Digital Commons Network^™

Developing Mediators: An Analysis Of The Changing Associations Of Ghanaian Internet Cafe Users Between 2003 And 2014, Matthew Gregory Leblanc

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines interview data gathered a decade apart, in 2003 and in 2014.The analysis answers the questions: "How were café patrons using the Internet in 2003 and how do the 2003 findings of this study compare to the findings of other studies conducted around the same time?" "How has Internet usage changed between 2003 and 2014?" "How has the Internet café business changed over the last decade?" This study starts by reviewing the theory and literature which informs studies of the Internet and Internet cafés in developing countries. Two years were spent discovering the fate of the 2003 locations. …

Il-15 Mediates Mitochondrial Activity Through A Ppar𝛿-Dependent-Ppar𝛼-Independent Mechanism In Skeletal Muscle Cells, Shantaé M. Thornton, James E. Krolopp, Marcia J. Abbott

Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Articles

Molecular mediators of metabolic processes, to increase energy expenditure, have become a focus for therapies of obesity. The discovery of cytokines secreted from the skeletal muscle (SKM), termed “myokines,” has garnered attention due to their positive effects on metabolic processes. Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is a myokine that has numerous positive metabolic effects and is linked to the PPAR family of mitochondrial regulators. Here, we aimed to determine the importance of PPAR𝛼 and/or PPAR𝛿 as targets of IL-15 signaling. C2C12 SKM cells were differentiated for 6 days and treated every other day with IL-15 (100 ng/mL), a PPAR𝛼 inhibitor (GW-6471), a PPAR𝛿 …

Reliability Of Auditory-Perceptual Ratings Of Dysarthric Speech: Hypokinetic Dysarthria Secondary To Parkinson's Disease, Jessica Lynn Miller

LSU Master's Theses

Perceptual judgment has been the gold standard in clinical practice, especially regarding differential diagnosis and treatment of dysarthria. Thus, it is critical to establish the reliability of perceptual ratings of the speech characteristics associated with different types of dysarthria. Despite its importance, the reliability and sensitivity of perceptual ratings of speech disturbance have been somewhat questioned. The purpose of this study was to examine the interrater reliability of ratings of perceptual characteristics and the saliency of these characteristics as related to hypokinetic dysarthria. Due to the feasibility issue, the scope of the study was limited to hypokinetic dysarthria associated with …

Antecedents And Consequences Of Procedural Fairness Perceptions In Personnel Selection: A Three-Year Longitudinal Study, Udo Konradt, Yvonne Garbers, Martina Böge, Berrin Erdogan, Talya N. Bauer

Business Faculty Publications and Presentations

Drawing on Gilliland’s (1993) selection fairness framework, we examined antecedents and behavioral effects of applicant procedural fairness perceptions before, during, and after a personnel selection procedure using a six-wave longitudinal research design. Results showed that both perceived post-test fairness and pre-feedback fairness perceptions are related to job offer acceptance and job performance after 18 months, but not to job performance after 36 months. Pre-test and post-test procedural fairness perceptions were mainly related to formal characteristics and interpersonal treatment, whereas pre-feedback fairness perceptions were related to formal characteristics and explanations. The impact of fairness attributes of formal characteristics and interpersonal treatment …

Friends Of The Children: Strategies For Scaling Impact, Jacen Greene, Nicki Yechin Lee, Eric Nelsen

Business Faculty Publications and Presentations

Friends of the Children, a nonprofit organization in Portland, Oregon, was founded in 1993 by retired entrepreneur Duncan Campbell to serve youth at the highest risk of teen parenting, incarceration, or dropping out of school. Each youth client was matched with a paid mentor from first grade through the end of high school. The costs of this intervention were high, but the outcomes were extremely impressive in each of the three risk areas. The total benefits to society of Friends of the Children’s intervention was estimated at $7 for every $1 spent on the program.

In the United States alone, …

Essays On Regional Economic Growth In China, Ting Wang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation comprises of three essays that contribute to the literature on regional economic growth in China. In Chapter 2, I examine the impact of manufacturing growth on employment in the non-tradable sector for prefecture-level cities in China. I find that adding ten manufacturing jobs creates 3.4 additional jobs in the non-tradable sector during 2000-2010. The multiplier is greater for high-technology manufacturing industries, is the largest for wholesale, retail and catering, and is greater in inland regions. In Chapter 3, I explore the role of industry and services in growth. I found that increase in industry output share will lead …

Influences On The Successful Implementation Of The Convention On Wetlands Of International Importance (Ramsar) Among Member Countries, Aziza Saud Al Adhoobi

LSU Master's Theses

Wetlands are very dynamic ecosystems and are featured all over the world’s landscape. Recent studies suggested that wetlands are in continuous decline, both and quantity and quality and between 64-71% is the estimated global wetland loss in the 20th century (Davidson 2014; Gardner et al., 2015). Therefore, as wetland loss increases around the world, more effort to protect and restore wetland habitat, values, and services become crucial. For this reason, the Ramsar Convention was established four decades ago to highlight the severity of wetland loss and to produce guidelines that aim to guide Contracting Parties toward sustainable and efficient management …

Competencies Of Outstanding Executive Coaches: A Grounded Theory Approach, Kent Mayo Blumberg

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The personal, business, and executive coaching industry is large and growing. In spite of the size and growth of the industry, the coaching research literature reveals a lack of understanding about the competencies of outstanding executive coaches. This grounded-theory study sought to discover a model of executive coach competencies, through in-depth interviews with coaches rated as outstanding by a large purchaser of coaching services. Sixteen coaches participated in the recorded and transcribed interviews. A line-by-line analysis of the transcripts led to a competency model for executive coaching. For the coaching research community, this study will fill a key gap in …

An Examination Of The Lived Experiences Of United States Military Veterans Who Have Been Diagnosed With Psychological Inflictions Of War Who Have Utilized Equine Assisted Therapy, Thomas Frederick Banner

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

As the result of multiple psychological conditions that are inflicted by war, the need for veterans’ well-being is ever evident. “PTSD changes the body’s response to stress, often making it difficult for PTSD victims to live their lives as they normally would” (Stokes, 2013, p. 1). It is possible to touch individuals who do not react to traditional therapy with a different type of therapy. It is recommended that veterans besieged with these same symptoms could benefit from therapy with animals. Renson (2010) concluded that animals have delivered numerous benefits to people using therapy. The benefits that animals offer in …

Results Of Operation Full Stop: Terminix Service Co. Inc., Control Of Formosan Subterranean Termites (Coptotermes Formosanus) In The French Quarter Of New Orleans, Edward Joseph Martin Iv

LSU Master's Theses

In New Orleans alone, the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus, causes $300 million in damages annually. Formosan subterranean termites are the most destructive subterranean termite in the world wherever they occur. From 1998- 2011 Operation Full Stop was implemented in five phases. Basic parameters were set up through the LSU AgCenter. French Quarter Residents were allowed to select their own licensed pest control operator for approved termite treatments. The United States Department of Agriculture in New Orleans provided funds to Operation Full Stop to pay the pest control operator for initial treatment and yearly renewal of termite contracts. Terminix Service …

Biomedical Applications Of Thiol-Acrylate Polymers, Leah Alyce Garber

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The development of biocompatible polymers using thiol-acrylate Michael addition reactions between not only acrylates and thiols but also between amines and acrylates were demonstrated. The synthesis of an in situ tertiary amine catalyst initiates the propagation steps of the polymerization process by subsequently reacting with trimethylolpropane tris (3-mercaptopropionate) (TMPTMP). A few notable characteristics of this reaction are tunable gel times, the capability of reaching high polymer conversion and suitable mechanical strength. With addition of hydroxyapatite to the polymeric phase and foaming, a porous bone composite was produced. Further osteogenisis and in vivo work using the PETA-co-TMPTMP (HA) composite material was …

The Politics Of Sensations: Body And Texture In Contemporary Cinema And Literature (Argentina - Cuba - Ireland), Guillermo Abel Severiche

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In my dissertation, I argue that the human body and physical sensations are not only objects or metaphors that appear in cultural artifacts, but also means of political representation. There are cultural artifacts with a corporeal dimension in which human bodily sensations and states, such as sexual arousal, disease, and pain, are represented. The body becomes a dimension integrated in the discursive form of the artwork. The (literary or cinematic) text evokes a texture, a sensitive skin. This corporeal means is politically engaged with the context in which the artwork has been produced: The body becomes a space of political …

Meeting Biopsychosocial Needs Of Individuals With Histories Of Multiple Adverse Childhood Experiences, Christine G. Morgan

LSU Master's Theses

According to Felitti and colleagues (1998), a significant portion of the general population has been exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) with subsequent and persistent, dose-related, negative consequences to physical and mental health. Debilitating disturbances to biopsychosocial well-being are significant and frequently lead to fatality in adulthood. After reviewing the prevalence and severity of ACEs, this thesis presents an overview of the literature outlining the biological, social, and psychological factors contributing to the development and progression of disease in the brain and body. Additionally, current trauma-informed interventions are summarized. Three experienced clinicians share practical advice for implementing evidence-based, trauma-informed mental …

Violent Conventions: An Analysis Of The Unintended Aesthetics Of On-Stage Accidents, Jeremy Matthew Reynolds

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In theatre scholarship, the event of the on-stage accident is a fairly neglected area of research. Aside from brief archival detailing of some of the more tragic events, scholars have not approached the accidents from a theoretical or historiographical position. Many, I surmise, find little of interest in an on-stage accident due to its lack of aesthetic purpose or intentionality. In this project, I focus on those neglected accidents and, more specifically, accidents that take place due to a violent failure of theatrical convention. I discuss three specific moments where a theatre convention – established to concretize the world of …

Idling Women: The Domestic Bildungsroman And The American City, 1830-1900, Jordan L. Von Cannon

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In Idling Women: The Domestic Bildungsroman and the American City, 1830-1900, I explore urban narratives of female non-development. In city novels featuring female protagonists, there are two normative arcs of development: either women find new opportunities for marriage, work, and, in some cases, independence in the city, or they fall prey to threats of seduction, poverty, and even death. However, these two plotlines fail to accommodate stories of women who wait to develop, fail at it, or otherwise resist what might be considered character growth. By problematizing distinctions between idleness and the American “work ethic” often tied to the industrialized …

Factors Influencing The Perceived Effectiveness Of The Transition Assistance Program Among Exiting Military Servicemembers At Military Installations In Louisiana, Timothy L. Rose

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

As proven in the aftermath of World War II, whenever the U.S. government shifts its efforts from wartime mobilization to peacetime demobilization, the Department of Defense (DoD) faces the complex task of transitioning military personnel to civilian life. In March of 2015, the researcher began an exploratory evaluation of the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) employment workshops. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the influence of selected personal and professional demographic characteristics on the perceptions of the effectiveness of the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) in accomplishing its stated purposes among exiting military servicemembers at military installations in Louisiana. …

Inequality In North Dakota : An Investigation, Colin Mummery

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Exploring Teaching Approaches And Sociocultural Dynamics In The Middle And High School English Second Language Teaching Environment From The Perspective Of The Multicultural Educator, Nancy Laguna Luque

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

ABSTRACT The act of teaching in the middle and high school involves highly complex sociocultural dynamics in challenging environments. English second language specialists are the type of educators that closely work with the most at risk students in that context. This study explored middle and high school multicultural ESL instructors’ literacy delivery approaches, the understanding they have of difficulties in their field of action, and their particular awareness, interpretation of otherness and attitudes regarding the specific characteristics of their working milieu. This qualitative study utilized participant observation and Developmental Research Sequence (Spradley, 1980) as the systematic approach to gather and …

Palmitoylation And Raft Distribution Of The Dopamine Transporter After Neurotoxin Exposure, Brett Johnson

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Characterizing The Response Of Primary Human Microglia To The Lyme Disease Causing Bacteria, Borrelia Burgdorferi, Jacob Greenmyer

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

The New Normal : How The Great Recession Changed The World Of Central Banking, Brandon Cole Beyer

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Truss Damage, Hira Tariq

LSU Master's Theses

Truss Damage examines negative cultural restrictions are imposed on family structures. It is an exploration of experimental and interactive narratives formed within virtual and real spaces. My research and implementation includes creating multisensory experiences through immersive technologies. With the use of devices such as Microsoft's Kinect controller, large LCD panels, and framed digital prints I am to bringing forth fragments of my past in order to create an interactive experience through movement and discovery of symbolic features.

The Role Of Nadph Oxidase 2 (Nox2) In High-Fat Diet-Induced Adiposopathy And Brain Dysfunction In A Mouse Model, Jennifer Kathleen Pepping

LSU Master's Theses

Obesity can have numerous detrimental consequences, namely metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. The pathogenesis and physiologic consequences of obesity are unknown, but they are often associated with increased inflammation and oxidative stress in both the body and in the brain. One factor that has been implicated in causing inflammation associated with a high fat diet is the enzyme NADPH oxidase, or NOX, specifically the subunit NOX2. Two studies were performed in order to assess the effects of a high fat diet in combination with a universal NOX2 deficiency and a NOX2 deficiency targeted to …

The Instruction Of Eros: A Content Analysis Of Sex Education Texts, Nicholas Ensley Mitchell

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study is a directed content analysis that employs a memetic framework done in order to determine what discourses are evident in, how diversity is represented in, and how intersectionality is represented in two sex education texts, and to compare the relevant frequencies. Theories from the dominant schools of thought concerning sex education and sexuality are enumerated, compared, and contrasted. A historiography of sex education in the United States is provided to establish context for the sampled texts. A explanation of the content analysis process in general and the methodology specifically used in this study is discussed followed by the …

Minimizing Decoherence In Optical Fiber For Long Distance Quantum Communication, Manish Kumar Gupta

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In this research work, I have derived analytical models for decoherence of quantum states of light and developed techniques based on Dynamical Decoupling (DD) to preserve the quantum state of polarization qubit and Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM) qudit in single-mode, multi-mode and specialized optical fibers. In subsequent work, I have derived the analytical model for decoherence of an entangled state in an optical fiber to show that such a decoherence causes loss of entanglement. I also showed that such states can be preserved with DD. In Chapter 1, I have introduced the subject of a quantum computer and its relation …

Efficacy And Feasibility Of Alginate Bait For The Louisiana Commercial Blue Crab (Callinectes Sapidus) Fishery, Elizabeth Lorraine Clowes

LSU Master's Theses

Louisiana leads all U.S. states in blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) landings, but high fuel and bait costs have hindered commercial fishing productivity of Louisiana in recent years. The primary baitfish, Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus), has steadily increased in price and decreased in availability, while crab prices remain low. To reduce costs for fishermen, an alternative bait was developed that incorporates shrimp waste into a semi-rigid alginate matrix. Lab testing and preliminary field tests show that shrimp-alginate bait may be a suitable alternative to menhaden for Louisiana crab fishermen. I evaluated bait performance by conducting field sampling to compare catch rates …

What Every New Coach Should Know: Analysis Of Coaches' Goals For Organizational Entry/Assimilation, Through The Goals-Plans-Action Theory And Socioemotional Selectivity Theory, Destini J'Ne Hughes

LSU Master's Theses

This manuscript attempts to act as an organizational entry pamphlet, in providing a wealth of knowledge to those who are looking to get into collegiate coaching for the first time. The majority of participants were selected from the coaching staff of NCAA Division I collegiate women's basketball teams, with a total of 55 participants involved in this study. Although this study was conducted specifically for new collegiate women basketball coaches that are starting the job for the first time, successfully, the results of this study can be applicable to any coach and any sport. Based on the responses of these …

An Investigation Of The Generalizability Of Buoyancy From Academics To Athletics, Jackie Rae Victoriano

LSU Master's Theses

Buoyancy, the ability of an individual to handle everyday setbacks, has been applied successfully to academics, and has implications for performance and well-being. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if the concept of buoyancy can be successfully applied to the domain of sports (i.e., athletic buoyancy). This study sought to examine the relationship between academic and athletic buoyancy, as well as the efficacy of five sport-oriented predictors (5Cs), confidence, coordination (planning), commitment, composure (anxiety), and control, on both athletic and academic buoyancy. Sport club athletes (N = 285) aged 18 to 31 years completed a one-time survey assessing …

The Repertoire Of Understanding: The Linguistic Patterning Of Repetition And Alignment Within Supportive Conversations, Kaitlin Emily Cannava

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation explores a fundamental feature of all human interaction, behavioral coordination. Since early work on motor mimicry, scholars of human communication have invested tremendous energy to discover patterns of behavioral adaptation and the impact these patterns have on individual and relational outcomes. Outcomes such as individual health and well-being, as well as relationship satisfaction and divorce are all contingent on the ability to adapt and coordinate actions (Niederhoffer & Pennebaker, 2002; Stehl et al., 2008; Kulesza et al., 2013; Ireland et al., 2011). Several decades of research have advanced our understanding of specific characteristics of supportive messages and their …

Are We Really Bowling Alone? Family Changes And Social Capital In American Society, Ya-Feng Lin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

I explore the relationship between family changes and social capital in American society. Since the mid-20th century, new types of and additions to the family structure have emerged, including cohabitation family, single-parent family, employed women, and NEETs (Not in Education, Employment, and Training). Although new types of families symbolize a more flexible definition of family, some problems have emerged which are worthy of studying. In fact, these families have recently become a primary focus of study in academia, but their social lives are rarely mentioned. I argue in my dissertation that these new types of arrangements not only changed how …