Digital Commons Network^™

L'Envers De L'Histoire De Jacques Collin: On A New Approach To Balzac's Most Infamous Criminal Mastermind, Lauren Elise Pendas

LSU Master's Theses

Scholarship has failed to explore adequately how Honoré de Balzac evokes the human condition’s universal elements through his most infamous criminal mastermind: Jacques Collin, alias Vautrin. Unlike analyses of Collin that I have encountered, this thesis takes all three novels and the obscure play in which Collin appears into account, challenges the transparency of his statements and the narration’s descriptions of him, explores the conservative position framing Balzac’s critique of early nineteenth-century Paris, and actively focuses on evidence of Collin’s typical subjectivity (i.e. his insatiable desire and fallibility). Consequently, this reading does not evaluate Collin’s significance solely through his apparent …

Experiences Of A Novice Modeler Navigating The Alternative Certification Process, Melanie Matherne Dimler

LSU Master's Theses

Interactive Engagement methods of instruction have proven more effective than Traditional instruction in terms of conceptual learning in introductory physics classrooms. Modeling instruction is one type of Interactive Engagement methodology used in introductory physics at the secondary and collegiate level. This study compares the conceptual gains of students taught by an experienced traditional instructor to the conceptual gains of students taught by a novice, alternatively certified instructor who employs the Modeling methodology in physics classes at a large suburban high school. Pre-tests and post-tests were administered to all groups using validated physics conceptual inventories and a scientific reasoning assessment. AP …

Effects Of Storm Surge And Nutrient Loading On Coastal Wetland Soil Processes: Implications For Ecosystem Function, Morgan Mckee

LSU Master's Theses

Coastal Louisiana is at risk from increases in salinity from storm surge and nutrient loading from the Mississippi River. Increased salinity causes plant death, decreases in microbial productivity, and shifts in biogeochemical processes. Eutrophication is linked to shifts in plant communities and changes in wetland biogeochemical properties. We hypothesized that 1) storm surge would increase soil porewater salinity and decrease extractable ammonium (NH4), and 2) long-term nutrient loading would decrease soil extracellular enzyme activity and increase total nutrients. Intact soil cores from two sites in the Wax Lake Delta were continually flooded with 35 g L-1 salt water for 1, …

A System Approach To Investing In Uncertain Markets, Iman Khademi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

We consider the problem of trend-following in US stock market and propose a combined economic and technical model to approach this problem. A bank of linear and nonlinear, discrete-time, low-pass filters with different sampling rates is used to generate timing signals for US stock market indexes such as NASDAQ Composite and S&P 500. These timing signals help us find the appropriate times to step in or out of the market. Back-testing and real-time implementation results along with the risk analysis validate our model. According to the trend of the market, we may adopt a long or short position. If we …

Sign Learning Kink Based Quantum Monte Carlo Applied To Multiple Large Systems H2O, N2, F2, Xiaoyao Ma

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A Sign Learning Kink (SiLK) based Quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) method is used to calculate the ground state energies for H₂O, N₂ and F₂ molecules. This method has two stages. The first (learning stage) reduces the minus sign problem by optimizing the states which are used in the second (QMC stage). I test the method in Single, Double excitations (SD), Single, Double, and Triple excitations (SDT), and Full Configuration Interaction (FCI) vector spaces. I also perform exact diagonalization in those vector spaces as a benchmark. In each vector space and for each molecule, I perform SiLK …

Cdom Optical Properties Near Dwh Site, Gulf Of Mexico: Pot Oil Spill, Zhi Li

LSU Master's Theses

The Deep Water Horizon (DWH) oil spill resulted in the largest accidental release of crude oil in U.S. waters with both short- and long-term effects on the marine environment. Extensive studies conducted immediately following the oil spill in the northern Gulf of Mexico provided greater understanding of the physical processes influencing the distribution of the released oil, including the use of optical detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a toxic crude oil fraction in the northern Gulf of Mexico. In this study, the optical properties of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and the concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were …

Synthesis, Characterization, And Investigation Of The Catalytic Activity Of Nio, Cuo, And Nio-Cuo Nanoparticles On Silica As Surrogates Of Combustion-Generated Nanoparticles, Nuwan Nilanka Balapitiya Liyanage

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Transition metal oxide nanoparticles contained in fly ash are known to catalyze the formation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) during the waste incineration process. The potential catalytic activity of silica-supported NiO, CuO, and NiO-CuO nanoparticles for the formation of PCDD/Fs will be discussed in this dissertation. The successful synthesis of silica-supported NiO, CuO, and NiO-CuO nanoparticles as surrogates of combustion-generated nanoparticles was important to this study. The synthesis was followed by the characterization of the nanoparticle surrogates by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Finally, the catalytic …

Exploring The Implementation Of Reading Common Core State Standards In An Elementary School Setting, Lacy Alane Davis

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study explored the implementation process of five teachers and two administrators of the Common Core State Standards in Reading. This ethnographic case study investigates one groups’ attitudes and instructional practices. The researcher focused on three questions in order to provide an in-depth analysis of the data collected. These questions include: How do educators implement and develop reading curriculum from the Common Core State Standards? How does the mandated requirements of the CCSS impact the attitudes of reading teachers? How do primary grade teachers approach the CCSS in comparison to upper elementary teachers? The study followed an ethnographic analysis method …

The Effects Of Concurrent Driving And In-Vehicle Tasks: A Multivariate Statistical Analysis Of Driver Distraction In A High-Fidelity Driving Simulator, Julius A. Codjoe

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Distracted driving continues to remain a cause of concern for a number of bodies, including government agencies, traffic safety advocacy groups and law enforcement agencies, because of its traffic safety risks. The driving simulator continues to be popular with researchers in collecting data on performance variables that provide scientific knowledge of the effects of distracted driving. Several of these performance variables can be used to quantify a single distracting effect, resulting in a multivariate dataset. A literature review of related studies revealed that researchers overwhelmingly use univariate (single and multiple) tests to analyze the resulting dataset. Performing multiple univariate tests …

Numerical Investigation Of Cryopreserved Zebrafish Sperm Cell Activation In Microchannels, Thomas Foster Scherr

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This aim of this research project is to probe the activation process of zebrafish spermatozoa. Zebrafish are a model species for biological engineering applications, and the cryopreservation of their reproductive cells allows for inexpensive cataloging and maintenance of valuable biological material. Evaluation of cryopreservation protocols for aquatic sperm cells is typically accomplished by motility analysis after subjecting cells to a cryopreservation treatment. In zebrafish sperm cells, motility is initiated when cells come into contact with a hypo-osmotic environment. Subsequent activation analysis is currently done manually and brings with it an inherent difficulty and error. This process is slow and not …

The Frontal Bone As A Proxy For Sex Estimation In Humans: A Geometric Morphometric Analysis, Lucy Ann Edwards Hochstein

LSU Master's Theses

Physical anthropologists have a toolkit for determining sex from skeletal remains composed of visual and metric techniques concerning the pelvis and the skull. However, complete elements are not always available and results can be indeterminate. The present study combines visual assessment of the skull with statistical methods of shape analysis, geometric morphometrics, to reach a better understanding of how cranial variation of the frontal bone is influenced by sex. The three-dimensional coordinates of frontal bone curvatures of 204 skulls from the Terry Collection were collected using a Microscribe digitizer. These data were used to assess the ability of this technique …

Advanced Statistical Signal Processing Methods In Sensing, Detection, And Estimation For Communication Applications, Hongting Zhang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The applications of wireless communications and digital signal processing have dramatically changed the way we live, work, and learn over decades. The requirement of higher throughput and ubiquitous connectivity for wireless communication systems has become prevalent nowadays. Signal sensing, detection and estimation have been prevalent in signal processing and communications for many years. The relevant studies deal with the processing of information-bearing signals for the purpose of information extraction. Nevertheless, new robust and efficient signal sensing, detection and estimation techniques are still in demand since there emerge more and more practical applications which rely on them. In this dissertation work, …

Effect Of Hydrologic, Geomorphic, And Vegetative Conditions On Avian Communities In The Middle Rio Grande Of New Mexico, Sarah G. Hamilton

LSU Master's Theses

Anthropogenic regulation of the Middle Rio Grande (MRG) of New Mexico has altered the hydrogeomorphology of the system and led to a rapid decline in breeding riparian-obligate birds as native riparian forests are replaced by exotic tamarisk stands. In this study, I evaluated the relationships among hydrogeomorphology, vegetation structure and composition, and avian communities of the San Acacia Reach (SAR) of the MRG. I conducted avian point count surveys and collected habitat data to determine avian community structure and abundance, geomorphic feature, surface flooding, and vegetation structure and composition along 44 transects throughout the SAR. A total of 999 point …

Investigating Different Coding Environments For Simplified Reservoir Characterization Models, Atheer Mohammad Al Attar

LSU Master's Theses

Reservoir characterization is one of the most important tasks that determines the recovery plan for a specific reservoir. This process incorporates a significant amount of data acquisition and processing to finally develop an acceptable model that matches the production history and can forecast the future production behavior. The model also should be able to adapt to changes along the way: adding or removing producers or injectors, changing the injection pattern, recompletions and converting wells are all examples of possible changes that are common in the oil and gas industry. Usually these changes are modeled by running field-scale simulations and providing …

Teaching Complex Numbers In High School, Esperanza Gotoman Chavez

LSU Master's Theses

One of the mathematics standards for high schools stated in the Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSS, 2010 Appendix A, p. 60) is the understanding of the Complex Number system, performing arithmetic operations with complex numbers, representing complex numbers and their operations on the complex plane, and using complex numbers in polynomial identities and equations. In this thesis, we trace back the history of complex numbers and formulate a set of problems based on the history. The thesis gives a description of the Common Core standards and goals. The exercises based on the history of complex numbers are shown to …

Scheduling In Transactional Memory Systems: Models, Algorithms, And Evaluations, Gokarna Sharma

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Transactional memory provides an alternative synchronization mechanism that removes many limitations of traditional lock-based synchronization so that concurrent program writing is easier than lock-based code in modern multicore architectures. The fundamental module in a transactional memory system is the transaction which represents a sequence of read and write operations that are performed atomically to a set of shared resources; transactions may conflict if they access the same shared resources. A transaction scheduling algorithm is used to handle these transaction conflicts and schedule appropriately the transactions. In this dissertation, we study transaction scheduling problem in several systems that differ through the …

Constructive Aspects Of Kochen's Theorem On P-Adic Closures, Evan Michael Eakins

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In this work we begin with a brief survey of set theory and arithmetic to provide background for a logical procedure to `cleanse' the Axiom of Choice from a proof of a theorem of Kochen's. We accomplish this in the following chapters. We then discuss certain theorems involving definable Skolem functions. These theorems are used in Chapter 5 to give a construction of a p-adic closure of a p-valued field. Certain further considerations and open questions are addressed in the _x000C_final chapter.

Problem Solving Strategies And Metacognitive Skills For Gifted Students In Middle School, Lorena Aguelo Java

LSU Master's Theses

This study is conducted to investigate if the designed four-step method strategy (GEAR strategy adapted from Polya, 1973) in solving math problems has improved students’ performance scores and enhanced the metacognitive skills of gifted students. The respondents of this study include middle school gifted students who took math eight course in the school year 2013-2014 at Westdale Middle School in East Baton Rouge Parish School System. There are four classes of math eight gifted students who participated in the study. The classes were chosen randomly for experimental and controlled group and were equalized on the basis of the pre-test results …

Professional Development For Geometry Teachers Under Common Core State Standards In Mathematics, Ellen Fort

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis offers a model professional development workshop to high school geometry teachers, with a focus on the Common Core State Standards in geometry, including a description of the workshop, materials to assist in the presentation, and follow-up materials. This workshop, which is based upon curriculum written for EngageNY under the direction of Common Core, Inc., has been presented by the author on four separate occasions to a total of approximately two hundred teachers and other school and district personnel over the past few months. Feedback obtained from attendees has been uniformly positive, indicating that the information and understanding obtained …

Bayesian Model-Building In Phylogenetics, Bradley Nelson

LSU Master's Theses

DNA sequencing costs have decreased dramatically over recent decades, resulting in a flood of phylogenetic information available to researchers. While it is often assumed that additional data will lead to more accurate conclusions, it also raises a number of problems for phylogeneticists, including mundane computational issues such as data management and complex statistical problems such as obtaining a single species tree from multiple conflicting gene trees. Developing new methods to make better use of existing data and probe the causes of conflicting signal will be necessary to confidently resolve phylogenies in the genomic era.

Here, we examine two current problems …

Paleoclimatology And Paleotempestology Study Of Blue Hole, Lighthouse Reef, Belize Through Geochemical Proxies, Laura Carolyn Sorey

LSU Master's Theses

A large Pleistocene age sinkhole, the Blue Hole on Lighthouse Reef off the coast of Belize in the Caribbean Sea is the site of a well preserved sedimentary record that serves as paleoclimatology and paleotempestology archive. The nutrient-starved surface waters of the Blue Hole and the surrounding lagoons are “fertilized” by the seasonal introduction of cool, nutrient-rich waters upwelled from the Caribbean deep water. These waters, which stimulate production of organic materials within the surface waters, carry a heightened isotopic signature that is imparted to the organics resultant from upwelling-induced production. These organics are then incorporated into the predominantly carbonate …

Methods For The Characterization Of Deep-Sea Benthic Megafauna In The Vicinity Of The Deepwater Horizon Macondo Well, Stephanie Marie Sharuga

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Soft-sediment benthic environments are amongst the largest marine ecosystems in the world and play important roles in many ecosystem functions. In recent years, exploitation of resources and unintentional impacts on deep-sea benthic environments has increased. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010 in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) represented a prime example of this. The oil spill not only highlighted deficiencies of data and information on baseline conditions, but also represented an opportunity to learn more and develop better methods for the future. Deep-sea imaging platforms such as autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) have been …

The Adoption Of State Wetland Policies: How Do Wetlands Fit Within The Theoretical Framework Of Environmental Policy Determinants?, Rachel Bogart Krech

LSU Master's Theses

Wetlands are an extremely important natural resource in the United States. They offer storm surge protection, sediment stabilization, groundwater recharging, carbon sequestration, and habitat for many species. Despite their values, wetlands have a long history of being misunderstood. It was not until the mid-1970s that scientific understanding helped transform policy from that of rapid conversion to that of conservation. By this time, the lower 48 states had already lost 53 percent of its total wetlands. The nature of wetlands and federal limitations make the management of this natural resource a primarily state-based responsibility. However, the way that states construct their …

Synthesis And Analysis Of Copper Beta-Diketonate Complexes, Jonathan Stephen Casey

LSU Master's Theses

This research addresses the synthesis and characterization of Cu(II) complexes of silicon-based multidentate β-diketonate ligands. The possible products of the synthesis include (where L represents the coordinated ligand) cube Cu12L8, decahedron Cu24L16, and dodecahedron Cu30L20. This study aims to determine the structure of these discrete molecules, which may have applications in drug delivery, fuel storage, and chemical retention. Different techniques were involved in the characterization of Cu(II) complexes: Electrospray Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (ESI-TOF MS), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Analytical Ultracentrifugation (AUC). In ESI-TOF MS, the exact mass of the molecules was attempted to be determined by …

Development Of Visible Light-Promoted Photocatalytic O-Glycosylation, C-H Activation Of Alkanes And Deoxygenation Of N-(Mesyloxy) Amides, Xiaoping Wang

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis is divided into four chapters reporting various aspects of the background of studies and the preliminary results I obtained in three projects. Chapter 1 gives a brief introduction to the concepts of photoredox catalysis, O-glycosylation, C-H functionalization and amidyl radicals. Chapter 2 describes the development of a visible light-promoted O-glycosylation catalyzed by Ru(bpy)3(PF6)2 or diphenyldiselenide under mild conditions. The glycosylation of primary and secondary alcohols with selenoglycosides was demonstrated with good yields, and disaccharides were constructed by coupling of the selenoglycosides in acetonitrile or dichloromethane with a glucosyl acceptor in moderate yields. The reactions catalyzed by Ru(bpy)3(PF6)2 were …

Effects Of Forest Fragmentation On Central Amazonian Bird Demography, Jared Desmond Wolfe

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Avian diversity in degraded fragmented Amazonian landscapes depends on the persistence of species in cleared and disturbed areas. Regenerating forest facilitates bird dispersal within degraded Amazonian landscapes and may tip the balance in favor of persistence in previously depauperate habitat patches. Despite the potential value of Amazonian second growth, we lack comparisons of demography among second growth, continuous forest, forest fragments in regenerating landscapes, and truly isolated fragments. Here, we used point-count and capture data to compare Amazonian bird communities among continuous forest plots, 100 ha forest fragments with adjacent second growth, 100 ha forested islands bounded by water, young …

Continuous Reservoir Modeling Updating By Integrating Experimental Data Using An Ensemble Kalman Filter, Ting Sun

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The continuous researvoir model updating is widely used to calibrate reservoir simulation models to production data, but many challenges remain. First, few real field data are available to test the new history matching method, and most of the data sets are synthetic cases. Second, computational cost may be high when using non-Gaussian priors or nonlinear models. Third, with large complex models, the simulation runs and history matching method require huge memory allocations. This dissertation achieves a continuous reservoir model updating workflow with a meter-scale , two-phase flow experiment. Both production and seismic data are collected in the experiment. Because the …

Particle Formation In Ambient Mass Spectrometry, Thabiso Musapelo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A particle sizing system was developed that couples a light scattering particle sizer with a differential mobility analyzer for particle detection and elucidation with the capability for measuring particle sizes in the range of 10 nm to 20 μm. The particle sizing system was used to investigate particle formation that is associated with several methods of atmospheric pressure ion formation used in mass spectrometry: atmospheric pressure matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) and inlet ionization. The methods for particle formation were 1) ultraviolet (UV) laser ablation, 2) infrared (IR) laser ablation, and 3) shock-generated particle formation. Particles formed by UV laser …

Scanning Probe Investigations Of Magnetic Nanoparticles, Protein Binding And The Synthesis Of Rare Earth Oxide Nanoparticles Using Nanoscale Lithography, Lauren Elizabeth Englade-Franklin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Approaches to prepare spatially selective surfaces were developed in this dissertation for constructing assemblies of biomolecules and inorganic materials. Nanoscale surface patterns of organic thin films were prepared using particle lithography combined with organosilane chemistry. Biological and inorganic nanomaterials can be patterned with tailorable periodicities, which can be controlled by selecting the diameter of mesospheres used as surface masks. The surface platforms of well-defined nanopatterns are ideal for high resolution investigations using scanning probe microscopy (SPM). Local measurements of surface properties combined with visualization of the steps of chemical reactions at the molecular level were accomplished. Fundamental studies of the …

Power System Differential Model With Application To Grid Dynamic Simulation, Boyu Wang

LSU Master's Theses

Nonlinearity of power system is always one of the difficulties when dealing with dynamic simulation of power systems. Solving differential-algebraic equations representing power systems are difficult without losing nonlinearity, especially for large power systems. This thesis shows an alternative method to solve nonlinear dynamical power system by producing a purely differential representation of the power systems. This new representation converts the algebraic equations to differential equations in order to have an absolute differential system. By using Runge-Kutta algorithm to solve this differential system, the results of the power system simulations are compared to trapezoidal integration algorithm commonly used to solve …