Digital Commons Network^™

Coordination And Privacy Preservation In Multi-Agent Systems, Huan Gao

All Dissertations

This dissertation considers two key problems in multi-agent systems: coordination (including both synchronization and desynchronization) and privacy preservation.

For coordination in multi-agent systems, we focus on synchronization/desynchronization of distributed pulse-coupled oscillator (PCO) networks and their applications in collective motion coordination. Pulse-coupled oscillators were originally proposed to model synchronization in biological systems such as flashing fireflies and firing neurons. In recent years, with proven scalability, simplicity, accuracy, and robustness, the PCO based synchronization strategy has become a powerful clock synchronization primitive for wireless sensor networks. Driven by these increased applications in biological networks and wireless sensor networks, synchronization of pulse-coupled oscillators …

Evaluation Of In Situ Bioremediation Of 1, 4-Dioxane Under Aerobic And Anaerobic Conditions, Angel Alejandro Ramos Garcia

All Dissertations

1,4-Dioxane is a widely distributed contaminant within the U.S. along with chlorinated solvents, specifically 1,1,1-trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA) and other compounds. Due to its apparent recalcitrance and carcinogenicity, it is a contaminant that has raised considerable concerns because of its potential adverse effects on health. The physical and chemical properties and behavior of 1,4-dioxane create challenges for its characterization and treatment. It is highly mobile and does not readily biodegrade in the environment. Therefore, remediation for 1,4-dioxane has gained an increasing importance. The current leading technologies for remediation are energy and chemically intensive and ineffective for mass removal, whereas in situ bioremediation …

The Importance Of Play: Identification With Video Game Characters' Intersectional Effects On Bias, Marie A. Jarrell

All Dissertations

Video games are steadily becoming one of the largest and most influential forms of media in history. Today, video games are so popular that the Nintendo mascot Mario from the Mario Brothers video game series is more recognized than Disney's Mickey Mouse. The reach and influence of video games is cause for celebration and concern. After all, just like other forms of media video games can influence audiences far beyond their play sessions. Media can influence everything from how individuals treat others, to governmental policies. With such a large scope of influence over who they reach and how they affect …

A Study Of The Synthesis Of Cellulose By The Bacteria Komagataeibacter Xylinus (K. Xylinus) When Under The Action Of An Electric Field In A Microfluidic Reactor, Sindora Baddam

All Theses

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is an established technique used as a label-free method to manipulate microorganisms by exploiting the interaction of targeted microorganisms with a non-uniform electric field. The strength and direction of the DEP force on a targeted cell, specifically Komagataeibacter xylinus (K. xylinus), is dependent on the frequency of the applied electric field as well as the dielectric properties of the bacterial cell and suspending media.

K. xylinus is a microorganism that can synthesize a fibrous, web-shaped organic material called bacterial cellulose (BC), which contains desirable properties such as high mechanical strength and increased water holding capabilities. By …

Full Issue

International Journal of Interpreter Education

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of In-Situ Activated Carbon On Biodegradation Of Tce, Sreedhar Harigovind

All Theses

Contaminants pose a serious concern due to their relative ease of transport through groundwater, where they can accumulate and become a plume (i.e. dissolved contaminants that move with groundwater flow). Chlorinated solvents are contaminants of concern due to their potential for causing cancer, organ disease, and other ailments. Due to improper storage and disposal, these solvents find themselves in groundwater reserves, and thus warrant the need for finding treatment options to remove them from the water. In-situ biodegradation of TCE is a respiratory process consisting of electron donors, acceptors, and microorganisms that are either native or introduced into the system. …

An Appetite For The Tasteless: An Evaluation Of Off-Color Humor In Adult Animations And Video Games, Presented Through A Proposed Interactive Narrative Via A Procedurally Generated Material Library, Mark William Keller

All Theses

Off-color humor has propelled adult animation into its Golden Age. The success of this genre has prompted media studios to begin developing original series for subscription video-on-demand services. The technology used for these over the top (OTT) streaming services have improved to the point that providers have begun developing cloud-based gaming. These improvements, along with developments in rendering systems, have made it possible to create interactive media across both video and gaming platforms using similar assets. This document will detail the successes of adult animation and the proposal for more interactive narrative media within this category. Accompanying the text will …

Exploring Uncertainties In Households’ Hurricane Evacuations, Jiayun Shen

All Theses

Hurricane Matthew was the most powerful hurricane during the Atlantic Hurricane Season in 2016. It caused tremendous damages to infrastructure and coastal areas of the United States. This thesis uses survey data collected in 2017 from residents in the Jacksonville Metropolitan Area after Hurricane Matthew. Survey questions were designed to capture evacuation-related decisions, information sources usage, socio-economic factors, perceived certainty and intra-familial interactions. The first part of the thesis modeled households’ perceived certainty to identify factors that affect different perceived certainty topics. Certainty topics included were: whether one lives in an evacuation zone, time of hurricane impact, evacuation preparation time …

Fruit Bagging: A Small-Grower And Consumer Horticultural Practice Across The Southeastern United States, Ann Katherine Kule

All Theses

Fruit bagging is a simple method used to protect fruit from pests and diseases. It is popular among backyard gardeners in Asia and there is an increasing interest in the United States, especially in regions with warm and humid climates where pests and diseases thrive (Gorsuch and Scott 2020). Two different surveys were created and conducted two consecutive years (2019 and 2020) using Survey Monkey. Separate surveys were sent out: one was for assessing consumer perception at farmer’s markets in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, and the other was for evaluating bagging success among backyard growers across the nation. Each …

Development Of Extracellular Vesicle Isolation And Model Systems Toward Early Ovarian Cancer Diagnostics, Tyler Slonecki

All Dissertations

Ovarian cancer (OC) is characterized by late stage discovery and low survivability. However, when diagnosed early (Stages I or II) the 5-year survival rate is 92% up from 29%.5 The extreme dichotomy in survivability is what makes OC a prime candidate for early diagnosis techniques. Exosomes, a subtype of extracellular vesicles, may bridge the gap between early and late diagnosis, but are lacking consistent isolation and detection technologies. Here poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) capillary channeled polymer (C-CP) fibers employing an HIC protocol are investigated as a novel exosome isolation method and a quick, inexpensive, and easy-to-use platform for OC diagnosis. The …

Spectroscopic Insights Into The Nano-Bio Interface: Implications And Applications, Wren E. Gregory

All Dissertations

Due to their extraordinary physical, optical, and chemical properties, nanomaterials continue to show great prowess in all varieties of research ranging from energy storage to targeted drug therapy. Specifically, their small size (comparable to biomolecules) and the functional diversity of their surfaces have instigated breakthroughs in the medical field for their use as diagnostic imaging agents, drug delivery vectors, and more. As they become more commonplace and the race continues to test their limits in biomedicine it is imperative that their underlying properties and interactions with biological milieu are thoroughly studied to ensure safe and ethical practices in application. It …

Shelf Life Extension Of Fresh Strawberries Packaged In Clamshells With Chlorine Dioxide Generating Sachets, Samuel J. Kessler

All Dissertations

Strawberry waste occurs at all lifecycle stages from production, distribution, retail, and household handling; this is an estimated 640 million pounds of strawberries lost valuing at $1.4 billion dollars. Active packaging strategies based on the generation of gaseous chlorine dioxide in the primary package have potential to provide to preserve strawberries in storage extending the shelf life. Benchtop studies have shown significant bactericidal activity of chlorine dioxide and quality preserving effects. As chlorine dioxide travels from the source through the package the concentration decreases as it acts at the surface of the food product. As a result, dose is uneven …

Park Place At North Main, Joseph Toledo, Adam Giordano, Rachel Bradshaw, Daniel Raynor

Master of Real Estate Development

No abstract provided.

Development Of Cutaneotrichosporon Oleaginosus To Convert Lignin-Derived Phenolics To Oleochemicals, Allison Yaguchi

All Dissertations

Oleaginous yeasts have long been a target for developing industrial-scale biorefineries due to their ability to accumulate high amounts of lipids, synthesize complex chemicals and proteins, and robustly metabolize diverse feedstocks. In parallel, interest in lignocellulosic biomass as a feedstock has grown. While most processes focus on the carbohydrates from cellulose and hemicellulose, the most energy-dense biopolymer, lignin, remains underutilized.

This dissertation describes foundational work describing lignin conversion by Cutaneotrichosporon oleaginosus, a non-model oleaginous yeast known for its metabolism of alternative sugars, including xylose, and tolerance and metabolism toxic lignocellulosic hydrolysate inhibitors such as 5-HMF, furfural, acetic acid. This …

Clemson Trustees Minutes, 2020 December 1, Clemson University

Minutes

No abstract provided.

A Reconsidering Of Place And Space, Megan Ashley Waller

All Theses

A Reconsidering of Place and Space is an autobiographical body of paintings that challenges the notion that the home is a place of familiarity, peace, connection, and comfort. I unmake the predictability of the spaces through either subtle or overt alterations of these once commonplace areas. While these spaces are grounded in observable reality, they are not entirely logical and operate as psychological environments that often enter the realm of the uncanny or melancholic.

This work operates within the context of the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020. Lockdowns, health conditions, and virus spikes have pushed people to stay home more. This …

An Efficient Distance Tracking Algorithm Using Near-Infrared Light For Biomedical Applications, Steven Thomas Manz

All Theses

In this article, a method for tracking distance between a medical scope and a subject is introduced. The method considers optical coherence of light scattering due to the topography of the subject and post-processing techniques to decrease high reflection interference. The application of distance tracking is extremely important in biomedical imaging because of the effect on variance and resolution due to a non-stationary scope. Near Infrared light is considered in this article because of the application to Near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent imaging in an emerging biomedical imaging field. Many scopes currently use time-of-flight sensors to track distance, but the increasing importance …

Encystation And Glycogen Metabolism In Entamoeba Histolytica, Jordan Lynne Wesel

All Dissertations

Entamoeba histolytica is a parasitic protozoan that causes amebic dysentery, which affects approximately 90 million people annually, killing between 50-100,000. E. histolytica is transmitted via the oral-fecal route, through ingestion of contaminated food and water. The infectious form of the disease is the quiescent cyst, which after ingestion, undergoes excystation in the small intestine to the proliferative trophozoite. The trophozoite is the disease-causing form of the parasite, which colonizes the large intestine. Some trophozoites encyst in the large intestine and are passed out of the host, propagating the infectious cycle.

Despite the global burden of this disease, study of the …

Genetic And Mirna Transcriptomic Analysis Of Autoregulation Of Nodulation Signaling In Medicago Truncatula, Diptee Chauligain

All Dissertations

Legumes can source nitrogen from the air through biological nitrogen fixation inside root nodules formed in a symbiosis with rhizobia. A complex root-to-shoot-to-root signaling pathway called Autoregulation of Nodulation (AON) controls the number of nodules formed depending on the plant’s nitrogen requirements. In Medicago truncatula, the MtSUNN receptor complex in the shoot binds to the root-generated AON signals, peptides called MtCLEs, resulting in downregulation of miR2111 expression in the shoot, with the effect of decreased transport of miR2111 to the roots. Decreased miR2111 levels in the roots then cause an increase in transcript levels of the miR2111 targets MtTML1 …

High Sulfur-Content Materials From Free Fatty Acids, Ashlyn Dennis Smith

All Dissertations

The consumption of traditional plastics continues to climb to meet increasing consumer needs, despite growing awareness that these petrochemical-derived materials are detrimental to the environment. Sustainability scientists are faced with the task of trying to replace some of these materials with sustainably sourced compounds, leading the industry away from fossil fuel-derived monomers. Fatty acid derivatives have proven to be versatile sources for monomers. As constituents of several high-volume and low value waste streams and, given their origins in plant and animal sources, fatty acid derivatives are an ideal starting material. The presence of alcohol, carboxylic acid and olefin functional groups …

Validation Of Physically Heat-Treated Process For Poultry Litter And Analysis Of Microbial Community Of Animal Waste-Based Soil Amendments Using Sequencing Approach, Hongye Wang

All Dissertations

Biological soil amendments of animal origin (BSAAO), such as animal waste or animal waste-based composts, commonly used as organic fertilizer, may contain human pathogens such as Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes. To reduce harmful microorganisms, animal waste can be treated by composting or other validated scientific methods. But insufficient treatment may introduce pathogens into agricultural fields. As a nutrient-rich fertilizer, poultry litter may also contain human pathogens with Salmonella spp. as a primary focus. Physical heat treatments can kill Salmonella in poultry litter with or without the composting process, but validation studies or guidelines are still needed for the litter processing …

Understanding Corrosion In Modular Acetabular Tapers: Retrieval Analysis, In Vitro Testing And Cell-Material Interactions, Aarti Shenoy

All Dissertations

Modular metal-on-metal acetabular tapers comprise two overarching design categories: a titanium shell and a metal/ceramic/polymer liner pair, or a dual-mobility articulation design with an added polymeric insert containing a freely rotating femoral head. Both designs often include a metal-on-metal (MoM) or modular dual-mobility (MDM) shell-liner interfaces, which is prone to corrosion and associated local effects. The goals of this dissertation were to document and distinguish between corrosion modes at this modular junction, to design in vitro test methods to characterize mechanical modes, and to examine their interactions with macrophages, which represent a critical part of the immune response. Through retrieval …

Investigating The Extent Of The Problem: Injury Epidemiology In Cross-Country And Track & Field, Christopher Lee Hopkins

All Dissertations

This dissertation aims to explore the problem of injuries in high school and collegiate cross-country and track and field by systematically reviewing and analyzing data from previous epidemiologic studies, comparing injury rates from a large dataset of collegiate track and field injuries, examining the psychology of injury reporting among adolescent runners, and identifying directions for future research in the field of sports injury epidemiology. Cross-country and track and field are popular modes of physical activity for many adolescents, but as with many sports, they have inherent injury risks that may lead participants to quit or increase their risk of conditions …

Northern Giant Hornet (Vespa Mandarinia) And Yellow-Legged Hornet (Vespa Velutina), Potential Pests Of Honey Bees, Benjamin Andrew Powell

Agricultural Education

Exotic hornets present a significant threat to apiculture. Recent introductions of the yellow-legged hornet to Europe and the asian giant hornet to North America have made it critical that regulators, beekeepers and the general public be able to detect and identify these exotic hornets and to understand their biology to minimize the potential impacts to apiculture in South Carolina were they to be introduced.

Report 2: A Nigerian Trump Parade, Creative Inquiry

Media Forensics Hub Creative Inquiry Reports

On November 3, 2020 at 9:38 AM, President Donald Trump retweeted a video from Abraham O. Adeyemi showing a parade of Nigerians for Trump. President Trump retweeted it with the message, “A parade for me in Nigeria, a great honor!” The individuals taking part were holding Trump 2020 signs, waving American flags, and singing. Although many commenters assumed a parade for Trump was unlikely and probably fake, the parade turned out to be authentic. However, there appears to be an inauthentic connection between the church who organized the parade and two other organizations, Plain Truth Now and Civil Rights International. …

Clemson Libraries Annual Report, 2020, Clemson University Libraries

Publications

No abstract provided.

Clemson Trustees Minutes, 2020 October 23, Clemson University

Minutes

No abstract provided.

Clemson Trustees Minutes, 2020 October 16, Clemson University

Minutes

No abstract provided.

Media Forensic Hub Ci Report 1.1 -- Master Shojae’S Army, Creative Inquiry

Media Forensics Hub Creative Inquiry Reports

The account @ZIENAAB_313 sent out a tweet with an accompanying photograph of a liquor store in flames behind a grimmly ironic silhouette waving an American flag. This stark image, although reported to be Arizona, captured an altogether different scene. A quick analysis of the photo and an image reference search reveals that the photo was from the George Floyd riots in Minnesota. The pairing of this quote and photo raises many questions regarding the authenticity of the account producing it, as well as its motives. The tweet was also being amplified and liked by accounts extremely similar in form and …

Finding Community And Overcoming Barriers: Experiences Of Queer And Transgender Postsecondary Students In Mathematics And Other Stem Fields, Elizabeth Kersey, Matthew Voigt

Publications

Although there is little research on the experiences of queer and/or transgender postsecondary students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, we can infer from current literature that these subjects may be less welcoming than the humanities and social sciences. We conducted two studies to investigate this possibility: (1) a narrative inquiry study with postsecondary transgender students and (2) a grounded theory narrative study with undergraduate queer students. Transgender students who had transitioned indicated that they were subjected to lower expectations when presenting as female, but transgender women experienced this change as positive, since their treatment by others was …