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An Arendtian Politics Of Life, Kamryn M. Carter

Senior Theses

As defined in The History of Sexuality (1978), Michel Foucault’s concept of biopolitics focused on a specifically modern phenomenon in which biological processes are used to regulate populations. This concept has been influential in modern analyses of the state such as that of Giorgio Agamben, who sought to both correct and complete biopolitics with his concept of homo sacer as part of his analysis of the concentration camp. This thesis brings the theory of biopolitics into conversation with Hannah Arendt’s politics of life. It seeks to determine the degree to which biopolitics — as seen in the work of Michel …

Flux Crystal Growth Of A Series Of Calcium Rare Earth Silicate Chlorides Calnsio4Cl (Ln = Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, And Tb): Mixed Anion Materials With A Spodiosite-Type Structure, Maria Goncalves, Mark D. Smith, Hans Conrad Zur Loye

Faculty Publications

A series of calcium rare earth silicate chlorides, CaLnSiO4Cl (Ln = Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, and Tb), was obtained as single crystals from flux crystal growth. The structures were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction and were found to be related to the spodiosite/Wagnerite mineral structure, Ca2PO4F. The obtained compositions are variations of the spodiosite structure that result from two simultaneous elemental substitutions. Replacing one calcium for one rare earth element and the simultaneous replacement of one VO4³⁻ or PO4³⁻ with one SiO4⁴⁻. CaEuSiO4Cl was found to luminesce, and its photoluminescence spectrum is reported.

Water Circulation Beneath A Hovering Suas For Water Quality Monitoring Applications, Erin E. Hackett, Boone Fleenor, Jensine C. Coggin, Duvall Dickerson-Evans, Nikolaos Vitzilaios, Whitney E. Schuler, Paige K. Williams, Michael L. Myrick

Faculty Publications

Water quality has traditionally been measured via in situ sensors and satellites. The latter has limited applicability for smaller inland water bodies, while the former requires significant logistics, labor, and expense for routine sampling, and reactive/spurious sampling is often not feasible as a result (e.g., sampling pre-/post-storm). Consequently, small uncrewed aircraft system-based (sUAS-based) sampling has emerged as a potential solution to bridge these sampling gaps and challenges. But sampling from an sUAS is complicated by the need to pump water from depth, rather than suspending a sensor from the sUAS, due to concern over sampling sUAS-impacted waters. Here, we measure …

Thermodynamic Assessment Of The Li, Na, K, Cs | F, I Reciprocal Salt For Msr Applications, Clara M. Dixon, Mina Aziziha, Amir Mofrad, Jorge Paz Soldan Palma, Ronald E. Booth, Aiswarya Padinhare Manissery, Jack A. Wilson, Hans Conrad Zur Loye, Hunter B. Tisdale, Juliano Schorne-Pinto, Theodore M. Besmann

Faculty Publications

Gibbs energy models necessary to describe the thermochemical behavior of cesium and iodine in molten FLiNaK (46.5LiF-11.5NaF-42KF mol%), a proposed molten salt reactor coolant and fuel solvent, have been developed as they are of concern due to their high radiotoxicity and volatility. The six constituent pseudo-binary systems LiI-CsI, LiI-KI, LiI-NaI, NaI-KI, KI-CsI and NaI-CsI were evaluated using available phase equilibria and mixing enthalpy measurements. The models for the ternary reciprocal salt systems Li,Cs|F,I, Li,K|F,I, Li,Na|F,I, Na,K|F,I, Na,Cs|F,I and K,Cs|F,I were obtained by interpolation of the optimized pseudo-binary systems and parameters fit as necessary based on observed behavior. The additive (common …

The Cost Effectiveness Of A Free Summer Day Camp Voucher Program To Prevent Summer Weight Gain Among Children From Disadvantaged Households, Brian K. Chen, Michael Beets Med, Mph, Phd, Sarah Burkart, Christopher D. Pfledderer, Elizabeth Adams, Robert Glenn Weaver Med, Phd, Bridget Armstrong Ph.D., Keith Brazendale, Xuanxuan Zhu, Alexander Mclain

Faculty Publications

Introduction

Summer day camps can mitigate summer weight gain by providing a structured daily environment that promotes healthy behaviors, but summer day camps are often cost prohibitive to families with low income. This study evaluated the cost effectiveness of providing free summer day camps to disadvantaged children to prevent summer weight gain.

Methods

A total of 422 children from a low-income school district in South Carolina were recruited and randomly assigned to receive 8–10 weeks of free summer day camps or to experience summer as usual in 2021–2023. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated by dividing summer day camp cost …

Building Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Student Competencies For Telemental Health Treatment Through Simulation, Amy Dievendorf Dnp, Aprn, Fnp-Bc, Agacnp-Bc, Phyllis Raynor Phd, Aprn, Pmhnp-Bc, Beverly Baliko Phd, Rn, Pmhnp-Bc, Abbas Tavakoli Drph, Mph, Me

Publications

Depressive disorders are common mental health conditions that are often undiagnosed or undertreated. Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioners (AGACNPs) are educated in the management of acute and critically ill patients but are often uncomfortable identifying and treating mental health conditions. Telehealth instruction is useful in mental healthcare and is required as part of the AGACNP’s efficient patient care competencies. This article reports findings from a mental health-focused telehealth instructional activity integrated into an existing AGACNP curriculum. This instructional activity was designed to introduce students to telehealth delivery and build AGACNP competencies using telehealth technology to assess patients with depressive mood …

Streams Guidelines: Standards For Technical Reporting In Environmental And Host-Associated Microbiome Studies, Julia M. Kelliher, Chloe Mirzayi, Sarah R. Bordenstein, Aaron Oliver, Christina A. Kellogg, Eneida L. Hatcher, Maureen Berg, Petr Baldrian, Mashael Aljumaah, Cassandra Maria Luz Miller, Christopher Mungall, Vlastimil Novak, Alexis Palucki, Ethan Smith, Nazifa Tabassum, Gregory Bonito, J. Rodney Brister, Patrick S. Chain, Mingfei Chen, Samuel Degregori, Xuefeng Peng, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

The interdisciplinary nature of microbiome research, coupled with the generation of complex multi-omics data, makes knowledge sharing challenging. The Strengthening the Organization and Reporting of Microbiome Studies (STORMS) guidelines provide a checklist for the reporting of study information, experimental design and analytical methods within a scientific manuscript on human microbiome research. Here, in this Consensus Statement, we present the standards for technical reporting in environmental and host-associated microbiome studies (STREAMS) guidelines. The guidelines expand on STORMS and include 67 items to support the reporting and review of environmental (for example, terrestrial, aquatic, atmospheric and engineered), synthetic and non-human host-associated microbiome …

The Combined Effects Of Multiple Stressors In An Endangered, Long-Lived Species: Lessons Learned And Ways Forward, Enrico Pirotta, Peter L. Tyack, Michael J. Asaro, Phil J. Bouchet, Daniel E. Crocker, John W. Durban, Alisa J. Hall, Catriona M. Harris, Amy R. Knowlton, Scott D. Kraus, Caroline Lehoux, Daniel W. Linden, Caroline P. Good, Erin L. Meyer-Gutbrod, Alicia S. Miller, Carolyn A. Miller, Patrick J.O. Miller, Michael J. Moore, Christopher D. Orphanides, Erin M. Patterson, Heather M. Pettis, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

Exploring solutions to expanding industrial activities and climate change requires assessments of the combined effects of multiple stressors on wildlife populations. We present a spatially explicit state-space model for the health, survival, reproduction, and somatic growth of individuals in a long-lived, wide-ranging species. The model is applied to critically endangered North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) to investigate the combined effects of three primary stressors affecting the species' viability: entanglements in fishing gear, vessel strikes, and prey availability. We estimate exposure to these stressors in space and time and assess how their effects may combine in the pathway …

Sex Differences In Cardiovascular Disease And Associated Factors In People Living With Hiv: Evidence From All Of Us Program, Hao Zhang, Huiyi Xia, Fanghui Shi, Qingyang Li, Sharon Weissman, Xiaoming Li, Xueying Yang

Faculty Publications

Background

People living with HIV (PLWH) face a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), with significant sex differences in outcomes. However, it is unclear whether these differences are driven by distinct risk factor profiles or by a differential impact of shared risk factors. This study aimed to identify factors associated with CVD among PLWH and to specifically assess for effect modification by sex using a large, diverse nationwide database.

Methods

We utilized data from the All of Us Research Program (AoU). The primary outcome was a composite of coronary artery disease or stroke. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify …

The Tamads2-Tatbl21 Module Enhances Wheat Resistance To Stripe Rust By Activating Tagkl-Mediated Immunity, Shijia Zhao, Hao Chu, Yanan Lu, Jiaqi Chen, Xu Wang, Guangxiang Tian, Mingjing Zhang, Pengyu Song, Yanhui Zhang, Guihua Bai, Gangming Zhan, Zhensheng Kang, Wenming Zheng, Zhengqing Fu, Na Liu

Faculty Publications

Wheat stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, Pst) poses a catastrophic threat to global food security. While MADS-box transcription factors regulate development and abiotic stress, their roles in plant-pathogen immunity remain enigmatic. In this study, we identified TaMADS2, a Pst-induced MADS-box gene, as a positive regulator of wheat resistance. Functional analyses demonstrated that TaMADS2 overexpression significantly enhanced Pst resistance, whereas its knockdown rendered wheat more susceptible. Further investigation revealed that TaMADS2 interacts with trichome birefringence-like protein 21 (TaTBL21) to activate glycerol kinase-like (TaGKL) expression. Silencing TaGKL in wild-type or TaMADS2-overexpressing lines …

Field Validation Of Multiple Species Distribution Models Shows Variation In Performance For Predicting Aedes Albopictus Distributions At The Invasion Edge, Anna V. Shattuck, Brandon D. Hollingsworth Ph.D., Jared Skrotzki, Scott R. Campbell, Christopher L. Romano, Courtney C. Murdock

Faculty Publications

Background

Climate and land use changes have resulted in range expansion of many species. In this shifting disease landscape, it is important to leverage tools that can predict the distributions of invading vectors to target surveillance and control efforts and identify at-risk populations. Species distribution models (SDMs) are used to predict ranges of invasive species; however, invasive species often violate assumptions of equilibrium and niche conservatism. Moreover, these studies are rarely validated using independent data.

Methods 

We use long-term surveillance data for Aedes albopictus, a highly invasive mosquito capable of transmitting several arboviruses, at its range edge to evaluate a …

Hide And Seek: Offshore Financial Centers And Targeted Sanctions, Menevis Cilizogula, Chelsea Estancona

Faculty Publications

The movement of capital across borders has never been easier, as evidenced by the recent proliferation of offshore financial services. But these services are a double-edged sword: while boosting economic efficiency, they can also facilitate illicit financial activity. In this paper, we discuss the symbiotic relationship between financial liberalization and the pursuit of financial anonymity by secrecy-seeking actors. We examine a hide-and-seek dynamic between governments increasing monitoring of international finance and actors seeking anonymity via offshore financial centers. Under what conditions can international financial monitoring have the unintended consequence of increasing the use of poorly regulated and opaque offshore financial …

Sex Differences In Cardiovascular Disease And Associatedfactors In People Living With Hiv: Evidence From All Of Us Program, Hao Zhang, Huiyi Xia, Fanghui Shi, Qingyang Li, Sharon Weissman, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Xueying Yang

Faculty Publications

Background

People living with HIV (PLWH) face a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), with significant sex differences in outcomes. However, it is unclear whether these differences are driven by distinct risk factor profiles or by a differential impact of shared risk factors. This study aimed to identify factors associated with CVD among PLWH and to specifically assess for effect modification by sex using a large, diverse nationwide database.

Methods

We utilized data from the All of Us Research Program (AoU). The primary outcome was a composite of coronary artery disease or stroke. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify …

Microgrid Black Start Challenges: The Role Of Grid-Forming Inverters, Gab-Su Seo, Wenzong Wang, Behrooz Mirafzal

Faculty Publications

Grid-forming (GFM) inverters are becoming increasingly important for future power systems, particularly in establishing and restarting microgrids after blackouts. The use of GFM inverters enables microgrids to operate independently of utility power and provide key advantages over synchronous generators in black start scenarios, including rapid startup and stable voltage and frequency support for critical loads. However, inverter-driven black start introduces unique challenges and operational considerations. This article examines key challenges and solutions, emphasizing inverter design, control strategies, and microgrid system requirements. Drawing on analysis, simulation, and experimental results, this article highlights the central role of GFM inverters in ensuring reliable …

Esg Performance Evolution In Retail: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Jiyeon Kim Ph.D., Wooyoung Yang

Faculty Publications

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices have transformed from peripheral corporate social responsibility initiatives into core strategic imperatives in retail. Despite growing interest, the literature remains fragmented across disciplines and geographic contexts, with no comprehensive sector-specific analysis examining the evolution of ESG performance in retail contexts. Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 127 empirical studies published between 1988 and 2024 across major databases. Random-effects models assessed ESG-performance relationships, while stakeholder theory, the resource-based view, and Consumer Behavior frameworks explained the underlying mechanisms through temporal and subsectoral analysis. ESG practices demonstrate significant positive correlations …

Machine Learning Glucose Forecasting Models For Septic Patients, Xiang Cao, Dong Wang, Jue-Xia He, Jun Li, Jianguo Hou, Jun Li, Hua Jiang, Qi Wang

Faculty Publications

Sepsis-induced glucose fluctuations present major challenges in critical care, underscoring the importance of accurate glucose monitoring and forecasting to improve patient outcomes. This study introduces a suite of forecasting models trained using continuous glucose monitoring data from a diabetic patient with sepsis (19,621 data points). The models include four transformer-based ones (iTransformer, Crossformer, PatchTST, FEDformer), a dynamic linear model (DLinear), and an ensemble zero-shot inference method leveraging ChatGPT-4. Model performance was evaluated for 15-, 30-, and 60-minute prediction horizons with an optimized 30-minute lookback window. PatchTST achieved the lowest mean maximum percentage error (MMPE) for short-term forecasts (3.0% at 15 …

The Daily Gamecock: November 2025, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

2025

No abstract provided.

Constraints On Inner Core Composition From Seismicanisotropy: The Importance Of Light Elements And Nickel, Jada Bollmeyer, Daniel A. Frost, Prajna Paramita Das

Faculty Publications

The inner core is seismically anisotropic, with PKIKP waves traversing the inner core parallel to the rotation axis faster than those in the equatorial plane. This anisotropy increases with depth into the inner core and may result from alignment of iron crystals deformed during inner core growth. Using previously calculated elastic properties of iron, we seek to determine the most likely iron-light element alloy (FeC, FeO, FeS, or FeSi). For each FeX alloy, we interpolate elastic tensors across the pressure and temperature range of the inner core and model the anisotropy resulting from flow during core growth. Lastly, we compare …

Leveraging Digital Sensory Marketing In Online Wine Sales – A Moderated Serial Mediation Model, Yingying Dong, Alei Fan, Chang Ma Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Purpose

Despite the importance of visual and auditory cues in marketing communications, multisensory experiences, such as visual-auditory integration, remain underexplored in sensory marketing. This research aims to fill this gap by investigating how visual cues and their interaction with auditory cues on webpages affect consumers’ responses to online wine sales.

Design/methodology/approach

This research conducted two experimental studies, revealing the crucial role of multiple visual cues in shaping consumers’ responses to online wine sales and the moderating effect of auditory cues on these relationships.

Findings

Compared with the single visual cue of text only, multiple visual cues with both text and …

Personalized Resistance Exercise With Peer Support For Women With Pcos Using A Smart Home Video Device: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial Guided By Self-Determination Theory, Pamela J. Wright Phd, Ms, Med, Rn, Cen, Cynthia F. Corbett Phd, Rn, Faan, Kesheng Wang

Faculty Publications

Background

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) report exercise barriers as stigma-related stress, lack of peer support, and facility issues. “Resistance exercise (RE) with peer support and bands/ball and digitally-based supervision” (REPS w/BANDS) was designed to help mitigate exercise barriers. Underscored by self-determination theory (SDT), the 12-week intervention was remotely delivered via digital technology and inclusive of peer support.

Purpose

The purposes of this pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) were to test the feasibility and acceptability of REPS w/BANDS and explore signals of within- and between-group differences on outcomes (e.g., depressive symptoms and fitness).

Methods

Participants (N = 25) …

November 5, 2025 Faculty Senate Minutes, University Of South Carolina

Faculty Senate

No abstract provided.

Circulating Levels Of Insulin-Like Growth Factor I (Igf-I) And Risk Ofmultiple Myeloma: An Observational And Mendelian Randomisation Study, Yolanda Benavente, Sara Hermosa, Nikos Papadimitriou, Alyssa I. Clay-Gilmour Ph.D., Elizabeth E. Brown, Jonathan N. Hofmann, Nathaniel Rothman, Qing Lan, Sonja I. Berndt, Demetrius Albanes, Mark Purdue, Mitchell J. Machiela, Stephen J. Chanock, Parveen Bhatti, Wendy Cozen, Aaron Norman, Susan L. Slager, James R. Cerhan, Vincent Rajkumar, Shaji J. Kumar, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

Evidence for an association between insulin-like growth factors (IGF) and multiple myeloma (MM) is inconsistent. We examined total IGF-I concentrations and risk of MM by combining baseline serological data among UK Biobank participants (n = 444 187; 732 incident MM) with a two-sample Mendelian randomisation (MR) analysis using identified genetic variants associated with circulating total IGF-I and IGF-binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) in the InterLymph consortium (2434 MM and their 2567 controls). Finally, additional lymphoid neoplasm (LN) subtypes were included for comparison with the main hypothesis. Circulating IGF-I level was positively associated with MM risk Hazard ratio-HR-per one standard deviation-SD-increase …

A Fragility Framework For Surface Erosion With Application To Earthen Dam Breaching, Ege C. Kurter, Ayman Mokhtar Nemnem, M. Hanif Chaudhry, Jasim Imran

Faculty Publications

Overtopping failures of earthen dams are a growing concern under intensifying extreme rainfall. This study introduces a probabilistic fragility framework that combines hydrologic modeling, hydraulic analysis, and soil erodibility to assess erosion risk under uncertain load and resistance. Fragility curves derived from Monte Carlo simulations quantify erosion initiation and severity as functions of rainfall depth and excess shear stress. Application to multiple dams affected during the 2015 South Carolina floods reproduces observed outcomes ranging from complete breach to no damage. The framework also captures cascading effects, where failure of an upstream structure increases downstream loading and erosion potential. Compared with …

Electrochemical Breath Sensors In Medical Diagnostics: Emerging Trends And Future Directions, Natalie E. Strom, Courtney J. Weber, Olja Simoska

Faculty Publications

With the rising prevalence of metabolic diseases, infections, and mental health disorders, there is a growing demand for noninvasive diagnostic tools that enable early detection and continuous health monitoring. In this context, exhaled breath biomarkers provide insight into physiological and pathological processes. Electrochemical breath sensors (EBSs) have emerged as a promising platform for rapid, real-time, and cost-effective disease tracking via the detection of volatile breath biomarkers, such as NH₃, NO, and CO₂. Recent advancements in electrode materials, biological recognition elements, and sensor architectures—spanning nanomaterials, enzymes, aptamers, and molecularly imprinted polymers—have enhanced the analytical performance of EBSs. …

Electrochemical Breath Sensors In Medical Diagnostics: Emerging Trends And Future Directions, Natalie E. Strom, Courtney J. Weber, Olja Simoska

Faculty Publications

With the rising prevalence of metabolic diseases, infections, and mental health disorders, there is a growing demand for noninvasive diagnostic tools that enable early detection and continuous health monitoring. In this context, exhaled breath biomarkers provide insight into physiological and pathological processes. Electrochemical breath sensors (EBSs) have emerged as a promising platform for rapid, real-time, and cost-effective disease tracking via the detection of volatile breath biomarkers, such as NH₃, NO, and CO₂. Recent advancements in electrode materials, biological recognition elements, and sensor architectures—spanning nanomaterials, enzymes, aptamers, and molecularly imprinted polymers—have enhanced the analytical performance of EBSs. …

Exploring Di College Coaches’ Perceptions Of Holistic Coaching And The Factors Impacting Their Ability To Succeed In The Current College Sports Landscape, Deborah V. Hogan Phd

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

In the highly competitive Division I (DI) college sports system, coaches are expected to produce winning programs while developing their college athletes holistically. Recent changes in NCAA policies complicate the coach-athlete relationship, hindering coaches' ability to serve as effective holistic leaders. This study uses grounded theory to understand how DI coaches in high-profile sports perceive their roles as holistic leaders and manage external challenges to provide holistic college athlete experiences. Semi-structured interviews with 12 football and women’s basketball coaches revealed five main themes: 1) coaches are educators, 2) strategies for holistic coaching, 3) supporting Black college athletes, 4) college sports …

Ncaa Division I Senior Athletic Administrators' Perceptions Of And Experiences With Mental Performance Consultants And Their Services: A Qualitative Investigation, Morgan R. Eckenrod, Rebecca Zakrajsek, Johannes Raabe

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

At the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I (DI) level, senior athletic administrators (SAAs) play a critical role in hiring Mental Performance Consultants (MPCs). Researchers found that NCAA DI administrators generally believe MPCs are beneficial in helping student-athletes manage competition pressures and improve performance, the number of full-time MPCs in NCAA DI athletic departments is still limited. In this study, eleven NCAA DI SAAs with at least one full-time MPC in their athletic department that solely delivered mental performance services were interviewed about their perceptions of and experiences with MPCs and their services. Using reflexive thematic analysis procedures, three …

Investigating The Glass Cliff Phenomenon In Ncaa Division I Women’S Basketball, Nicholas Swim, Adam R Cocco, Meg Hancock, Nick Kopka

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

In 2022-2023, across all Division I women's college sports teams, women only held 42% of all head coaching positions. Women's college basketball represents one of the outlier sports, as almost 70% of their head coaches for NCAA Division I women's basketball teams were women. While women head coaches are well represented in women's college basketball, Gerretsen et al. (2023) suggest inconsistencies exist in past experience, tenure length, and gender perceptions in women's college basketball hiring practices. This study further aimed to investigate these inconsistencies utilizing role congruity theory and the glass cliff phenomenon. To investigate, the researchers collected data on …

Supporting The College Athlete Amidst The Onset Of Name, Image, And Likeness, Brennan K. Berg, Michael Hutchinson, Janelle E. Wells, David W. Walsh, Andre Simmond

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

Athletic administrators often assume a distinct stakeholder role that has the most immediate and frequent impact on college athletes’ well-being and retention. The implementation of name, image, and likeness (NIL) represents a historic transformation in college athletics. Utilizing a sport development framework, particularly the retention stage, to examine elite athlete development, how athletic administrators socially support college athletes in the new context of NIL and its impact on administrators’ work experiences were empirically assessed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 athletic administrators at nine universities. The themes of Implementation Challenges, Lack of Uniformity, Holistic Benefits to Athlete Well-Being, and Mostly …

Analysis Of Careers In And Through Intercollegiate Compliance, Michael A. Odio, Grace Wright, Thomas J. Aicher

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

This study examines job movements entering, exiting, and between NCAA compliance-related positions using a sample of 100 LinkedIn profiles. The analysis of the 441 job movements establishes job and organizational tenure figures and patterns in how people matriculate through certain positions. Theory related to career boundaries is used to interpret the job movements and draw conclusions about patterns related to educational backgrounds (e.g., master’s and law degrees), the role of internships and graduate assistantships, and more. The findings provide new insight on career dynamics in NCAA compliance and underscore the need to focus on studying subsectors in college sport to …