Digital Commons Network^™

Proofs Of A Trigonometric Inequality, Cameron Butler, Wei-Kai Lai

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

A trigonometric inequality is introduced and proved using Hölder’s inequality, Cauchy-Schwarz inequality, and Chebyshev’s order inequality.

Response Interference And Activity-Based Anorexia In Rats, Nicole Streeb

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Anorexia nervosa is a severe eating disorder characterized by extreme emaciation due to the inability to maintain a healthy weight. The disorder can result in many behavioral and physiological changes. Activity-based anorexia (ABA) in animals is a potentially viable model of anorexia nervosa, reproducing many of the core behavioral components of the disorder such as restriction of food consumption, dramatic weight loss, and increased drive for physical activity (i.e. wheel running). Some of the behavioral and physiological factors involved in this phenomenon have been examined by previous research; however, investigators have yet to determine the mechanisms by which this behavior …

The Cranial Morphology Of Large Wild Versus Captive Felids, Bryttin Boyde, Hannah Selvey

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Studies have shown that carnivores in captivity that are fed soft diets have more periodontal problems and that the morphology of their skeletons, skulls specifically, responds to environmental and behavior factors. Considering that captive diet affects teeth and gums, we have conducted research on Dr. Adam Hartstone-Rose’s hypothesis that variation will also be discernible through the examination of cranial morphology. We compared captive and wild lions Panthera leo and tigers Panthera tigris to see if differences were present, then analyzed data collected by a microscribe using a 3D morphometric analysis program. Next, Principal Component Analysis was completed to account for …

A Review Of Video Game Effects And Uses, David Corso

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Video games are versatile in their form and function. Whether they’re training doctors or offsetting Alzheimer’s disease, video games can exercise both mental and physical features, train specific skills for a number of jobs, educate players about events and phenomenon in our world, research and understand natural human processes, and they can be designed for a number of other purposes. Multiple studies have demonstrated the effects of video games on physiological and cognitive levels—positive, negative, and everything in between. This paper identifies various physical and psychological effects that video games produce, and it suggests ways in which video games can …

Sexism In Unexpected Places: An Analysis Of Country Music Lyrics, Anna Rogers

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

This study aims to show that sexism exists in all facets of society by exposing its existence in the widely unexpected area of country music. Within sociology, much work has been done on sexism in the popular musical genres of rock and rap, but little attention has been given to country music. The focus of this study is an area of society where sexism is often thought to be less salient. In order to do this I will use a perspective developed from sociological perspectives on culture, gender, and music, and look at popular country songs for sexist lyrics. Using …

Replacing Sugar With Artificial Sweeteners: Is The Replacement Of Sugar With Artificial Sweeteners An Effective Strategy For Weight Loss?, Maragret Mccoy

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

In America today there is great concern about obesity. In an attempt to balance a busy daily life with a healthy diet, consumers are now relying on artificial sweeteners to help them make a small step to a better lifestyle. With this notion in mind, there is the question of whether these artificial sweeteners are healthy. This paper discusses the effects of artificial sweeteners on weight and caloric compensation, and considers some hypotheses regarding the reasons for weight gain.

A review of literature led to the conclusion that artificial sweeteners can be 100-13,000 times sweeter than sucrose and that sucrose …

Institutional Silence And The Governance Of Women College Athletes’ Reproductive Autonomy In The United States, Tarlan Chahardovali, Molly Harry Ph.D., Emily S. Mann Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

This study examines how women college athletes understand their pregnancy-related rights and protections and how institutional communication – or its absence – shapes reproductive autonomy within college sport. Guided by a reproductive justice framework, it conceptualizes pregnancy as a site of reproductive governance shaped by institutional policies, norms, and silences within performance-oriented sport organizations. The analysis draws on semi-structured interviews with 25 women college athletes from various NCAA Division I institutions in the United States, conducted between September 2023 and July 2024 in the post-Dobbs legal context, and uses reflexive thematic analysis to examine athletes’ knowledge of Title IX and …

Examining The Relationships Among Child Care Providers’ Knowledge Of Child Development, Burnout, Organizational Climate, And Expulsion Risk: A Brief Report, Juan Wang, Cheri Shapiro Ph.D., Tristan Collier, Jessica Sharp

Publications

Expulsion poses a significant barrier to high-quality and inclusive early care and education (ECE), leading to both immediate and long-term negative con-sequences for children and their families. This descriptive, exploratory study examined whether ECE providers’ knowledge of child development, burnout, and organizational climate was associated with their attitudes and perceptions related to expulsion risk. A total of 309 ECE providers in one state in the South-eastern region of the United States taking part in a program evaluation completed an online survey prior to program implementation. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to assess associations among providers’ knowledge of child development, …

Wrky Transcription Factors: Integral Regulators Of Defence Responses To Biotic Stress In Crops, Dongjiao Wang, Ruize Zhang, Wenhui Zou, Yuanyuan Zhang, Wanying Zhao, Tingting Sun, Qibin Wu, Zheng Qing Fu, Youxiong Que

Faculty Publications

Crops are continually challenged by biotic stresses, including fungal, bacterial and viral pathogens and insect pests, which cause substantial yield and quality losses worldwide. WRKY transcription factors constitute a plant-specific and functionally diverse family that is central to immune regulation. Recent advances in genomic resources and multi-omics approaches have accelerated the identification and functional characterisation of WRKYs in crops. This review summarises the structural features and classification of WRKY genes and their genome-wide distribution across crop species. It also synthesises WRKY-centred regulatory modules that mediate resistance to major classes of biotic stress. In antifungal defence, WRKYs reinforce pattern- and effector-triggered …

Family Perspectives: A Qualitative Examination Of College Athlete Suicide During The Spring 2022 Semester, Elaine M. Anton-Lotruglio, Sophia M. Burke, Kimberly H. Mcmanama O'Brien

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

Objective: Suicide among college athletes remains largely underexplored despite rising rates. This qualitative study aimed to explore family members' perspectives on why their loved ones died by suicide. Participants: The study included family members (N=10) of three college athletes who died by suicide in the spring 2022 semester. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted between March and July 2024. ATLAS.ti and Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis were employed to analyze the data and identify themes. Results: The data revealed three primary themes: factors contributing to the suicide crisis, presence of a suicide crisis, and university crisis response. The themes suggested a …

Beyond The Playing Field: Athletic Identity, Academic Performance, And Career Readiness Among Student-Athletes, Lucy Mcafee, Alexander Traugutt, Caroline J. Ketcham, Eric E. Hall

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

This mixed-methods study examined how athletic participation relates to perceived career readiness development and explored relationships between athletic identity, academic performance, and post-graduation plans among 124 Division I student-athletes (varsity and club) at a private university. Participants completed surveys measuring athletic identity (AIMS), perceived development of NACE Career Readiness competencies, and open-ended questions about how athletics prepared them for future careers. Varsity athletes reported significantly higher perceived development than club athletes across five competencies: professionalism, critical thinking, communication, technology, and career and self-development. Male athletes reported higher perceived development in professionalism, critical thinking, and technology. Athletic identity demonstrated significant positive …

April 29, 2026 General Faculty Minutes, University Of South Carolina

Faculty Senate

No abstract provided.

Sowing Imbalance From The Start: Power, Role Socialization, And Graduate Assistants In Ncaa Division I Power Four Athletic Departments, Kaitlin Pericak, Daniel Springer, Brittany Washington, Rachel Silva

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

Graduate assistantships represent early entry points into intercollegiate athletics and serve as critical sites of professional socialization. Guided by Mead’s (1934) role theory and Foucault’s (1975/1977) concept of power, this study examined how graduate assistants (GAs) negotiated their dual roles as students and employees within Division I Power Four athletic departments. Semi-structured interviews with 10 current GAs revealed how organizational expectations normalized overwork, positioned the master’s degree as a compulsory credential, and sowed imbalance that shaped participants’ identities and well-being. Findings demonstrate how GAs internalized structured constraints and reproduced organizational norms, framing overwork as a necessary rite of passage. These …

Characterizing The Unique Chemical Imprint Of On-Axis, Lower-Temperature Hydrothermal Flow To The Deep Ocean (Southern East Pacific Rise, 16.5°–18.0°S), Laura E. Moore, Randelle M. Bundy, Joseph A. Resing, Scott M. White, Tamara Baumberger, Peter N. Sedwick, Nathaniel J. Buck, Anson M. Antriasian, Isaac Keohane

Faculty Publications

In addition to high-temperature vents, lower-temperature flow (LTF) (< 300°C) is abundant along mid-ocean ridges and contributes globally-important fluxes of heat and water along with largely-unconstrained geochemical influences on the ocean. We examined the impact of on-axis LTF on the chemical composition of the overlying water column (< 40 m above seafloor) along the 16.5°–18.0°S sector of the ultrafast-spreading southern East Pacific Rise using autonomous underwater vehicle Sentry surveys and conductivity-temperature-depth rosette casts. LTF sites were typically spatially isolated from high-temperature systems and imparted unique chemical signatures to the overlying ocean. Water column samples impacted by LTF exhibited low particulate iron:sulfur ratios and high methane: total-dissolvable manganese ratios, whereas samples influenced by high-temperature venting exhibited opposite trends. We confirmed that LTF imparts a distinct and measurable chemical signature to the water column, independent from high-temperature vents. Isolated, on-axis LTF will be important to consider when assessing hydrothermal circulation impacts upon ocean biogeochemistry.

April 15, 2026 Faculty Senate Minutes, University Of South Carolina

Faculty Senate

No abstract provided.

South Carolina Teacher Workforce Profile For 2024–25, Svetlana Dmitrieva, Brian Cartiff, Angela Starrett

Reports

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of South Carolina’s public school teacher workforce in 2024–25. Aligned with SC TEACHER’s mission, it offers data to support decision-making at both state and district levels. Using teacher-level information for 55,634 educators, this report describes key workforce characteristics and trends of classroom teachers (PK–12), special education teachers, and retired educators who have returned to the classroom.

In addition to exploring broad workforce patterns, the report highlights age profiles across different facets of the teacher workforce. Understanding the distribution of early-, mid-, and late-career educators is essential for anticipating retirement trends, identifying support needs for …

The Daily Gamecock: April 2026, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

2026

No abstract provided.

Volume 1, Issue 1: The Blueprint - Full Issue

Caroliniana Undergraduate Research Journal

This is the full issue of Volume 1, Issue 1: "The Blueprint" of the Caroliniana Undergraduate Research Journal.

Historians At War: A Comparative Analysis Between Thucydides And Xenophon's Accounts Of The Peloponnesian War, Juleeanna S. Fuller

Caroliniana Undergraduate Research Journal

This essay analyzes Thucydides and Xenophon's accounts of the Peloponnesian War, reflecting on the intersection of historical narratives, personal bias, and political perspectives. Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War presents Athens’ decline through the lens of moral and political collapse, emphasizing human nature, rationalism, and realism. Despite his reputation for objectivity, his reconstruction of speeches and selective focus revealed an underlying critique of Athenian democracy, shaped by his own life experiences. However, Xenophon's Hellenica continues the narrative with a pronounced Spartan bias, depicting Spartan hegemony and the Thirty Tyrants in a largely favorable or justified light, while minimizing their brutality …

Exploring Decision-Making In Caenorhabditis Elegans: Navigating Dichotomous Envrionmental Cues, Hunarmeet K. Gill

Caroliniana Undergraduate Research Journal

All living organisms thrive off the survival choices they make and the factors they prioritize, but the mechanisms guiding these choices remain unclear. This study investigates decision-making in Caenorhabditis elegans, aiming to understand how they navigate dichotomous environments that contain both attractive and aversive cues. Despite possessing a simple nervous system, C. elegans express behaviors indicating a level of advanced sensory-processing abilities, making them ideal models for studying decision-making processes. The experiment consisted of five separate petri-dish tests, each with three sections: side A and side B (containing natural or UV light and/or E.coli or ethanol), and a neutral …

Comparing The Effect Of Varying Concentrations Of Polytetrafluoroethylene On The Length And Fresh Weight Of Salvinia Minima, Talha Islam

Caroliniana Undergraduate Research Journal

The increasing usage of fluoropolymer pollution in aquatic environments has increased concerns about the ecological consequences of materials such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), commonly known as Teflon. In the past decade, the usage of Teflon in American homes across the United States has risen by 37.7%, resulting in large amounts of aquatic pollution due to improper disposal of these harmful substances (Török et al., 2020). Although PTFE is chemically inert, its accumulation in freshwater systems can introduce matter that physically interacts with aquatic organisms. This study examined how varying concentrations of PTFE suspensions affect the growth of Salvinia minima, a …

Understanding The Binding Of Nickel(Ii) Bromide To A Zirconium Metal-Organic Cage For Heterogeneous Catalysis, Luci Green

Caroliniana Undergraduate Research Journal

Heterogeneous catalysts offer inherent advantages in improving the sustainability of industrial chemical processes. Their high ease of separation and recyclability has the potential to reduce the cost, waste, and energy consumption of processes that currently rely on homogeneous catalysts. Metal–organic cages (MOCs) are an attractive material for heterogeneous catalysis due to their discrete and highly tunable structures, which can be functionalized by binding these complexes with catalytically active metals. The specific objective of this study is to provide preliminary insight into the binding of nickel(II) bromide (NiBr₂) to zirconium MOCs, which was done by studying the binding of …

Tunable Shock And Vibration Damping In Metal Laser Powder Bed Fusion Components Via Controlled Post-Print Compaction Of Particle Damper Cavities, Joud N. Stame, Yanzhou Fu, Samuel Roberts, Austin Downey, Tianyu Zhang, Lang Yuan, Daniel Kiracofe

Faculty Publications

Components manufactured by Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) can incorporate particle dampers (PDS) by retaining unfused powder within internal pockets, providing inherent vibration suppression without added mass or separate damping components. This study investigates the damping performance of such LPBF-integrated PDs through two complementary approaches: (1) quantifying the effect of post-printing volume compression on energy absorption by mechanically indenting the damper pocket, and (2) evaluating how variations in particle packing density influence the dynamic response under both sinusoidal and transient impulse excitation. Experimental results from shaker and shock testing demonstrate that increased packing density, whether by compression or tighter confinement, …

Psychosocial Mediators Of A Physical Activity And Dietary Intervention In Pregnant Women With Overweight Or Obesity, Meghan Baruth, Sarah Wilcox, Jihong Liu, Rebecca Schlaff

Faculty Publications

Background

Mediation analyses provide insight into both ‘pieces’ of the mediation chain; they allow us to look into the ‘black box’ that is behavior change. They allow researchers to better understand the ‘how’ of an intervention’s effects and/or the ‘why’ behind why an intervention worked or did not work. The lack of publications in pregnant populations highlights the need for additional studies to be conducted and published. The purpose of this study is to examine the psychosocial mediators of physical activity and dietary outcomes in a sample of pregnant women with overweight or obesity participating in the Health in Pregnancy …

Bgc-Argo Float Reveals Shifts In Nitrogen-Carbon Cycling In An Oxygen-Deficient Zone, Mariana B. Bif, Colette Kelly, Mark A. Altabet, Annie Bourbonnais, Claire Elbon, Edgart Flores, Alanna Mnich, Josh Plant, Kenneth S. Johnson

Faculty Publications

Oxygen-deficient zones are hotspots of marine fixed nitrogen loss, but the temporal dynamics of their microbial processes remain poorly resolved. Here we present a nearly three-year high-resolution record from a Biogeochemical Argo float in the Eastern Tropical North Pacific that captures a decline in nitrite concentrations, reflecting a shift in nitrogen redox balance. Using a stoichiometric mass-balance model, we quantify nitrogen transformations, including dissimilatory nitrate reduction to nitrite, denitrification, anammox, and nitrite oxidation, and their coupling to carbonate chemistry. The model shows that dissimilatory nitrate reduction to nitrite dominates nitrogen transformations, while denitrification and anammox vary over depth, biogeochemical transition, …

Reproducing Advantage: Inequality In Ncaa Leadership Programming, Jessica K. Brougham, Elizabeth A. Taylor

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

Leadership programming in NCAA Division I athletics is designed to support holistic athlete development, including career readiness, financial literacy, and personal growth. However, participation in selective initiatives like the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is often limited, raising concerns about equality and access. Through the theory of social reproduction, our study examines how these programs reflet and reinforce structural inequalities. Interviews with athletic staff reveal selection procedures (or lack thereof) privilege athletes who already possess social and cultural capital and therefore reproduce existing hierarchies rather than serve as a developmental tool. The findings highlight the importance of transparent selection criteria, intentional …

Ncaa’S Mental Health Best Practices Still Need Coaching: Perceptions Of Division I Student-Athletes On Strategies And Support Offered By Their Universities, Christopher C. Boyer, Jason Bocarro, Corey Johnson, Austin Thompson-Spain, Lulu Black

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

The NCAA has recognized the growing mental health crisis among student-athletes over the last decade and responded by publishing best practices, passing related legislation, and conducting surveys with student-athletes and coaches regarding mental health. This qualitative study explored the perceptions and insights of 22 Division I student-athletes on current strategies and resources designed to provide the best mental health support to them, along with what they perceive as the barriers or resource deficiencies related to seeking help. This applied research was done in the context of the best practices outlined in the NCAA’s Interassociation Consensus Document: Mental Health Best Practices, …

Game Without A Voice: College Athletes’ Symbolic Participation In Institutional Decisions, Eric G. Kramer, Karina Jolly, Chris Corr, Sarah Stokowski

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

This study examined decision-making by student-athlete advisory committee (SAAC) members within a hegemonic characterization of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Findings revealed that athletes prioritized decisions with tangible, immediate impact – such as mental and physical health and peer support – over broader systemic issues like NCAA legislation. While athletes actively participated in select areas, their perceived influence remained low, particularly within athletic department policy decisions, where findings indicated the greatest gap between participation and desired influence. Such findings reflect a systemic power imbalance that limits athlete agency, reinforced by fears of retribution and structural exclusion from meaningful governance. …

Parental Use Of Digital Location Tracking Technology & The Impacts On Adolescent Development: A Scoping Review, Madison G. Cox

Senior Theses

In the 21st century, many parents rely on digital location tracking applications (e.g., Life360, Find My Friends) to track the whereabouts of their teens and young adults, exerting a new form of parental control in the digital age. Though a popular parenting strategy, it is unclear how utilizing these tools might be affecting adolescent and emerging adulthood development. To better understand these outcomes, the present thesis conducted a scoping review of articles via the PsycINFO database. After screening studies according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of five studies were included in the scoping review. The included studies …

Rock On! Examining The Relationship Between Armed Conflict And Rock Protest Music, Dylan Conner Dunn

Senior Theses

This thesis explores the relationship between rock protest music and wars, armed conflicts, and other related events. The purpose of this research is to explore how such specific events, or war and conflict in general, influence rock songwriters. This paper examines a series of nine rock songs ranging across five decades, from the Vietnam War to the 2010s. A variety of artists wrote and recorded these songs, ranging from hard rock to classic rock, to folk rock and beyond. Some are more audially intense, lyrically visceral, and featuring explicit language, whereas others are much more stripped-back and “family-friendly.” Each of …