Digital Commons Network^™

On To Wisteria: Designing An Action-Adventure Role-Playing Game For The Empowerment Of The Preteen Female Audience, Kira Noelle Foglesong

All Theses

This thesis document details the design for an original action-adventure role-playing game (AARPG) specifically targeted towards the preteen female audience, ages 10-12, as well as the production of a promotional trailer to communicate the design. This thesis aims to bring this untapped market to an already established video game genre in order to communicate to this young female audience that these games are not “just for boys” by providing a clear example of an empowering and inclusive game that is designed to appeal to their demographic. Given that there are currently no AAA action-adventure RPGs targeted towards this group as …

Role Of Cryptococcus Neoformans Pyruvate Decarboxylase And Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Enzymes In Acetate Production And Virulence, Mufida Ahmed Nagi Ammar

All Dissertations

The basidiomycete Cryptococcus neoformans is is an invasive opportunistic pathogen of the central nervous system and the most frequent cause of fungal meningitis. C. neoformans enters the host by inhalation and protects itself from immune assault in the lungs by producing hydrolytic enzymes, immunosuppressants, and other virulence factors. C. neoformans also adapts to the environment inside the host, including producing metabolites that may confer survival advantages. One of these, acetate, can be kept in reserve as a carbon source or can be used to weaken the immune response by lowering local pH or as a key part of immunomodulatory molecules. …

The Effect Of Anthropometric Properties Of Self-Avatars On Action Capabilities In Virtual Reality, Ayush Bhargava

All Dissertations

The field of Virtual Reality (VR) has seen a steady exponential uptake in the last decade and is being continuously incorporated into areas of popular interest like healthcare, training, recreation and gaming. This steady upward trend and prolonged popularity has resulted in numerous extravagant virtual environments, some that aim to mimic real-life experiences like combat training, while others intend to provide unique experiences that may otherwise be difficult to recreate like flying over ancient Egypt as a bird. These experiences often showcase highly realistic graphics, intuitive interactions and unique avatar embodiment scenarios with the help of various tracking sensors, high …

The Impact Of An Intronic Dopamine Receptor Type-2 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism On Growth, Reproduction And Prolactin Gene Expression In Beef Bulls, Andrea Decarlo

All Dissertations

Prolactin (PRL) is a ~22 kDa peptide hormone reported to regulate over 300 distinct biological functions in vertebrates. Tonic inhibition of prolactin (PRL) by dopamine binding to dopamine receptor-type 2 (DRD2) is well established and changes in PRL serum concentration resulting in detrimental effects to male reproductive physiology have been observed. Release and synthesis of PRL may be altered due to a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) in the DRD2 gene. The objective of these studies were to evaluate associations of a previously identified DRD2 SNP to PRL serum concentrations, growth traits, semen quality, and PRL gene expression in beef bulls. …

Modeling Of Household Evacuation Decision, Departure Timing, And Number Of Evacuating Vehicles From Hurricane Matthew, Roa'a Jaber Mohammad Alawadi

All Dissertations

This dissertation investigates households’ evacuation decision, number of household vehicles used in evacuation, and departure timing from Hurricane Matthew. Regarding the evacuation decision, this dissertation takes a step further by presenting three level evacuation decision models that include full, partial, and no evacuation alternatives rather than the binary evacuate/stay decision. Multinomial (MNL) regression and random parameter MNL techniques were utilized to develop the prediction models. Results showed that some of the variables which affect the evacuate/stay decision have different influences on the three alternatives. The preferred MNL model was tested for random parameters and one random parameter (age of the …

The Role Of Self-Reflection In The Spiritual Quest To Make Meaning Of Experiences, Ikenna Q. Ezealah

All Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the role that self-reflection has in the spiritual quest to make meaning of experience. It also examined how spiritual quest can operate within moments of spiritual struggle in order to make meaning of the experience through a process of self-reflection. In the literature view, relevant theories and concepts by preeminent scholars in the field of spirituality were examined. Though the spirituality of students in higher education was discussed in the literature, as well as the concepts of self-reflection (Bassot, 2013, Grossman, 2009), spiritual quest (Astin, Astin & Lindholm, 2011; Vaughan, 2002), and …

Development Of A Nucleus Pulposus Implant For Intervertebral Disc Repair, Joshua Dillon Walters

All Dissertations

The intervertebral disc (IVD) is a fibrocartilaginous tissue connecting adjacent vertebrae in the spinal column. It comprises three distinct tissues: a gelatinous core known as the nucleus pulposus (NP), concentric fibrous rings encircling the NP known as the annulus fibrosus (AF), and the superior/inferior cartilaginous endplates (CEPs). The complex mechanical interplay of these tissues allows the IVD to withstand complex loading in the spine while maintaining trunk stability and flexibility. IVD pathologies, such as IVD degeneration (IDD) and herniation, are associated with cell-mediated inflammation in vivo. This inflammation creates a catabolic environment which degrades the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the …

The Impact Of Ergot Alkaloid Consumption During Gestation On Maternal Performance And Fetoplacental Development, Jessica Lynn Britt

All Dissertations

Tall fescue is the primary cool season perennial forage grass in southeastern US for grazing livestock. Tall fescue the is known to be drought tolerant , disease resistant, grazing tolerant and overall very hardy. Many of these attributes common to fescue are due to a symbiotic relationship between the fescue plant and an endophyte, Epichloë coenophiala , which produces a class of mycotoxins known as ergot alkaloids. These ergot alkaloids are similar in structure to several biogenic amines, such as epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine. When consumed, ergot alkaloids cause a syndrome known as fescue toxicosis which causes problems with weight …

Functional Morphology And Environmental Impacts On Migration-Relevant Performance Measures In Amphidromous Goby Fishes, Kelly Marie Diamond

All Dissertations

Animals engage in migrations for diverse reasons and over a variety of time periods. Moving between habitats introduces novel challenges that migrating organisms must overcome in order to reach their intended destination. Such challenges include attaining resources required for survival while also avoiding becoming a resource for other organisms. Another challenge is that environmental structure can act as a barrier between habitats. Amphidromous goby fishes provide an advantageous system in which to study several aspects of migration-related performance. As adults, these fishes live and lay eggs in freshwater streams. Upon hatching, larvae are swept downstream to the ocean. At the …

Cavopulmonary Support For Failing Fontan Patients: Computational And In Vitro Assessment, Masoud Farahmand

All Dissertations

Congenital heart defects are responsible for the mortality of approximately 300,000 newborn each year. One study in 2010 estimated that over 2 million patients were living with congenital heart defects in the United States. Congenital heart defects have the highest hospitalization cost among other birth defect categories. The damage on the U.S economy in 2013 was estimated $6.1 billion. The most complex and severe form of these defects results in single ventricle physiology. Fortunately, over the last 50 years, these patients have been able to survive into adulthood as a result of three stages of surgeries culminating with Fontan operation. …

Life Skill Development And Financial Impact Associated With A Youth Livestock Sales Program, Holly Evans, Dean Jousan, Erdogan Memili, Leigh Beckman

Journal of Youth Development

he Sale of Junior Champions is a premier livestock auction and youth scholarship program held at Dixie Nationals as a part of Mississippi’s junior livestock program. The sale is open to 4-H and FFA members who qualified their livestock at the annual Dixie National Junior Round-Up. While youth livestock sales programs are commonly found at state and county fairs throughout the United States, demographic information and information concerning financial and life skill impacts of the program on participants is limited. Therefore, a survey instrument for the 2018 sale was designed to determine how the event has impacted the financial burden …

Does Equine Assisted Learning Create Emotionally Safe Learning Environments For At-Risk Youth?, Katie Cagle-Holtcamp, Molly Christine Nicodemus, Julie Parker, Mattie Helen Dunlap

Journal of Youth Development

Equine assisted learning (EAL) is a form of experiential learning that is quickly growing in interest within the educational community. A challenge with experiential learning programs for at-risk youth is creating an emotionally safe environment that opens up the participants to learning. Nevertheless, EAL has been credited with the development of life skills in youth that promote educational achievement, but research tracking the development of emotional safety and learning, specifically associated with programming dedicated to educating participants about the horse, is limited. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine if EAL, with programming centered around equine education, will …

A Residential Camp’S Impact On Youths’ Leadership Skills And Natural Resource Knowledge, Shandra Nicole Frey, Vernon Parent

Journal of Youth Development

Learning transcends the classroom. To better understand the natural world around them, it is critical that youth have opportunities to make connections and apply their learning in real-world settings. Improving youths’ perceived skills and knowledge contributes to increased academic motivation and continued leadership development. Multi-day residential natural resource camps have shown the ability to teach ecological concepts and develop land management skills, critical thinking skills, and decision-making skills. We tested the ability of a remotely located residential camp to improve leadership skills and natural resource knowledge, using a pre- and post-camp self-assessment, combined with a pre- and post-camp knowledge test. …

Human-Animal-Environment Interactions As A Context For Child And Adolescent Growth, Erin Flynn, Alexandra Zoller, Megan Mueller, Kevin Morris

Journal of Youth Development

Human-animal-environment interaction (HAEI) is increasingly used in special education. While most research of HAEIs has identified effects that broadly support positive special education outcomes, further research of HAEI-based interventions in these environments is needed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 teaching staff at a special education school that utilizes a range of HAEIs. The teachers are responsible for implementing evidence-based interventions to facilitate social-emotional learning (SEL), so assessing their unique perspectives on the impacts of HAEIs on student SEL outcomes is imperative. Phenomenological coding of the interviews identified 9 major themes that represented positive impacts as well as barriers and …

Checking In, Kurt Blythe

NASIG Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Illuminating The Process Of Youth Development: The Mediating Effect Of Thriving On Youth Development Program Outcomes, Mary E. Arnold, Ryan J. Gagnon

Publications

This paper examines the relationship between the developmental contexts of youth programs and resultant developmental outcomes, and explores whether the developmental process of thriving mediates this relationship. Developmental context is proposed to consist of three elements: (1) youth sparks, (2) program quality, and (3) developmental relationships. Combined, these elements describe youth program context more precisely than in previous studies, allowing for a clearer understanding of effective program settings. Likewise, the process of youth thriving provides insight into the mechanism through which youth development occurs. Sufficient model fit, convergent validity, and discriminant validity of the 4-H Thriving scale were determined through …

Factors Affecting Cardiovascular Physiology In Cardiothoracic Surgery: Implications For Lumped-Parameter Modeling, Joshua Kaufmann, Ethan Kung

Publications

Cardiothoracic surgeries are complex procedures during which the patient cardiovascular physiology is constantly changing due to various factors. Physiological changes begin with the induction of anesthesia, whose effects remain active into the postoperative period. Depending on the surgery, patients may require the use of cardiopulmonary bypass and cardioplegia, both of which affect postoperative physiology such as cardiac index and vascular resistance. Complications may arise due to adverse reactions to the surgery, causing hemodynamic instability. In response, fluid resuscitation and/or vasoactive agents with varying effects may be used in the intraoperative or postoperative periods to improve patient hemodynamics. These factors have …

Factors Affecting Cardiovascular Physiology In Cardiothoracic Surgery: Implications For Lumped-Parameter Modeling, Joshua Kaufmann, Ethan Kung

Publications

Cardiothoracic surgeries are complex procedures during which the patient cardiovascular physiology is constantly changing due to various factors. Physiological changes begin with the induction of anesthesia, whose effects remain active into the postoperative period. Depending on the surgery, patients may require the use of cardiopulmonary bypass and cardioplegia, both of which affect postoperative physiology such as cardiac index and vascular resistance. Complications may arise due to adverse reactions to the surgery, causing hemodynamic instability. In response, fluid resuscitation and/or vasoactive agents with varying effects may be used in the intraoperative or postoperative periods to improve patient hemodynamics. These factors have …

Fy2020 All Salaries $30-50,000, Clemson University

Salary Reports

No abstract provided.

Fy2020 Faculty Salaries Over $50,000, Clemson University

Salary Reports

No abstract provided.

Fy2020 All Salaries Over $50,000, Clemson University

Salary Reports

No abstract provided.

The Tiger Vol. 113 Issue 6 2019-09-18, Clemson University

Tiger Newspapers 2019

No abstract provided.

Thermal Cues Drive Plasticity Of Desiccation Resistance In Montane Salamanders With Implications For Climate Change, Eric A. Riddell, Emma Y. Roback, Christina E. Wells, Kelly R. Zamudio, Michael W. Sears

Publications

Organisms rely upon external cues to avoid detrimental conditions during environmental change. Rapid water loss, or desiccation, is a universal threat for terrestrial plants and animals, especially under climate change, but the cues that facilitate plastic responses to avoid desiccation are unclear. We integrate acclimation experiments with gene expression analyses to identify the cues that regulate resistance to water loss at the physiological and regulatory level in a montane salamander (Plethodon metcalfi). Here we show that temperature is an important cue for developing a desiccation-resistant phenotype and might act as a reliable cue for organisms across the globe. …

The Tiger Vol. 113 Issue 5 2019-08-26, Clemson University

Tiger Newspapers 2019

No abstract provided.

Expanding Beyond Carnivores To Improve Livestock Protection And Conservation, Shari L. Rodriguez, Christie Sampson

Publications

Promoting human–wildlife coexistence is critical to the long-term conservation of many wild animal species that come into conflict with humans. Loss of livestock to carnivore species (e.g., lions, tigers, wolves) is a well-documented occurrence and the focus of mitigation strategies around the world. One area that has received little research is the impact of noncarnivores on livestock. Both African and Asian elephant species are known to cause livestock injuries and deaths. Livestock owners within elephant ranges perceive elephants as a risk to their livestock, which may reduce their tolerance towards elephants and jeopardize conservation efforts in the area. Though feral …

Clemson Commencement Program, August 2019, Clemson University

Clemson Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of A Sensory Garden Intervention For Individuals With Dementia, Haley Elizabeth Collins

All Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of sensory gardens on agitation and quality of life for people with dementia. The sensory garden consisted of plants that stimulated all the senses. Four people diagnosed with dementia residing in assisted living participated in the multiple treatment single-subject design (A1-B-BC-A2) study. Baseline phase A1 lasted two-weeks, intervention B and BC were four-weeks each, and return to baseline A2 was two-weeks, for a total of 12 weeks. Intervention B was an indoor sensory garden and intervention BC was an approximated outside sensory garden. Data revealed positive trends following the sensory …

Polarization-Resolved Second Harmonic Generation Microscopy Study Of Cardiac Hypertrophy, Cai Yuan

All Dissertations

As the most important structural and functional protein of cardiomyocyte, myosin is sensitive to mechanical and hormonal stimulus during cardiac hypertrophy. Accumulating evidence suggests that the changes in myosin during cardiac hypertrophy can eventually lead to heart failure. Therefore, the effective detection of the structural changes in myosin is critical to understanding the underlying mechanisms of cardiac hypertrophy and contributes to the early diagnose and treatment of cardiac hypertrophy.

Changes in myosin during the development of cardiac hypertrophy are not limited to tissue, cellular or sub-cellular levels such as series and parallel addition of sarcomere. Before cardiac hypertrophy develops obvious …

Bayesian Spatio-Temporal Modeling For Forecasting, Trend Assessment And Spatial Trend Filtering, Stella Coker Watson Self

All Dissertations

This work develops Bayesian spatio-temporal modeling techniques specifically aimed at studying several aspects of our motivating applications, to include vector-borne disease incidence and air pollution levels. A key attribute of the proposed techniques are that they are scalable to extremely large data sets which consist of spatio-temporally oriented observations. The scalability of our modeling strategies is accomplished in two primary ways. First, through the introduction of carefully constructed latent random variables we are able to develop Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling algorithms that consist primarily of Gibbs steps. This leads to the fast and easy updating of the model …

Orange You Glad"¦You Can Spot The Difference? Color's Impact On Brand Awareness & Recognition In The Athletic Environment, Daniel Bryson Conti

All Theses

This study explores which color components of a color will enhance a viewer's ability to identify a specific college athletic team's color. The primary question of this research is: how does color impact brand awareness and recognition in the athletic environment? This experiment explores consumer's brand awareness and color construction across demographic differences. The research methodology consists of an online survey with the brand profiles of four college football teams. These profiles include the team's logo, colors, and content that has been created by the respective team. Clemson University, University of Alabama, University of Notre Dame, and University of Oregon …