Digital Commons Network^™

"Feels Like Racial Battle Fatigue": Managing Divesity Crisis Moments In Higher Education, Chaunda Myretta Allen

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Higher education was founded over three hundred years ago for a specific group, affluent, White men in mind. In the past five decades, however, the demographics of Higher Education Institutions have changed drastically from those early homogenous origins. The increased access of underrepresented populations attending Predominately White Institutions necessitated the need for offices that serve these groups. Offices of Multicultural Affairs or Multicultural Centers were created to address issues of diversity but they did not fully address issues of equity on college campuses. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to understand the ways in which mid-level diversity management …

Environmental Kuznets Curve In Water Pollution: A Semiparametric Approach, Mahesh Pandit

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The relationship between pollution and per capita income generally appears as an inverted U-shaped curve. This inverted U-shaped curve is known as the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC). The shape of the curve, however, is very sensitive to the data, location and pollutant considered in the analysis. Since the early 1990s, there has been an exponential growth in the number of empirical studies in this field, but many refute the inverted U-shaped nature of the curve for pollutants across different time periods and geographical regions. This has generated an increased interest in developing a more flexible functional form for model specification …

A Hybrid Framework Of Iterative Mapreduce And Mpi For Molecular Dynamics Applications, Shuju Bai

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Developing platforms for large scale data processing has been a great interest to scientists. Hadoop is a widely used computational platform which is a fault-tolerant distributed system for data storage due to HDFS (Hadoop Distributed File System) and performs fault-tolerant distributed data processing in parallel due to MapReduce framework. It is quite often that actual computations require multiple MapReduce cycles, which needs chained MapReduce jobs. However, Design by Hadoop is poor in addressing problems with iterative structures. In many iterative problems, some invariant data is required by every MapReduce cycle. The same data is uploaded to Hadoop file system in …

An Etho-Conventional Decision-Making Model For Sport Managers, Adam G. Pfleegor

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The need for an ethically conscious sport management workforce is evident in contemporary athletics (Simon, 2010). As the complexities of regulations continue to increase, the intricacy of ethical-decisions faced by managers similarly intensifies. Interestingly, future sport managers are rarely prepared with appropriate ethical decision-making education (Malloy & Zakus, 1995). This lack of education is problematic due to the far-reaching implications that managerial decision-makers have on firms. The aim of this investigation was to develop a novel ethical decision-making model for sport managers that can be practically implemented to resolve ethical dilemmas that they may encounter on a daily basis. The …

Burn, Boil & Eat : An Intersection Analysis Of Stereotypes In The Most Influential Films Of All Time, Roslyn M. Satchel

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research builds upon the work of Entman & Rojecki (2001) in examining the ways the most influential movies use racial stereotypes in media frames. The results of this study contribute to the rather limited mass media research and body of knowledge regarding the media content that attracts the largest and most enduring audiences in the new media landscape. As ten of the films that have generated the most revenue, the movies in this sample constitute a genre of movies that are also a prime feature of on-going publishing, cable, internet, digital gaming, DVD, and movie sequel franchises. If, as …

Julie, & Aaron Copland's Development Of The Opening Idea Through Quartal Harmonies, Pitch Space, And Register In The First Movement Of His Third Symphony, David Paul Cortello

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

ABSTRACT The first part of this dissertation is an original opera, Julie, composed on a libretto by Julia Carey. The opera consists of a prologue, 4 acts, and an epilogue, with an instrumentation of (2-2-2-2, 4-3-3-1, timpani, 3 percussion, harp and strings). The style is pluralistic and is determined at any moment by the demands of the text. The Prologue is an instrumental section of about 4’30” and introduces the primary themes employed in the opera. The music employs a simple leitmotiv system, associating certain themes and instruments to particular characters and emotional states. Additionally, though themes are recycled and …

The Experience Of Elderly Koreans' Han And Its Implication For Spiritual Care: In The Canadian Context, Jong Park

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Han is an indigenous Korean concept signifying a depth of internalized human suffering, caused primarily by a long history of socio, economic and political oppression. Han can also be understood as the deep psychological wounds of the Korean people. This study focuses on the Han experiences of elderly Korean immigrants living in Canada. The main purpose of the research is to provide a better spiritual care for such seniors who live as a marginal population. For a holistic understanding of their Han, the literature review examines Han-related history, religion and psychology, and explores Han experiences in the family …

The Shoulder Suspension Of Bipedal Humans And The Head Suspension Of Quadrupedal Cats : A Reconstruction Of Macroevolutionary Changes Of Complex Systems Based On Nautral Experiments, Comparative Anatomy, And Biomechanical Analyses Of Extant Organisms, Michelle L. Osborn

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The biological processes in macroevolutionary transformations, which result in the origin of new species and supraspecific taxa, are not directly observable in organisms with long reproductive generations and need to be extrapolated and reconstructed from physiological, anatomical, and microevolutionary processes. This dissertation reconstructs the anatomical and biomechanical changes that affected the head-neck-shoulder apparatus during the macroevolutionary transformation of a quadrupedal mammal to a bipedal one by studying two model organisms, namely the human and the cat. I hypothesize that the anatomical differences in the head-neck-shoulder apparatus of the two organisms are caused by different force regimes that act on them. …

Molecular-Level Investigations Combining Nanoscale Lithography And Atomic Force Microscopy, Chamarra Karmelia Saner

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation, nanostructures of octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) and were prepared using particle lithography and evaluated using characterizations with atomic force microscopy (AFM). The nanostructures of OTS were used as a resist for patterning fibronectin, an extracellular matrix protein. Particle lithography provides a practical and reproducible approach to generate billions of nanostructures comprised of organic thin films or nanomaterials. A film of mesospheres can be applied as a surface mask to define the periodicity and size of nanopatterns using processes of self-assembly. A close-packed arrangement of mesospheres is produced spontaneously when monodisperse solutions of latex or silica are dried on a …

Optimizing Peak Gust And Maximum Sustained Wind Speed Estimates From Mid-Latitude Wave Cyclones, Timothy Andrew Joyner

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Wind storms cause significant damage and economic loss and are a major recurring threat in many countries. Maximum sustained and peak gust weather station data from multiple historic wind storms occurring over more than three decades across Europe were analyzed to identify storm tracks, intensities, and areas of frequent high wind speeds. Wind surfaces for maximum sustained and peak gust winds were estimated based on an anisotropic (directionally-dependent) kriging interpolation methodology. Overall, wind speed magnitudes and high intensity locations were identified accurately for each storm. Directional trends and wind swaths were also consistently located in appropriate locations based on known …

Potential Influence Of Blueberry And Black Raspberry Pomace Phenolics On Inflammatory Cytokines In Coronary Cells, Adriana Soto Rodriguez Gil

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Elevated free fatty acids (FFAs) in obesity are known risk factors associated with chronic inflammatory conditions including cardiovascular inflammation and thus cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death in the US. Anthocyanins from berries have the potential to provide protection against inflammation in various tissues; however they are poorly absorbed and undergo major transformations by the microbiome. The work presented in this dissertation involves the development and utilization of an in vitro model to characterize the products of colonic fermentation and absorption of blueberry and black raspberry pomace phenolics, and evaluate the potential efficacy of these products compared to …

Reading The Gospel Of Philip As A Temple Text, Gaye Strathearn

Faculty Publications

For many Latter-day Saints, their introduction to studies on Latter-day Saint ritual was in reading the works of Hugh Nibley, who specifically focused on the rites of the temple. Nibley was the first to point out the parallels between the religious behavior of earlier cultures, especially the ritual experiences of early Christianity, and our own. In this paper, Gaye continues this tradition as she introduces us to the Gnostic text the Gospel of Philip and points out intriguing similarities between this text and our own temple experience

Influencing The Confirmation Bias On A Matchmaker Task Through Manipulation Of The Feeling Of Rightness, Patrick Clinton Ledet

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The confirmation bias occurs when an individual ignores potentially disconfirming evidence and gives greater attention to apparent confirming evidence. The confirmation bias is theorized to result from rapid, automatic and unconscious processing. Such processing generates decisions that are considered to be “good enough” to meet the demands of a situation. Although such judgments are guided by unconscious processing, the individual may have conscious awareness of the generated hypothesis while still failing to systematically consider important information. Previous attempts to counter the confirmation bias have focused on directly instructing individuals to use systematic decision making. This method has had some success …

When The Mouse Meets The Elephant : A Manual For String Bass Players With Application Of The Philosophy And Principles Of The F. M. Alexander Technique, Yun-Chieh Chou

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study was concerned with the use of the Alexander Technique principles in avoiding unwanted muscular tension and maintaining proper use of the body in double bass playing. Of particular importance was how the Alexander Technique could facilitate the fundamentals of double bass playing. The Alexander Technique is a hands-on method which aids the individual in achieving muscular coordination which is free and lively. Applying the principles of the Alexander Technique helps one achieve a harmonious psychophysical state, which results in greater ease, poise, and physical coordination in any activity, even the most demanding of virtuoso works for double bass. …

A Typology Of Consumer Preference Parabolas, Jie Sun

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation investigates choice scenarios where consumer preference is a non-linear function of determinant product attributes. Chapter One reviews the extant literature, identifies a number of research questions, develops a conceptual framework, and creates a propositional inventory; a central aspect of the conceptual framework is a proposed typology consisting of a two (mechanism: attribute tradeoff or target-attribute matching) by two (attributes: single or multiple) classification scheme. Two empirical essays test the conceptual model in a single attribute context (Chapter Two) and a multi-attribute context (Chapter Three). The purpose of the dissertation is to advance our understanding of the cognitive mechanisms …

Electrochemical Explanation For Asymmetric Electrowetting Response, Mehdi Khodayari, Nathan B. Crane, Alex A. Volinsky

Faculty Publications

In electrowetting, a droplet/substrate contact angle is modulated by applying a potential difference between the droplet and the substrate. Typically, the droplet potential is changed via an auxiliary electrode dipped in the droplet. Here, it is shown that electrochemical reactions lead to a potential drop on the auxiliary electrode in electrowetting, which degrades the droplet contact angle modulation. The magnitude of this effect depends on the voltage polarity. This problem can be addressed by using a dielectric layer, such as SiO2, which can prevent electrochemical reactions with the electrowetting substrate and the auxiliary electrode.

Academic Self-Monitoring In College Students With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Mindy C. Scheithauer

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Self-monitoring is an intervention that can result in behavior change by having individuals observe and record their own behavior. Self-monitoring has received empirical support in changing Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) related behaviors in children, but there is scarce research regarding self-monitoring with adults with ADHD. The current study implemented a self-monitoring intervention aimed at improving academic behavior and medication adherence in college students with ADHD. The self-monitoring intervention included study skills training, goal-setting, identification of individualized self-monitoring behavior, and follow-up meetings to discuss progress. The participants were asked to monitor their behavior on a daily basis using an electronic system. Compared …

Heterogeneous Volumetric Data Mapping And Its Medical Applications, Huanhuan Xu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

With the advance of data acquisition techniques, massive solid geometries are being collected routinely in scientific tasks, these complex and unstructured data need to be effectively correlated for various processing and analysis. Volumetric mapping solves bijective low-distortion correspondence between/among 3D geometric data, and can serve as an important preprocessing step in many tasks in compute-aided design and analysis, industrial manufacturing, medical image analysis, to name a few. This dissertation studied two important volumetric mapping problems: the mapping of heterogeneous volumes (with nonuniform inner structures/layers) and the mapping of sequential dynamic volumes. To effectively handle heterogeneous volumes, first, we studied the …

Studies Of Core-Shell Nanogumbos And Liposomal Ionogels, Ashleigh Renee' Wright

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The work presented in this dissertation is a description of novel core-shell nanomaterials derived from a group of uniform materials based on organic salts (GUMBOS) and the synthesis and characterizations of novel liposomal ionogels (LIGs). These GUMBOS are an extension of ionic liquids (ILs) which are organic salts with melting points between 25 °C and 100 °C. Ionic liquids have high thermal stability, low vapor pressure, and tunable physiochemical and functional properties. All of the properties of ILs are controlled by the chosen cation and anion pair. Similarly to ILs, GUMBOS possess the same qualities; however, they have melting points …

What's A Name Worth?: Experimental Tests Of The Value Of Attribution In Intellectual Property, Christopher Jon Sprigman, Christopher Buccafusco, Zachary C. Burns

Faculty Scholarship

Despite considerable research suggesting that creators value attribution – i.e., being named as the creator of a work – U.S. intellectual property (IP) law does not provide a right to attribution to the vast majority of creators. On the other side of the Atlantic, however, many European countries give creators, at least in their copyright laws, much stronger rights to attribution. At first blush it may seem that the U.S. has gotten it wrong, and the Europeans have made a better policy choice in providing to creators a right that they value. But for reasons we will explain in this …

Do Bad Things Happen When Works Enter The Public Domain?: Empirical Tests Of Copyright Term Extension, Christopher Buccafusco, Paul J. Heald

Faculty Scholarship

According to the current copyright statute, copyrighted works of music, film, and literature will begin to transition into the public domain in 2018. While this will prove a boon for users and creators, it could be disastrous for the owners of these valuable copyrights. Therefore, the next few years will likely witness another round of aggressive lobbying by the film, music, and publishing industries to extend the terms of already-existing works. These industries, and a number of prominent scholars, claim that when works enter the public domain, bad things will happen to them. They worry that works in the public …

Sex Differences In Verbal Aggression Use In Romantic Relationships: A Meta-Analytic Study And Review, Laura Stockdale, Sarah Tackett, Sarah M. Coyne

Faculty Publications

Purpose - The current study aimed to investigate potential sex differences in the use of verbal aggression in romantic relationships.

Design/methodology/approach - The current study used meta-analytic methodology to analyze 20 studies to understand gender differences in the use of verbal aggression in romantic relationships.

Findings - The results found that women used more verbal aggression than men in romantic relationships; however, overall levels of verbal aggression use were relatively high regardless of sex.

Research imitations/implications - Limitations of the current research, such as calling for less exploratory research and the need for theories grounded in human coupling research, and …

The Investigation Of Valve Operators' Torque Production Capabilities And Optimal Handwheel Height, Angle, And Opening Technique, Saif K. Al-Qaisi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research consists of two projects concerned with handwheel-valve operations. The objectives of poject-1 were to: (1) introduce an ergonomically-modified valve-wrench and compare it to conventional valve-opening methods, in terms of efficiency (time to open valve), perceived physical exertion (Borg-scale), and muscle loading of shoulder and trunk muscles; and (2) determine whether the torque setting (15 Nm and 30 Nm) of the valve affects the preferred valve-opening method. Four methods were evaluated, including using bare hands (BH), conventional wrench-restricted (CW-R, assumes presence of obstructions), conventional wrench-unrestricted (CW-U, assumes no obstructions), and modified wrench (MW). Electromyography (EMG) activities were measured from …

Asia Pacific Perspectives Vol. 11 No. 1, August 2013, University Of San Francisco

Asia Pacific Perspectives

Contents:

Editor's Note by John Nelson and Dayna Barnes

Languages of Human Rights in Timor-Leste by David Webster

This paper examines the historical process by which Timorese embraced the language of human rights, and their transnational support networks as diffusion belts for “rights talk.” It argues for a two-way understanding of rights diffusion, suggesting that Timorese framing of rights have contributed to a global shift towards a wider understanding of human rights as more than simply civil liberties in the Western tradition. Human rights, in other words, is a language that has served the Timorese independence cause, and in turn …

The Effects Of Emotional Arousal On Item And Associative Memory, Leslie Ann Butler

LSU Master's Theses

Although the conclusions of research examining the impact of emotional arousal on associative memory are mixed (e.g., Mather & Nesmith, 2008; Zimmerman & Kelley, 2010), it has recently been suggested that associative memory should be enhanced by arousal when encoding is intentional rather than incidental (Mather & Sutherland, 2011). Research has also suggested that arousing items are more subject to interference effects in memory than non-arousing items. These predictions were explored across two experiments. In both experiments, participants intentionally encoded a series of picture pairs that consisted of two neutral pictures, two negatively arousing pictures, or one neutral picture and …

Family History: Inside And Out, Kerry Abrams

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Plenary Power Preemption, Kerry Abrams

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

What Makes The Family Special?, Kerry Abrams

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Forgiveness, Imagined Interactions, Empathy And Relational Satisfaction Among Long-Distance Romantic Couples, Christopher Michael Mapp

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Forgiveness is viewed as a major factor in maintaining healthy romantic relationships. But couples involved in long-distance relationships experience a different set of challenges than geographically-close couples when it comes to maintaining and enjoying satisfying and stable relationships. Many long-distance couples rely on increased empathy and intrapersonal communication – in the form of imagined interactions – to release tension, rehearse conversations, and review and analyze conflicts. While forgiveness has been studied extensively in a variety of interpersonal settings, it has not been explicitly studied in relation to the usage of imagined interactions or in maintaining long-distance relationships. Moreover, even though …

A Research Agenda For Uncooperative Federalists, Ernest A. Young

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.