Digital Commons Network^™

Social Vulnerability In The Wake Of 2010 Bp Oil Spill: The Case Of Southeast Louisiana, Michael Ray Cope

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The research presented in this dissertation assesses the social impacts of the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon (BP-DH) oil spill in South Louisiana. The coastal region affected by this disaster is made up of rural communities whose residents rely on the Gulf of Mexico and its resources for their livelihoods. Understanding how this disaster has impacted the general quality of life in spill-affected communities, and how community characteristics have influenced vulnerability and resilience to negative outcomes, has important implications for basic and applied research and public policy. To examine these issues I use one-of-a-kind household survey data from the Community Oil …

Distribution And Female Reproductive State Differences In Orexigenic And Anorexigenic Neurons In The Brain Of The Mouthbrooding African Cichlid Fish, Astatotilapia Burtoni, Danielle Tiffany Porter

LSU Master's Theses

The integration of reproduction and metabolism is necessary for the survival and continuation of a species. While the neural circuits controlling energy homeostasis have been well-characterized, the signals controlling the relay of nutritional information to the reproductive axis are not conclusively defined. The cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni is ideal for studying the neural regulation of feeding and reproduction because during their parental care phase, females undergo a two-week period of forced starvation while holding developing young in their buccal cavity. To test the hypothesis that candidate neuropeptides known to be involved in feeding and energy homeostasis in mammals show conserved …

A Descriptive Study Of Teens’ Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy, Cherie S. Roger

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine if differences exist between 4-H members and non 4-H members in a south Louisiana parish on career decision making self-efficacy. This study may help youth recognize experiences that help them make career decisions. This was a cross-sectional study designed to describe 4-H and non-4-H members on career decision making self-efficacy. This study describes the information obtained from a one-time pencil/paper survey. All participants will remain anonymous. There was a statistically significant positive association between career decision making outcome expectancy/intentions and goals and years in 4-H as well as total club membership. As …

Olivier Messiaen's Influence In The Violoncello Works Of Toru Takemitsu, Susannah Violet Montandon

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This monograph is an examination of Oliver Messiaen’s influence in the violoncello solo and chamber compositions of Tōru Takemitsu. A total of sixteen pieces: Le Son Calligraphie I (1958), Le Son Calligraphie III (1960), Scene (1959), Landscape (1960), Corona II (1962), Valeria (1969), Quatrain (1975), Quatrain II (1977), Waterways (1978), A Way Alone (1981), Orion for Violoncello and Piano (1984), Orion and Pleiades: Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra (1984), Entre-Temps (1986), A Solitary Road (1988), Herbstlied (1993), and Between Tides (1993), are studied to determine the degree of Messiaen’s influence. The research is through a cellistic and musicological analysis including …

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Status In Overweight Pregnant Women Of Louisiana, Adriana Virginia Gaitan

LSU Master's Theses

Omega-3 fatty acids are well known to benefit pregnant women and infant outcomes. More women are entering pregnancy with excess weight which puts them at higher risk for complications such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and preterm delivery, amongst others. In the present study we assessed the omega-3 fatty acid (docosahexaenoic acid, DHA) status in overweight (BMI = 25.0 - 29.9 kg/m2) pregnant women of Louisiana. Age, ethnicity, weeks of pregnancy, weight, and length were recorded for each participant. Dietary intakes were assessed by repeated 24-h dietary recalls using the University of Minnesota Nutrient Data System for Research. Blood samples were …

Stress Tolerance Enhancement Of Rice By Genetic Manipulation Of A Bhlh-Myc2 Transcription Factor, Luis Eduardo Sanchez Timm

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Rice yield is adversely affected by various abiotic and biotic stresses. Jasmonic acid (JA) signaling has been implicated in stress response of plants. The nuclear localized basic helix loop helix (bHLH) Myc2 transcription factor is known to be a master regulator of genes involved in the response of the JA-mediated signaling pathway during stress and plant development. Myc2 is also induced by wounding and mechanical damage, and is associated with resistance against herbivore insects. In order to understand the mode of action of Myc2 in stress response of rice, overexpresser (OE) and knock-down (KD) mutants for OsMyc2 were generated in …

Fermentable Non-Digestible Dietary Fiber And Bioactive Compounds Affect Aging And Fat Deposition In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Chenfei Gao

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Overweight and obesity have been imposing $147 billion a year to the health care system in the United States. Limited medications are available in the market with side effects. Surgical treatments are second-line obesity treatments. Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced from the fermentable resistant starch improves the secretion of satiety hormones peptide YY (PYY) and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) from L-endocrine cells of cecum and colon. We hypothesized that consumption of fermentable non-digestible dietary fiber and bioactive compounds will increase insulin sensitivity, reduce body fat, and improve healthspan in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), and hyperglycemia (2% glucose) that may …

Examining Electronic Medical Records System Adoption And Implications For Emergency Medicine Practice And Providers, Barbara Cook Overton

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This ethnographic research study documented the use and effects of an electronic medical records system (EMR) by healthcare providers working in a community hospital-based emergency room. Using data collected from participant observation, in-depth interviews, questionnaires, and hospital documents, the research findings suggest EMRs impinge providers’ agency, alter emergency room systems, affect communication patterns among providers, and exacerbate structurational divergence (SD) conditions. Findings suggest that providers’ attempts to regain lost agency tips the SD-nexus into an SD-cycle, characterized by negative communication spirals between providers. The discussion chapter examines the impact of EMRs on emergency room structures, system reproduction, providers’ workflow and …

An Exploration Of Plasmonics For Nanoparticle-Based Gene Delivery, Corey Raymond Landry

LSU Master's Theses

The spatiotemporal control of biological processes, especially cell growth and differentiation, remains one of the most compelling challenges in basic and clinical biomedical research. Fields as diverse as cancer therapy and regenerative medicine rely on spatial and temporal control of biochemical cues to achieve desired biological objectives. MicroRNA are attractive for highly-localized delivery applications because their instability in the cell restricts their biological effect to a small target area. These short, non-coding strands can be easily synthesized and modified for attachment and release from nanoparticle delivery vehicles. The research interest around microRNA therapies has produced a wide array of pathways …

Money, Power, Respect: Philanthropic Giving Of African American Alumni Of Predominately White Institutions, Melvin Jonathan Jackson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

As colleges and universities throughout the United States face economic downturns that translate into budget reductions, hiring freezes, and academic program dissolution, it is becoming increasingly more pertinent to secure valuable alumni donations to meet the financial and budgetary needs of these institutions. African American alumni of Predominately white Institutions (PWIs) have often been an overlooked resource for colleges and universities soliciting philanthropic donations. This study will explore the relationship between African American alumni and their Predominately white alma maters and how this relationship affects philanthropic giving to the institutions. In addition to exposing the stimulus for giving to their …

Expression And Characterization Of Mouse Notch1 Abruptex Egf Repeats In E. Coli, Amid Paudyal

LSU Master's Theses

Notch1 is a transmembrane protein involved in cell signaling, which is found to be linked to various genetic and neurodegenerative diseases. The extracellular domain of the Notch1 protein consists of 36 tandem epidermal growth factor-like (EGF) repeats, which are directly involved in ligand binding and are heavily glycosylated. EGF 24-29 repeats lie in the Abruptex region of the Notch1 protein, and regulate the ligand binding activity through structural changes. The role of glycosylation in ligand binding events and the overall structure of the Abruptex region are not known. Also, the role of calcium binding in Notch activation or inhibition is …

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Dynamics In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Puspa Lal Adhikari

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are introduced into the marine environment via oil seeps/spills, riverine discharges, continental runoff, coastal erosion, and atmospheric deposition. An estimated 2.1 x 1010g of PAHs entered into the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) during the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill in 2010. It became evident following the oil spill that accurate quantification of ultimate fate of these potentially carcinogenic and/or mutagenic organic pollutants is extremely challenging. In general, very little is known about PAHs fate, distribution and accumulation in the open ocean ecosystems. This study determines the upper ocean vertical fluxes and sedimentary PAHs accumulation rates …

The Form And Use Of Social Capital Among Foreign Direct Investors In Their Interactions With Locals In Northern Laos, Bjarne Sorensen

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The research conducted for this thesis is in the area of international business; it has focused on the emerging market of Laos – and it has in particular sought to identify the form and use of social capital in the northern part of the country. This thesis will present the rationale behind the research, the planning that took place before the fieldwork commenced, and most importantly the findings of the study.

Social capital is a sociological concept that since the early 1990s has gained significant recognition in the literature. While the benefits to holders of economic capital is commonly recognised …

Mechanisms Contributing To Differential Regulation Of Pax3 Downstream Target Genes In Normal Human Epidermal Melanocytes Versus Melanoma Cells, Danielle Bartlett, Glen M. Boyle, Mel Ziman, Sandra Medic

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Melanoma is a highly aggressive and drug resistant form of skin cancer. It arises from melanocytes, the pigment producing cells of the skin. The formation of these melanocytes is driven by the transcription factor PAX3 early during embryonic development. As a result of alternative splicing, the PAX3 gene gives rise to eight different transcripts which encode isoforms that have different structures and activate different downstream target genes involved in pathways of cell proliferation, migration, differentiation and survival. Furthermore, posttranslational modifications have also been shown to alter the functions of PAX3.We previously identified PAX3 downstream target genes in melanocytes and melanoma …

The Nature Of Attachment Relationships And Grief Responses In Older Adults: An Attachment Path Model Of Grief, Yan Kho, Robert T. Kane, Lynn E. Priddis, Josephine Hudson

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Various researchers have theorized that bereaved adults who report non-secure attachment are at higher risk of pathological grief. Yet past findings on avoidant attachment representations and grief have yielded limited and contradictory outcomes. Little research has been conducted with older adults to identify the psychological processes that mediate between self-reported attachment representations and the patterns of grief.

Objective: To examine the impacts of avoidant attachment and anxious attachment dimensions on emotion and non-acceptance, in response to the loss of a conjugal partner, and the mediating effect of yearning thoughts.

Design: Men (N = 21) and women (N …

Failure Of Science, Death Of Nature, H.F. Recher

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

As a people, Australians have lost contact with the world of nature, Risking the collapse of civilization. One factor in the alienation of nature in Australia is the failure of the scientific community to take responsibility for the technology created by the knowledge generated from scientific research. Science has failed to protect Australia's flora and fauna. Scientists must communicate more widely with society, but need to be educated on how to communicate and on their ethical responsibilities to others and other species. Government needs to show leadership in environmental management and nature conservation, while conservationists need to 'invert the paradigm', …

Volume Reduction Of Municipal Solid Wastes Contaminated With Radioactive Cesium By Ferrocyanide Coprecipitation Technique, Y. Fujikawa, H. Ozaki, H. Tsuno, P. Wei, A. Fujinaga, R. Takanami, S. Taniguchi, S. Kimura, R.R. Giri, Paul Lewtas

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Municipal solid wastes (MSW) with elevated concentrations of radioactive cesium (rad-Cs hereafter) have been generated in some areas of Japan in the aftermath of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (F1 hereafter) accident. Both recycling and final disposal of the contaminated MSW have become a difficult problem in the affected areas, resulting in accumulation of treated residues in the treatment facilities. The rad-Cs in MSW, especially fly ash, often showed a high leaching rate. Extraction of contaminated MSW with water or hot oxalic acid followed by selective removal of rad-Cs from the extract using ferrocyanide (Fer hereafter) coprecipitation technique could …

Psychological Distress And Quality Of Life In Lung Cancer: The Role Of Health-Related Stigma, Illness Appraisals And Social Constraints, Suzanne Chambers, P. Baade, P. Youl, J. Aitken, S. Occhipinti, S. Vinod, P.C. Valery, G. Garvey, K.M. Fong, D. Ball, H. Zorbas, J. Dunn, D.L. O'Connell

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objective: Health-related stigma is associated with negative psychological and quality of life outcomes in lung cancer patients. This study describes the impact of stigma on lung cancer patients' psychological distress and quality of life and explores the role of social constraints and illness appraisal as mediators of effect. Methods: A self-administered cross-sectional survey examined psychological distress and quality of life in 151 people (59% response rate) diagnosed with lung cancer from Queensland and New South Wales. Health-related stigma, social constraints and illness appraisals were assessed as predictors of adjustment outcomes. Results: Forty-nine percent of patients reported elevated anxiety; 41% were …

Infant Feeding Practices Of Emirati Women In The Rapidly Developing City Of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Hazel Gardner, Katherine Green, Andrew Gardner

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Rapid economic and cultural transition in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been accompanied by new challenges to public health; most notably a rapid rise in chronic disease. Breastfeeding is known to improve health outcomes in adulthood, is associated with reduced risk of developing chronic disease, and is therefore an important public health issue for this rapidly increasing population. Factors associated with infant feeding practices were examined in a cohort of 125 Emirati women and their infants, with data collected at birth and 3, 6 and 15 months postpartum by questionnaires and interviews. Participants were recruited in the Corniche Hospital, …

Tunable Optical Nanocavity Of Iron-Garnet With A Buried Metal Layer, Alexey N. Kuz'michev, Lars E. Kreilkamp, Mohammed Nur-E-Alam, Evgeni Bezus, Mikhail Vasilev, Iliya A. Akimov, Kamal Alameh, Manfred Bayer, Vladimir I. Belotelov

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

We report on the fabrication and characterization of a novel magnetophotonic structure designed as iron garnet based magneto-optical nanoresonator cavity constrained by two noble metal mirrors. Since the iron garnet layer requires annealing at high temperatures, the fabrication process can be rather challenging. Special approaches for the protection of metal layers against oxidation and morphological changes along with a special plasma-assisted polishing of the iron garnet layer surface were used to achieve a 10-fold enhancement of the Faraday rotation angle (up to 10.8°=μm) within a special resonance peak of 12 nm (FWHM) linewidth at a wavelength of 772 nm, in …

Properties Of Exchange Coupled All-Garnet Magneto-Optic Thin Film Multilayer Structures, Mohammed Nur-E-Alam, Mikhail Vasilev, Viacheslav A. Kotov, Dmitry Balabanov, Ilya Akimov, Kamal Alameh

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The effects of exchange coupling on magnetic switching properties of all-garnet multilayer thin film structures are investigated. All-garnet structures are fabricated by sandwiching a magneto-soft material of composition type Bi_1.8Lu_1.2Fe_3.6Al_1.4O₁₂ or Bi₃Fe₅O₁₂:Dy₂O₃ in between two magneto-hard garnet material layers of composition type Bi₂Dy₁Fe₄Ga₁O₁₂ or Bi₂Dy₁Fe₄Ga₁O₁₂:Bi₁₂O₃. The fabricated RF magnetron sputtered exchange-coupled all-garnet multilayers demonstrate a very attractive combination of …

Prostate Cancer Support Groups: Canada-Based Specialists' Perspectives, John L. Oliffe, Suzanne K. Chambers, Bernie Garrett, Joan L. Bottorff, Michael Mckenzie, Christina S. Han, John S. Ogrodniszuk

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

To understand prostate cancer (PCa) specialists’ views about prostate cancer support groups (PCSGs), a volunteer sample of Canada-based PCa specialists ( n = 150), including urologists ( n = 100), radiation oncologists ( n = 40), and medical oncologists ( n = 10) were surveyed. The 56-item questionnaire used in this study included six sets of attitudinal items to measure prostate cancer specialists’ beliefs about positive and negative influences of PCSGs, reasons for attending PCSGs, the attributes of effective PCSGs, and the value of face-to-face and web-based PCSGs. In addition, an open-ended question was included to invite additional input from …

Foundational Concepts Of Business, Steelman Library

Syllabus Repository

No abstract provided.

Drawing 1, Steelman Library, Jon Seals

Syllabus Repository

No abstract provided.

Fundamentals Of Speech, Steelman Library, Richard C. Harris Dr.

Syllabus Repository

No abstract provided.

Fundamentals Of Speech, Steelman Library, Richard C. Harris Dr.

Syllabus Repository

No abstract provided.

Fundamentals Of Speech, Steelman Library, Sheila A. Skipper Apr

Syllabus Repository

No abstract provided.

Western Art Appreciation, Steelman Library, Jon Seals

Syllabus Repository

No abstract provided.

Photography, Steelman Library, Chad Neuman

Syllabus Repository

No abstract provided.

Photography, Steelman Library, Chad Neuman

Syllabus Repository

No abstract provided.