Digital Commons Network^™

From The Ground Up: Community-Based Participatory Research Reclaiming The Science Of Lead, Juan Manuel Rubio, Bavisha Kaylan, Anthony Diaz, Patricia Flores, Maya Cheav, David C. Bañuelas, Ashley Green, Annika Hjelmstad, Ariane Jong-Levinger, Tim Schütz, Maya Carrasquillo, Alana M. W. Lebron, Jun Wu

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

For decades, the dominant approach to lead poisoning has been to focus on homes affected by lead paint and to treat children who are already suffering from lead poisoning. This individualizing approach developed in the context of the defunding and deregulation of government agencies in the 1980s. In recent years, however, community–academic partnerships have reframed lead as an environmental issue produced by the development of the lead industry in the twentieth century and connected to overlapping histories of exploitation, discrimination, and inaction. These community-based projects have contributed to shifting research agendas (by emphasizing historical analysis and the study of the …

A Mean Field Theory For Pulse-Coupled Neural Oscillators Based On The Spike Time Response Curve, Carmen C. Canavier

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

A mean field method for pulse-coupled oscillators with delays used a self-connected oscillator to represent a synchronous cluster of N - 1 oscillators and a single oscillator assumed to be perturbed from the cluster. A periodic train of biexponential conductance input was divided into a tonic and a phasic component representing the mean field input. A single cycle of the phasic conductance from the cluster was applied to the single oscillator embedded in the tonic component at different phases to measure the change in the cycle length in which the perturbation was initiated, that is, the first-order phase response curve …

The Attitudes And Perspectives Of Laboratory Professionals On The Use Of Machine Learning Combined With Maldi For Viral Identification: A Qualitative Study, Grace Johnson

Honors Projects

The use of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) with machine learning (ML) has been proposed by numerous studies as a novel approach for viral identification. However, the development and implementation of this instrumentation is still in its early stages, and laboratory professionals' perspectives on its feasibility, accuracy, implementation, and effect on current laboratory operating procedures remain underexplored.

This study aimed to investigate laboratory professionals’ attitudes and opinions regarding the use of MALDI-TOF-MS coupled with machine learning for viral identification, focusing on perceived benefits, barriers, and factors that would affect participants’ opinions on implementation.

A qualitative descriptive research …

Task Demands Influence Search Strategy Selection In Otoconia-Deficient Mice, Ryan M. Yoder, Lucas C. Carstensen, Keshav Jagannathan

Psychology

Introduction: The vestibular system plays a crucial role in visual and non-visual navigation. Our recent study found that signals from the otolith organs are necessary for mice’s use of distal visual cues to guide navigation to an invisible goal. Somewhat surprisingly, however, performance was not significantly impaired on some spatial tasks (e.g., Barnes maze reference memory task), questioning the role of otolith signals in visual navigation.

Methods: We report the results of several additional tests of reference memory performance and search strategy use on two versions of the Barnes maze, in an attempt to establish further understanding of the otolithic …

Effects Of Acute Exercise On Cognition: Consideration Of Potential Moderators, Elizabeth G. Gaines, Mckenzie M. Cotten, Elizabeth Reese Carwile, Mary Griffin Jackson, Marascalco Liston, Lucy Wilson

Honors Theses

The present thesis aims to determine the effects, if any, of six potential moderators on the effects of acute moderate-intensity exercise on cognitive functioning. The modes of exercise undertaken by the participants included treadmill (Experiment 1) and stationary bike (Experiment 2) exercise. Participants in each experiment either exercised or rested for twenty minutes and then participated in either a memory recall task or cognitive functioning (“Stroop”) task. The bouts of either exercise or rest on the stationary bike were followed by a rest period during which the participant would be exposed to either standard air oxygen levels (normoxia) or hypoxic …

Quality Improvement Project Improving Tele-Sitter Usage In The Surgical Trauma Pcu, Stephanie R. Stone

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

This project aimed to improve the knowledge and usage of virtual patient sitters/tele-sitters for surgical trauma progressive care nurses in the surgical trauma progressive care unit through the implementation of nursing education, utilizing evidenced based teaching strategies. Nurse leaders identified a need for staff education among the surgical trauma registered nurse staff population. The goal of the project was to increase knowledge of virtual patient sitters/tele-sitters and how to order them, improve the understanding of the benefits of utilizing the device and to increase the overall usage of the devices on the surgical trauma progressive care unit patients that would …

The Dialogue Dilemma: The Role Of Patient-Clinician Communication For Low-Income People Who Smoke And Manage Multiple Conditions, Monique T. Cano, Michael R. Lindstrom, Ricardo F. Muñoz

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Introduction: Adults from low-income backgrounds who smoke face significant health disparities related to tobacco use, often at disproportionately high rates. These individuals are more likely to endure multiple mental and physical (MP) health conditions, which can negatively influence their self-rated health (SRH). The quality and effectiveness of patient-clinician communication (PCC) can influence how patients perceive their own health. Understanding how PCC influences SRH among low-income adults who smoke and suffer from multiple MP conditions is essential for clinical care as multimorbidity is on the rise. This study examines how PCC may influence the health perceptions of low-income adults who smoke …

Analysis Of Rare Events In Healthcare Intervention Using Department Of Defense Data: Intravenous Immune Globulin Therapy For Bullous Pemphigoid, Onur Baser, Huseyin A. Yuce, Gabriela Samayoa

Publications and Research

Introduction

Rare events data have proven difficult to explain and predict. Standard statistical procedures can sharply underestimate the probability of rare events, such as intravenous immune globulin therapy (IVIg) for bullous pemphigoid.

Methods

This retrospective cross-sectional study used Department of Defense TRICARE data to determine factors associated with IVIg therapy among bullous pemphigoid patients. We used prior and weighted correction methods for logit regression to solve rare event bias.

Results

We identified 2,720 individuals diagnosed with bullous pemphigoid from 2019 to 2022, of which 14 were treated with IVIg. Patients who received IVIg therapy were younger (65.07 vs. 75.85, P …

Autoradai: A Versatile Artificial Intelligence Framework Validated For Detecting Extracapsular Extension In Prostate Cancer, Pegah Khosravi, Shady Saikali, Abolfazl Alipour, Saber Mohammadi, Maxwell Boger, Dalanda M. Diallo, Christopher J. Smith, Marcio C. Moschovas, Iman Hajirasouliha, Andrew J. Hung, Srirama S. Venkataraman, Vipul Patel

Publications and Research

Preoperative identification of extracapsular extension (ECE) in prostate cancer (PCa) is crucial for effective treatment planning, as ECE presence significantly increases the risk of positive surgical margins and early biochemical recurrence following radical prostatectomy. AutoRadAI, an innovative artificial intelligence (AI) framework, was developed to address this clinical challenge while demonstrating broader potential for diverse medical imaging applications. The framework integrates T2-weighted MRI data with histopathology annotations, leveraging a dual convolutional neural network (multi-CNN) architecture. AutoRadAI comprises two key components: ProSliceFinder, which isolates prostate-relevant MRI slices, and ExCapNet, which evaluates ECE likelihood at the patient level. The system was trained and …

Building A Pre-Surgical Multiparametric-Mri-Based Morphologic, Qualitative, Semiquantitative, First And High-Order Radiomic Predictive Treatment Response Model For Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma To Replace Recist, Raul F Valenzuela, Elvis Duran-Sierra, Mathew Antony, Behrang Amini, Sam Lo, Keila E Torres, Robert S Benjamin, Jingfei Ma, Ken-Pin Hwang, R Jason Stafford, Dejka Araujo, Andrew J Bishop, Ravin Ratan, Wei-Lien Wang, Jossue Espinoza, Pia V Valenzuela, Chengyue Wu, John E Madewell, William A Murphy, Colleen M Costelloe

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) is the largest subgroup of soft-tissue sarcomas. It demonstrates post-therapeutic hemosiderin deposition, granulation tissue formation, fibrosis, and calcification. Our research aims to establish the multiparametric MRI (mp-MRI) value for predicting UPS treatment response.

Methods: An IRB-approved retrospective study included 33 extremity UPS patients with pre-operative mp-MRI, including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), contrast-enhanced susceptibility-weighted imaging (CE-SWI), and perfusion-weighted imaging with dynamic contrast-enhancement (PWI/DCE), and surgical resection between February 2021 and May 2023. Lesions were visually classified on CE-SWI into one of 6 morphology patterns. On PWI/DCE, lesions were classified into one of 6 patterns, and time-intensity curves …

Wais-Iv Index And Full Scale Intelligence Quotient Score Differences Between Standard And Prorated Scoring Methods, Traci Wimberly Olivier, Charles Golden, Amarilis Acevedo, Victoria I. Sterk, Kristina M. Espinosa, Kayla M. Spengler

Archives of Assessment Psychology

Standard scoring methods for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) require that all core subtests be used to compute index scores, yet it is possible to prorate certain indices using a reduced number of subtests. The purpose of this study is to explore differences in WAIS-IV Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Reasoning, and Full Scale IQ Index scores as a result of using standard versus prorated scoring methods. Participants were 149 adults, ages 18 to 84 who were previously administered the WAIS-IV. Protocols were scored using standard scoring methods and then re-scored using each alternate proration combination for Verbal Comprehension, …

The Analysis Of Reference Standard Storage Failures Through The Use Of Ibuprofen, Hope Vonder Brink

Honors Projects

Reference standards are commonly used in drug chemistry. They are used to calibrate the instruments and serve as a known point of reference for analysts’ ability to compare unknowns. Drugs can degrade over time or through environmental factors, causing contaminants to be present. In the event of environmental degradation while in storage, such as the exposure to high heat, it would be beneficial to have a database of known breakdown products in common drug reference standards for analysts’ reference. Using ibuprofen as an exemplar drug, this study attempted to identify the thermal breakdown products of ibuprofen and introduce the proposed …

Studies To Understand The Stability And Liabilities Of Legumain-Cleavable Antibody-Drug Conjugates, Michele Yi

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) offer targeted drug delivery of potent cytotoxic payloads, minimizing systemic toxicity. However, the stability of the linker is integral to ensure that there is minimal off-target payload release and little systemic toxicity. This study analyzes the physical and biological stability of our new legumain-cleavable vs traditional cathepsin-cleavable antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), with a focus on hydrophobicity, thermal stability, aggregation, and biological payload release. Our findings indicate that decreased hydrophobicity of the legumain-cleavable ADCs compared to cathepsin-cleavable ADCs is correlated with decreased aggregation (predicting lower uptake by liver macrophages and therefore slower clearance and less systemic toxicity) and lower …

Distinct Adipose Progenitor Cells Emerging With Age Drive Active Adipogenesis, Guan Wang, Gaoyan Li, Anying Song, Yutian Zhao, Jiayu Yu, Yifan Wang, Wenting Dai, Martha Salas, Hanjun Qin, Leonard Medrano, Joan Dow, Aimin Li, Brian Armstrong, Patrick T Fueger, Hua Yu, Yi Zhu, Mengle Shao, Xiwei Wu, Lei Jiang, Judith Campisi, Xia Yang, Qiong A Wang

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Starting at middle age, adults often suffer from visceral adiposity and associated adverse metabolic disorders. Lineage tracing in mice revealed that adipose progenitor cells (APCs) in visceral fat undergo extensive adipogenesis during middle age. Thus, despite the low turnover rate of adipocytes in young adults, adipogenesis is unlocked during middle age. Transplantations quantitatively showed that APCs in middle-aged mice exhibited high adipogenic capacity cell-autonomously. Single-cell RNA sequencing identified a distinct APC population, the committed preadipocyte, age-enriched (CP-A), emerging at this age. CP-As demonstrated elevated proliferation and adipogenesis activity. Pharmacological and genetic manipulations indicated that leukemia inhibitory factor receptor signaling was …

Quality Improvement Project Improving Tele-Sitter Usage In The Surgical Trauma Pcu, Stephanie Stone

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

This project aimed to improve the knowledge and usage of virtual patient sitters/tele-sitters for surgical trauma progressive care nurses in the surgical trauma progressive care unit through the implementation of nursing education, utilizing evidenced based teaching strategies. Nurse leaders identified a need for staff education among the surgical trauma registered nurse staff population. The goal of the project was to increase knowledge of virtual patient sitters/tele-sitters and how to order them, improve the understanding of the benefits of utilizing the device and to increase the overall usage of the devices on the surgical trauma progressive care unit patients that would …

Evaluating The Causal Effect Of Receiving Transthoracic Echocardiography On 28-Day Mortality In Mimic-Iii Intensive Care Unit Patients With Sepsis, Monserrath Velez, Jack O'Connor, Nicholas Della Pesca, Rio Baliga

Research & Creative Achievement Day

❏ Sepsis (an infection associated with vital organ dysfunction) is an emergent

medical condition estimated to occur in about 30% of intensive care unit

(ICU) patients[1] and is responsible for 20% of all deaths worldwide[2]

❏ Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE; an imaging modality that uses

ultrasound technology to record heart structure and function) is widely used in

medical treatment [3]

❏ 28-day mortality (whether or not a patient dies within 28 days after receiving a

treatment) is a measure considered to closely approximate ICU mortality[4]

Objectives

❏ Assess and quantify the causal effect of receiving a TTE on …

A Hybrid Deep Learning-Based Approach For Visual Field Test Forecasting, Ashkan Abbasi, Sowjanya Gowrisankaran, Wei-Chun Lin, Xubo Song, Bhavna Josephine Antony, Gadi Wollstein, Joel Schuman, Hiroshi Ishikawa

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

OBJECTIVE: Longitudinal assessment of visual field (VF) testing is essential in glaucoma management. Conventional VF forecasting methods require numerous prior tests, while deep learning techniques have shown promising results with fewer tests. This study introduces a hybrid deep learning framework to enhance flexibility and accuracy in VF test forecasting.

DESIGN: A retrospective longitudinal study using deep learning-based VF forecasting models.

SUBJECTS AND CONTROLS: A total of 1750 subjects (healthy and glaucoma patients) with 19 437 Humphrey VF (24-2 Swedish Interactive Threshold Algorithm) tests collected from longitudinal glaucoma cohorts at the University of Pittsburgh and New York University.

METHODS: Three deep …

Sexually Transmitted Infection (Sti) Incidence And Risk Factors Among People With Hiv (Pwh): Insights From A 13-Year Cohort Study In South Carolina, Salome-Joelle Gass, Shujie Chen, Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Bankole Olatosi

Faculty Publications

The Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) initiative aims to reduce new HIV infections by 90% by 2030 in the United States (US). However, rising sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates exacerbate the bidirectional infection risk between HIV and STIs. Most research on STIs among people with HIV (PWH) has focused on high-risk groups, resulting in limited data on broader populations. This study addresses that gap by examining the incidence and risk factors for gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis in a statewide cohort of PWH in South Carolina. Data from South Carolina’s HIV and STI surveillance systems were linked, and all PWH aged …

2025 Acssc Program, Acssc Planning Committee

Annual Celebration for Student Scholarship and Creativity

No abstract provided.

Volume 16, Maggie Duncan, Madeline Little, Alicia Hoffman, Megan Livesay, Gabrielle Quaresma, Serenity Allen, Laina Pfountz, Ainslie Allred, Sabrina Robles, Nicholas J. Duellman, Trinity L. Deguzman, Melissa H. Savage, Margaret Dudley, Jocelyn Escobar, Olivia Hildreth, Olivia Hopkins, Benjamin Gettier, Lee Kassay, Jade Riddle, Ashley Seiders

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Introduction Dr. Amorette Barber, Director, Office of Student Research

From the Editor Dr. Hannah Dudley-Shotwell

Artist’s Statement Maggie Duncan

On Mentoring Dr. Lee Millar Bidwell

The Hujum Campaign in Uzbekistan and its Consequences by Madeline Little

Wet Cupping Compared to Dry Needling for Treatment of Patients with Low Back Pain: A Critically Appraised Topic by Alicia Hoffman and Megan Livesay

Optimization of eDNA Air Sampling Via 3D Printed Fan by Gabrielle Quaresma

Beyond the Classroom: A Qualitative Study of Teacher Attrition and Retention by Serenity Allen and Laina Pfountz

The Treatment of Subacromial Impingement Syndrome with Platelet-Rich plasma Injections Verses …

Analysis Of Skeletal Trauma: Examining Current And Potential, Maia Stevenson

D.U.Quark

Skeletal trauma is an important component of death investigations which is often discovered through postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) scanning. The analysis of skeletal trauma is a key process in the medicolegal field which could provide information on the cause and manner of death of the individual. Though PMCT provides useful imaging data for discovery, there is a lack of reliable technological tools for analyzation of such data. More definitive skeletal reconstruction tools and injury mechanism categorization tools would increase the efficiency of the post-mortem examination process. This review observes the current methods of discovering skeletal trauma through PMCT and surveys …

Environmental Risk And Alpha-Gal Syndrome (Ags) In The Mid-Atlantic United States, Brandon D. Hollingsworth Ph.D., Margaret Wiener, Dana A. Giandimenico, Scott P. Commins, Ross M. Boyce

Faculty Publications

Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), commonly referred to as the tick bite red meat allergy, has been reported worldwide with the number of suspected cases in the United States increasing from 24 in 2009 to over 34,000 in 2019. Within the US, AGS is associated with the bite of two tick species, Amblyomma americanum and Ixodes scapularis, and has particularly high incidence rates in the mid-Atlantic region. Because AGS is associated with tick bites, the risk of developing AGS is affected by the environment individuals visit. Despite this, as well as the numerous studies associating the environment with Am. americanum, …

Intelligence Without An 'I': "I Think, Therefore I Am", Darshan Shah

Osmosis Magazine

From Billie Eilish hits to corny Pinterest tattoos, Rene Descartes’ famous dictum is embedded in modern Western consciousness. But, like all philosophy, it operates within a paradigm of assumptions about the world that remain open to challenge. Over centuries of Cartesian influence, these assumptions have become invisible in our philosophies and sciences, informing the very questions we ask about intelligence and where we search for it in the world.

Monty Hall Problem: Will You Win A Car?, Tien Nguyen Chu

Osmosis Magazine

Suppose you’re on a game show. There are three closed doors. Behind one is a brand-new car; behind the other two, goats. You pick a door. The host, who knows what’s behind all the doors, opens one of the remaining doors to reveal a goat. Now you’re offered a choice: stick with your original door or switch to the other unopened one. What should you do? Will changing your choice increase your chances of winning the car - or or does it make no difference at all?

Letter From The Editor, Sam Chanenson

Osmosis Magazine

Letter from Sam Chanenson, Editor in Chief, Osmosis Science Magazine.

Ensemble Learning With Explainable Ai For Improved Heart Disease Prediction Based On Multiple Datasets, Shahid Mohammad Ganie, Pijush Kanti Dutta Pramanik, Zhongming Zhao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Predicting and detecting heart disease early is crucial, as it allows medical professionals to take appropriate and necessary actions at earlier stages. Healthcare professionals can diagnose cardiac conditions more accurately by applying machine learning technology. This study aimed to enhance heart disease prediction using stacking and voting ensemble methods. Fifteen base models were trained on two different heart disease datasets. After evaluating various combinations, six base models were pipelined to develop ensemble models employing a meta-model (stacking) and a majority vote (voting). The performance of the stacking and voting …

Speed Of Shear Waves As A Function Of Frequency In Micellar Fluid, Michael Basha

Honors Theses

The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the frequency dependence of shear wave speed in a micellar fluid. A high-concentration CTAB-NaSal micellar fluid seeded with microspheres was used in the experiment. Shear waves were generated using a wave driver and a function generator, while a high-speed camera captured video recordings. Since the frequency of the wave driver producing the shear waves in the micellar fluid is a constant value set by the experimenter, changes in shear wave speed can be determined by measuring their wavelengths at different frequencies.The captured video was then broken down into frames using MATLAB. These …

Risk Factors Of Self-Reported Prediabetes Status In New York State, Kari Ann Hunter Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prediabetes affects over 4 million people in New York State and increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes. Prior research identified risk factors such as poor diet, inactivity, obesity, hypertension, and smoking; but no studies examined these collectively or assessed their interactions. This quantitative, cross-sectional study analyzed a sample of 289 non-institutionalized adults aged 18 or older with landline or cellular phone, from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The study examined relationships between prediabetes and 16 factors in five categories: demographic (age, race, sex, education), socioeconomic (income, employment), behavioral (fruit intake, vegetable intake, physical activity, smoking), physiological (hypertension, BMI), …

Tobacco Smoking Functional Networks: A Whole-Brain Connectome Analysis In 24 539 Individuals, Yezhi Pan, Chuan Bi, Zhenyao Ye, Hwiyoung Lee, Jiaao Yu, Luba Yammine, Tianzhou Ma, Peter Kochunov, L Elliot Hong, Shuo Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Nicotine addiction, a multifaceted neuropsychiatric disorder, profoundly impacts brain functions through interactions with neural pathways. Despite its significance, the impact of tobacco smoking on the whole-brain functional connectome remains largely unexplored.

Aims and methods: We conducted a whole-brain analysis on 24 539 adults aged 40 and above from the United Kingdom Biobank cohort. Subjects were categorized into individuals who use nicotine and those who do not use nicotine based on current and chronic tobacco smoking information. Functional connectivity was assessed using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. We employed a network analysis method to assess the systematic effects of tobacco …

The Association Between Visit-To-Visit Variability In Risk Factors And Incident Cvd: A Post-Hoc Analysis Of The Multi-Ethnic Study Of Atherosclerosis, Abderrahim Oulhaj, Abubaker Suliman, Malak Bentaleb, Mohammed Abdulrahman, Rachid Bentoumi, Stephen J. Sharp, Harald Sourij

All Works

Our aim is to investigate the association between visit-to-visit variability of nine risk factors and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a large multi-ethnic population cohort study. We used the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) cohort. We included individuals with no previous history of CVD, with at least three repeated measurements on each risk factor including total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, non-HDL, triglyceride, Chol/HDL ratio, Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP), Systolic Blood Pressure (DBP), and Body mass index (BMI). Visit-to-visit variability was estimated via the variability independent of the mean (VIM). A Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the association between …