Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring And Measuring The Benefits Of Hunting, Susan Talley Guynn

All Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop a survey instrument to measure the psychological benefits related to hunting. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs was used as a theoretical framework which includes five levels: Physiological, Safety, Love/Belonging, Self-Esteem and Self-Actualization. Simple yes/no questions were developed to measure physiological and safety levels while existing scales were used to measure love/belonging and self-esteem. However, it was necessary to develop a scale to measure self-actualization. A pilot study was conducted to develop a scale to measure self-actualization. The 44-question survey was mailed to South Carolina (SC) resident hunting license holders (n = 300; 28% …

Investigating Polymer Based Scaffolds For Urinary Bladder Tissue Engineering, Srikanth Sivaraman

All Dissertations

Current surgical treatments for urinary bladder disorders rely on the use of autologous intestinal segments and xenografts such as small intestinal submucosa, which suffer from various complications including mechanical mismatch and graft shrinkage. Despite early promises of bladder tissue engineering, a recent report of unsuccessful clinical trials suggests that the technology needs further improvement and evaluation through animal models of bladder dysfunction. Therefore, the objective of this doctoral dissertation was to characterize a viable bladder tissue scaffold (patch) which mimics the mechanical properties of the bladder, maintains the phenotype of the BSMC seeded in it and finally, tested in vivo …

Killer Cell Activation By A Novel Multifunctional Protein: An Immuno/Gene Therapy For Cancer, Ashlee Tietje

All Dissertations

One of the characteristics of advanced tumors is the evasion of the immune system. There are multiple methods that tumor cells employ to achieve this including reducing the expression of activating ligands on the cell surface and a shift in the tumor microenvironment toward pro-tumor cytokines. The purpose of this research is to develop a novel bifunctional fusion protein that will target these two deficiencies in the tumor microenvironment and activate killer cells that are already present. The proposed protein combines the extracellular domain of a ligand for the killer cell activating receptor NKG2D and Interleukin-12 (IL-12). It is hypothesized …

Phosphotransacetylase And Xylulose 5-Phosphate/Fructose 6-Phosphate Phosphoketolase: Two Eukaryotic Partners Of Acetate Kinase, Tonya Taylor

All Dissertations

Although acetate is a predominant metabolite produced by many eukaryotic microbes, far less attention has been given to acetate metabolism in eukaryotes than in bacteria and archaea. Acetate kinase (Ack), which catalyzes the reversible phosphorylation of acetate from ATP, is a key enzyme in bacterial acetate metabolism. Ack primarily partners with phosphotransacetylase (Pta), which catalyzes the generation of acetyl phosphate from acetyl-CoA, but can also partner with xylulose 5-phosphate/fructose 6-phosphate phosphoketolase (Xfp), which produces acetyl phosphate from either xylulose 5-phosphate or fructose 6-phosphate. The Ack-Pta pathway, found primarily in bacteria, is also present in lower eukaryotes such as the green …

Life History And Natural Enemies Of Parthenolecanium Spp. In Four Southeastern States, Ernesto Robayo Camacho

All Dissertations

Soft scales (Hemiptera: Coccidae) are some of the most prevalent and difficult to control arthropod pests in urban landscapes of the southern United States. European fruit lecanium, Parthenolecanium corni (Bouche), and oak lecanium, Parthenolecanium quercifex (Fitch), are commonly found in mixed populations as pests of oak trees (Quercus spp.) in the region. The phenology and natural enemies of the two species are poorly understood, which in turn hinders pest managers' ability to develop an integrated management program against these species. This research project aims to fill the information gaps concerning the life history and natural enemies of P. corni and …

Biomechanical Characterization And Modeling Of Human Tmj Disc, Gregory Wright

All Dissertations

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder affects over 10 million people in the US each year. The signs and symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs) include limited mouth opening, clicking and locking of the jaw, and significant pain in the craniofacial region. In patients who seek treatment for TMDs, over 70% have TMJ disc displacement related to disc degeneration. The TMJ disc is interposed between the mandible condyle and the glenoid fossa of the temporal bone. The disc reduces contact stresses within the joint and provides lubrication to the joint. It is generally believed that pathological mechanical loadings, such as sustained jaw …

Understanding The Fusion And Maturation Of Tissue Engineered Linear Blood Vessels Using Magnetic Cellular Spheroids, Timothy R. Olsen

All Dissertations

Cellular spheroids are attractive for tissue fabrication due to having precise control over cell and extracellular matrix (ECM) composition, the ability for upscaled production and repeatability, their three-dimensional nature and the fact that spheroids will produce their own ECM over time. A critical process in the fabrication of complex tissue structures with cellular spheroids is related to their fusion and maturation. Tissue fusion is a self-assembly process in which two or more distinct cell populations, or tissues, make contact and coalesce to form a single cohesive structure. Maturation of tissue engineered constructs involves developing the mechanical properties and ECM compositions …

Trilayer Tissue Engineered Heart Valves For Aortic Valve Replacement, Michael Paul Jaeggli

All Dissertations

Heart valve disease often progresses asymptomatically until valve damage has advanced to the point where replacement is unavoidable. Unfortunately, current valve replacements - including mechanical, bioprosthetic and autografts - have serious drawbacks, which often require replacement surgeries or lifelong anticoagulant therapy. The field of tissue engineering aims to overcome these drawbacks by combining scaffolds, stem cells, and chemical and physical stimuli to produce living tissues. The aortic heart valve has a unique structure composed of three discrete layers – fibrosa, spongiosa, and ventricularis - that work together in concert with the resident valvular interstitial cells to maintain a functioning valve. …

The Tiger Vol. 109 Issue 24 2015-04-21, Clemson University

Tiger Newspapers 2015

No abstract provided.

The Tiger Vol. 109 Issue 21 2015-04-09, Clemson University

Tiger Newspapers 2015

No abstract provided.

10th Annual Focus On Creative Inquiry Poster Forum Program, Clemson University

Focus on Creative Inquiry

The 2015 Focus on Creative Inquiry Poster Forum displays a selection of the projects accomplished by Clemson University students in their Creative Inquiry teams.

What is Creative Inquiry? It is small-group learning for all students, in all disciplines. It is the imaginative combination of engaged learning and undergraduate research – and it is unique to Clemson University.

Current Practice Of Design, Delivery And Maintenance Of Online Training For Transportation Professionals At Public Agencies, Sababa Islam, Mashrur Chowdhury

Graduate Research and Discovery Symposium (GRADS)

Transportation officials need to address the day-to-day challenges of both traffic demands and infrastructure needs to maintain the sustainability of the existing transportation system. While participating in the decision making process, professionals from any public agency (i.e. State Department of Transportation or DOT) need diverse knowledge and dynamic skills to identify any specific points of concern. In order to make the transportation professionals efficient in their job, different public agencies offer online trainings along with the traditional instructor-led courses. These online capacity building courses augment contemporary knowledge and technical skills, which empower professionals to perform their tasks proficiently. Apart from …

Child Labor In Colombia: Physical And Psychological Discomfort At Work In Children Who Work And Attend School, Andrea Morales Reyes

Graduate Research and Discovery Symposium (GRADS)

This study examined the health consequences of child labor in Colombian through the use of a dataset on the economic and non-economic activities engaged in by children and adolescents during 2011. The data collection was a collective effort between the Colombian government and the International Labor Organization (ILO). The data was collected on 48,876 children between the ages of 4 and 17 (mean=11.13, SD=3.7). This particular study focused on a subset of the population of children that either worked and attended school (n=3989) or only worked (n=2,118). Univariate Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to determine whether there was a …

Under The Surface: Biological Monitoring Along Hunnicutt Creek Restoration, Brett Kelly, Carolyn Lanza, Nicole Harper, Sean Mckinney, Nate Slaton

Focus on Creative Inquiry

Hunnicutt Creek Restoration Project is an ongoing effort started in 2013 with the goal of re-establishing the natural functions and conditions of a degraded watershed located on Clemson University's campus. The current research is focused on monitoring key factors of an aquatic ecosystem that indicate habitat viability and overall water quality. Data contributing to our research include the levels of bacteria, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, and the quantified species richness and abundance of amphibians and macroinvertebrates.The results presented in this poster are the baseline comparisons between the improved sections of Hunnicutt Creek and identified reference sites.

Exploiting The Gastrointestinal Microbiota As A Therapeutic Target For Type 1 Diabetes, Bryn Davis, Katrina Ross, Halee Bryant, Kelsey Tackeberry, Caitlyn Blake-Hedges, Adam O'Neil, Neal Patel, Daniel C. Whitehead, Kristi J. Whtiehead

Focus on Creative Inquiry

Studies suggest that in addition to genetic factors, environmental factors such as diet and the gastrointestinal microbiota influence the onset of Type I Diabetes (T1D). Bacteroides are considered to be normal members in a healthy human colon that play an important role in digestion of complex polysaccharides, yet recent research articles have suggested that the normal proportion of Bacteroides species increases significantly in genetically susceptible children before the onset of T1D. Acarbose is an alpha amylase inhibitor that is approved for human use. We hypothesize that acarbose will also interact with Bacteroides alpha-amylase enzymes and therefore has potential as a …

Assisted Reproductive Technologies In The Mare, R Shirley, A Baxley

Focus on Creative Inquiry

Students will work towards becoming efficient in standard industry practices pertaining to breeding horses, successful foaling (parturition) of mares, and healthcare of the mare and neonatal foal. Students will learn to question the 'normal' and expect the abnormal in dealing with these critical times in animal health. Seven teams of students will work independently to conduct mare wellness checks until parturition is impending. Then, these teams will watch their mare overnight via cameras, and be present to assist with the foaling as needed, with the help of a staff member. Then, these teams will work to breed mares back for …

Can Lizard Embryos Survive Climate Warming? Thermal Constraints On The Physiology Of Developing Eastern Fence Lizards, Michael A. Carlo, Eric A. Riddell, Michael W. Sears

Graduate Research and Discovery Symposium (GRADS)

Sublethal stressors will likely mediate an organism’s response to climate change. Mobile animals can change their behavior to maintain temperatures within preferred ranges. However, animals in immobile life stages are particularly vulnerable to warming. For example, lizard embryos experience recurrent thermal stress as they develop in shallow nests with daily temperature fluctuations. Nesting temperatures above 41.5°C can be lethal to Eastern fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus) embryos. Although that is beyond the range experienced at current nest sites, rapid warming will push nest conditions toward critical limits. Therefore, it is important to examine the effects of sublethal high nest temperatures on …

Prevalence Of Six Viral And Bacterial Diseases In Wild Hogs In South Carolina (2007-2013), S R. Sullivan, W C. Bridges, K W. Mcfadden, J J. Mayer, P.G.R. Jodice, G K. Yarrow

Graduate Research and Discovery Symposium (GRADS)

The wild hog (Sus scrofa) is an invasive species that can pose a serious threat to native ecosystems, the domestic livestock industry, and human health. It is estimated that wild hog damage in the United States amounts to roughly $1.5 billion each year; however, this estimate could substantially increase if wild hogs transmitted a viral or bacterial disease to the country’s domestic livestock industry. From 2007-2013, blood and nasal secretion samples were collected from 629 wild hogs in South Carolina to test for 6 selected diseases including classical swine fever, swine brucellosis, pseudorabies virus, porcine circovirus, porcine reproductive and respiratory …

Changes In Soil Co2 Flux From An Urban Environment Due To Anthropogenic Compaction, Dana Walters, Scott Brame

Focus on Creative Inquiry

Compaction or bulk density of soil affects the release of carbon dioxide from soil. Carbon dioxide is produced as a byproduct of below-ground respiration from organisms such as plant roots, fungi, soil animals, bacteria and decomposers. Soil respiration and decomposition account for nearly 29% of all naturally produced atmospheric carbon dioxide. Worldwide this equates to roughly 220 billion tons of carbon emissions. In order to determine the correlation between anthropogenic soil compaction and soil CO2 flux, measurements were taken on Bowman Field, an area of Clemson University's campus known to host multiple large-scale social events each year. The soil CO2 …

The Thornwell Project: Re-Establishment Of Lush Acres Farm, C Baldwin, E Caskey, K Colwell, H Creech, L Fadeley, S Justice, K Lankford, R Lee, B Lowney, Ab. Mclane, An. Mclane, A Mink, K Pfeiffer, H Dunn, T Scott

Focus on Creative Inquiry

The Thornwell Home for Children in Clinton, SC has a 300-acre farm. The administration contacted Clemson University for assistance with a business plan, upgrades and putting into operation sustainable practices. A team was formed with the goal of the home's administration to reactivate farming. The team has four groups working, respectively, on a business plan, a marketing plan, documentation via photography/videography, and student organizations/clubs service projects. The business plan includes steps to improve the small poultry flock and implement aquaponics. Funds for these operations are in place, but other phases for the farm require marketing to raise awareness and donations. …

Earth Day Display, Maggie Mason Smith

Presentations

Are you looking for a way to celebrate Earth Day? You may find an idea in a book or in a DVD from our Earth Day display, which is located on the New Books Shelf. Items on display include: The Carbon Diaries 2015, On Extinction: How we became Estranged from Nature, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, No Impact Man, and The World without Us.

The Tiger Vol. 109 Issue 18 2015-03-31, Clemson University

Tiger Newspapers 2015

No abstract provided.

The Tiger Vol. 109 Issue 17 2015-03-26, Clemson University

Tiger Newspapers 2015

No abstract provided.

The Tiger Vol. 109 Issue 15 2015-03-12, Clemson University

Tiger Newspapers 2015

No abstract provided.

Staff Senate Minutes, 2015 March 10, Clemson University

Staff Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

The Tiger Vol. 109 Issue 14 2015-03-10, Clemson University

Tiger Newspapers 2015

No abstract provided.

The Tiger Vol. 109 Issue 13 2015-03-05, Clemson University

Tiger Newspapers 2015

No abstract provided.

Characterizing Equipment Cost, Fuel Use, And Emissions For Earthwork Activities, Phil Lewis, Yongwei Shan, Apif Hajji, Elizabeth Hazzard

The Professional Constructor

The objective of this paper is to examine the relationships between construction equipment costs, fuel use, and air pollutant emissions to make more informed decisions in construction planning and achieve more sustainable construction activity. This paper presents an estimating approach that combines both construction and environmental data to assess the relationships between equipment costs, fuel use, and emissions. To characterize these relationships, a case study is presented for a dozer performing a bulk excavation activity. Sensitivity analyses based on soil type, dozing distance, and engine horsepower rating are presented. Results indicate that there is little difference in the equipment total …

Full Issue, Volume 39, Number 1

The Professional Constructor

No abstract provided.

The Tiger Vol. 109 Issue 10 2015-02-19, Clemson University

Tiger Newspapers 2015

No abstract provided.