Digital Commons Network^™

Fat Boy Private Dance, Adam M. Schwartz

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

After spending a decade losing weight following a traumatic high school experience, Mark has a great life with a beautiful girlfriend, good job which he's passionate about, and a wonderful group of friends. Everything changes when his high school bully reenters his life and shakes his confidence to the point of developing a severe case of body dysmorphia at a time when it's crucial he's confident, as he promised to do a private dance for his girlfriend.

Effects Of Pharmacological De-Prenylation Of Rhes On Motor Behavior In A Beta-Nitropropionic Acid Animal Model Of Huntington's Disease, Ashley Whitmarsh

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a heritable, neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor, cognitive, and psychiatric disturbances. The progressive disease is caused by an unstable CAG expansion within the gene that normally encodes for the huntingtin protein (Htt). The expanded mutant form of Htt (mHtt) is expressed ubiquitously throughout patients’ bodies; however, neuronal degeneration is prominent only in the corpus striatum and, to a lesser extent, the cortex. The Ras homolog Rhes is also preferentially localized to the striatum. The putative co-factor Rhes has been shown to act with mHtt to cause neuronal death. Simvastatin, a lipid lowering drug, and zoledronate, a …

“How Do You Define Yourself?” Mobilizing Leadership In The Graduate Employee Union Movement, Kathleen Ragon

Master's Theses

Social movement scholars agree that leadership plays a crucial role in the emergence, structure, and outcomes of social movement organizations (SMOs) and is thus an indispensable area of research. The vast majority of theories of leadership to date have been developed in contexts where participants’ movement identities are relatively stable (e.g., gender, sexual, or occupational) and engagement in the site of contestation will be long-term (e.g., workplace or nation state). However, the recent proliferation of graduate student employee unions poses a challenge to this literature because graduate students’ employment is by its very nature temporary and variable; graduate assistantship appointments …

Correction Of Verication Bias Using Log-Linear Models For A Single Binaryscale Diagnostic Tests, Haresh Rochani, Hani M. Samawi, Robert L. Vogel, Jingjing Yin

Biostatistics: Faculty Publications

In diagnostic medicine, the test that determines the true disease status without an error is referred to as the gold standard. Even when a gold standard exists, it is extremely difficult to verify each patient due to the issues of costeffectiveness and invasive nature of the procedures. In practice some of the patients with test results are not selected for verification of the disease status which results in verification bias for diagnostic tests. The ability of the diagnostic test to correctly identify the patients with and without the disease can be evaluated by measures such as sensitivity, specificity and predictive …

The Role Of The State, Multinational Oil Companies, International Law & The International Community: Intersection Of Human Rights & Environmental Degradation Climate Change In The 21st Century Caused By Traditional Extractive Practices, The Amazon Rainforest, Indigenous People And Universal Jurisdiction To Resolve The Accountability Issue, Marcela Cabrera Luna

Master's Theses

Local, national and international conventions that protect indigenous sovereignty and their territories, where many of the resources are extracted from by multinational corporations (MNCs) particularly oil, the number one commodity of the world and cause of climate change, continue to be jeopardized because of the lack of a clear international legal framework that can protect them and potentially hold multinationals accountable for their actions. These practices are causing not only environmental issues to the indigenous and surrounding communities, but climate change is in fact, the real human rights issue of the 21^st century and it affects everyone. By using …

Uruguay’S Governing Alliance Deeply Divided Over Foreign Policy, Andrã©S Gaudã­N

NotiSur

No abstract provided.

Barriers To Leaving Poverty, Aouie R. Rubio

Master's Projects and Capstones

Rubicon Programs transformed its programs through recent strategic planning efforts to address the change in their mission that refocuses their goal on the eradication of poverty. The challenge for the design team was reimagining with fresh eyes the organization’s programs and service delivery model by examining what is needed from a holistic approach to move individuals out of poverty; becoming self-sufficient without recidivating back to poverty levels. This focus on moving people out of poverty and increasing sustainable self-sufficiency and not simply finding employment adds a complex level of program design aspects to consider. It is important for the participant …

Hepatitis C: A Perspective Through The Social Ecological Model, Sandra H. Vulis

Master's Projects and Capstones

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major global public health problem. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) affects 3.2 million Americans and 500 million people from a global standpoint (CDC, 2012). HCV contributes to significant morbidity and mortality with about 1 million deaths due to liver disease (World Hepatitis Alliance, 2010). Chronic liver disease has origins ranging from acquired, infectious, toxic and metabolic causes. Long-term consequences include cancer, cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), and liver failure. Given the substantial data attributable to HCV-related liver disease, it is necessary to develop an …

Urban Stormwater Management: Treatment Of Heavy Metals And Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons With Bioretention And Permeable Pavement Technologies, Viktoriya Sirova

Master's Projects and Capstones

Urban stormwater runoff is a major non-point source of pollutants release into the environment. Pollutants of concern include sediments; heavy metals; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); petroleum hydrocarbons; and chlorinated organic compounds, such as pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls. Conventional stormwater management practices are designed to dispose of the runoff as quickly as possible, not to treat the pollutants. Low Impact Development (LID) concept is an alternative approach to the conventional framework that attempts to recreate hydrologically functional landscape mimicking pre-development regimes. This research paper assesses the effectiveness of two LID technologies, bioretention and permeable pavements in treating PAHs and common urban …

Extension Agriculture And Natural Resources In The U.S. Midwest: A Review And Analysis Of Challenges And Future Opportunities, Mahdi M. Al-Kaisi, Roger Wesley Elmore, Gerald A. Miller, David Kwaw-Mensah

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

This review addresses key changes in U.S. agricultural extension and future opportunities. Agricultural extension has been a part of the land-grant university (LGU) system for more than 100 years. The Morrill Act of 1862 established the LGU system by authorizing states access to federally controlled land and funding for public institutions offering educational opportunities focusing on agriculture and mechanical arts for farmers and the working class. Current surveys in Iowa reveal changing trends in extension: more than 90% of farmers identified private-sector crop advisers as their primary source for recommendations, whereas more than 80% of those advisors identified Iowa State …

Assessment Of Selected Antibiotic Resistances In Ungrazed Native Nebraska Prairie Soils, Lisa M. Durso, David A. Wedin, John E. Gilley, Daniel N. Miller, David B. Marx

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The inherent spatial heterogeneity and complexity of antibioticresistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance (AR) genes in manureaffected soils makes it difficult to sort out resistance that can be attributed to human antibiotic use from resistance that occurs naturally in the soil. This study characterizes native Nebraska prairie soils that have not been affected by human or food-animal waste products to provide data on background levels of resistance in southeastern Nebraskan soils. Soil samples were collected from 20 sites enumerated on tetracycline and cefotaxime media; screened for tetracycline-, sulfonamide-, b-lactamase–, and macrolide-resistance genes; and characterized for soil physical and chemical parameters. All …

Improving Energy Sustainability In Electrical Vehicle Energy Networks And Internet Of Things, Abdurrahman Arikan

Doctoral Dissertations

Energy sustainability is a pressing issue facing the modern society. The twin pillars of sustainable energy are renewable energy and energy efficiency. In this dissertation, we propose novel architectures and approaches to improve energy sustainability in two application domains: transportation and the Internet of Things. Transporta- tion is one of the major sources of energy consumption and environmental pollution. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) present many opportunities in improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, with batteries and built-in mobility, PHEVs can form a mobile and distributed energy network, where energy can be conveniently transported from place …

Flame Combustion Synthesis Of Nano-Materials For Catalysts And Sensors, Rishabh Jain

Doctoral Dissertations

Synthesis of functional nanomaterial thin films using a scalable flame combustion technique called Reactive Spray Deposition Technology (RSDT) was explored. Nanomaterials were used as sensing film for local gas monitoring and human breath analysis for medical diagnosis (different phases of WO₃) and catalysts for water-gas shift (WGS) reaction (Pt supported on ceria). Areas of application include: handheld portable devices for immediate breath composition monitoring, medical diagnosis, and environment monitoring (workplace, residence and automobile). Two case studies will be explained in detail: (1) acetone sensing in human breath for blood glucose monitoring and (2) NO₂ sensing for air …

Designing Safer Sex Infographics: Framing Data With Emotional And Rational Appeals, Yi Wang

Doctoral Dissertations

This study compares the effects of two safer sex infographic message strategies on American college students: the traditional social cognitive intervention approach (SC) versus the SC plus emotional intervention approach (SCE). An experiment was conducted to examine how message framing (gain-framed versus loss-framed) and data representation (rational versus emotional) embedded in the infographics influence health message processing, perceived severity of not using a condom, and condom use intention. Across all conditions, sexually inactive participants reported a significantly higher intention to use a condom compared to the sexually active participants. Among sexually active participants, SCE approach led to significantly higher condom …

Cooperative, Cognitive And Coordinated Communications For Underwater Acoustic Networks, Yu Luo

Doctoral Dissertations

Underwater acoustic networks (UANs) have a wide range of applications. However, UANs face grand challenges on the narrow communication bandwidth. To tackle this issue, in this dissertation, I explore three critical techniques: cooperative communications (COP-COM), cognitive communications (COG-COM) and coordinated communications (COD-COM), to improve acoustic spectrum usage.

In the first research thread, I propose a new relay selection criterion, called cooperative best relay assessment (COBRA), for underwater COP-COM. COBRA takes into account not only the spectral efficiency but also the long propagation delays of acoustic signals. In addition to COBRA, I develop a new cooperative scheme, called mirror node assisted …

Mechanisms Of Hepatitis C Viral Resistance To Direct Acting Antivirals, Asma Ahmed, Daniel J. Felmlee

Peninsula Medical School

No abstract provided.

Mother Tongue Interference In English Language Pronunciation Of The Chinese Immigrant In The United States, Chaowei Hu

Master's Projects and Capstones

English is one of the most widely used languages in the world. As an unofficial lingua franca, it serves a key role in cross-cultural communication. Chinese immigrants in the US will certainly encounter many difficulties in acquiring L2 proficiency. Some of these challenges are tied to 1) Chinese immigrants’ history in the US and the variety of Chinese dialects; 2) distinctions between Chinese and English phonological systems; 3) diversity among Chinese Americans; 3) mother tongue influence on English language learning; and 4) foreign language anxiety.

“It Is The Promiscuous Woman Who Is Giving Us The Most Trouble”: The Internal War On Prostitution In New Orleans During World War Ii, Allison Baffoni

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

When the United States entered World War II, federal officials began planning a war on prostitution and decided to make New Orleans the poster city for reform. New Orleans held a reputation for being a destination for prostitution tin the U.S. A federally appointed group aptly named the Social Protection Division began a repression campaign in militarily dense areas throughout the United States. The goal was to protect soldiers by eliminating the threat from venereal disease carrying prostitutes. The Social Protection Division created a campaign with the New Orleans Health Department and the New Orleans Police Department to repression prostitution. …

Here Goes Nothing: Creating The Role Of Timothy Allgood In "Noises Off.", Justin G. Bupp

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Noises Off is the epitome of farce. Doors everywhere, mistaken identities, and unrequited love. The characters push themselves to the limit, both mentally and physically. They stop at nothing to put on their production and their stage manager, Timothy Allgood, becomes the babysitter of the group, which at times becomes comparable to herding cats.

This document describes the journey made from casting to final bows. It contains biographical research on the playwright, Michael Frayn, as well as a historical look at the genre of farce, techniques pioneered by Sanford Meisner and Konstantin Stanislavski, along with materials, including a scored script, …

Contagious Deadly Sins: Yellow Fever In Nineteenth-Century New Orleans Literature, Kathleen M. Downes

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Throughout the nineteenth century, New Orleans was repeatedly plagued by yellow fever epidemics. In this paper, cultural representations of yellow fever are considered in three novels: Baron Ludwig Von Reizenstein’s The Mysteries of New Orleans (1854-1855), George Washington Cable’s The Grandissimes (1880), and Mollie Evelyn Moore Davis’ The Queen’s Garden (1900). Because the etiology was unknown during the nineteenth century, yellow fever becomes a floating signifier on which to project the ills they observed in New Orleans society. Yellow fever thus becomes a representation of loose sexual mores, as well as a divinely retributive punishment for slavery, or …

A Quantitative Study Of The Variables That Influence Work-Family Conflict Of Female Counselors, Emeline Eckart

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between female counselors’ work-family conflict and their demographic (i.e., ethnicity, age, educational level, and annual household income), occupational (i.e., ethnicity, age, educational level, and annual household income), and family (i.e., marital/partner status; number of children at home under the age of 18; age of youngest child; care of elderly, ill, or disabled family members; source of support; and support) characteristics. Super’s (1990) Life-Space Life-Span theory provided a framework to understand female counselors’ engagement in multiple roles in work and family and the conflict that can result in two directions: work …

Depending On Where You Come From, Jessica P. Kastner

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Restoring The Mississippi River Delta In Louisiana Ecological Tradeoffs And Barriers To Action, Alison Maulhardt

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the Louisiana 2012 Coastal Master Plan’s ability to reconcile conflicting economic and ecological demands on coastal resources. The Louisiana Coastal Master Plan was unique in combining flood control and coastal restoration under one authority. However, the objectives of flood control and coastal restoration can be in conflict. The plan was also unique in its approach of restoration from a working coast perspective. However, the objectives of ecological restoration and economic productivity do not always agree. By conducting semi-structured interviews with major coastal stakeholders, this research will explore how the planning process has accommodated the views and values …

Are Physically Active College Students More Successful Academically Than Their Inactive Peers?, Jared T. Meacham

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This research project intended to explore the possible relationship between physical activity and academic achievement in college students. Using an anonymous online survey, data was collected over two semesters. Ten thousand currently-enrolled college students ages eighteen and older from all states and recognized territories of the United States participated. The survey gathered data concerning a student’s age, gender, race, body weight, height, geographic region of college attendance, cumulative GPA, and physical activity level. The FIT Index of Kasari was used to classify each student’s physical activity level. A quintile split by FIT score was conducted to determine if physically active …

Antiviral Peptide Nanocomplexes As Potential Therapeutics For The Treatment Of Infectious Diseases, Jinjin Zhang

Theses & Dissertations

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is recognized as a major burden in global public health, which can be further exacerbated by several cofactors such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Currently, there is no vaccine for HCV. The emergence of potent and highly specific direct-acting antivirals (DAA) has marked a new era in HCV therapy, however, the remaining issues like affordability, genotype dependency, and potential resistance still necessitate the development of additional therapeutic approaches to be used instead or in combination with DAA.

Recently, the antiviral peptide C5A (in our studies designated as p1) and its cationic derivative p41 have been identified …

Strengthening Public Health Through Web-Based Data Query Systems, Manik Ahuja

Doctoral Dissertations

Archival abstract submitted.

Improving Inpatient Influenza Compliance Rates With A Standing Orders Program, Marlee E. Gruber

Master's Projects and Capstones

Influenza vaccinations are recommended yearly as part of a primary care performance measure to prevent and control seasonal influenza. Rates of influenza are steadily increasing and can lead to severe negative impacts and even fatalities with patients. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC)’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), less than 40 percent of the U.S. population receives the flu vaccine yearly. It is suggested by the CDC that Annual vaccination is the most effective method for preventing influenza virus infection and its complications. The Department of Health and Human Services’ Healthy People 2020 includes a goal of …

The Smell Of Hopelessness, Juline Cariba Rachel Party

Capstones

Rafts of sargassum seaweed kilometers wide have been invading the Caribbean for more than five years, but 2015 was the worst. Tons of seaweed stretch from Texas south to Trinidad and Tobago, with the Lesser Antilles suffering the most damage. Residents near beaches are exposed to an insidious and pernicious danger, scientists say, from fumes that smell like rotten eggs, emitted by the decaying algae. The odor also drives tourists away from beaches and restaurants, and the tourism economy is collapsing.Amid the algae crisis, an elderly woman, Virginie Mark, is trying to survive. She struggles with her health, finances and …

Increasing Self Care Compliance With Follow-Up Appointments, Elsa T. Owens

Master's Projects and Capstones

The congestive heart failure patient faces many challenges after discharge from the hospital. Learning how to manage diet, medications, and other lifestyle changes needed for symptom management can lead to multiple readmissions and rapid progression of condition. Many patients feel overwhelmed at time of discharge from the hospital, and many miss key components in discharge instructions and education. The main objective of the organizations Heart Failure program is to educate patients who have been admitted into the hospital with systolic or diastolic heart failure. Within our team we set out to educate our patients and their families on reducing incidents …

Prioritizing The Management Of Arundo Donax: Recommendations For Removal And Revegetation In California Riparian Habitats, Matthew S. Waterworth

Master's Projects and Capstones

The highly invasive grass species, giant reed (Arundo donax), has been a major contributor to riparian habitat degradation in California for over 50 years. Several modes of vegetative reproduction have allowed this alien species to take advantage of fluvial processes and rapidly spread within California watersheds. A. donax dramatically alters hydrologic regimes, displaces native vegetation, and removes food and habitat for native wildlife. It is widely accepted that removal of this invasive on a watershed scale is critical to restore natural riparian processes and facilitate the reestablishment of native flora and fauna. The following study analyzed the efficacy of …