Digital Commons Network^™

Effect Of Irrigation Water On Growth And Physical Characteristics Of Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa) And Mung Bean (Vigna Radiata) Sprouts, Kathryn Frances Cornelia Davis

All Theses

With resources to produce food predicted to become scarce and strongly limited,the need for producing more and consuming fewer resources will become increasingly important in the agricultural environment. Production methods that are ‘soil-less’ which are not tradition in-ground methods are viewed as creative solutions that have the potential of being sustainable. An aquaponic system is one of these productions methods that have the potential to be sustainable. Research demonstrates the water conservation an aquaponic system can establish if proper management is maintained, thus upkeep and monitoring of water quality parameters are crucial for successful growth of plants. The purpose of …

Autologous Protein Solution Exhibits Potential To Mitigate Osteoarthritis (Oa) Progression In A Human Explant Co-Culture Model, Kathleen Emily Steckbeck

All Theses

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a debilitating and painful disease that affects upwards of one in every eight adults1,2. OA influences the entire joint, but is traditionally characterized by cartilage degradation3. OA is a multifactorial disease with genetic, biological, and biochemical consideration, but there has been a recent shift in scientific opinion that the pathological progression of OA stems from an inflammatory milieu produced by the feed-forward progressive pathway as evidenced by simultaneous cartilage and synovium co-culture4–7. Autologous protein solution (APS) poses as an intriguing potential OA therapy by possessing a high anti-inflammatory and anabolic mediator concentration profile that could potentially mitigate …

An Analysis Of The Putative Rhurm Pathway In Campylobacter Curvus, Marco Valera

All Theses

Recent genomic studies within the Epsilonproteobacteria have uncovered a potentially novel mechanism for chemotrophic respiration: the reverse Hydroxylamine Ubiquinone Redox Module (rHURM), a dissimilatory nitrate reduction pathway utilizing a hydroxylamine intermediate. Originally discovered in the chemoautolithotroph Nautilia profundicola, genes indicative of the rHURM pathway have been identified in several species of Campylobacter, including C. curvus. In the absence of classic nitrite reductase genes, a hydroxylamine oxidoreductase (hao) homolog encodes a periplasmic octoheme potentially capable of reducing nitrite, a product of periplasmic nitrate reductase (NapA), to hydroxylamine, which is then converted to ammonium by a putative hydroxylamine reductase …

Mechanisms For Aerobic Degradation Of Commercial Naphthenic Acids, Samuel Louis Muller

All Theses

Naphthenic acids (NAs) are a class of thousands of carboxylic acids associated with petroleum degradation. They become dissolved in oil sands process waters (OSPW) during the bitumen extraction process, and the resulting process waters can elicit toxicity to aquatic organisms. NAs are weakly biodegradable, but have half-lives of months to years, making it difficult to treat NAs with bioremediation. Two methods for promoting aerobic degradation (cometabolism and mycoremediation) were investigated as proof of concept for effectiveness in degrading commercial NAs. A reciprocating reactor inoculated with a white rot fungus, Pleurotus pulmonaris, was built and compared to an uninoculated reactor to …

Learning Energy Literacy Concepts From Energy-Efficient Homes, Frederick Eugene Paige

All Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to understand ways that occupants’ and visitors’ interaction with energy efficient home design affects Energy Literacy. Using a case study approach including interviews, surveys, and observations, I examined the potential for affordable energy efficient homes in the Greenville South Carolina area to "teach" concepts from an Energy Literacy framework developed by dozens of educational partners and federal agencies that comprise the U.S. Global Change Research Program Partners. I paid particular attention to concepts from the framework that are transferable to energy decisions beyond a home’s walls.

My research reveals ways that interaction with high …

Examination Of Infographics-Based Reusable Learning Objects (Rlo) And Traditional Didactic Lectures (Tdl) To Improve Consumer Knowledge And Perceptions About The Safe Use Of Plastic Food Containers In A Microwave Oven, Najla Ahmed Khateeb

All Dissertations

This study was a quasi-experimental trials that compared relative effectiveness of Infographics Based Reusable Learning Objects Educational Intervention (RLO and Traditional Didactic Lectures (TDL). A total of 282 Clemson university students were randomized into four groups – Control, RLD, TDL and RLO+TDL and changes in their pre-test and post-test scores were compared before and after each interventions. Specific outcomes tracked included the number of correctly recognized symbols identifying a type plastic, the number of correctly answered question about the safety of using plastic food containers in a microwave and the satisfaction with the instruction. The analysis suggests that RLO intervention …

Ruminant Supplementation Of Gluconeogenic Substrates Via Drinking Water, Gabriela Volpi-Lagreca

All Dissertations

Dark cutting or high pH meat is found in all meat species, inducing significant losses to the meat industry. Dark cutting meat is a direct consequence of low muscle glycogen at slaughter, which affects the normal acidification of meat during rigor development, hence, the ultimate pH remains high. The ultimate pH of the meat has a great influence on certain meat quality parameters, such as color, water holding capacity, and tenderness. An animal exposed to stress previous to slaughter may significantly depletes its glycogen reserves. This situation leads to a high ultimate pH if the animal is slaughtered before it …

Tackling Adverse Environment—Molecular Mechanism Of Plant Stress Response And Biotechnology Tool Development, Ning Yuan

All Dissertations

Abiotic and biotic stresses such as drought, salt, nutrition starvation, and pathogen infection are major factors threatening our agricultural production. With the rapidly increasing population and limited arable land area, genetic engineering of crops for new products with more stable and higher yield than conventional cultivars under adverse environment provides a powerful new tool for use in developing novel GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) to feed the large population in the immediate future. To develop novel GMOs with enhanced performance under adverse conditions, we need first to understand molecular mechanisms underlying plant stress response. To better understand how signaling transduction pathway …

Nutrient Related Mechanisms Of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration, Sarah Elizabeth Cisewski

All Dissertations

The intervertebral disc (IVD) separates the vertebrae allowing flexibility, strength, as well as a wide range of mechanical motion in the spine. Millions of Americans are afflicted with IVD degeneration which can cause low back pain and limited functionality of the spine. Deviation from physiological nutrient levels due to abnormal mechanical loading and age is believed to be one of the main mechanisms for low back pain associated disc degeneration. Since the IVD is the largest avascular structure in the body, transport of nutrients (e.g., O2 and glucose) is primarily done through the passive transport mechanism of diffusion. Transport of …

Evaluation Of High Sugar Ryegrass Varieties, Mariano Alende

All Dissertations

Annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) is an important forage in Southeastern US. However, as in other winter annuals, concern exists about the balance between water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and protein, which can lead to ruminal nutrient asynchrony. Lately, efforts have been done to increase the WSC content of ryegrass, and cultivars known as “high sugar varieties” have been released to the market. Several productive and environmental advantages have been suggested for these cultivars. The objective of our research was to compare conventional versus high sugar varieties under several conditions and from different approaches, to evaluate the potential of the high sugar …

An Overview Of Quality Programs That Support Transition-Aged Youth, Christopher Kalinyak, Faye Gary, Cheryl Killion, Jane Suresky

Journal of Youth Development

This article provides a concise overview of several programs that deliver services to transition-aged youth, ages 14–29. Included are family support, the Assisting Unaccompanied Children and Youth program, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration services, the wraparound approach, intensive home-based treatment, multisystemic therapy, foster care, independent living, mentoring, the Steps to Success program, the Jump on Board for Success program, the Options program, the Positive Action program, the Transition to Success model, and the Transition to Independence Program. Primary focus is placed upon the usefulness of each of the programs in facilitating successful outcomes for transition-aged youth.

Choose Health Action Teens: A Review Of A Teens As Teachers Nutritional Education Training Curriculum, Jeffrey Flesch, Joy Lile, Mary Arnold

Journal of Youth Development

This review draws from published research related to the best practices for the utilization of teens as teachers to examine Choose Health Action Teens (CHAT), a teen’s as teachers (TAT) training curriculum. Research shows that there are various components necessary to build a high quality TAT program. Most of these components fall under four areas in which training is necessary for teens and adults: Teaching strategies, youth/child development, subject matter to be taught, and youth-adult partnerships. These four areas provide a framework to review the Choose Health Action Teens (CHAT) (Crosiar & Wolfe, 2013) teens as teachers training program curriculum.

Royal Jelly Promotes Daf-16-Mediated Proteostasis To Tolerate Β-Amyloid Toxicity In C. Elegans Model Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Xiaoxia Wang, Min Cao, Yuqing Dong

Publications

Numerous studies have demonstrated that dietary intervention may promote health and help prevent Alzheimer's disease (AD). We recently reported that bee products of royal jelly (RJ) and enzyme-treated royal jelly (eRJ) were potent to promote healthy aging in C. elegans. Here, we examined whether RJ/eRJ consumption may benefit to mitigate the AD symptom in the disease model of C. elegans. Our results showed that RJ/eRJ supplementation significantly delayed the body paralysis in AD worms, suggesting the β-amyloid (Aβ) toxicity attenuation effects of RJ/eRJ. Genetic analyses suggested that RJ/eRJ-mediated alleviation of Aβ toxicity in AD worms required DAF-16, rather …

Heterologous Expression Of A Rice Mir395 Gene In Nicotiana Tabacum Impairs Sulfate Homeostasis, Ning Yuan, Shuangrong Yuan, Zhigang Li, Dayong Li, Qian Hu, Hong Luo

Publications

Sulfur participates in many important mechanisms and pathways of plant development. The most common source of sulfur in soil –SO₄²⁻– is absorbed into root tissue and distributed into aerial part through vasculature system, where it is reduced into sulfite and finally sulfide within the subcellular organs such as chloroplasts and mitochondria and used for cysteine and methionine biosynthesis. MicroRNAs are involved in many regulation pathways by repressing the expression of their target genes. MiR395 family in Arabidopsis thaliana has been reported to be an important regulator involved in sulfate transport and assimilation, and a high-affinity sulphate transporter …

Heterologous Expression Of A Rice Mir395 Gene In Nicotiana Tabacum Impairs Sulfate Homeostasis, Ning Yuan, Shuangrong Yuan, Zhigang Li, Dayong Li, Hong Luo

Publications

Sulfur participates in many important mechanisms and pathways of plant development. The most common source of sulfur in soil –SO42−– is absorbed into root tissue and distributed into aerial part through vasculature system, where it is reduced into sulfite and finally sulfide within the subcellular organs such as chloroplasts and mitochondria and used for cysteine and methionine biosynthesis. MicroRNAs are involved in many regulation pathways by repressing the expression of their target genes. MiR395 family in Arabidopsis thaliana has been reported to be an important regulator involved in sulfate transport and assimilation, and a high-affinity sulphate transporter and three ATP …

Avs Corner, May 2016, Kim Hill, Emily Cook, Hayley Boyd, Jamison Lynch, Johanna Johnson, Alexandra Johnson, April Jeffcoat

AVS Corner

No abstract provided.

Clemson Commencement Program, May 2016, Clemson University

Clemson Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Microbiological And Quality Characteristics Of Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa) And Mung Bean (Vigna Radiata) Sprouts Grown Using Different Water Sources And Treated Post-Harvest, Kimberly A. Baker

All Dissertations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that approximately 48 million people become sick from the consumption of food each year in the United States. Additionally, 46% of foodborne illnesses reported between 1998 and 2008 were contributed to the consumption of fresh produce. More specifically between 1996 and 2016, 41 foodborne illnesses have been reported from the consumption of sprouts. Sprouts are most often consumed raw, thus cooking is not used to prevent contamination from pathogens. The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 has introduced new regulations for produce and sprout producers under produce safety standards. For …

Characterization Of Amoebae Interactions With Four Non-Pneumophila Legionella Species, Allison Margaret Palmer

All Theses

Legionella is the causative agent Legionnaires’ Disease and the number one cause of bacterial water-borne outbreaks in the United States. 85% of Legionnaires’ Disease cases are attributed to one species, L. pneumophila. Other virulent Legionella species exist, yet we have limited knowledge of them. Four non-pneumophila species: L. clemsonensis, L. gormanii, L. anisa, and the uncharacterized strain D4482, were chosen to assess host interactions with two species of amoebae, Acanthamoeba polyphaga and A. castellanii. Interactions were assessed with both planktonic, amoebae grown and biofilm Legionella. For planktonic assays, L. pneumophila invaded significantly higher into A. castellanii than into A. polyphaga. …

Urban Greenway Use And Benefits In Diverse Cities: A Tale Of Two Trails, Samuel James Keith

All Theses

One type of urban park, greenways, represent unique "corridors of benefits" that have attracted a great deal of attention from urban planners and recreation practitioners. Well-designed greenways can contribute to sustainable urban development by improving health and wellness, facilitating connections with nature, fostering social interaction and inclusion, adding value to marginal land, and enhancing connectivity across the urban landscape. However, little is known about the extent to which these benefits are realized and how they are distributed across diverse populations in different types of settings. To answer these questions, our study explored patterns of greenway use, constraints to use, and …

Examination Of Health Related Practices And Knowledge That May Affect Blood Pressure In Ncaa Division 1 Collegiate Football Players, Sarah Armstron

All Theses

In order to determine blood pressure changes during the football season and the causes of the changes in collegiate football athletes, forty-seven National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) division 1 athletes were recruited to participate in the study. Each participant had a pre-season, mid-season, and post-season blood pressure measurement taken. A questionnaire was completed at the mid- and post-season blood pressure assessments to determine blood pressure knowledge, dietary intake, and physical activity levels. An educational tool was provided in order to encourage knowledge growth regarding general blood pressure knowledge and causes of high blood pressure. Overall, blood pressure levels showed a …

Mis(Representations) Of Health On A College Campus: A Story Of Disturbed Body Image And Excessive Exercise, Emily Ferren

All Theses

The American College Association has recognized the growing trend among college students of body image disturbance to be one in need of attention. Clemson University recently noticed a visible shift in student fitness culture in which excessive exercise is embraced, elevating university health and fitness professionals' concern because excessive exercise is a dangerous disordered behavior associated with body image disturbance. In 2015, these two phenomena became top priority for campus health efforts as they directly impact students' well-being and daily lives. In light of research related to health promotion, intervention, and campaigns, however, the need for formative research engaging the …

Environmental Toxicants And Unsaturated Fatty Acids Alter Toxicant Sensitivity And Allocation Of Polar Lipids In Daphnia Magna, Namrata Sengupta

All Dissertations

Daphnia is a commonly used test organism in toxicology, ecology, and evolution. HR96 is a CAR/PXR/VDR ortholog in invertebrates, and a promiscuous endo- and xenobiotic nuclear receptor involved in acclimation to toxicants. Daphnia HR96 is activated by chemicals such as atrazine and linoleic acid (LA) (n-6 fatty acid), and inhibited by triclosan and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (n-3 fatty acid). HR96 is also a key regulator of Magro, Niemann Pick genes, and other genes involved in cholesterol and triacylglycerol uptake, metabolism, and transport. We hypothesized that Daphnia magna exposed to HR96 activators will increase their lipid resources and in turn either …

Formulation And Characterization Of An Antimicrobial Coating Containing Nisin For Large Scale Food Package Converting Processes, Michele Christine Perna

All Dissertations

This research consisted of formulating an antimicrobial coating containing Nisaplin® intended for large scale production and inhibition of spoilage microorganisms. Secondly, the coating formulated was applied to a flexible film surface using two trials (gravure and flexography) commonly used in large scale food package coating or printing processes. In addition, diffusion and mass transfer theory was applied to discuss the many complications of predicting nisin diffusion or release from a coated material for antimicrobial food packaging applications.

Previous work conducted by predecessors, produced an antimicrobial coating formulation using a 70/30 Methylcellulose/Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose base (MC/HPMC). Some disadvantages of this coating included …

Bacteriophage Treatment Of Hydrogen Sulfide-Producing Bacteria And Salmonella Biofilms In Rendering Processing Environment, Chao Gong

All Dissertations

Raw animal by-products destined for rendering process may contain high population of harmful microorganisms including hydrogen sulfide-producing bacteria (SPB) and Salmonella. SPB are the spoilage bacteria that can utilize sulfur-containing compounds of raw animal by-products to produce hazardous gas-hydrogen sulfide (H2S) which is toxic. Salmonella may contaminate the rendered animal meals resulting in an introduction of human pathogens into the food chain. Furthermore, both SPB and Salmonella are likely to form biofilms on the various surfaces in rendering processing environment, serving as the source of recontamination and causing persistent microbiological safety problems. Therefore, novel and practical strategies to control these …

Ecological Drivers Of Brown Pelican Movement Patterns And Reproductive Success In The Gulf Of Mexico, Juliet Sarah Lamb

All Dissertations

The effects of environmental change on vast, inaccessible marine ecosystems are often difficult to measure and detect. As accessible and highly visible apex predators in marine environments, seabirds are often selected as indicators for studying the effects of disturbance at lower trophic levels, although data are restricted both temporally and spatially. For example, studies of seabirds have historically been limited to the breeding season, with limited data being available throughout the remainder of the annual cycle. Additionally, understanding of habitat associations and behavior of seabirds in the marine environment comes primarily from pelagic seabirds, whose habitat year-round is generally in …

Studies Of Molecular Mechanisms Of Royal Jelly Mediated Healthspan Promotion In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Xiaoxia Wang

All Dissertations

Numerous studies have demonstrated that many nutraceuticals have potential capacity to mitigate the symptoms of aging and age-related disorders. We found that Royal Jelly (RJ/eRJ) consumption could extend C. elegans lifespan and increase stress tolerance in an IIS/DAF-16 dependent manner. In consideration that the transactivity of DAF-16 is tightly controlled by its co-factors, our further results indicated that SIR-2.1, 14-3-3, and HCF-1 could interact with each other to fine-tune the activity of DAF-16. Additionally, these co-factors were also required in RJ/eRJ mediated stress tolerance. Given that aging is characterized with progressively declined physiological functions, it is intriguing to investigate whether …

Synthesis, Characterization, And Reactivity Of Iron(Ii)- And Zinc(Ii) Complexes Of Imidazole Thione And Selone Ligands: Investigations Into Oxidation Mechanisms, Bradley Scott Stadelman

All Dissertations

Fe(II) localized on DNA can reduce hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to form hydroxyl radical, resulting in oxidative DNA damage. This oxidative DNA damage is an underlying leading cause of cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. Sulfur and selenium antioxidants have been investigated for their prevention of metal-mediated oxidative DNA damage, and sulfur- and especially selenium-containing antioxidants prevent metal-mediated oxidative DNA damage, likely by radical scavenging and sacrificial oxidation via metal coordination. To determine how iron coordination results in DNA damage inhibition, Fe(II) complexes with imidazole-thione and -selone ligands were synthesized to examine their iron coordination modes (Chapter 2), electrochemistry (Chapter 2), …

The Tiger Vol. 110 Issue 25 2016-04-25, Clemson University

Tiger Newspapers 2016

No abstract provided.

11th Annual Focus On Creative Inquiry Poster Forum Program, Clemson University

Focus on Creative Inquiry

The 2016 Focus on Creative Inquiry Poster Forum displays a selection of the projects accomplished by Clemson University students in their Creative Inquiry teams.

What is Creative Inquiry? It is small-group learning for all students, in all disciplines. It is the imaginative combination of engaged learning and undergraduate research – and it is unique to Clemson University.

In Creative Inquiry, small teams of undergraduate students work with faculty mentors to take on problems that spring from their own curiosity, a professor’s challenge, or the pressing needs of the world around them. Students take ownership of their projects. They ask questions, …