Identification, Pathogenicity, And Fungicide Sensitivity Of Itersonilia Perplexans Associated With Petal Spot Of Gerbera Cut Flowers In Colombia, Matheus Beger

All Theses

Petal diseases significantly affect gerbera cut flower production, as minor visual damage renders flowers unmarketable. Among those pathogens causing petal spots, Itersonilia perplexans affects some Asteraceae plants. However, this pathogen's impact on Colombian gerbera remains poorly studied. This study was designed to fill four gaps: molecular identification of Colombian isolates, confirmation of pathogenicity, standardized culture media, and fungicide sensitivity data. Four objectives were pursued: (i) isolate and identify the causal agent through sequencing the Internal Transcribed Spacer, Small Subunit and Large Subunit from the rDNA; (ii) evaluate pathogenicity on detached gerbera petals; (iii) identify optimal culture media for I. perplexans …

Disruption Of Energy Homeostasis By Chemical Mixtures Containing Persistent Pollutants In Hepg2 And C2c12 Cells, Morgan Jacobellis

All Theses

The Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes Fetal Growth Studies (ECHO-FGS) birth cohort data was used to identify chemical mixtures associated with adverse outcomes. This biomonitoring study associated specific chemical mixtures in maternal serum with low birth weight or childhood obesity (Pearce et al., 2021). Mixture Profiles 1, 3, and 4, comprised of different observed concentrations of DDE, PCB153, BDE47, and PFOS were prioritized. Mixtures were tested to determine whether they perturbed mitochondrial metabolism and energy sensing pathways. The purpose of this study was to elucidate a potential mechanism linking maternal exposure to mixtures containing persistent organic pollutants (POPs) to …

Field Pea (Pisum Sativum L.) Response To Planting Date In South Carolina Organic Cropping Systems, Tristan Lawrence

All Theses

Field peas (Pisum sativum L.) are not widely cultivated in South Carolina, resulting in limited agronomic data to support farmers interested in this crop. However, field peas hold significant promise as a cool season crop for both organic and conventional growers in the region. Most commercially available field pea cultivars are evaluated and bred for the Pacific Northwest, where environmental conditions differ substantially from those in the southeastern United States. Consequently, there is a lack of region-specific recommendations for successful cultivation in South Carolina. To address this gap, a two-year planting date study was conducted during the …

Sorghum Grain Secondary Metabolites And Underlying Genetics To Reduce Foodborne Pathogens In Poultry, Maria A. Conti

All Dissertations

The rise in antibiotic-resistant pathogens poses a threat to the poultry industry's ability to maintain animal health, prompting growing interest in alternatives to synthetic antibiotics. The use of non-tannin sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] in poultry rations offers a valuable alternative, as this cereal grain has a high bioactive profile that can provide health benefits, including antimicrobial (AM) activity. The scope of this study was to examine the AM potential of non-tannin sorghum grain against Clostridium perfringens, a major foodborne pathogen that negatively impacts poultry health and production. To that end, the inhibitory effects of a non-tannin sorghum …

Investigation Into The Effects Of Moderate-Dose Radiation On Ligament Biomechanics, Andrew Landefeld

All Theses

Recent advances in arthritis treatment pin ionizing X-ray radiation as a useful tool in reducing joint pain and immune response. However, due to a lack of fundamental research in the effects of low-dose ionizing radiation on tendon and ligament biomechanics, the safety of these studies is rather unknown. While most related studies investigated cellular response to low dose treatment, surrounding tissue physiology is left out of the picture. Additionally, moderate range doses of irradiation are rarely studied, as most uses of radiation on tendons and ligaments are for sterilization of cadaver tendons for allografts. This study provides a preliminary investigation …

Mining The Usda Snap Bean Association Panel For Resilience: Genetic Dissection Of Heat And Disease Tolerance In Snap Bean, Atiya F. Khan

All Theses

Snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an economically and nutritionally important vegetable crop whose production is increasingly threatened by rising temperatures and emerging bacterial diseases, particularly in the southeastern United States. Heat stress during reproductive development can significantly reduce yield, while newly emerging pathogens such as Pseudomonas capsici present additional risks to crop productivity. This study leveraged the USDA Snap Bean Association Panel (SnAP) to investigate the genetic basis of heat tolerance and disease resistance and to identify germplasm and genomic regions useful for breeding resilient cultivars.

To evaluate heat tolerance, a subset of the SnAP panel was …

The Impact Of Dipeptides On Product Quality In Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells, Louise C. Herman

All Theses

Biopharmaceuticals are medicines produced in cells which are used to treat diseases such as cancer. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) represent the majority of approved biotherapeutics. MAbs are mostly produce using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. CHO cells are favored for resiliency, scalability, and established safety, and are considered the “workhorse” organism for biopharmaceuticals.  Amino acids are a key component of cell culture media, however several amino acids have solubility limits, such as cysteine, cystine, and tyrosine.  At neutral pH, these amino acids are poorly soluble.  However, dipeptides, such as N,N'-di-L-Alanyl-L-Cystine (ACCA) have been reported to increase cysteine and cystine availability. Further, …

Scrolling For Support: Social Media Use, Health Information Seeking, And Social Support In Individuals With Type 1 Diabetes, Loren Myers

All Theses

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a lifelong chronic illness that is rapidly increasing in prevalence. Continuous treatment is necessary for proper management, but barriers to care can cause some to turn to other sources for health-related information, like social media. Given the limited research on social media use and health information seeking behaviors in people with T1D, this study aims to gain an understanding of how people with T1D use social media, where they get their health information, and how social support is related to social media behaviors among people with T1D. Adult T1D participants completed an online survey that …

Anxiety And Intuitive Eating: Examining Dispositional Mindfulness As A Protective Factor, Jordan Signorelli

All Theses

Intuitive eating (IE) is an anti-diet approach focused on listening to internal hunger and fullness cues and is associated with reduced disordered eating patterns and improved dietary intake. However, anxiety negatively impacts IE. Dispositional mindfulness (DM) – one’s innate, present-centered, nonjudgmental awareness of thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations – is associated with lower anxiety and greater IE. Yet, whether DM mitigates the negative impact of anxiety on IE remains underexplored. Grounded in the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Framework, this study aimed to: 1) examine the relationship between anxiety and IE, 2) examine the relationship between DM and IE, 3) examine whether …

Refining Treatment Thresholds Of Insect Pests In South Carolina Soybeans Using Simulated Injury And Natural Populations, Adam Whitfield

All Dissertations

Insect pests are a major limiting factor to profitable soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr., production in South Carolina, yet current economic thresholds are largely based on historical data and may not reflect modern cultivars, production practices, or input costs. Key insect pests in South Carolina can be categorized into three major feeding groups: defoliators, stem feeders, and pod feeders. Defoliating insects include, but are not limited to, soybean looper, Chrysodeixis includens (Walker); velvetbean caterpillar, Anticarsia gemmatalis (Hubner); green cloverworm, Hypena scabra (Fabricius); grasshoppers; and numerous species of beetles. Stem feeders include, but are not limited to, kudzu bug, Megacopta cribraria …

The Impact Of Label Material On Perceived Value And Environmental-Friendliness Of Beverages In Returnable Glass Bottles Versus Actual Environmental Impact Via Life Cycle Assessment, Toni Sharp

All Dissertations

With guidance from the EPA to reduce virgin packaging use and alternatively increase reuse, the concept of reusable packaging has re-emerged as a potential sustainable alternative to single-use and recyclable packaging. For businesses, an understanding of the potential environmental benefits of switching from single-use packaging to reusable packaging, along with consumer willingness to pay for sustainable packaging are paramount. Existing literature on willingness to pay (WTP) for ethical or sustainable products typically relies on consumers’ stated preferences found through surveys using hypothetical products and prices. It has been revealed that sustainability claims printed on the label or products in glass …

Baseline Cervical Intervertebral Disc Biomechanics And Implications For Allograft Preservation, Nathan F. Buchweitz

All Dissertations

Neck pain has become an increasingly common orthopaedic healthcare issue. Evidence shows that degeneration of cervical intervertebral discs (the cartilage between the spinal vertebrae in the neck) may be associated. While disc degeneration in the lumbar spine has been extensively studied in relation to low back pain, it has received less attention in the cervical spine. Biomechanically, the cervical (neck) and lumbar (lower back) regions of the spine differ in function. Lumbar discs resist a greater burden of body weight, whereas cervical discs are adapted for mobility to aid flexible head orientation. Despite these key differences, disc injury and degeneration …

High Throughput Phenomics Pipeline For Pulse Crop Nutritional Breeding, Amod Udayanga Madurapperumage

All Dissertations

Dry pea (Pisum sativum L.), lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.), and chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) are major pulse crops valued for their high nutritional composition and importance to global food systems. Pulses are rich in carbohydrates, protein, and essential minerals, making them ideal whole foods and critical contributors to food and nutrition security. Due to these advantages, pulse breeding programs are increasingly focusing on enhancing nutritional traits, such as protein quality, amino acid balance, and micronutrient density, through the process of biofortification. However, improvement of agronomic traits remains equally essential. Characteristics such as plant height, standability, stress tolerance, …

Unpacking Developmental Programming: A Conceptual And Historical Analysis In The Context Of Dohad, Andrea Gretchev, Heide S. Temples, Gillian England-Mason, Deborah Dewey, Sara M. Sarasua, Christopher Farrell, Vivian Haley-Zitlin

Publications

The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) paradigm posits that early environmental factors may influence a child’s development and long-term health outcomes. Developmental programming (DP) is central to this paradigm, whereby specific early life exposures during critical periods of development are associated with changes to physiological and metabolic pathways, potentially predisposing individuals to disease. However, no standard definition of DP exists, and various terms have been used to describe similar processes. This analysis aimed to develop a conceptual definition for DP to inform interdisciplinary research, education, and practice. Walker and Avant’s eight-step method was employed to analyze the literature, …

Growing Mathletes: Integrating Growth Mindset, Math, And Sports To Support Youth Learning, Sanlyn Buxner, Erin Turner, Seneca B. Miller, Christina Baze, Ricardo Valerdi

Journal of Youth Development

Through Growing Mathletes, we developed and field-tested informal education activities designed to teach math within the context of baseball in a way that supports youth in developing a growth mindset. We present our development strategy and discuss our implementation with third through eighth graders at five informal learning sites across the United States. Assessment of program success included pre- and post-program surveys and post-program interviews with youth from all five informal education settings. Our findings revealed our strategy to integrate growth mindset concepts with math and baseball lessons led to positive outcomes related to youth mindset and confidence. We present …

Clemson Commencement Program, December 2025, Clemson University

Clemson Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Optimizing Endothelial Cell Specific Polymersome-Based Atheroprotective Therapies, Ally C. Brawner

All Theses

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the United States and the world. Every year, billions of dollars are spent in the US alone for direct treatments of this disease, especially on prescription medicines like statins. However, these medications have been unable to curtail global mortality rates, partially because they do not target the entirety of atherosclerotic pathophysiology. A key area of this pathophysiology is that atheroprone arteries typically include pro-inflammatory endothelial cells that exhibit decreased levels of apoAI-mediated cholesterol efflux and an increased release of adhesion molecules, such as VCAM-1. The objective of my project …

Citrullus Amarus Drought Tolerance: An Above And Below Ground Analysis, Ben A. Hyland

All Theses

Ever rising environmental temperatures threaten global food security by worsening severity and increasing the occurrence of drought. Commercially cultivated watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), have reduced drought tolerance due to a narrow genetic base caused by breeding for desirable traits such as sweetness, size, and flesh/rind color. Comparatively, the crop wild relative desert watermelon variety (Citrullus amarus), while more drought tolerant than their commercially cultivated relatives (C. lanatus), still require large amounts of water to grow and produce reliable fruit yields. Watermelon root morphology plays a key role in their ability to tolerate drought, with more …

Environmental Sanitation In Long-Term Care Facilities: A Focus On Regulations And Implementations, Ruwan Dissanayake Dissanayake Mudiyanselage

All Theses

Environmental sanitation is a fundamental component of infection prevention in long-term care facilities (LTCFs), where residents are at increased risk due to advanced age, underlying health conditions, and communal living arrangements. Despite its critical role, significant gaps remain in implementing environmental sanitation procedures and the regulatory frameworks that guide them.

This study combines two components: (1) an across-state regulatory review of environmental sanitation in LTCF regulations and (2) a cross-sectional survey assessing environmental sanitation characteristics of nursing homes (NHs) and assisted living facilities (ALFs) and Rural and Urban LTCF observation study in South Carolina (SC) . For the regulatory review …

Plant Community Responses To Wildfire, Timber Thinning, And Bison Reintroduction On The Northern Great Plains, Ethan H. Van-Derpoel

All Theses

The Northern Great Plains (NGP) is one of the largest intact grasslands remaining in the world. These two studies examine a few of the ecological concerns on the NGP today. First, the woody encroachment of conifers into grasslands and the effects of wildfires. Second, the effects of bison (Bison bison) reintroduction on plant communities. In Chapter 1, this study aims to examine the effects of wildfire and mechanical timber thinning, using a two-by-two factorial design, on plant community responses and forage quality in the Bull Mountains area of central Montana, USA. We found that our treatments had varying …

A Prevalence Study Of Iron Deficiency Anemia Among Children In Elbasan, Albania: Directions For Health Care Policy, Artilda Lala

All Dissertations

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is one of the most prevalent disorders worldwide, especially in children from low-income and underdeveloped countries. In Albania, anemia is a major public health concern with many unstudied regions (prefectures and rural municipalities). Childhood IDA can impair cognitive development, immunity and overall well-being, so early diagnosis and prevention of anemia is critical. This study examined the prevalence of IDA in children aged 0-10 years in the district of Elbasan, Albania. The data were additionally analyzed for relationships with demographic (age, gender, education, parental education and child academic performance) and nutrition variables.

A cross-sectional study design was …

The Development Of Tools For The Production Of Fusarium Oxysporum Race 4 Resistant Cotton Varieties, Thomas Rylands

All Theses

Fusarium oxysporum race 4 (FOV4) is a fungal pathogen that infects cotton (Gossypium spp.) plants, resulting in fusarium wilt (FW) disease that causes significant wilting, yield loss, and eventually death. Since cotton is such an important crop globally, with tens of millions of bales of fiber produced and sold worldwide each year, it is critical to develop effective strategies to combat this pathogen. This research aims to achieve that goal through two projects: (i) develop an efficient co-culture system to test fungal treatments in vitro, and (ii) develop a computer vision pipeline to more accurately assess plant resistance …

Metabolic Dysfunction Caused By Dietary Oxylipins And The Environmental Toxicant Pfos, Jazmine Alexis Eccles-Miller

All Dissertations

Disruption of fat metabolism is a hallmark of metabolic disease. A liver enzyme, Cytochrome P450 2B6 (CYP2B6) is an anti-obesity enzyme that produced several omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid metabolites that could contribute to metabolic diseases such as fatty liver disease. Two of these metabolites, 9-HODE and 9-HOTrE, may be associated with fatty liver. Mice were exposed to 9-HODE and 9-HOTrE to investigate whether they contribute to fatty liver disease under fasting conditions. A transgenic mice model expressing the human enzyme CYP2B6 was also fasted to determine if CYP2B6 leads to increased fatty liver under fasting conditions compared to a …

Adoption Of The 4-H Thriving Model Of Positive Youth Development:A Case-Centered Examination Of 4-H Agents, Patricia Whitener

All Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Youth development professionals working in non-formal educational settings face the persistent challenge of translating evidence-based frameworks into effective practice. This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examines how South Carolina 4-H agent/educators perceive and adopt the 4-H Thriving Model following mandatory statewide training. The study investigates the roles of professional identity, change readiness, and organizational factors in shaping innovation adoption decisions among Extension professionals who work with considerable autonomy within diverse community contexts.

The 4-H Thriving Model represents a comprehensive theory of change that connects program practices to the developmental processes that influence youth outcomes (Arnold and Gagnon, 2019). The model …

The Life Significance Of Summer Outdoor Program Employment During Emerging Adulthood, Austin M. Souto

All Dissertations

Seasonal employment in outdoor programs—encompassing camps, guiding services, and similar organizations—plays a vital role in delivering structured outdoor experiences, yet little research has explored its enduring effects on staff over the course of their lives. This dissertation examined the long-term significance and influence of seasonal outdoor work during emerging adulthood. Guided by Significant Life Experience and Life Course Theory, an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design was used. In the qualitative phase, interviews revealed that seasonal work influenced life trajectories by contributing to identity formation, career discovery, ways of relating to others, and the navigation of trade-offs. Seven mechanisms—opportunities for growth, connection …

Horticultural Strategies To Improve Yield And Efficiency For Controlled-Environment Cannabis Production, Michael John Alden

All Dissertations

Controlled-environment cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) production is a novel horticultural industry due to long-standing federal prohibitions associated with production, distribution, and consumption of this species. Many cannabis production methods are based on legacy knowledge and hypotheses that often contradict standard practices used in the agriculture and floriculture sectors. During this research, several horticultural practices were evaluated, including shoot number manipulation, fertilizer restriction, harvest timing, and photoperiod manipulation. Shoot number manipulation was achieved by repeatedly pinching apical shoots, which reduced reproductive shoot length (cm/shoot) and improved inflorescence:trim ratio, both of which can reduce material cost in production and labor cost …

Exploring Glycosomes As Therapeutic Targets For Trypanosoma Brucei, Sabrina Sutton Pizarro

All Dissertations

Trypanosoma brucei is a protozoan parasite which causes human African trypanosomiasis and the livestock wasting disease, nagana. These parasites have highly specialized peroxisomes, called glycosomes, which house a variety of essential metabolic pathways, including glycolysis. Glycolysis is the sole means of energy production in the infective life stage of T. brucei making glycosomes and the glycolytic pathway promising targets for therapeutic strategies. In this work, we have studied the glycosome as a therapeutic target from multiple perspectives. The first portion of this work addresses drug trafficking. The efficacy of small-molecule inhibitors of glycosomal enzymes is restricted by the rate of …

Sport Participation, Academic Engagement, And Well-Being Among Adolescents Impacted By Parental Incarceration, Sarah Kaja, Amy L. Gower Ph.D., Frederique Corcoran, Ingie Osman, Elizabeth Shaver, Samantha J. Adler, Rebecca Shlafer

Journal of Youth Development

Millions of American adolescents have experienced the developmental consequences associated with parental incarceration. Positive youth development activities, including sports team participation, could buffer some of the risks of parental incarceration. Research on sports involvement among adolescents impacted by parental incarceration is scant and suggests their participation may be limited, though a significant body of research among adolescents in general demonstrates sports team participation is associated with better outcomes. We addressed important gaps in research by 1) estimating the prevalence of sports team participation among adolescents impacted by parental incarceration, 2) examining whether sports team participation differed by socioeconomic status in …

High-School-Age Youth Serving As “Emotion Coaches” For Young Children In The Early Grades: A Feasibility Study Of A Cross-Age Approach To Social And Emotional Learning, Amanda Moreno, Maria Kontoudakis, Whitney Davis-Mcintosh, Anita Evans, Olivia Bobbitt

Journal of Youth Development

While the benefits of cross-age programming within youth have been understood for decades, such programs are rarely employed with curricula specific to social and emotional learning (SEL) or with a wide age range between the two groups of youth. This article describes the findings of a pilot implementation and feasibility study of the Emotion Coaches program, which sought to explore whether the conceptual and pragmatic challenges involved in bringing early childhood students (i.e., preschool to second grade) together with adolescent teachers delivering an SEL curriculum could be overcome. Findings from the pilot evaluation suggested that middle-school-age students are likely too …

Purple Tomatoes Boost Nutrition Crop Value And Create New Opportunities For United States (U.S) Agriculture, Tariq Alam

Agronomic Crops

The agricultural landscape in the United States is continually evolving, with growers and the tomato industry seeking innovative ways to meet consumer demands while enhancing profitability. The introduction of both bioengineered and classically bred anthocyanins-enriched purple tomatoes presents a unique opportunity for U.S. growers to cultivate a high-value crop that appeals to niche markets and commands premium pricing. Bioengineered purple tomatoes achieve high anthocyanin levels through the introduction of snapdragon transcription factors, while classically bred 'Indigo Rose' purple tomatoes are developed via classical breeding methods, providing an alternative for consumers who prefer traditionally bred products. Specifically, the purple tomato holds …