Elizabeth Sherouse

Theses and Dissertations

This project examines the changing status and role of queer African Americans during the twentieth century in the context of increasing black politicization. Moreover, it traces the relationship between queer African Americans and their communities until the emergence of queer black identity politics in the 1970s. Specifically, this dissertation seeks to more fully illuminate both the experiences of queer African Americans and how their communities and leaders discussed and dealt with homosexuality in the broader context of black political mobilization from the Jim Crow era and the Harlem Renaissance, through the Black Power and early Gay Liberation movements, roughly the …

Exploring Cultural Competence In Clincial Practice Behaviors, Yolonda M. Young Armstrong

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative research study explores clinical practice behaviors that influence the perceptions of college students' of color regarding cultural competence in the therapeutic dyad. Interviews were used to obtain data from six college students of color in Western Massachusetts who had a history of engagement in outpatient therapy. This study uses Object Relations Theory as a conceptual framework for understanding social constructions of privilege and identity development and as a learning tool for examining interpersonal behavior as a reflection of one's internalized perceptions. More specifically, for this study, Object Relations Theory provides academic context for understanding how external social phenomena …

Lived Experiences Of Women With Hidden Disabilities: A Phenomenologically Based Study, Michelle Jean Yee

Doctoral Dissertations

Documentation of the experiences of women with disabilities has remained sparse--benignly neglected, overlooked, and understudied in the academic fields of women's studies (gender studies) and disability studies (Depauw, 1996Article 25.1; Garland-Thomson, 2004). This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of inclusion, marginalization, and exclusion in the lives of women who have a permanent, non-visible (hidden) disability. It also explored the corporeal dimensions, such as issues of embodiment, of the lived experiences for women with hidden disabilities. Finally, this phenomenologically based study examined how women with non-visible, hidden disabilities articulated the meaning of living with an invisible disability.

The study utilized …

The Effect Of Dynamic Assessment On Adult Learners Of Arabic: A Mixed-Method Study At The Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, Mohsen Mahmoud Fahmy

Doctoral Dissertations

Dynamic assessment (DA) is based on Vygotsky's (1978) sociocultural theory and his Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). ZPD is the range of abilities bordered by the learner's assisted and independent performances. Previous studies showed promising results for DA in tutoring settings. However, they did not use proficiency-based rubrics to measure students' progress and did not mention the method of using DA practically in classrooms. The literature showed that task-based language instruction (TBLI) is effective in adult classrooms. This study combined DA with TBLI to answer four questions. What is the change in the structural control of Arabic speaking based on …

School Psychologist Leadership In Rti Implementation: Administrators' View Of School Psychologists As A Resource In Rti, Allison Rice

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the leadership role of school psychologists in Response to Intervention (RTI) implementation, as well as school psychologists' usefulness to principals in successful implementation of RTI. The researcher asserts, that through the fulfillment of certain roles, school leaders recognize the benefit of involving school psychologists in RTI implementation. The study asks the following questions: 1) To what extent are the specific leadership characteristics associated with school psychologists' roles related to the level of RTI implementation being exemplified? 2) To what extent are the specified school leadership characteristics present in school psychologists in Dorchester …

Melatonin Supplementation Improves Glycemic Control While Lowering Oxidative Stress In Type 2 Diabetes, Carmine R. Grieco, Sheri R. Colberg, C. Thomas Somma, Andrew G. Thompson, Aaron I. Vinik

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effect of melatonin on glycemic control and oxidative stress (OS) in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Fourteen subjects with T2D (10 female, 4 male; 52.5 ± 5.0 years) were randomly assigned to melatonin (MEL) or placebo groups (PLA) for 42 days, in a crossover design. Subjects ingested 10 mg of MEL or an identical placebo (PLA) 30 minutes prior to sleep. Fasting blood draws occurred at baseline, 42 days, and 84 days. Plasma malondialdehyde, a marker of OS, significantly decreased on MEL (-6.25±2.10 nmol/ml) compared to PLA (0.72±3.30, p=0.028). The …

Minority Women In Stem: A Valuable Resource In The Global Economy, Ezella Mcpherson, Diane R. Fuselier-Thompson

Journal of the International Association for the Study of the Global Achievement Gap (Archived)

While there is an expected demographic shift of the ethnic minority population in the United States to become the majority population by 2020, few minority women successfully attain baccalaureate degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) fields. To address this gap, this article employs critical race feminism and narrative analysis methods to examine minority women’s challenges while pursuing undergraduate STEM degrees. Findings suggest that limited access to the field, isolation and alienation, and affordability create barriers that result in many minority women leaving STEM majors. Implications for practice include targeted institutional efforts to increase recruitment and retention efforts towards …

How Masculinities Distribute Power: The Influence Of Ann Scales, Ann C. Mcginley, Frank Rudy Cooper

Denver Law Review

No abstract provided.

Using Molecular Tools To Elucidate Controls On Microbes Driving The Nitrogen Cycle In Marine Sediments, Shelley Marie Brown

Open Access Dissertations

Marine sediments harbor metabolically versatile bacteria whose activities can influence the cycle of nutrients on global scales. Microbial communities driving nitrogen (N) cycling are extremely diverse, thus making it difficult to identify the functional groups and elucidate controls on their activity. Denitrifiers in sediments remove significant amounts of N from the coastal ocean, while diazotrophs are typically considered inconsequential. Recently, N fixation has been shown to be a potentially important source of N in coastal sediments, however, the environmental drivers controlling this process are poorly understood. The goal of this dissertation was to identify and target the likely active denitrifiers …

Migration And Stopover Ecology Of Songbirds And Bats Along A Major Ecological Barrier, Adam D. Smith

Open Access Dissertations

Migration is a physiologically and energetically demanding period in the life cycle of a migratory animal. Most migrant songbirds alternate between periods of nocturnal flight, when energy is used, and stopover, when energy is accumulated for the next flight period; indeed, songbirds spend most of their time and energy on stopover. Conversely, the habits of migratory bats remain largely enigmatic, but there is reason to expect that models of songbird migration can inform bat migration research. I investigated, at multiple scales, the migration ecology of songbirds and bats and the stopover ecology of songbirds along the Atlantic Coast of southern …