Digital Commons Network^™

Investigating Spatial Heterogeneity In Myocardial Wound Environments To Improve Therapy, Michael Potter

All Dissertations

Heart failure is a broad pathology manifestation categorized by an inability of the heart to successfully pump blood throughout the vast vessel network of the body. Within the United States, heart failure is projected to increase by approximately 46% from 2012 to 2030. Modalities of heart failure are generally related to wall mechanics that are impacted following myocardial infarction events. Interplay exists between the wall mechanics, responding cell populations, and the spatial heterogeneities in the resultant scar. This interplay directs the myocardium towards heart failure modalities governed by overly stiff or compliant states. It is essential to elucidate details underlying …

After-School Connectedness, Racial–Ethnic Identity, Affirmation, And Problem Behaviors, Danielle A. Augustine, Emilie Smith, Dawn P. Witherspoon

Journal of Youth Development

After-school programs are potential contexts that may promote positive youth development (PYD) and reduce problem behaviors among African American children. One way after-school programs may be associated with reduced problem behaviors is by fostering an affirming sense of identity. Prior research on racial–ethnic identity among African American children and adolescents has shown that a positive and affirming sense of identity is related to less maladaptive coping, yet little is known about how after-school programs may foster an affirming sense of identity and lead to reduced problem behaviors. The current study adds to this discourse by investigating how children’s connection to …

Different Tides: A Journey Of Loss, Loneliness, And Friendship, William Gilmer

All Theses

This project is an exploration of story, producing an animatic for the original story Different Tides. Different Tides is a story about loss and separation, and how we carry with us a piece of everyone that has ever been close to us. This thesis will explore the themes of loneliness and loss that pervade the short, as well as the methods of visually expressing those themes. The goal of this thesis is to produce an animatable story, complete with storyboards, animatic, and color script, as well as explore the psychology behind loss and friendship.

Clemson Board Of Trustee Minutes, Finance And Facilities Committee, 2022 October 20, Clemson University Board Of Trustees

Minutes

No abstract provided.

Clemson Board Of Trustee Minutes, Full Board Minutes, 2022 October 20, Clemson University Board Of Trustees

Minutes

No abstract provided.

Fy2023 All Salaries $30-$50,000, Clemson University

Salary Reports

No abstract provided.

Fy2023 Faculty Salaries Over $50,000, Clemson University

Salary Reports

No abstract provided.

Fy2023 All Salaries Over $50,000, Clemson University

Salary Reports

No abstract provided.

Looking Back To Look Forward: 5g/Covid-19 Conspiracies And The Long History Of Infrastructural Fears, Jordan Frith, Scott Campbell, Leah Komen

Publications

Almost as soon as the COVID-19 pandemic began spreading throughout much of the world, conspiracies arose that blamed the virus on the deployment of fifth-generation cellular networks (5G) infrastructure. These conspiracies had significant consequences, including protests against 5G and the destruction of 5G infrastructure. This article uses a media genealogy approach to place the 5G/COVID-19 conspiracies within the long and recurring cycle of conspiracies focused on mobile infrastructure. Placed within that broader history, this article argues that the 5G/COVID-19 conspiracies should have been unsurprising, and these types of infrastructural conspiracies should be a more significant part of mobile media and …

Enriching Intentional Youth Program Experiences Through Preflection, Action, And Reflection, Gary Ellis, Darlene Locke, Kaylee Jorgensen, Jingxian Jiang

Journal of Youth Development

We examined effects of preflection, action, and reflection sessions on youth experiences during a 4-H travel camp. The travel camp was one component of GLOBE, a 2-year Texas 4-H program with intentional goals of advancing understanding of agriculture, poverty, and world cultures. In morning preflection sessions, the 28 youth participants were instructed to take photographs during their day according to themes aligned with 1 of 2 of the program’s goals: building global citizenship and understanding poverty. Each day ended with a reflection session. Youth viewed a slideshow of their themed photographs. After the slideshows, youth completed questionnaires measuring elements of …

Lessons For 4-H Youth Member Recruitment And Retention From The First-Generation College Student Literature, Ashley Patricia Parra, Nicholas Morris, Jeremy Elliott-Engel

Journal of Youth Development

4-H is the largest positive youth development organization in the United States and is implemented by the land grant university system. To achieve program expansion, the century-old organization will need to recruit and retain millions more youth that reflect their increasingly diversified communities. Higher education has also worked to recruit and retain youth previously not engaged in college. This paper explores the hypothesis that there are lessons to be learned by the 4-H program from the literature on first-generation college students. Literature on risk factors and retention are presented for both first- generation college students and 4-H youth members. The …

Challenges, Opportunities, And Adaptations Of A College Preparatory 4-H Youth Development Program During Covid-19, Emily M. Davis, Ann Sansing, Jasmine Harris-Speight, Mary Nelson Robertson, David Buys

Journal of Youth Development

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) has proliferated across the United States, and in the process, it has disrupted all sense of normalcy. Because adolescents are in a critical period for growth and development, youth are particularly susceptible to negative impacts of disruption from COVID-19. Therefore, sustaining youth development programs is essential to ensuring positive youth development occurs despite significant challenges. Unfortunately, the implementation of programs that maintain safety precautions can be challenging. Many programs have been forced to either cancel all activities or to transition program elements to a virtual format. Rural Medical and Science Scholars (RMSS) program administrative staff made the decision …

Using Stem Camps To Improve Female Interest In Technology Careers, April H. Reed, Mark Angolia, Lyubov G. Sluder, Leslie R. Pagliari

Journal of Youth Development

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields have been traditionally entered by men, often establishing women as underrepresented in many of these fields. This research study focuses on participants at a STEM camp for middle- and high-school girls designed to introduce them to technology. The camp was held 4 times over 3 years, with many of the participants from rural areas, underrepresented by race and economic status. Sixty camp attendees completed pre- and post-camp surveys and are referred to as the intervention group. A control group of 200 middle- and high-school girls who did not attend the camp also took …

A Self-Assessment Approach To Understanding 4-H Professional Development Needs In The Northeast, Marycarmen Kunicki, Marissa Staffen, Jennifer Cushman, Rachel E. Lyons, Lisa Phelps, Kevin Sullivan

Journal of Youth Development

In 2017, the National 4-H professional research, knowledge, and competencies (PRKC) taxonomy was updated reflecting the current needs of 4-H youth development professionals. Knowledge and skill gaps of 4-H professionals need to be identified to optimize resource allocation for professional development on the state and regional level. We developed a web-based self-assessment of the PRKC tool using Qualtrics, that evaluated the core competencies across the 6 PRKC domains: (a) youth development; (b) youth program development; (c) volunteerism; (d) equity, access, and opportunity; (e) partnerships; and (f) organizational systems. The responses from 188 Extension 4-H professionals (approximately a quarter of the …

Alfalfa Establishment And Management In South Carolina, Liliane Silva, Michael Mrshall, Jeremy Greene, Matias Aguerre

Livestock and Forages

Alfalfa is a perennial legume with high forage quality that can be used under grazing or hay management. This publication outlines establishment and management recommendations for alfalfa plantings in South Carolina.

Integrating Physiology Into Correlative Models Can Alter Projections Of Habitat Suitability Under Climate Change For A Threatened Amphibian, Jillian C. Newman, Eric A. Riddell, Lori A. Williams, Michael W. Sears, Kyle Barrett

Open Access Publishing Fund

Rapid global change has increased interest in developing ways to identify suitable refu-gia for species of conservation concern. Correlative and mechanistic species distribu-tion models (SDMs) represent two approaches to generate spatially-explicit estimates of climate vulnerability. Correlative SDMs generate distributions using statistical associations between environmental variables and species presence data. In contrast, mechanistic SDMs use physiological traits and tolerances to identify areas that meet the conditions required for growth, survival and reproduction. Correlative approaches assume modeled environmental variables influence species distributions directly or indirectly; however, the mechanisms underlying these associations are rarely verified empirically. We compared habitat suitability predictions between a …

Science At The Center: Meaningful Science Learning In A Preschool Classroom, Sara Raven, Julianne Wenner

Publications

Even though children are natural scientists, many preschools isolate and limit science, which can cause children to miss out on valuable learning experiences and school readiness skills. Additionally, minimizing science at the preschool level fails to set a solid foundation for K-12 science education. In this single case study, we focused on the experiences and daily work of one constructivist-oriented preschool teacher who utilized science-based guided play and emergent curriculum as vehicles for important aspects of preschool learning. Findings demonstrate that with careful planning and intention, science can be utilized as a context for nonscience preschool learning objectives outlined by …

Clinical And Molecular Characterization Of Key Features Of Phelan-Mcdermid Syndrome And Potential Approaches To Clinical Trials, Bridgette Moffitt

All Dissertations

Phelan-McDermid Syndrome (PMS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder that involves chromosomal abnormalities on 22q13.3 and pathogenic variants with the SHANK3 gene. SHANK3 encodes for a critical scaffolding protein that is important in post-synaptic density, function, and maintenance of excitatory synapses. Haploinsufficiency of SHANK3 is considered the major cause of the neurological phenotype of PMS. These studies focused on further characterizing the neurologic phenotype of sleep disturbances in individuals with PMS.

Sleep disturbances are a common feature of PMS, however there is little research available on the subject matter. We reviewed the literature on sleep disturbances and used the Phelan-McDermid Syndrome …

Optimizing Crispr/Cas9-Mediated Knockdown Of Angptl3 In Liver Cell Lines And Mouse Hepatocytes, Meredith Reeves

All Theses

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic condition characterized by elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) that leads to an increased risk of developing cardiac disease early in life (Shah et al., 2020). Current treatments such as statins and PCSK9 inhibitors have helped lower LDL-C levels, however they require repeated administration every 4-6 weeks to remain effective (Raal et al., 2018). Angiopoietin-like 3 (ANGPTL3) is an inhibitor of plasma lipid metabolism that has become a promising molecular target for the treatment of FH. Individuals with non-functional copies of ANGPTL3 demonstrate low levels of plasma LDL-C and triglycerides, indicating a protective …

Modeling Hierarchical Porous Electrodes With Tailored Anisotropic Structure, Debanjan Sarker

All Theses

Modern electric vehicles and consumer electronics applications demand high specific energy from Li-ion batteries, which can be charged and discharged faster. In the search for high specific energy, researchers have tried to make thicker battery electrodes which contain a greater proportion of active material. While chemical and structural modification of electrodes can help to increase the electronic conductivity of active material, the microstructure of porous electrodes can be engineered to enhance ion transport for fast charge and discharge. Previous research has shown that macropores introduced by directional freeze tape casting can enhance the performance of thick porous electrodes. For instance, …

Reproductive Ecology And Microbial Communities From Wood Duck Nest Boxes In Georgia And Florida, Jake Shurba

All Theses

Wood ducks (Aix sponsa) are an important game species throughout the Atlantic Flyway that was nearly extirpated by the early 20^th century due to overhunting and the loss of habitat. Wood ducks are secondary cavity-nesters that utilize artificial nest boxes and natural cavities. It is reported that the use of nest boxes is likely what led to re-establishment of the species in North America. Where boxes are numerous, overuse of boxes by multiple hens throughout a nesting season can occur and result in a buildup of bacteria, parasites and other potentially detrimental pathogens that can impact egg …

Framing The Needs Of School-Based Agricultural Education Teachers To Meet Twenty-First Century Programs Demands, Kayla Marsh

All Theses

Teacher attrition is a historic problem that globally is considered to be an educational crisis. SBAE is not exempt from this crisis with teacher shortages dating back to the passing of the Smith-Hughes Act in 1917. For the past three decades, researchers have studied this phenomenon to better understand the needs of SBAE teachers in order to increase recruitment and retention as well as improve work-life balance.

While several needs are recurring current efforts are not resulting in actionable change for SBAE teachers. To gain perspectives on the problem, qualitative interviews were conducted with SBAE teachers as well as an …

Recruitment, Cost Indexes, And Management Of Box-Nesting Wood Ducks In South Carolina And North Carolina, Emily Miller

All Theses

The wood duck (Aix sponsa) has experienced one of the most significant declines and recoveries among species of North American waterfowl (Anatidae). With enactment of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (1918) and installation of hundreds of thousands of artificial nest structures for this cavity-nesting species in North America, wood duck populations have recovered and remain a sustainable harvested resource. However, long-term research on box-nesting wood ducks conducted at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Aiken, South Carolina, has revealed uncertainty as to whether recruitment rates of yearling females from natal box-nesting populations are self-sustaining without immigration of hens from …

Distribution And Management Of Phytophthora Species On Lavender In The United States, Daniel Dlugos

All Dissertations

Phytophthora root and crown rot (PRCR) is currently the most important disease on lavender (Lavandula spp.) in the United States. The disease was first described on English lavender (L. angustifolia) in a Maryland nursery in 1991, with Phytophthora nicotianae as the causal agent. Since that time, the disease has been reported on multiple continents and as caused by several species of Phytophthora. This study examined the distribution and pathogenicity of Phytophthora species on lavender in the United States, requested lavender grower feedback regarding their production and concerns, and examined efficacy of selected management options. Lavender …

Embedding A Grid Of Load Cells Into A Dining Table For Automatic Monitoring And Detection Of Eating Events, Mohammad Mayyan

All Dissertations

This dissertation describes a “smart dining table” that can detect and measure consumption events. This work is motivated by the growing problem of obesity, which is a global problem and an epidemic in the United States and Europe. Chapter 1 gives a background on the economic burden of obesity and its comorbidities. For the assessment of obesity, we briefly describe the classic dietary assessment tools and discuss their drawback and the necessity of using more objective, accurate, low-cost, and in-situ automatic dietary assessment tools. We explain in short various technologies used for automatic dietary assessment such as acoustic-, motion-, or …

Habitats And Heritage: An Analysis Of The Natural And Cultural Resource Management Of The South Carolina Lowcountry, Patricia Ploehn

All Theses

The South Carolina Lowcountry is replete with cultural landscapes, each one featuring a unique collection of natural and cultural resources. These resources are valuable for their environmental and cultural heritage, a heritage which defines and benefits the communities who call the Lowcountry home. This study presents a comparative analysis of public and private land management organizations operating in the South Carolina Lowcountry. The purpose of this study is to compare how public and private organizations are currently managing natural and cultural resources on cultural landscapes that they protect and oversee. The history of federal and private land management was investigated …

Investigations Into Avian Skeletal Adaptations And Spine Fusion Events, Tori Huey

All Theses

Avian dinosaurs evolved skeletal adaptations resulting in numerous fused spinal structures, like the synsacrum, present in extant birds. The synsacrum is a highly fused region necessary for stiffening the spine, and it fuses the spine to the pelvic ilium. Conventional wisdom suggests that fusion occurred in ovo during embryonic development via the cartilage matrix that patterns the future vertebrae. We show that post hatch birds have intervertebral discs separating all vertebrae of the spine, leading us to re-examine this notion in chickens up to 10 weeks of age. Intervertebral discs undergo constant remodeling, then degenerate and undergo tissue clearance, followed …

Prototype For A Rural Primary Healthcare Center In Paraguay, Maria Virginia Matiauda Schneider

All Theses

Primary Health Care Centers in Paraguay are the architectural settings for the first level of access to healthcare in Paraguay, providing health promotion, pre- vention, diagnosis, treatment, and health education. These centers are built based on four standard typologies, of which two consist of permanent health- care facilities and two of satellite or mobile units. Standard designs for these centers typically consist of residential scaled buildings, with spaces linked by a single central circulation corridor and lacking adequate attention to ventilation and daylight.

The public healthcare system in Paraguay is organized around four levels of care, and the complexity and …

Isolation Of Proteins And Extracellular Vesicles Via Capillary-Channeled Polymer Fiber Stationary Phases, Lacey Billotto

All Theses

Capillary-channeled polymer (C-CP) fiber stationary phases have been developed by the Marcus lab as an alternative approach to traditional, commercially-available silica-based supports for biomacromolecule separations. C-CP columns are created with natural and synthetic base polymers in a variety of chemistries and shapes, allowing for customization of separations, while providing low material costs and ease of construction. The stationary phase is virtually nonporous with respect to the size of proteins and can operate under high linear velocities (~100 mm s^-1) while maintaining relatively low backpressures. As a result of these hydrodynamic benefits, low flow resistance at high volume flow …

The Digital Reconstruction And Simulation Of Civil War Garments Recovered From The H. L. Hunley, Hanna George

All Theses

Costumes are a crucial element in the representation of historical figures. Beyond reflecting aesthetic trends, clothing is closely intertwined with culture, economics, and the personal history of the individual who wore them. Fabric simulation allows for the digital creation and animation of garments too fragile or incomplete to be used directly in film or education. This thesis demonstrates the digital reconstruction of the clothing worn by H. L. Hunley crew member James Wicks. The H. L. Hunley is a submarine from the Civil War. It was the first in history to successfully sink an enemy ship, but never returned from …