Digital Commons Network^™

Predictive Modeling Of The Virtual Hemi-Fontan Operation For Second Stage Single Ventricle Palliation: Two Patient-Specific Cases, Ethan Kung, Alessia Baretta, Catriona Baker, Gregory Arbia, Giovanni Biglino, Chiara Corsini, Silvia Schievano, Irene E. Vignon-Clementel, Gabriele Dubini, Giancarlo Pennati, Andrew Taylor, Adam Dorfman, Anthony M. Hlavacek, Alison L. Marsden, Tain-Yen Hsia, Francesco Migliavacca

Publications

Single ventricle hearts are congenital cardiovascular defects in which the heart has only one functional pumping chamber. The treatment for these conditions typically requires a three-staged operative process where Stage 1 is typically achieved by a shunt between the systemic and pulmonary arteries, and Stage 2 by connecting the superior venous return to the pulmonary circulation. Surgically, the Stage 2 circulation can be achieved through a procedure called the Hemi-Fontan, which reconstructs the right atrium and pulmonary artery to allow for an enlarged confluence with the superior vena cava.

Based on pre-operative data obtained from two patients prior to Stage …

Enduring Quests - Daring Visions (Nasa Astrophysics In The Next Three Decades), Dieter H. Hartmann

Publications

?

2012, Camp Research Forum Book Of Abstracts, American Camp Association

ACA National Camp Research Forum Abstracts

No abstract provided.

The Tiger Vol. 106 Issue 25 2012-12-07, Clemson University

Tiger Newspapers

No abstract provided.

Clemson Commencement Program, December 2012, Clemson University

Clemson Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

A Node Based Volume Modeling And Rendering Toolkit For Python, Robert Kern

All Theses

This thesis covers the implementation and use of a node based volume modeling and ren- dering toolkit for python. The first part of the thesis covers the code structure of the toolkit, the implementation of the nodes, and how they are evaluated. Operator graphs are built from nodes to create and shape volumes. During volume rendering these graphs are evaluated for the density and color values. The second part of the thesis covers how the toolkit was used to create and render volumetric effects by emulating an effect seen in a movie. The animation of the effect, the use of …

Semantic Similarity Detection In Natural Language Documents, Lianyu Zhao

All Theses

Data leak prevention (DLP) solutions monitor and control data flow. Current techniques find data that matches user defined syntactic patterns. Unfortunately, large classes of DLP relevant data are defined by information semantics, rather than data syntax. Syntax refers to data format, whereas semantics refers to data meaning. The class of social security numbers can be adequately expressed using data syntax, whereas a new industrial process can only be adequately described using information semantics. In this paper, we propose methods for extracting and identifying document semantics using training sets of limited size (tens of documents). The first method is based on …

Impedance-Based Fault Location Methods For Transmission Line Connecting Wind Farm Plants, Chaoqi Ji

All Theses

With an increasing capacity of wind power installed in the world, the impact of wind generation during fault condition has been studied. Wind plants equipped with induction generator results in a different fault behavior in transmission networks. In this paper, the validation of existing impedance-based fault location methods are performed on a transmission line connecting wind plant equipped with three different types of induction generators. This work is based on the simulation in real-time digital simulator (RTDS).
Squirrel-cage induction generator (SCIG), wound-rotor induction generator (WRIG) and doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) are the three common generators used for wind power plants. …

The Effects Of Temperature On Energy Utilization By Marine Invertebrate Larvae, Elizabeth Whitehill

All Dissertations

Most ectothermic organisms are larger when reared at lower temperatures and temperature can greatly affect an organism's physiological state, so understanding how temperature affects larval size and quality can provide insight into how the larval thermal environment affects post-metamorphic success. Because quality is often defined in terms of size and energy content, I focused on how temperature affects energy utilization by larvae and how differences in energy accumulation and utilization may carry over into the juvenile stage. Marine invertebrate larvae are often classified into two groups: larvae from smaller eggs that must obtain food from the environment in order to …

Design And Implementation Of A Genre Hybrid Video Game That Integrates The Curriculum Of An Introductory Programming Course, Cory Buckley

All Theses

Video games have a history of being exploited for education. However, all too fre- quently, the resulting educational video game is either transparent in its hijacking of video game media, or the educational content is not intelligently placed within the context of the game. In this paper we analyze existing educational video games and observe popular commercial video game mechanics to form a more player oriented development mindset. Our approach involves mingling game mechanics that are not commonly used together to create a genre hybrid educational video game with a seamlessly integrated introductory programming curriculum. We use a machine architecture …

Motion Capture Study Of Human Movement Recognition, Nicholas Kinerd

All Theses

In this thesis, we address questions about recognition of human movement through motion
capture. We begin by capturing the martial arts movements of four actors as they each perform
three different techniques. We then conduct a survey to determine if participants in
the survey are able to distinguish the various martial arts techniques and differentiate the
actors that portray said techniques. A secondary consideration of our survey is to determine
if the participants can distinguish the sex of the actors as they perform the martial arts
techniques. Our hypothesis is that people are able to distinguish actors and sex; however, …

Novel Electron Shuttling Compounds, Ramasubramanian Neeraja

All Theses

Electron mediator's usage in remediation technologies might be an excellent alternative to increase the rate of transformation of various contaminants such as nitroamine, polyhalogenated compounds and many others. Employing electron shuttles open up different pathways for the contaminant transformation and the reaction goes to completion at a much faster rate. Anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS) has been known to be a model electron shuttle with good shuttling capacity followed by humic acids. But the necessity for identifying electron shuttles suitable for field applications is important. As remediation technologies will command application of the shuttles on a large scale, tracing shuttles which are cheap, …

The Effects Of Low Dose Ionizing Radiation Exposure On The Metabolic And Mechanical Properties Of Articular Cartilage, Carl Lindburg

All Theses

Radiation therapy is necessary treatment for many cancer patients due to its non-surgical, yet aggressive and efficacious properties. In fact, over 50% of patients with cancer will undergo some form of radiotherapy during the course of their treatment. While the biological response to ionizing radiation has been examined over the years and many adverse effects have been identified, the effects of radiation on mature cartilage and musculoskeletal tissues are not well understood. Bone, once thought to be a tissue relatively resistant to radiation, has recently been shown to have osteoporosis-like bone atrophy after exposure to low doses (2 Gy) of …

The Clemson Class Of 1939, Lawrence Korth

All Theses

Abstract
The Clemson graduating class of 1939 entered college in 1935, during the Great Depression. By the time they enrolled, even as teenagers, many of them had encountered the economic hardships and family disruption of the times. When they got to Clemson, they discovered a military school with strong discipline and regimentation. Shortly after graduation these same men were engaged in World War ll. These three experiences, - the Depression, military training and World War ll combat - combined to form a bond among these men that has carried forward for over 70 years.
Circumstance played a role in helping …

Finding Upstate South Carolina's Consumers' Willingness To Pay For Local Food With A Price Premium Donation To Local Food Banks, Emily Young

All Theses

The objective of this study is to evaluate Upstate South Carolina consumers' willingness to pay for a system in which local food banks and local farms support one another. The proposed system will be based on local food consumers paying a price premium for locally grown agricultural products, and this premium is then donated to local food banks. The food banks would act as intermediaries to improve sustainability of local farms and in the long term, this system is expected to provide external benefits to local economic development. The study uses a consumer demand mail survey to record opinions about, …

Study Of Cell Viability During Laser Direct Writing Of Cell-Alginate Suspension, Hemanth Gudapati

All Theses

Laser-assisted cell printing, developed based on Matrix-assisted pulsed-laser evaporation direct-write (MAPLE DW), a typical LIFT (laser-induced forward transfer) practice, has been emerging as one of the most promising biofabrication techniques. Alginate, particularly sodium alginate, is extensively used as the constituent of bioink in laser-assisted cell printing. However, thus far, studies investigating the effect of alginate gelation on cell viability in laser-assisted cell printing are lacking. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of gelation, gelation time, sodium alginate concentration, and the effect of operating conditions such as the laser fluence on post-transfer cell viability during laser-assisted cell …

The Feasibility Of A Fresh Fruit And Vegetable Processor In Saluda County, South Carolina, Sarah Macdonald

All Theses

ABSTRACT
This research looks at the topic of agriculture and agricultural processing as a means for rural economic development. The purpose of the study is to determine the feasibility and desirability of a fruit and vegetable processor in Saluda County, South Carolina. A fruit and vegetable co-packer was chosen because of positive community response to the idea, large and growing fruit and vegetable production in the county, lack of fruit and vegetable processing in the county and growing demand for fresh cut and frozen produce. The proposed processor would produce sliced, frozen, bagged peaches during peach season and cut, frozen, …

Ancient Traditions And Personal Mythology: An Immortal Connection To Wilderness, James Brantley

All Theses

My personal experiences with nature lead me to have a very primal relationship with wildlife and landscape. These experiences elicit primal internal responses of fear and wonderment. They peak my imagination in a way that nothing else does. To effectively visualize this, I create prints and sculpture that present my personal mythology and symbols.
The use of mythology has historical precedence. The use of myth helps us make sense of the aspects of life that are ethereal, intangible and difficult to understand. To visualize my experiences in nature, I create network of personal mythology and symbolism based on personal experiences, …

Visions & Fissures, Sarah Butler

All Theses

My work references both Early Renaissance paintings and digital technology through highly-saturated and detailed hybrids of painting styles. The religious narratives combined with digital symbols and artifacts of digital processes suggest the spiritual undercurrents surrounding digital technology in its potential for enlightenment, transcendence, and evoking a sense of the infinite. To further clarify the reasoning behind this connection, I discuss three themes. Firstly, the function of illusion in Early Renaissance and in digital space, secondly, the mythology and promise associated with digital space and lastly, the fact that we currently occupy two spaces simultaneously as computer users, and aligning that …

Stranger Of The House: The Evolution Of Sensation's New Man, Laura Mogel

All Theses

While Elaine Showalter argues that the 'crisis in masculinity' occurs with the emergence of the New Woman and the fin de sicle, this thesis suggests that men, specifically here wealthy men, were in crisis long before these phenomena due to their dissolved understanding of their place and position amidst immense changes in Victorian England. An interrogation of 1860s sensation fiction, and specifically Wilkie Collins's Basil and Mary Elizabeth Braddon's Lady Audley's Secret, suggests that men grappled with their position and masculinity prior to the fin de sicle as evidenced by the heroine-prescribed social deaths of Basil and George Talboys. After …

Bioswellable Amphiphilic Copolymers, David Ingram

All Theses

The suture is one of the most commonly used medical devices, consisting of a fiber, a surgical needle and the packaging in which it is stored. The fiber itself remains after implantation for a defined time and is responsible for the approximation of the wound during the healing process. The needle merely serves to aid in insertion, and preferably has a diameter larger than the diameter of the fiber .
The 1970's marked the birth of a new family of fibrous materials for the approximation of wounds: synthetic absorbable sutures. This family has the ability to provide wound support during …

Can The Application Of A Landscape Designed Learning Environment Enhance Education?, Virginia Bailey

All Theses

There is a need for a restructuring the way that a child's learning environment is designed. Currently, the mainstream educational design process ignores the notion that children have different ways of learning. Furthermore, when there are so many distractions, how we successfully reach a child's mind has become a challenge. The current school system is structured in a manner that does not address the presence of these distractions, often causing overstimulation and inattentiveness. Designing for children should be approached in a way that all senses are engaged. Having opportunities for hands-on learning inside and outside of the classroom is important …

The Effects Of 0.2 Hz Varying Latency With 20-100 Ms Varying Amplitude On Simulator Sickness In A Helmet Mounted Display, Matthew St. Pierre

All Dissertations

The relationship between the occurrence of simulator sickness (SS) and the several characteristics of latency (i.e., added latency, amplitude of latency, and frequency of latency) in a helmet-mounted display (HMD) were explored in this study. The experience of SS while using an HMD has often been attributed to system latency. These findings are typical in research where HMDs with head trackers are used. The current study explored the effects of 200 ms added constant latency, latency varying at 0.2 Hz with a constant 100 ms amplitude, and latency varying at 0.2 Hz with a 20-100 ms varying amplitude on the …

Molecular Genetics Of Nodule Number Regulation: Cloning, Characterization And Functional Studies Of The Root Determined Nodulator1 (Rdn1) Gene In Medicago Truncatula, Tessema Kassaw

All Dissertations

Nitrogen is critical to life. However, the majority of nitrogen on earth (in the atmosphere) is inert and unavailable to nearly all organisms. Metabolically diverse prokaryotes are the only organisms capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen; rhizobia set up a symbiosis with legume plants allowing the plants to benefit from this ability. Since nodulation and the subsequent nitrogen fixation processes are energy intensive, the host plant must balance hosting of the rhizobia by limiting the number of nodules it forms through a mechanism called Autoregulation of Nodulation (AON). My study of mutants in the model legume Medicago truncatula defective in AON …

Analyses Of Consumer Perceptions, Farmer Challenges, Polyamine, And Amino Acid Content Of Organic And Conventional Fresh Produce Grown In South Carolina, Emily Steinberg

All Dissertations

Execution of the USDA organic standards led to more support for local food as distinct from organic food. The current study was conducted to examine fresh produce perceptions and purchasing decisions of S.C. consumers. Four-hundred and eight S.C. consumers were surveyed at S.C. grocery stores. More than one-third of the S.C. consumers not knowing about the 'certified S.C. grown' program suggest that the S.C. Department of Agriculture (SCDA) may want to improve the promotion of their program. Eighty-five percent of consumers indicated that they would choose local over organic. This information would be useful to local S.C. produce farmers who …

Policy Evaluation Using Cost-Benefit Analysis: Empirical Ramifications For Two Policy Issues, Elizabeth Crouch

All Dissertations

Using two distinct health policy issues my research examines the relevance and ramifications of using cost-benefit analysis (CBA) to demonstrate real-world impacts of the policies. My dissertation discusses how these two situations represent particular challenges to cost-benefit analysis. The challenges have specific implications for how scholars, agencies, and government entities should use CBA to evaluate policies. Specifically, my research finds that by separating CBA into four different approaches, a much more complete, and less assumption-laden, CBA can be accomplished.

Application Of Carbon Dioxide Towards The Development Of Smart Materials, Green Reaction Schemes And Metallic Nanoparticle Synthesis, Fiaz Mohammed

All Dissertations

Global carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions have steadily risen over the last 50 years, with 34 billion tons of CO₂ released in 2009 alone. Its potential as a greenhouse gas has negatively affected of our lives and environment by the resulting ocean acidification and climate change. To mitigate atmospheric CO₂, various strategies have been implemented for CO₂ separation, capture, storage and use as a chemical feedstock. The use of CO₂ in various chemical industries is attractive as its non-flammable, non-toxic, and relatively inert properties have made it an inherently safer alternative to traditional organic …

Fate And Reactivity Of Natural And Manufactured Nanoparticles In Soil/Water Environments, Allison Vandevoort

All Dissertations

Nanoparticles (NPs), < 100 nm in diameter, make up the smallest component of solid material. This small size often causes increased reactivity in soil/water environments, which is true for both natural NPs, such as very fine clay particles, and for manufactured nanoparticles, such as silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). As the importance of these particles is more widely recognized, and as manufactured nanoparticles, especially AgNPs, are increasing in production, it is essential to consider their effect on terrestrial and aquatic environments. The studies presented in this dissertation show that both the physicochemical characteristics of the NPs (e.g., particle size, surface coating, elemental composition), as well as soil-water interfacial chemistry (e.g., ionic strength, ligand concentration, pH), are instrumental in predicting environmental fate and reactivity.
Ligand type and concentration were especially important in NP reactivity and bioavailability. Using the hard/soft acid/base concept, the effect of phosphate ligand (hard base) on Fe/Al (hard acid) oxyhydroxide natural NPs was investigated in Chapters 2 and 3. Adding phosphate to soil NPs and reference nano-minerals (Fe-(oxyhydr)oxides and kaolinite) caused coagulation or dispersion, changing the particle size of the NPs, as well as affecting the amount of phosphate in its bioavailable (i.e., dissolved) form. A review of the literature in Chapters 1 and 3 revealed that changes in the soil conditions, and therefore, soil colloids/NPs (e.g., increasing organic …

Towards Trustworthy, Efficient And Scalable Distributed Wireless Systems, Ze Li

All Dissertations

Advances in wireless technologies have enabled distributed mobile devices to connect with each other to form distributed wireless systems. Due to the absence of infrastructure, distributed wireless systems require node cooperation in multi-hop routing. However, the openness and decentralized nature of distributed wireless systems where each node labors under a resource constraint introduces three challenges: (1) cooperation incentives that effectively encourage nodes to offer services and thwart the intentions of selfish and malicious nodes, (2) cooperation incentives that are efficient to deploy, use and maintain, and (3) routing to efficiently deliver messages with less overhead and lower delay. While most …

Effects Of Red Raspberry On Doxorubicin Chemotherapy Induced Neurotoxicity, Ran He

All Dissertations

Chemotherapy is a widely used treatment for cancer, with significant side effects including cognitive impairments that affect patients' quality of life. Red raspberries are known to inhibit growth of cancer cells with recent research suggesting the ability to also protect neurons. If this protective ability can be confirmed, red raspberry may emerge as a promising natural intervention for cognitive impairments associated with chemotherapy. In addition, many studies have linked cognitive functions to epigenetic mechanisms postulating that transient reprogramming of epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, is required for some basic neuronal/cognitive functions.
The objective of this dissertation is to study …