Digital Commons Network^™

Feed More, Waste Less, Kaitlyn Dietz

Honors Projects

With college prices and the cost of food increasing, so has the rate of food insecurity among college students. Food insecurity is defined as the lack of availability or access to food to meet someone’s basic and necessary needs. Food insecurity is associated with lower grades, depression, higher perceived stress, and lower graduation rates. Campuses across the country are responding to the problem in a variety of ways, including distribution of food directly to students through food pantries. Meal plans are expensive in the addition to college tuition and housing. The lowest cost for a meal plan at Bowling Green …

Creation Care Discipleship: Why Earthkeeping Is An Essential Christian Practice (Book Review), Jeff Ploegstra

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Reviewed Title: Creation Care Discipleship: Why Earthkeeping is an Essentlal Christian Practice by Steven Bouma-Prediger. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2023. 224 pp. ISBN: 9781540966322.

The Stress Of Measuring Plantar Tissue Stress In People With Diabetes-Related Foot Ulcers: Biomechanical And Feasibility Findings From Two Prospective Cohort Studies, Chantal M Hulshof, Madelyn Page, Sjef G Van Baal, Sicco A Bus, Malindu E Fernando, Lisette Van Gemert-Pijnen, Kilian D R Kappert, Scott Lucadou-Wells, Bijan Najafi, Jaap J Van Netten, Peter A Lazzarini

Center on Aging Staff Publications

Reducing high mechanical stress is imperative to heal diabetes-related foot ulcers. We explored the association of cumulative plantar tissue stress (CPTS) and plantar foot ulcer healing, and the feasibility of measuring CPTS, in two prospective cohort studies (Australia (AU) and The Netherlands (NL)). Both studies used multiple sensors to measure factors to determine CPTS: plantar pressures, weight-bearing activities, and adherence to offloading treatments, with thermal stress response also measured to estimate shear stress in the AU-study. The primary outcome was ulcer healing at 12 weeks. Twenty-five participants were recruited: 13 in the AU-study and 12 in the NL-study. CPTS data …

Ultrasoft Platelet-Like Particles Stop Bleeding In Rodent And Porcine Models Of Trauma, Kimberly Nellenbach, Emily Mihalko, Seema Nandi, Drew W. Koch, Jagathpala Shetty, Leandra Moretti, Jennifer Sollinger, Nina Moiseiwitsch, Ana Sheridan, Sanika Pandit, Maureane Hoffman, Lauren V. Schnabel, L. Andrew Lyon, Thomas H. Barker, Ashley C. Brown

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Uncontrolled bleeding after trauma represents a substantial clinical problem. The current standard of care to treat bleeding after trauma is transfusion of blood products including platelets; however, donated platelets have a short shelf life, are in limited supply, and carry immunogenicity and contamination risks. Consequently, there is a critical need to develop hemostatic platelet alternatives. To this end, we developed synthetic platelet-like particles (PLPs), formulated by functionalizing highly deformable microgel particles composed of ultralow cross-linked poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) with fibrin-binding ligands. The fibrin-binding ligand was designed to target to wound sites, and the cross-linking of fibrin polymers was designed …

Seeking A Uniform Approach To Trumpet Sound Concept, Coleman T. Scott

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

One of the most challenging aspects of trumpet playing that pedagogues must teach is how to produce a professional tone. Trumpet students are often good musicians, play correct notes and rhythms, and even have proficient technique. However, many are unable to consistently produce a tone comparable to that of a professional. There are a number of methods that can be utilized to improve a student’s tone quality. In my own teaching and in the teaching of many professionals, tone concept has been used as a catalyst for the improvement of tone quality. A students’ exposure to a professional-quality trumpet tone …

Building The Church Of San Vitale In Ravenna, Italy, Sally S. Morgan

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis uses the evidence concerning the design and building of the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna to reconstruct, as far as it is possible, the sequence of decisions, activities, and methods that led to the construction of the church, made of bricks and mortar, and whose interiors are covered by glorious colored mosaics and marbles. The historiography on the Church of San Vitale begins with the historian Agnellus, who wrote the Liber pontificalis ecclesiae Ravennatis in the 830s to 840s. According to Agnellus and other sources, the Church of San Vitale was founded by Bishop Ecclesius around 525, …

“Everything Is Not What It Seems”: Discovering Public Relations In Business Sectors In Vietnam, Ba-Anh-Tu Truong

LSU Master's Theses

Vietnam is a shining star in emerging markets, with an annual economic growth rate of 6-7%. Its abundant labor supply, stable political climate, and geographic proximity to major global supply chains make it an ideal candidate for manufacturer planning in advanced economies such as the United States, Europe, Australia, Japan, China, and Korea. Investing in public relations and communication management, especially understanding the Vietnamese market, effectively prepares multinational corporations for future business expansion. This mission is difficult for academia and industrial professionals since Vietnam is a “silent country” in public relations research. To fill the gap, this thesis employs the …

Interconnection And Damping Assignment Passivity-Based Control Without Partial Differential Equations, Pablo Borja

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Interconnection and damping assignment (IDA) is a popular passivity-based control (PBC) technique. This nonlinear control approach has proven suitable for stabilizing a wide range of systems. However, like many other nonlinear control techniques, implementing the IDA-PBC approach is often hampered by the necessity of solving partial differential equations (PDEs). This paper studies systems for which the solutions to these equations are always guaranteed, and closed-form solutions are known. To this end, we provide straightforwardly verifiable conditions over the open-loop system such that IDA-PBC can be applied without solving PDEs.

The Gift Of The Holy Spirit: The Church’S Journey With The Sacrament Of Confirmation, Maria Graziano

Line by Line: A Journal of Beginning Student Writing

Note: This paper was selected to receive the 2024 Father Jack McGrath, S.M., Award for Research in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition.

For this article, I sought to explore the meaning of and use for the sacrament of confirmation in the Catholic Church. To do so, I first began with a philosophical claim about God's grace with the help of Louis-Marie Chauvet. Then, I continued on to conduct a historical investigation of the sacrament, particularly from the early church to the Middle Ages. Then, I carefully read the current rite and order of the sacrament, while also observing two confirmation masses …

Good Things Come To Those Who Train: A Comparison Of Medieval Mystics' Conceptions Of Divine Revelation, Daniel Napoli

Line by Line: A Journal of Beginning Student Writing

Editor's note: This paper was selected to receive the 2023 Father Jack McGrath, S.M., Award for Research in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition.

Having written this essay for my ASI 110 class, my writing process was a culmination of my analysis and comparison of two medieval works. In putting these texts in conversation with one another, I formed an argument to address how their contradictions can be reconciled.

On The White Side: An Examination Of Colorism In India And China, Lillian E. Dartt

Line by Line: A Journal of Beginning Student Writing

Editors note: This paper received the inaugural John C. and Rose Maria Groppe Award for Excellence in Writing.

I began my research project by selecting colorism as the topic I wanted to study, due to its significant social and ethical impact on affected communities. After beginning to search for scholarly sources, I decided to focus my main studies on India and China, since they are not only two of the most impacted regions but also the most populated nations in the world. My project assignment included a preliminary in-class presentation of initial findings about my topic, followed by the submission …

Will The Borders Stay?, Clare Hoffmann

Line by Line: A Journal of Beginning Student Writing

Editor's note: This paper was honored with the Barbara Farrelly Award for Best Writing in ENG 100 or ENG 114.

We were told to write a paper that analyzes a sequence (a scene or connected series of related scenes that are edited together and comprise a single, unified event, setting, or story within a film's narrative) or two related sequences from the movie Freedom Writers. We were asked to identify the rhetorical purpose of the sequence(s), examine the rhetorical elements employed (mise-en-scène, cinematography, acting, editing, sound) and explain how these elements worked together to achieve the rhetorical goal—successfully or unsuccessfully. …

Are You Now, Or Have You Ever Been, Cleopatra? A Study Of Past Life Regression, Practitioners, And The Impact Of Reincarnation Beliefs, Victoria Hoover

Undergraduate Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Diet Considerations To Promote Bone Health, Prevent Chronic Disease, And Optimize Healing After Orthopedic Surgery, Amanda Albright

Undergraduate Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Megordle: A Wdolre Usclnbaermr, Meg Arney

Undergraduate Research Conference

Our goal was to make a dynamic word unscrambler app based on the random generation of words from a database. The original database contains 4,320 of the most common words in the English language. This project was originally designed in Visual Studio Code in java and takes input from the terminal. The project was later translated into C# and transferred into Unity to provide a visual and dynamic interface for users.

Unlocking Nature’S Code: Design Principles For Cooperativity In Multi-Electron Redox Processes, Mariona Garcia Dalmases, Alexis Telford, Courtney Young

Undergraduate Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Using Macroinvertebrates As Water Quality Indicators In Angelina River, Aditi Dangi, Asa Dillon, Jolene Manlapaz, Ashley Riley, Hope Stowe

Undergraduate Research Conference

The Angelina River supports a variety of macroinvertebrates, fertilizers, and water-tolerant flora. The goal of this research was to create a complete dataset on water quality that included variables such as pH, dissolved oxygen content, nitrate levels, and temperature. The main objective was to link water contamination indicators with macroinvertebrate diversity to establish an early warning system for ecosystem health by collecting samples at two different locations of the Angelina River.

Analysis using Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Lehigh Environmental Initiative guidelines showed that both locations had acceptable dissolved oxygen levels and healthy nitrate levels despite the environmental fluctuation. Using …

No Generation Without Representation: Solving Ai Art Attribution With Sno-E, Sadie Campbell

Undergraduate Research Conference

Artificial intelligence has sparked a new-age debate about its ethical implications, specifically in the world of art. The Signature Neural Operative- Environment (SNO-E) is a multidisciplinary solution that draws on computer science, statistics, and art. It addresses the issue of proper attribution for Al-generated artworks through a Convolution Neural Network that adopts signature checks to cite artists whose works are sampled by Al. This novel approach ensures proper recognition and compensation for artists in the Al-generated era.

Empower Boomers: Champion Inclusive Design, Alaine Thomson

Student Research Symposium

I like the second one down, looks sophisticated and a leisurely read. Big type face. Intriguing photos. Looks engaging and worth my investment to read the article. The first one is tolerable. Big words to catch your attention. But the additional pages could be broken up with photos, ect. and larger typeface. I totally disliked the bottom one!!! Makes me physically ill! Dizzy, like going in a book store with anxiety. Boom, Boom your eyes are bounced all over the page. Number three is the same way. Too many little boxes with snippets of information and incredibly small type that …

After-School Care Centers, Annalise Vasquez

Student Research Symposium

The current educational landscape highlights significant disparities in funding, with schools in predominantly Black or Hispanic areas receiving less funding compared to those in predominantly White areas, largely due to disparities in property tax revenue. Biased appraisals and devaluations of homes in Black neighborhoods further exacerbate this issue. This lack of funding leads to fewer resources for Black youth, increasing their likelihood of economic struggles and involvement in the criminal justice system, perpetuating a cycle of inequity. To address these challenges, many states are focusing on legislation to secure and increase funding for afterschool programs. Efforts include allocating state resources, …

Variability In Indoor Free Play Physical Activity Over One Week In Preschool-Aged Children, Benjamin B. Johnson

Student Research Symposium

• Indoor free play during preschool or childcare provides children with an opportunity to engage in total (light-to-vigorous) physical activity (TPA).
• Researchers may collect indoor free play TPA during a single indoor free play period, multiple indoor free play periods over a single day, or over multiple days.
• Little is known about the variability in TPA over indoor free play periods or if a single indoor free play period is representative of weekly indoor free play TPA.

Purpose: To assess within- and between-day variability in indoor free play TPA in young children.

Dynamics Of Rotating 2d Ellipse In Stratified Flow, Anton Kadomtsev

Student Research Symposium

• In nature, there exist innumerable flows with varying density, known as stratified flows.

• The density variation is caused by salt content or temperature variation.

• Submersibles in stratified flows approximated by spheroid.

• Fluid parcels perturbed from their neutral position gain potential energy, which becomes kinetic energy. Inherent oscillation is Brunt-Väisälä frequency.

• Stratification affects the flow structures and forces on bodies.

Visuality Of Sound, Janelle Clark

Student Research Symposium

Graphic design is simply a visual representation of abstract concepts and communication to help people understand a message. Humans have created language and used sound to represent visuals, yet it goes much deeper than that. While sound and language can represent human defined objects based on cultural experience, there is an actual visual language behind sound itself. This field is called Cymatics, termed by Dr. Hans Jenny, a pioneer in the study of the visuality of sound. His research, along with more to follow have laid the groundwork of a previous unseen language. In this research, elements of the natural …

Analyzing Atmospheric Gravity Waves Over Antarctica And Visualizing Machine Learning Data, Anastasia Brown

Student Research Symposium

• Gravity Waves are buoyancy waves that propagate in the atmosphere [1]
• Mostly generated by tropospheric weather,
• Can vertically propagate above 100 km altitude,
• Affect the temperature structure of the atmosphere, 
• Drive pole-to-pole circulation.

Response Adjustments In Math Anxiety: A Comparative Analysis Of Post-Error Speeding And Slowing, Leyla Karami, Tori Dehlin

Student Research Symposium

• Math anxiety is a worry or fear that occurs when people try to solve math problems, take tests, or even think about numbers” _{(Weir, 2023)}.
• Individuals with math anxiety avoid taking math courses or selecting math-related majors; Global Avoidance Effect _{(Suárez-Pellicioni et al., 2016)}.
• They show a tendency to complete the math task as soon as possible to leave the uncomfortable situation of math problem solving; Local Avoidance Effect _{(Suárez-Pellicioni et al., 2016)}.
• They are slower & more error-prone in math tasks _{(Núñez-Peña et al., 2017; 2024)}.

Wild, Wild Wyoming: Youth Sport Leaders' Perspectives On Challenges And Opportunities For Youth Sport Participation, Daxon Toone

Student Research Symposium

• Leaders in Wyoming navigate various challenges and contextual factors that shape participation.
• This study focuses on the perspectives of youth sport leaders in the state of Wyoming to better understand how leaders perceive challenges and opportunities to shape youth sport participation.

Solar Factors Influence High Frequency (Hf) Radio Propagation, Jayson Wiggins

Student Research Symposium

Although it has been around for over 100 years, high frequency (HF) radio is here to stay.

HF radio is in the range from 3-30 MHz, and is used by amateur radio enthusiasts, commercial airlines, and the Department of Defense.

Communication over greater distances than other methods is possible due to skywave propagation, a process in which radio waves are reflected by the lower regions of the ionosphere. This means changes in the ionosphere have important effects on propagation.

Snac Patrons' Typical Use And Overall Evaluation Of Services, Joy Bruneel, Melody Loutzenhiser

Student Research Symposium

Food insecurity among students in higher education programs is a relatively new area of research with the first study being published only 14 years ago.¹ Over the years, the costs associated with higher education have steadily increased leading to more financial burdens for students than ever before. According to the 2019-20 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, over 4 million students nationwide struggle with food insecurity.²

While the incidence of food insecurity among students is increasing, many students are not taking advantage of community and university resources aimed at targeting this issue on college campuses.³ In a study …

How Rural Identity, Self-Reliance, And Stoicism Relate To Attitudes Toward Mental Health Help-Seeking Among Iowans, Taylor Brown

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

PROBLEM

• Rural areas represent 20% of the U.S. population (United States Census Bureau, 2022)
• Similar rates of mental illness among rural and urban people (Morales et al., 2020)
• Higher suicide rates among rural people (Brunk, 2010)
• Lower psychological help-seeking rates among rural individuals (Caldwell et al., 2004; Kirby et al., 2019)
• Rural residents tend to wait longer and until symptoms become severe to seek help (Stewart et al., 2015)

Aerobic Exercise Improves Cognitive Functioning In Older Adults, Emily Swanson, Stephanie Rasco, Holden Sevening, Ava Schupbach, Terence Moriarty

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

Cognitive Impairment

What is it?

• An early stage of memory loss or other cognitive ability loss (such as language or visual/spatial perception) in individuals who maintain the ability to independently perform most activities of daily living.

Risk Factors

• Age
• Physical Inactivity
• Early stages of Alzheimers
• Cerebrovascular Problems