Digital Commons Network^™

The Creation Of "Trash The Dress" : A Solo Play, Kristina Sutton

LSU Master's Theses

The thesis project called for the MFA candidate to create a one-person show of originality and entertainment between 25 minutes and 45 minutes in length. This thesis, submitted to the Graduate School of Louisiana State University as partial requirement for graduation with the Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatre, follows the creation of a solo performance piece by Kristina Sutton, called “Trash the Dress.” The thesis includes inspiration for creating this solo performance piece, initial correspondence between the MFA candidate and consultants, research material and a copy of the script, personal reflection on writing and rehearsal challenges, photos from …

Comparing The Treatment Effect Of Conversational And Traditional Aphasia Treatments On Linguistic Complexity Measures, Kelsey Ann Copperberg

LSU Master's Theses

Linguistic complexity is frequently analyzed in studies of child language acquisition and impairment (Heilmann, Miller, & Nockerts, 2010; Price, Hendricks, & Cook, 2010) and the language of aging adults (Capilouto, Wright, & Wagovich, 2005; Kemper & Sumner, 2001; Kemper, Thompson, & Marquis, 2001; Kynette & Kemper, 1986; Shewan & Henderson, 1988) to document changes over time. There is little, if any, literature applying linguistic measures to analyze the language of individuals with aphasia as well as to analyze effects of different treatment measures. The current study analyzed semantic and syntactic components of linguistic complexity used by people with aphasia (PWA) …

Activity Of Halide-Free Flux At Copper And Tin Surfaces, Guoying Qu

LSU Master's Theses

The activity of halogen-free carboxylic acid flux is considered one of the most important aspects in controlling flip chip joint quality recently. In this work, we examined the CuOx removal effectiveness of carboxylic acid solutions at Cu substrates using electrochemical methods at elevated temperatures from 100ºC to 180ºC. Reaction kinetics of CuOx removal were investigated by chronopotentiometry and gravimetric analysis. FTIR was used to study the surface chemistry, and spectrophotometry was used to understand reactant and product solubility. Kinetics of carboxylic acid solution such as adipic acid or maleic acid in polyethylene glycol (PEG) with and without complexing agents such …

Understanding The Obstacles To The Recognition And Enforcement Of U.S. Judgments Abroad, Samuel P. Baumgartner

Akron Law Faculty Publications

Questions of recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments have entered center stage. Recent empirical work suggests that there has been a marked increase in the frequency with which U.S. courts are asked to recognize and enforce foreign judgments. The U.S. litigation surrounding a multibillion-dollar Ecuadoran judgment against Chevron indicates that the stakes in some of these cases can be high indeed. This rising importance of questions of judgments recognition has not been lost on lawmakers. In November of 2011, the Subcommittee on Courts, Commercial and Administrative Law of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Judiciary Committee held hearings on whether to …

The Uplift Resistance Of Spartina Alterniflora In A Louisiana Salt Marsh, James Madison Bouanchaud Iii

LSU Master's Theses

The uprooting resistance of Spartina Alterniflora was measured in Terrebonne Bay and Bay Jimmy, both of which are located in Louisiana. The parameters collected included plant uprooting resistance, stem diameter, and stem height. Seasonal variations and site specific properties were considered. A device was designed and constructed that was able to perform the specific testing under the constraints of the field site. The device consisted of a winch mounted to a tripod and connected to an inline load cell to measure the uprooting resistance. The data sets were analyzed to determine the relationship between the uprooting resistance and the physical …

Eric Voegelin’S Quest To Resist Untruth And Restore The Roots Of Order, Montgomery Carl Erfourth

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis is an exploration of political reality as understood by Eric Voegelin. Voegelin employed the revolutionary concepts found in ancient Greek noetic and Christian pneumatic philosophy that describe political reality and the means to know it. This thesis begins with a biographical sketch of Voegelin, the historical milieu that inspired his resistance to “unreality” and terms and symbols he uses to identify the spiritual sickness he believes is destroying Western Civilization’s traditional basis of order. It then examines Voegelin’s theories of consciousness, philosophy, and science fundamental to understanding reality. Given the extensive nature and volume of his work, a …

"What Do Separate And Unequal Schools Look Like In The 21st Century? The Legacy Of State Sponsored Racial Segregation In The South", Jerel Williams

LSU Master's Theses

The vast majority of schools that have been subject to desegregation orders are located in the South. The official levels of state sponsored segregation by southern governments made the South unique. The South was a distinctive region when it came to racial brutality and resistance to racial integration. The American South is where the battle for school integration was fought with figures like George Wallace pledging segregation forever. What impact does the history of segregation have on southern schools today in relation to racial gaps in our education system? This analysis takes a look at the impact of historic state …

Modeling, Simulation And Analysis Of Renewable Energy Production Systems: Application To Multi-Product Biorefineries, Aryan Geraili Nejadfomeshi

LSU Master's Theses

The primary purpose of this research is to investigate the design and modelling of fully integrated processes which utilize renewable feedstock as raw materials and evaluate the alternative technology and possible process integration options for biorefinery processes to select the optimal configuration based on the production yields and economical profit criteria. The case study considered in this work is a lignocellulosic biorefinery plant which has different technology choices for each section of the process and the ability to produce multi-products from lignocellulosic raw materials. We analyzed different scenarios by simulating the superstructures in Aspen Plus. To incorporate more non-linarites in …

Adaptive Stochastic Conjugate Gradient Optimization For Temporal Medical Image Registration, Huanhuan Xu

LSU Master's Theses

We propose an Adaptive Stochastic Conjugate Gradient (ASCG) optimization algorithm for temporal medical image registration. This method combines the advantages of Conjugate Gradient (CG) method and Adaptive Stochastic Gradient Descent (ASGD) method. The main idea is that the search direction of ASGD is replaced by stochastic approximations of the conjugate gradient of the cost function. In addition, the step size of ASCG is based on the approximation of the Lipschitz constant of the stochastic gradient function. Thus, this algorithm could maintain the good properties of the conjugate gradient method, meanwhile it uses less gradient computation time per iteration and adjusts …

Interrelationships Of Caregiving Characteristics, Burden Of Caregiving, Depressive Symptomology, Physical Health, Self-Care, Life Satisfaction And Social Support Of Social Workers, Katherine Riker Sternberg

LSU Master's Theses

With increasing numbers of Americans engaged in unpaid, informal caregiving for adults over the age of 18, there is a need for research that investigates caregivers’ experiences, with particular emphasis on their health and well being. This is the first known study to examine the experiences of social workers, engaged in direct practice, who are also managing responsibilities related to informal caregiving. The study examined interrelationships among social workers’ caregiving characteristics, burden of caregiving, depressive symptomology, physical health, self-care, life satisfaction and social support. Hypotheses included: (1) Burden of caregiving is positively correlated with depressive symptomology. (2) The burden of …

Concert Recording 2013-11-22a, Stephen Byars, Johan Botes

Concert Recordings & Programs

Sonate in G minor / Henry Eccles ; [arr.] Fernand Lelong -- Ordner seg / Øystein Baadsvik -- Lamento / Sofia Gubaidulina -- Six studies in English folksong / Vaughan Williams ; [arr.] Michael Wagner -- Parallels / Aron Romhanyi -- Rumanian dance no. 2 / Dumitru Ionel

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Response To Intervention In Ela And Math For Sixth, Seventh, And Eighth Grade Students, Shehla Khan

LSU Master's Theses

Abstract This study examined the combined effectiveness of Tier I and Tier II instruction in the context of a Response to Intervention framework with sixth, seventh and eighth grade students both in ELA and Math. The Tier I interventions emphasized topics from the Grade Level Expectations that the students were having difficulties grasping during regular classroom instruction. Tier II instruction mainly emphasized preparing students for the standardized iLEAP and LEAP tests. These students were then compared with a group of similar students who did not receive tiered instructions (control group). Students who participated in Tier I or Tier II instructions …

Utilizing Social Media To Build Community In The Residence Halls, Michael Jeremy Courson

LSU Master's Theses

The purposes of this study are to understand how community is built and residents are educated in the residence halls on college campuses as well as to design a method for social media to aid that process. To achieve this, documents were collected from 10 different institutions from across the country. The documents were analyzed to determine how community is built, residents are educated, and the use of social media in residence life. The results showed that none of the institutions were using social media in any form. It also showed that all of the institutions build community and educate …

The Use Of Duddingtonia Flagrans For Gastrointestinal Parasitic Nematode Control In Feces Of Exotic Artiodactylids At Disney's Animal Kingdom®, Jenna Terry

LSU Master's Theses

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) are parasites of major concern for domestic and exotic ruminant species around the world. In the past, zoological facilities used anthelmintics as their primary control method. Challenges in accurate dosing and administration of anthelmintics to exotic hoofstock contributed to the development of resistant nematode populations in zoological settings. The historic dependency on anthelmintics to control GIN populations is no longer an option. Biological alternatives are urgently needed, in both exotic and domestic ruminants, in the war against resistance. One such alternative is the use of the nematophagous fungus, Duddingtonia flagrans. Three independent studies were conducted: A nine …

On Human Biological Diversity : Variation In Sexual Dimorphism Of The Skull Between African-Americans And European-Americans, Amanda Grace Kittoe

LSU Master's Theses

This study assesses sexual dimorphism of the skull in samples of African-Americans (AA) and European-Americans (EA). Morphology of the cranium is classically referenced as an indicator of sexual dimorphism in the fields of bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology. Variation in size and shape of cranial elements has been found to differ significantly between ancestral populations. Abundant research suggests that patterns of sexual dimorphism also vary between ancestries. This study uses a sample of 55 AA females, 50 AA males, 49 EA females, and 49 EA males from the Hamann-Todd Collection at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and the WM Bass …

Now And Then, Scottt Arthur

LSU Master's Theses

I am interested in painting that begins in observation and manifests itself as a meeting ground of the subject and myself. My paintings explore color and spatial relationships as well as a surface that is manipulated over time. I often paint from nature on site as well as from small sketches and drawings that are later brought back to the studio and painted on a larger scale.

On The Long Duration Of Till Sheet Construction : A Reassessment Of How Quaternary Grounding Line Translations Relate To Near-Surface Seismic-Stratigraphy Of Eastern Ross Sea, Antarctica, Sydney Grace Bowles

LSU Master's Theses

Previously acquired seismic surveys provide strong evidence that the post-Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) retreat of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) deposited a back-stepping succession of seismically-resolved grounding zone wedges (GZWs) in eastern Ross Sea. However, the chronology of WAIS retreat is debated. The conventional view is that three GZWs (Red, Brown, and Gray Units) were deposited since the LGM. An alternative view, based on recent radiocarbon dates, is that the youngest GZW (the Gray Unit) was deposited during the LGM. If correct, then the older GZWs (Red and Brown Units) were deposited prior to LGM. A recent study (Bart …

African American Women Superintendents : Pathways To Success, Kimberly Gales Johnson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Historically, women and minorities have been underrepresented in executive school leadership. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of Five African American women who in spite of historical statistics became superintendents. The pathways taken by African American women superintendents have failed to manifest educational leadership literature. Researchers, who have chosen to study African American women in leadership, focus mostly on the barriers they face. Findings from this study may be used to inform minority women with superintendent aspirations of experiences that led others to the top. The findings may also be use to support efforts …

The Search For Catalytic Subunit Of Dna Polymerase Α In Thermomyces Lanuginosus, Chelsea Elyse Meier

Honors Program Theses

In eukaryotes, the enzyme DNA polymerase a (DNAPa) begins the process of DNA replication. Ultimately, this means DNAPa is responsible for all cell proliferation and growth of an organism. The mechanism by which this enzyme operates is interesting due to its implications in medicine; however, that mechanism remains largely elusive. DNAPa, including its catalytic subunit, has been studied in several eukaryotes. Unfortunately, these organisms present issues with the ease of study and with ethics. This research delved into a novel model organism that was potentially devoid of all these issues: the fungus Thermomyces lanuginosus. Though T. lanuginosus was easy to …

Equivalences Of Dessins D'Enfants, Rachel M. Volkert

Honors Program Theses

Dessins d'enfants are bipartite graphs with a cyclic ordering given to the set of edges that meet at each vertex. Merling and Perlis presented a method by which to construct pairs of dessins d'enfants using the permutations induced by the action of a finite group on the cosets of two locally conjugate subgroups of that group. They called these pairs of dessins Gassmann equivalent and investigated some of their properties. First, we discuss several properties of pairs of dessins that imply Gassmann equivalence. Then, using elementwise conjugate subgroups, we introduce and investigate a weaker type of equivalence of dessins, which …

A Bank Erosion Hazard Index (Behi) Study Of Dry Run Creek, Cedar Falls, Iowa, Cara Wright

Honors Program Theses

Dry Run Creek is a watershed located in Cedar Falls; Iowa and it is on a list of the state's impaired waterways. One reason it may be impaired is that there is excessive erosion in the stream. This study assessed the Bank Erosion Hazard Index of portions of the creek to determine erosion hotspots. The majority of the banks in all the branches had a Low score, meaning that the BEHI was less than 11.9. The minimum BEHI score is O and the maximum score is 40. The lower the score, the better the condition of the bank. Portions of …

Opportunity For Engagement : How Viewing "The Lizzie Bennet Diaries" Transcends Traditional Reader Response, Molly Hayes

Honors Program Theses

For hundreds of years, publishers have worked to understand the relationship between a reader and a text. This relationship between a reader and a text has changed dramatically as technology develops, allowing readers to interact with a text in new ways. As years pass, the technology available to content creators as well as consumers changes drastically, often resulting in adaptation of text. One text that has been adapted many times is Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The novel has been recorded on tape, made into a television series, adapted for the big screen, and now has been brought to an …

Reversible Photoluminescence Quenchin Of Cdse/Zns Quantum Dots Embedded In Porous Glass By Ammonia Vapor, A. O. Orlova, Yu A. Gromova, V. G. Maslov, O. V. Andreeva, A. V. Baranov, A. V. Federov, A. V. Prudnikau, M. V. Artemyev, Kevin Berwick

Articles

The photoluminescence response of semiconductor CdSe/ZnS quantum dots embedded in a borosilicate porous glass matrix to exposure to ammonia vapor is investigated. Formation of surface complexes on the quantum dots results in quenching of the photoluminescence and a shortening of the luminescence decay time. The process is reversible, desorption of ammonia molecules from the quantum dot surface causes the photoluminescence to recover. The sensitivity of the quantum dot luminescence intensity and decay time to the interaction time and the reversibility of the photoluminescence changes makes the CdSe/ZnS quantum dot in porous glass system a candidate for use as an optical …

Enhanced Refractive Index Sensor Using A Combination Of A Long Period Fiber Grating And A Small Core Singlemode Fiber Structure, Qiang Wu, Hauping Chan, Jinhui Yuan, Youqiao Ma, Minwei Yang, Yuliya Semenova, Binbin Yan, Pengfei Wang, Chongxiu Yu, Gerald Farrell

Articles

An enhanced refractive index (RI) sensor based on a combination of a long period fiber grating (LPG) and a small core singlemode fiber (SCSMF) structure is proposed and developed. Since the LPG and SCSMF transmission spectra experience a blue and a red shift respectively as the surrounding RI (SRI) increases, the sensitivity is improved by measuring the separation between the resonant wavelengths of the LPG and SCSMF structures. Experimental results show that the sensor has a sensitivity of 1028 nm/SRI unit in the SRI range from 1.422 to 1.429, which is higher than individual sensitivities of either structure alone used …

Aligning Strategy And Talent In Creative Professional Service Firms, Deirdre Canavan, Pamela Sharkey Scott, Vincent Mangematin

Articles

Purpose – Reliance on individual talent and motivation renders creative professional service firms (PSFs) highly dependent on their ability to attract and mobilise the right individuals. This paper aims to build an integrated framework showing firstly how creative industry PSFs can differ in their strategy for growth, and secondly how these alternative strategies for growth can influence the firm's approach to organising and the type of talent required.

Design/methodology/approach – The findings are based on a series of interviews with managing directors, senior management and practitioners of architectural organisations in a single country, combined with an extensive literature review.

Findings …

Engaging Students In The Classroom: How Can I Know What I Think Until I See What I Draw?, Paul Donnelly, John Hogan

Articles

Recognising that the world into which students emerge upon graduation is characterised by constant change, we embrace a critical pedagogy that can be implemented in the classroom through the use of freehand drawing. Freehand drawing is a technique that can stimulate a critical stance, as visual representations allow us to comprehend the world differently, while permitting us see how others understand the world. First year students, in their first lecture, were asked to draw their interpretations of Irish politics and to explain in writing what they had drawn. The students were then placed in groups and asked to note what …

Simulation-Based Framework To Improve Patient Experience In An Emergency Department, Waleed Abo-Hamad, Amr Arisha

Articles

The global economic crisis has a significant impact on healthcare resource provision worldwide. The management of limited healthcare resources is further challenged by the high level of uncertainty in demand, which can lead to unbalanced utilisation of the available resources and a potential deterioration of patient satisfaction in terms of longer waiting times and perceived reduced quality of services. Therefore, healthcare managers require timely and accurate tools to optimise resource utility in a complex and ever-changing patient care process. An interactive simulation-based decision support framework is presented in this paper for healthcare process improvement. Complexity and different levels of variability …

Process Of A Painting, Dusty Ann Kriegel

Honors Program Theses

This thesis' point of discovery was the standout feature. Originally, the qualities of light versus dark, variance in edge quality, muted colors, and organic shapes were features as well. Those qualities were used in the thesis process but more as tools than as points to be studied intensely. The discoveries included a concept to proceed with not only in this thesis but for future works, determining time needed to complete numbers of works, and the amount of analysis and purposefulness needed to create a piece from nothing. Overall, the process of painting for myself as an artist involved an intense …

Atp-Induced Changes In F-Actin Expression Via P2x7, Taylor Hircock

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this research project was to study the effects that extracellular ATP has on F-actin levels in cells containing the P2X7 purinergic receptor. MAC-T cells which express the receptor were exposed to various levels of ATP and stained to undergo flow cytometry. In this case, F-actin was labeled with 488 phalloidin which was able to be detected by the flow cytometer. This was done in conjuction with controls to show how ATP exposure affected Factin levels. Based on these results, the cytoskeletal changes taking place in the cell in response to ATP were able to be measured and …

Expressed Sequence Tag For Dna Polymerase Alpha In Embryonic Chicken Brain, Rebecca Krewer

Honors Program Theses

Replicative DNA polymerases are enzymes located in the nuclei of cells. They have a role in the control of DNA synthesis in all cells, and problems with their function and control affect cell growth. One of these polymerases, DNA polymerase alpha ("pol α"), is a possible point of control for cell growth because it initiates DNA synthesis. The ability to selectively turn on or shut off this polymerase in cells could provide answers to problems ranging from cancer's unregulated growth to regeneration of tissues. However, control mechanisms for DNA pol α are not fully understood at this time. The central …