Nicholls State University

About: Nicholls State University is a education organization based out in Thibodaux, Louisiana, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & The Internet. The organization has 456 authors who have published 795 publications receiving 20031 citations.

The empirical relationship between home equity borrowing and durable goods purchases

Abstract: The current financial crisis has drawn attention to consumers' use of the Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) to finance consumption. Although many economists have repeatedly noted that such borrowing fueled additional consumption, attempts to quantify the boost to consumer spending have been relatively few. Similarly, attempts to classify the types of goods consumers purchased with their HELOC facilities have been sparse. The present article remedies both situations. The article shows that, in the aggregate, for every one percentage increase in HELOC lending, durable goods consumption increased by between 17% and 25% (on average, from 1991 to 2008). The article uses aggregate consumption data compiled from the Consumer Expenditure Survey, and HELOC data taken from banks' reported financial statements as filed with the Federal Financial Institution Examination Council (FFIEC). A regional-level panel of aggregate consumption and lending is constructed for the years 1991 to 2008. We examine several different...

Hu Shi’s Model of Rhetorical Pragmatic Argumentation

Abstract: During China’s Republican Period, scholar and reformer Hu Shi advanced a rhetorical pragmatic project for democratic reform. In this essay, I argue that the dissertation Hu wrote under the ...

Flood pulse characteristics and physicochemical influences on harvested Procambarus clarkii and Procambarus zonangulus populations in the Atchafalaya River basin, Louisiana

Abstract: The majority of Louisiana’s wild crayfish landings are harvested from the Atchafalaya River Basin (ARB) during floodplain inundation from the annual flood pulse. Spatial and temporal heterogeneity in ARB physicochemical characteristics are associated with flood pulse characteristics and floodplain inundation, and extensive areas of the ARB experience environmental hypoxia (dissolved oxygen [DO] < 2.0 mg·L-1) for several weeks to months during the annual flood pulse. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effects of flood pulse characteristics and physicochemistry on harvested crayfish populations at 14 sites in the ARB that were sampled biweekly during the 2016 and 2017 crayfish seasons. Despite dissimilar 2016 and 2017 flood pulse characteristics, red swamp crawfish Procambarus clarkii and southern white river crawfish P. zonangulus carapace length and CPUE were similar between sample years. Comparisons of P. clarkii populations among physicochemical location groupings indicated that DO concentration, particularly chronically hypoxic water, is the principal abiotic variable influencing P. clarkii population characteristics. Although not significant, normoxic locations produced larger crayfish and yielded higher CPUE values for the majority of both crayfish seasons. Furthermore, hemolymph protein concentrations in P. clarkii from normoxic areas were significantly and consistently higher than individuals from chronically hypoxic locations.

Waste Treatment in Recirculating Shrimp Culture Systems

Abstract: Disposal of effluent from conventional shrimp farms containing high concentration of organic matter and nutrients into different environmental systems can have detrimental impacts on their adjacent ecosystems (e.g. coastal ecosystem ). To minimize the environmental impacts of shrimp farming effluents, recirculating raceway system has recently been introduced, producing high density shrimp yields . Although it is a zero water exchange system, a certain portion of water from the recirculating system needs to be treated or disposed of on regular basis due to an increase in the concentration of nitrate and nitrites owing to the protein enriched diet of shrimps. Hence, an effective approach for the treatment of nitrogen enriched wastewater produced by the recirculating raceway system is needed. Biological wastewater treatment capable of nitrification and denitrification is simple and environmentally friendly approach. In this regard, removal of ammonia and nitrates was assessed in aerobic sequencing batch reactor (SBR), providing almost complete removal of organic impurities (above 99%) as well as of ammonia. On the other hand, anaerobic SBR achieved efficient denitrification and also provided above 99% total nitrogen removal. Notably, the addition of Bacillus consortium in SBR can be helpful to control the growth of shrimp pathogen , Vibrio harveyi in the wastewater. This chapter discusses global shrimp production, biosecurity , recirculating raceway system, and the use of SBR in treating shrimp wastewater.