Digital Commons Network^™

A Ph Sensor For Non-Invasive Detection And Monitoring Of Ph Changes During Implant-Associated Infection Using X-Ray Excited Luminescence Chemical Imaging, Unaiza Uzair

All Dissertations

Implant-associated infection is a leading cause of fixation failures and these infections are resistant to antibiotics especially after mature biofilms have been established on the implant surface. These infections can also be challenging to detect, especially at early stages or during antibiotic treatment, due to lack of symptoms and specific tests to detect localized infection. Low pH is believed to be associated with infection as bacteria and inflammatory responses can cause a pH drop in the affected area. Detecting changes in pH on the implant surface can provide a better understanding and help to detect, treat and monitor such infections …

The Role Of Substrate Elasticity In Droplet Splashing, Bailey Basso

All Theses

Drop impact onto elastic substrates is important in applications such as spray coating, bioprinting, forensic analysis, and aerosol drug delivery. The dynamics of impact are complex and include a sequence of events that cause a drop to splash or deposit, form a corrugated leading edge with a well-defined number of spines that may or may not pinchoff into satellite drops during spreading, and finally retraction of the main drop to an equilibrium configuration. Careful experiments are performed to quantify droplet impact on soft gel substrates made of either PDMS silicone or gelatin hydrogels of varying elastic modulus. High-speed photography and …

"We've Had Enough": Youth Activists' Pathways To Participation And Social Media Practices Following The Parkland Shooting, Allyson Marie Wilcox

All Dissertations

After the 2018 shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, students across the United States participated in a national school walkout to protest school shootings. In conducting this study, I set out to examine two aspects of youth activism in relation to social media. First, how social media affected pathways to participation for high school students who participated in the National School Walkout. Second, how youth used social media in their activism.

Multiple case study (Yin, 2014) was used to explore how eight youth activists who organized and conducted a march for gun control laws reacted to …

Development And Implementation Of An Online Estimator For Oxygen Transfer In Bioreactors Using Recursive Least Squares, Marshall Trout

All Theses

Biopharmaceuticals produced in recombinant cells, such as antibodies or gene therapies, have the potential to treat diseases that were previously chronic, such as cancer or immune deficiencies. These products are produced in large scale fermentations where the cells are often limited by one nutrient, usually glucose or some other sugar. This allows one to use a single variable to control the growth of the cells. A feed controller has been developed that relies on feedback information about the oxygen consumption of the cells. Currently, there is not a standard means to calculate or measure the oxygen consumption of a cell …

Exploring Intercollegiate Adaptive Athletics Program Structures, Breida Liana Hill

All Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore intercollegiate adaptive athletics program structures in the United States. As athletics programs can be seen as open systems, an open systems model of sport organizations was used to guide the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven participants associated with intercollegiate adaptive athletics programs. A qualitative description design was used to gain a foundational understanding of program structures based on the programs’ environments, inputs, processes, and outputs. Findings suggest intercollegiate adaptive athletics program structures are highly varied and complex open systems that are closely intertwined with their environments and have observable inputs, …

"The Unregulated Wild West": A Socio-Ethical Discourse Analysis Of Direct-To-Consumer Genetic Testing, Hannah Halusker

All Theses

More than 26 million individuals have submitted to direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTCGT) services since the personal genomics industry gained traction in the late 2010s. Private firms AncestryDNA and 23andMe dominate the market, and as a result, hold ownership of some of the largest collections of human genetic data in the world. As a novel technology that analyzes consumer disease risk or genetic genealogy, DTCGT has emerged alongside a number of ethical, legal, and social implications that require scholarly investigation. This study places a critical eye on AncestryDNA and 23andMe to examine how DTCGT is contextualized in the news media. Using …

Bacterial Spot Of Peach: Epidemiology And Chemical Sensitivity Of Xanthomonas Arboricola Pv. Pruni In South Carolina Orchards, Brodie Monroe Cox

All Theses

Bacterial spot on peach, caused by Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni (Xap), is a major disease in the southeastern United States. The disease can cause substantial yield loss despite season long applications of copper. It is unknown whether selection of resistance over the course of the season contributes to disease development. Thus, we collect Xap from shoot cankers, leaves, and fruit over two years from cultivar O‘Henry of three conventional and one organic farms in South Carolina and determined sensitivity to copper at the beginning (bud break), middle (pit hardening) and end (final swell) of production season. Four canker types were …

The Effects Of Expanding Long-Acting Reversible Contraception On Female High School Graduation Rates, Emily Anne Godbold

All Theses

The Colorado Family Planning Initiative (CFPI) expanded resources for long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs) across Title X clinics in Colorado in 2009; the policy aimed to target low-income and teen women to reduce unintended pregnancy throughout the state. Using a difference-in-differences design, I estimate the differential impacts of the policy on high school graduation rates. I use Colorado school districts with a Title X clinic as the treated group and Colorado school districts without Title X clinics as the control group to compare female graduation rates before and after the implementation of the CFPI. Overall, the Colorado Family Planning Initiative’s effect …

Sharing Is Caring: Assessing Willingness To Share Autonomous Vehicles For Evacuation And Disaster Relief, Thomas Alan Shirley

All Theses

Coastal areas in the southeastern United States face the threat of hurricanes each year. Some of the greatest danger associated with these storms is experienced by citizens without personal means to evacuate. Along with storms comes the inevitable post-disaster relief process of evaluating losses and delivering supplies. With the rapid development of autonomous vehicle technology, this study examines the potential use of autonomous vehicles, publicly or privately owned, to assist in these evacuation and disaster relief efforts. Examining this new field of study, the researchers hosted three focus groups and received 1050 responses to an online survey. Based on the …

A Descriptive Study Of Practitioners’ Use Of Yoga With Adolescents Who Have Experienced Trauma, Madeline Nance

All Theses

Experiencing a traumatic event(s) during adolescence may lead to various short- and/or long-term effects on the adolescent’s emotional, physical, social, cognitive, and/or spiritual health. The impacts of trauma may be addressed through treatment, but many common trauma treatments fail to address all five health domains. As a holistic practice, yoga may be a beneficial treatment for adolescents who have experienced trauma. While research has identified positive impacts of yoga on all five health domains, there are many inconsistencies in the literature regarding the use of yoga with adolescents who have experienced trauma. Using a descriptive quantitative research design, the purpose …

Effects Of Self-Monitoring On The Self-Determination Of Students With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities In A Post-Secondary Educational Setting, Kristina Nicole Randall

All Dissertations

Increased self-determination skills are critical in improving life outcomes for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). The recent growth of post-secondary education settings for those with IDD have provided an additional setting in which self-determination skills should be taught. Using a multiple-baseline single case research design, the researcher examined a self-determination choice-making curriculum along with the use of a self-monitoring checklist to increase self-determination skills for individuals with IDD who attend a post-secondary educational setting. Data were analyzed using visual analysis and repeated measures ANOVAS. Results indicated that the overall points exceeding the median (PEM) of the intervention was …

Effect Of Electrolyte Ph On The Electrosynthesis Of Hydrogen Peroxide On Carbon Black-Based Gas Diffusion Electrodes, Spencer Lindsay

All Theses

The electrochemical synthesis of H2O2 by the cathodic reduction of O2 is an on-site alternative to the current industrial scale method of production. Carbon-based gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) are selective to H2O2 synthesis and inexpensive compared to their precious metal counterparts. The research presented here examines the role electrolyte pH in the cathode has on the efficiency of H2O2 electrosynthesis, particularly as it pertains to the rate of H2O2 production on the electrode and subsequent degradation in the cathode chamber. From these results, the optimization of the cathode surface and environmental conditions is then considered.

The overall performance was dependent …

Investigating Rad51 And Dmc1 In Entamoeba Histolytica: Homologous Recombinases With Drug Target Potential, Rachel Evelyn Ham

All Theses

Entamoeba histolytica is the causative agent of amebic dysentery and is prevalent in developing countries. It has a biphasic lifecycle: active, virulent trophozoites and dormant, environmentally-stable cysts. Only cysts are capable of establishing new infections, and are spread by fecal deposition. Many unknown factors influence stage conversion, and synchronous encystation of E. histolytica is not currently possible in vitro. E. histolytica infections are treated with nitroimidazole drugs, such as metronidazole (Flagyl™). However, several clinical isolates have shown metronidazole resistance. Enhancing the amebicidal mechanisms of metronidazole through drug combination therapy may allow for more effective treatment. Metronidazole may cause amebic death …

Practitioners’ Use Of Yoga With Children Who Have Experienced Trauma, Megan Sease

All Theses

Various types of traumatic events may impact children’s (ages 2-11) emotional, cognitive, social, physical, and/or spiritual health. Yoga, a holistic treatment, has the potential to address the impact of trauma on children’s mind and the body. However, throughout the literature, there are inconsistencies related to the use of yoga with children who have experienced trauma. To address these inconsistencies, using a descriptive quantitative research design, the purpose of this study was to explore how, why, and by whom yoga is implemented with children (2-11 years old) who have experienced trauma. Findings showed that healthcare and non-healthcare professionals implement yoga with …

Analysis Of Roadway Traffic During Hurricane Irma, Hang Ren

All Theses

Hurricane Irma struck the United States in 2017 and caused a massive evacuation across the State of Florida. This research uses traffic data collected across Florida to investigate the evacuation pattern during Hurricane Irma.

Although many local governments issued evacuation orders before Hurricane Irma made landfall, the public may not follow the evacuation orders closely. They may choose to evacuate before the orders take effect. This thesis analyzes seven major regions, including the Florida Key, Southeast, Marco Island, Tampa, Hernando, Polk, and Orlando Regions. The objectives of this research are to (1) identify the evacuation start time, evacuation peak time …

Investigation Of Consumer Acceptability Of Beverages Through Automated Facial Expression Analysis And Overall Liking, Funan Jiang

All Theses

This research aims to understand consumer’s preference by self-reported overall liking (hedonic scores) and facial expressions elicited by beverages measured by automated facial analysis software (AFEA). Two independent studies were included:

In study 1-Observing and comparing emotions measured through AFEA and hedonic response on basic tastes (N=32), consumers’ facial expressions evoked by bitter and sweet taste solution at high concentrations (1.08g/L and 48.0g/L respectively) (ISO 8586- 1:1993) and water were studied. It concluded that the overall liking of water was significantly higher than bitter and sweet (p

In study 2- The influence of labeling on consumer emotion and hedonic liking …

Sense Of Self In The Context Of Digitalization: Essays On Digital Self-Continuity Conceptualization And Empirical Investigations, Wenxi Pu

All Dissertations

Digital technologies have deeply weaved into the infrastructures of society and organizations, fundamentally transforming how individuals interact with each other and, consequently, transforming how individuals verify and express their sense of self. Rooted in this context, this dissertation explores two hitherto largely ignored areas in Information Systems (IS) research with two essays related to the theme of self and identity. The first essay investigates whether and how stigmatized self presented on social media (e.g., Facebook and LinkedIn) impacts a job applicant’s hireability ratings. Nowadays, more and more companies use social media to screen job applicants before contacting them for interviews. …

Forming Impressions On Computer-Mediated Healthcare Peer-Support Systems For Informal Caregivers, Shraddhaa Narasimha

All Dissertations

The rapid evolution of Information technology (IT) has seen its adoption during many aspects of our lives, including healthcare. Healthcare IT provides the public with access to governmental records, electronic health records, healthcare websites, internet-based medical consultation, and more recently, online peer-support portals. These peer-support portals, which are directed not only towards patients but also caregivers, have been found to be a source of informational and emotional support. In addition, for caregivers who cannot leave their loved ones to access in-person support groups, these online support portals are an important substitute.

In these online peer-support portals, informal caregivers interact with …

Diagnosis, Rupture Risk Evaluation And Therapeutic Intervention Of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Using Targeted Nanoparticles, Xiaoying Wang

All Dissertations

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) disease causes dilation of the aorta that can lead to aortic rupture and death if not treated early. It is the 14th leading cause of death in the U.S. and is cited as the 10th leading cause of death in men over age 55, affecting thousands of patients and their families. To date, AAA patients have minimal access to safe and efficient imaging modalities for diagnosis as well as pharmacotherapies. AAA is usually detected and monitored with ultrasonography or contrast-enhanced computed tomography (C.T.), which doesn’t provide biomechanical information of the AAAs that are essential for predicting …

Detecting Periods Of Eating In Everyday Life By Tracking Wrist Motion — What Is A Meal?, Surya Sharma

All Dissertations

Eating is one of the most basic activities observed in sentient animals, a behavior so natural that humans often eating without giving the activity a second thought. Unfortunately, this often leads to consuming more calories than expended, which can cause weight gain - a leading cause of diseases and death. This proposal describes research in methods to automatically detect periods of eating by tracking wrist motion so that calorie consumption can be tracked. We first briefly discuss how obesity is caused due to an imbalance in calorie intake and expenditure. Calorie consumption and expenditure can be tracked manually using tools …

A Model Of Understanding Choice Of University By International Students: A Two-Case Study, Shuiping Jiang

All Dissertations

Students from all over the world who study in the United States contribute to the economy, participate in scientific and technical research, foster a diverse campus environment, enrich the learning environment with cultural perspectives, and help prepare domestic students for global careers, which often lead to long-term business relationships. However, in the United States, higher education institutions are facing ever-increasing challenges in enrolling international students. In the past three years, many universities faced difficulties in increasing or maintaining international student enrollment, forcing colleges and universities to search for the most effective ways to attract international students with limited resources. This …

“How Do I Shrink Myself?” A Veteran Assistant Principal’S Micropolitical Experiences In An Unfamiliar Rural School, Jason Michael Bailey

All Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the micropolitical actions of a new-to-place veteran assistant principal in an unfamiliar rural site. Past research offers several different perspectives about the experiences of assistant principals, including socialization and job duties. There is little research, however, on veteran assistant principals who enter new assignments, or on assistant principals working in rural communities. Using an exemplary case design using the theory of micropolitics, I examined an assistant principal’s ability to perform the expectations of the job while addressing challenges resulting from local site characteristics.

Through data triangulation of semi-structured interviews, observations, and document …

Mica-G129r: A Bifunctional Fusion Protein Bridging Natural Killer Cells And Prlr-Positive Breast Cancer Cells, Hui Ding

All Dissertations

Breast cancer is the most common diagnosed and deathly cancer in women all over the world. Besides the conventional cancer therapy, based on the receptors expressed in breast cancer, hormone therapy targeting estrogen receptors (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR), and targeted therapy using antibodies or inhibitors targeting human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) are the common and standard treatments for breast cancer. However, breast cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease. About 15-20% of breast cancers do not significantly express the three receptors, which are classified as the triple-negative breast cancer and the most dangerous type of breast cancer because …

A Study On The Dynamic Manipulation Of Structured Light Using Orbital Angular Momentum For Wireless Underwater Links, Kaitlyn S. Morgan

All Dissertations

In this work, the dynamic generation of structured light modes was demonstrated using coherent, co-aligned beams carrying orbital angular momentum (CCOAM). These modes are created using sources with blue/green wavelengths to study the effects of propagation and applications underwater maritime environments. Three techniques are discussed and are compared to simulation using a Rayleigh-Sommerfeld propagation kernel: concentric phase plates, Mach-Zehnder Interferometry, and the HOBBIT (Higher Order Bessel Beams Integrated in Time). These three systems are used to examine the modal integrity, controllability, and unique applications.

Structured CCOAM modes were first demonstrated using a 450 nm source and concentric phase plates and …

Investigating Obfuscation As A Tool To Enhance Photo Privacy On Social Networks Sites, Yifang Li

All Dissertations

Photos which contain rich visual information can be a source of privacy issues. Some privacy issues associated with photos include identification of people, inference attacks, location disclosure, and sensitive information leakage. However, photo privacy is often hard to achieve because the content in the photos is both what makes them valuable to viewers, and what causes privacy concerns.

Photo sharing often occurs via Social Network Sites (SNSs). Photo privacy is difficult to achieve via SNSs due to two main reasons: first, SNSs seldom notify users of the sensitive content in their photos that might cause privacy leakage; second, the recipient …

Making Pandora’S Box: The Politics Of Science Funding, Grant A. Allard

All Dissertations

How do politics influence the geographic distribution of science funding? I investigate this question in the context of presidential politics. Science policy scholars endeavor to develop a systems-level understanding—using empirical data and quantitative analysis—of how governments make decisions about science. In the United States, one of the most important decisions that governments make is the allocation of federal funding from agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation to researchers and universities. Science policy scholars typically explain the distribution of science funding through scientists’ or universities’ merit. I challenge these explanations’ assumption that presidential politics does …

Using Heparin-Coated Nanoparticles In The Treatment Of Neointimal Hyperplasia, Nardine M. Ghobrial

All Dissertations

The use of stents in the treatment of atherosclerosis leads to a potential risk of restenosis, caused by neointimal hyperplasia. Neointimal hyperplasia is mainly caused by an injury to the endothelial layer of the blood vessel followed by the proliferation of smooth muscle cells into the lumen of the blood vessel. To address this, we designed a magnetically-guided drug delivery system to locally deliver heparin to a stented artery. The nanoparticles were synthesized, characterized, and tested on relevant human cell lines.

The particles were non-toxic to human smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts. They reduced the proliferation of the …

Bench-Top Electrochemical Crystal Growth: In-Situ Synthesis Of Extended Solids Containing Polyoxometalate Anions, Qiuying Zhang

All Dissertations

A set of proof-of-concept in-situ synthesis of polyoxometalate-containing compounds is presented in this dissertation showing that room-temperature electrochemical crystal growth is a promising technique for the exploratory synthesis of new materials with functional architectures. Most polyoxometalate(POM)-based crystalline materials, if not all, have been synthesized via conventional hydrothermal/solvothermal methods. However, the high temperature and pressure required by these methods proves destructive towards thermally sensitive POM anions, resulting in greater uncertainty of the synthesis of crystalline materials based upon these plenary POM structures. We have explored a new approach for the “bench-top” synthesis of POM-containing materials at ambient conditions by employing electrochemical …

Clemson Trustees Minutes, 2020 July 24, Clemson University

Minutes

No abstract provided.

Federal Grant Applications: What You Need To Know Before You Start Writing, Steve Richards

Agribusiness

Sometimes disaster relief arrives as a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant, and there may be more grants resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. While obtaining a grant is appealing, many producers overlook grant application details causing many grant proposals to be rejected immediately, before they are read or considered. The checklist provided by this brief will help producers prepare grant applications and avoid common pitfalls.