Digital Commons Network^™

Resilience And Resourcefulness: How Crisis Centers In Louisiana Adapted Services During Covid-19, Fanny Ramirez, Ashlyn Barclay, Rockia Harris

Faculty Publications

Purpose: This article examines how crisis centers in Louisiana, USA, adapted their direct care services during COVID-19 to continue helping survivors affected by violence. Organizational resilience theory serves as the project’s main theoretical framework. As such, we report on how community- and university-based crisis centers drew on principles of resilience and resourcefulness to adapt their direct care services (e.g., crafting normalcy, putting alternative logics to work) during this difficult time. Method: We draw on 21 in-depth interviews with upper-level administrators from organizations working in violence against women conducted during the summer of 2020. The interview transcripts yielded 184 single-spaced pages …

Conversations With Rick Veitch, Brannon Costello

LSU Faculty-Published Books

From his roots in underground comics to his high-profile runs on mainstream characters, Rick Veitch (b. 1951) has carved out a career unlike anyone else’s. Collecting thirteen interviews—including three published here for the first time—Conversations with Rick Veitch offers a wealth of insight not only into the development of Veitch’s graphic innovations and metaphysical explorations, but also into the upheavals and transformations of American comics from the 1970s to today. In acclaimed comics such as The Maximortal, Army@Love, and Can’t Get No, Veitch employs a style that synthesizes Jack Kirby at his most cosmic, the mind-bending graphic sensibility of European …

Identification And Computational Modeling Of Molecular Precursors To Carbonaceous And Inorganic Grains In Cosmic Media, Athena Renee Flint

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mechanistic and spectroscopic data for small astronomically-relevant molecules are necessary to make sense of astrophysical observations and modeling results. For certain groups of species, including cyclopropenylidenes, silica, silicates, and ortho-benzyne derivatives, more small-scale astrochemical insights are needed to bridge the gap between atoms and small molecules and larger structures. As these understudied species are among those that can be difficult to study experimentally, quantum chemistry provides an excellent medium for carrying out such work. Within this dissertation, elucidation of reaction pathways, qualitative and quantitative rate predictions, and computation of rovibrational spectroscopic data are combined in order to better understand the …

Slope Stability Hazard Investigation Of Calhoun County, Mississippi And The County Road 210 Landslide, Miles Heath Grames

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis uses geological field data, laboratory characterization of sediments, and multiple computational models of slope stability to investigate a landslide that occurred in Calhoun County, Mississippi. The primary hypothesis is that intense rainfall led to the saturation of the slope, triggering failure through the reduction of shear strength.

Fieldwork included drilling at the failure site to obtain subsurface samples and drone-based site characterizations. Laboratory analysis included soil descriptions, grain size analysis, and Atterberg limit testing. Sample characterizations revealed a stratified soil profile dominated by fine-grained silts and clays, including an organic-rich lignite layer (OL). Strata generally exhibit low permeability …

Partitions Into Sums Of Two Squares And Gaps Between Zeros Of L-Functions, Jaime Hernandez Palacios

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work consists of two distinct problems. In the first one, we use a variation of the Circle Method, along with ideas coming from the Saddle Point Method, to obtain an asymptotic formula for the number of partitions of a number n into integers which are sums of two squares. In the second problem, we discuss some new results for large and small gaps between the ordinates of zeros of high degree zeta and L-functions, including Dedekind zeta-functions associated with Galois extensions of Q and principal automorphic L-functions.

¡We Count! The Enumerated History Of The Latinx Legal Academy: Part One, Beginnings To 1990, Emile Loza De Siles

Seattle Journal for Social Justice

Latinx law teachers and scholars are vital to the success of Latinx and other students in legal education, as well as to the attainment of the power, influence, economic advancement, and justicegetting that students seek through that education. Today, one in five Americans are Latinx with the proportion quickly growing to one in four. Although there are many Latinx law professors who are highly credentialed, sharply skilled, and deeply committed, to date, there has not been an adequate accounting of their presence and contributions at law schools. What is known is that their numbers are, and have long been, grossly …

About The Authors, Sjsj

Seattle Journal for Social Justice

No abstract provided.

Chemical Composition And Cardiorespiratory Health Effects Of Fine Particulate Matter (Pm2.5) From Ambient Sources And Gunshot Residue: Investigating The Role Of Rage-Driven Inflammation And Oxidative Stress, Samuel Cole Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Approximately 30 million people in the U.S. use firearms for recreation or occupation annually. The discharge of firearms releases a complex chemical mixture into the breathing zone of the individual. Historically the primary concern of this exposure was the inhalation of lead (Pb), however gunshot residue (GSR) is composed of inorganic and organic components that are understudied in regards to airborne concentrations and health relevance. In addition to chemical composition, GSR released into the air is composed of various size particles from unburnt propellent and projectile fractionation. A size fraction of major health concern is particulate matter less than 2.5 …

Leveraging The Zebrafish Model For The Study Of Human Health Impacts Of Particulate Matter Exposure: Exploring Biological Effects Of Fuel Source Emissions, Autism Spectrum Disorder-Like Behaviors, And Molecular-Level Reproductive Impacts, Shayla Victoria

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Particulate matter (PM) is the solid and liquid portion of air pollution that can be found at various size fractions, including PM2.5, which is 2.5 μm or smaller in aerodynamic diameter. PM is a complex mixture, containing a wide variety of chemical constituents, including inorganic compounds (heavy metals), organic compounds (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), and pesticides, that have been individually linked to human health impacts. These include cardiovascular and respiratory conditions, but due to its small size and chemical composition, PM has the ability enter into systemic circulation and cause dysregulation of other physiological processes, such as neurodevelopment and reproduction, which …

A Spoonful Of Sugar: A Mathematics Board And Card Games Intervention For Kindergarten Students At Risk For Mathematics Disabilities, Leah Kai Tiisler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Early mathematics knowledge in kindergarten students can predict their later success in school and in life, while difficulties with mathematics early on can derail a child’s future unless they are provided with effective interventions. Ideally, interventions should be developmentally appropriate, playful, low in stress, and easy to implement. Board games and card games can be integrated into math interventions and easily adapted to include early arithmetic elements. This dissertation investigates the impact of a mathematics board and card game intervention on kindergarten students at risk for mathematics disabilities. The study employed a single-subject research design to assess the effectiveness of …

From Difficult Heritage To A Symbol Of Peace: A Case Study Of The Chibondo Mass Grave In Zimbabwe., Peter Mudzingwa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the contested interpretation and memorialization of the Chibondo mass grave in Zimbabwe, analyzing how unresolved historical grievances shape national reconciliation efforts. Discovered in 2011, Chibondo became a politically charged heritage site, officially framed as a symbol of liberation while simultaneously raising allegations that it contains victims of post-independence violence, including the Gukurahundi massacres. Employing the theoretical frameworks of difficult heritage, transitional justice, and memorialization, this research explores the political, social, and ethical complexities that emerge when nations confront traumatic pasts. Through a mixed-methods approach that combines semi-structured interviews, direct observations, and scholarly reviews, the study critically assesses …

Temporal Variation In Microbial Extracellular Enzyme Activity Along The Mississippi Gulf Coast, Jacqueline Pavlovsky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Microbial extracellular enzymes play critical roles in the degradation of organic matter and mineralization of nutrients in marine systems, yet few studies have examined how enzyme activity varies over short-and long-term timescales in nearshore coastal environments. In this study, I assessed day-to-day, week-to-week, and month-to-month variation in the activity of three hydrolases (phosphatase, β-glucosidase, N-acetylglucosaminidase) in seawater and sand at five beaches along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. In addition, the activity of two oxidases (phenol oxidase, peroxidase) was assayed in sand, and environmental factors determined at each site. Seawater enzyme activity showed more variation over time than between beaches and …

Human Papillomavirus Knowledge, Beliefs, And Behaviors Among Community College Students: Why Should It Matter?, Eric Pittman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States (U.S.). Approximately 42.5 million individuals in the U.S. are infected with disease-associated HPV, and 13 million new cases occur every year. It is estimated that 85% of sexually active adults will be infected with HPV at some point during their lifetime. Most individuals infected with HPV are asymptomatic and clear the virus without any complications. However, in some individuals, the virus persists. Prolonged HPV infection has been associated with six different types of cancer and genital warts. There are approximately 37,000 cases of HPV-associated cancers …

Improving Detection Capabilities Of Traditional Machine Learning (Ml) Algorithms Against Data Poisoning Attacks On Image Data, Sabrina Perry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Machine learning (ML) algorithms play a critical role in automated decision-making systems across domains such as healthcare, finance, and autonomous systems. However, these models are increasingly vulnerable to adversarial threats, particularly poisoning attacks that manipulate training data without the knowledge of the ML developers. As ML models are often trained on publicly available data, data poisoning is trivial for attackers to perform, with no way to determine if training data is legitimate, poisoned during data collection, or poisoned during training in the current ML training pipeline.

This dissertation investigates data poisoning attacks, with a focus on label flipping and gradient …

Gas029807-Gas029856

Herbarium (Archived)

No abstract provided.

Study Of The Ultrasonic Properties Of A Tissue-Mimicking Phantom Of Human Brain, Utsab Acharya

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Preparing tissue-mimicking phantoms for brain ultrasound studies presents unique challenges due to the need to replicate the complex acoustic properties of cerebral tissue. Human brain tissue exhibits a speed of sound typically between 1520 and 1540 m/s, an attenuation coefficient ranging from 0.58 to 2.42 dB/cm in the 1–3 MHz frequency range, and a notably low backscatter coefficient between –94 and –82 dB/(cm・sr). Accurately reproducing these parameters simultaneously in a synthetic phantom is difficult because of the naturally low scattering properties of brain tissue and the interdependence of ultrasonic attenuation and scattering mechanisms. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) has emerged as a …

Comparative Analysis Of Out-Of-Pocket Expenditures On Authorized Generics And Independent Generics Among Medicare Beneficiaries, Arman Arabshomali

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Authorized generics (AGs) are essentially brand-name drugs without the brand name on their labeling. AGs are often marketed as cost-saving alternatives to brand-name drugs; however, their impact on patient out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures compared to independent generics (IGs) remains understudied, especially within Medicare. This study investigates the OOP costs of AGs versus IGs among Medicare beneficiaries with Part D coverage.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using the 5% national sample of Medicare Part D claims data from 2012 to 2020, linked with the FDA’s NDC Directory data to specify Authorized Generics, Independent Generics, and Brands. The study compared OOP …

The Predictive Value Of College Entrance Exams On Retention Of Domestic, First-Time, Full-Time Freshman At The University Of Mississippi, James D. Corner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the predictive value of college entrance exams specifically the ACT and SAT on the academic retention of domestic, first-time, full-time freshmen at the University of Mississippi. With the rise of test-optional admissions models, particularly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, this research investigates whether standardized test scores remain relevant in forecasting student success, defined by persistence from freshman to sophomore year and academic performance measured through GPA in the first and second semesters. Drawing upon a conceptual framework that includes pre-college characteristics, standardized assessments, and early academic performance, this study challenges the long-held assumption that standardized exams …

Exploring Psychological Capital In Student Pharmacists: Insights, Outcomes, And Instructional Considerations, Joseph Aaron Dikun

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background/Objectives

The positive psychology movement served to create momentum to move from treating disease to exploring what makes life worth living, emphasizing the exploration of what contributes to human flourishing. One’s psychological capital has provided a practical framework for personal development that highlights the potential for individuals draw upon resources to thrive amidst challenges. As students face numerous stressors, including academic pressures, uncertainties, and personal struggles that threaten their well-being and performance, self-awareness and ability to utilize these intrinsic resources provide an actionable target for development. First, a measure of psychological capital was adapted and refined. Next, positive psychological capital …

The Profiled Feldman-Cousins Method For Confidence Interval Construction For The Nova 3-Flavor Oscillation Analysis, Andrew Joseph Dye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The small interaction cross-section of neutrinos makes experimental neutrino physics particularly responsive to technological advancements. A significant development leveraged by the NOvA experiment is large-scale parallel processing, enabling novel computational approaches to longstanding experimental challenges. Central to managing the resulting high-throughput data is NOvA’s implementation of the Freight Train model, designed for efficient data production and handling.

This dissertation details the methodology and execution of the NOvA 2024 3-Flavor Oscillation Analysis, supported by a comprehensive dataset spanning ten years. It emphasizes frequentist results refined through the Feldman-Cousins (FC) technique, specifically addressing confidence interval corrections in parameter estimation. The computational intensity …

Don't Let Them In: Our Vampire Stories In The French Quarter, Sela Ricketts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an exploration of vampires in New Orleans. The reason I have chosen to include the word “Our” in the title is because we created the stories that I am studying. We created, perpetuated, changed, and eventually monetized them. Throughout this paper I discuss how the vampire came to New Orleans and how that same vampire shows up in New Orleans folklore. Then I discuss how the vampire made the jump from urban legend to pop culture. In doing that it gained “humanity”. They were still monstrous, but it was enough humanity to acquire regional identity, a southern …

The Effects Of Validating And Invalidating Responses On Self-Reported Levels Of Anxiety, Leila Sachner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Given that validation and invalidation have been linked to internal factors contributing to anxiety disorders, it is important to further explore how validation and invalidation are associated with experiences of anxiety. The current study was designed to assess the association between validation/invalidation and anxiety among college students. Significant omnibus regression models emerged revealing that perceived invalidation accounted for 25.7% of the variance in self-reports of physiological anxiety symptoms and 27.6% of the variance in self-reports of generalized anxiety symptoms. A series of mixed-factorial ANOVAs revealed no main effect of experimental condition on emotional responses (anxiety, anger, arousal, valence), indicating that …

Data-Driven Modeling Of Levee Failure: A State-Of-The-Art Approach For Integrating Artificial Intelligence Techniques With Hydraulic Erosion And Geotechnical Characterization, Haitham O. Saleh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Flooding is one of the most destructive natural disasters in the United States, often resulting in catastrophic damage to communities and infrastructure. The primary flood-protection structures, earthen dams and levees, are critical for mitigating these impacts. In Mississippi alone, there are over 2,800 dams and 3,750 miles of levees along the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Of this, nearly 2,200 miles are along the mainstem Mississippi River, with the remaining levees situated along backwaters, tributaries, and floodways. Understanding the erosion behavior of these structures during overtopping events is essential for accurate failure prediction and risk assessment. This study focuses on …

Beliefs And Factors That Influence Female College Students’ Decision To Consume Weight Loss Products, Cynthia Ummay Siddiqua

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Rising societal pressures, body image concerns, and the increasing accessibility of commercial weight loss products (WLPs) have led to heightened use among young women, particularly college students. Female undergraduates are especially vulnerable due to social media influence, peer comparison, and transitioning lifestyles. Despite the popularity of WLPs, concerns persist regarding their safety, efficacy, and the psychosocial beliefs driving their use. This study seeks to understand the beliefs and factors influencing WLP consumption among female college students using Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and the Health Belief Model (HBM).

Methods: A cross-sectional, exploratory survey was conducted among female undergraduate students aged …

Large Sample Theory For Some New Copula-Based Models, Sahifa Siddiqua

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores continuous-state stationary reversible Markov chains generated by a new family of absolutely continuous symmetric copulas that have square-integrable densities. We examine and define parameter estimation techniques for the Markov chains generated by the new family of copulas and different marginals. Furthermore, we provide the joint limiting distributions and confidence intervals/regions of these estimators. We also look into the parameter estimation and it’s limiting distributions for bivariate independent data generated by the new family of copula and various marginal distributions. A simulation study using R is proposed to support our findings.

Quantification Of Changes With Combined Shape Mode Analysis And Swimming Simulations, Kelli E. Gutierrez, Becca Thomases, Paulo E. Arratia, Robert D. Guy

Mathematics Sciences: Faculty Publications

Many different microswimmers propel themselves using flagella that beat periodically. The shape of the flagellar beat and swimming speed have been observed to change with fluid rheology. We quantify changes in the flagellar waveforms of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in response to changes in fluid viscosity using (i) shape mode analysis and (ii) a full swimmer simulation to analyse how shape changes affect the swimming speed and to explore the dimensionality of the shape space. By decomposing the gait into the time‑independent mean shape and the time‑varying stroke, we find that the flagellar mean shape substantially changes in response to viscosity, while …

Circadian Variation In Mgmt Promoter Methylation And Expression Predicts Sensitivity To Temozolomide In Glioblastoma, Maria F. Gonzalez-Aponte, Yitong Huang, William A. Leidig, Tatiana Simon, Omar H. Butt, Marc D. Ruben, Albert H. Kim, Joshua B. Rubin, Erik D. Herzog, Olivia J. Walch

Mathematics Sciences: Faculty Publications

Purpose Recent studies show that glioblastoma (GBM) is more sensitive to temozolomide (TMZ) in the morning. In cells, inhibiting O6-Methylguanine-DNA-Methyltransferase (MGMT) abolished time-dependent TMZ efficacy, suggesting that circadian regulation of this DNA repair enzyme underlies daily TMZ sensitivity. Here, we tested the hypotheses that MGMT promoter methylation and protein abundance vary with time-of-day in GBM, resulting in daily rhythms in TMZ efficacy.

Methods We assessed daily rhythms in MGMT promoter methylation in GBM in vitro and retrospectively analyzed MGMT methylation status in human GBM biopsies collected at different times of day. Next, we measured MGMT and BMAL1 protein …

Jase 5.1 Table Of Contents

Journal of the Arts and Special Education

No abstract provided.

Jase 5.1 Cover, Kathy Nimmer

Journal of the Arts and Special Education

No abstract provided.

Human Masters/Robot Servants: Highly Automated Vehicle Design, Intoxicated Drivers & Vicarious Liability, William H. Widen, Marilyn Wolf

Journal of Law and Mobility

A traditional engineering role is to design a safe product. Safety engineering is an exercise in harm avoidance ex ante. In contrast, liability attribution is an exercise to compensate for loss post hoc—traditionally viewed as a legal matter. We observe that, when a natural person incurs liability for a loss that exceeds insurance coverage, economic ruin can follow. Neither engineering nor law focus on the loss suffered by defendants considering law as a “safety risk.” The highly automated vehicle (HAV) design space, however, provides an opportunity to prevent this kind of economic harm from occurring ex ante just as attention …