Digital Commons Network^™

Structural Repair And Performance Evaluation Of Aged Sbs Modified Asphalt, Xu Guang, Li Qishi, Kuang Huaping, Zhang Henglong, Zhou Ruibo, Chen Yanmei

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

To rejuvenate the excellent performance of aged styrene-butadiene-styrene （SBS） modified asphalt，colza oil bio-asphalt （COA） and polymethylene polyphenyl isocyanate （PAPI） were used in this study for adjusting the asphalt components and repairing SBS molecular structure，respectively.The above-mentioned dual regeneration mechanism was verified by comparing the effects of different rejuvenation components on the physical and rheological properties，as well as the molecular weight distribution of short-term aged SBS modified asphalt.Moreover，according to the change law of rheological properties of unaged base asphalt and SBS modified asphalt under the effect of dual regeneration agent，the influence of the regeneration agent on the phase angle platform area was …

Vessel Collision Force And Anti‑Collision Performance Of Long‑Span Beam‑Arch Composite Rigid Frame Bridge, Zhang Wenming, Wang Zhiwei, Lai Yaping

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

Beam-arch composite rigid frame bridge is a new bridge type，and it has few vessel collision studies.By taking the Lijia Jialing River Bridge as the engineering background，the standard value of vessel collision force and anti-collision performance of the long-span beam-arch composite rigid frame bridge were studied.After determining the representative vessel type and vessel collision calculation conditions，the vessel-bridge collision processes of the single-pier models under various calculation scenarios were simulated by using ANSYS/LS-DYNA nonlinear finite element transient dynamic software.The simulation results of collision forces were compared with the results of several empirical formulas.Finally，the full bridge model and the ultimate bearing capacity of …

Installation And Connection Mode Of Stiffening Beam Segment Of Steel Truss Suspension Bridge, Chen Changsong, Wu Junjie

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

During the construction of long-span steel truss suspension bridges，the main girder can be connected in segment-by-segment articulated connection method and rigid-articulated connection combination method.Taking a Yangtze River Highway Bridge in Hubei Province as an example，this paper established the plane calculation model of the full bridge using the Bridge Design and Construction Monitoring System BDCMS to simulate the above two connection methods of the main girder in construction.From the comprehensive analysis of chord member internal forces and line shape of the stiffening beam，this paper finds that the rigid-articulated connection combination method is more appropriate in the construction.In addition，this paper researched the …

Seismic Responses Of Cable‑Sta Yed Bridge Considering Ponding Effect Under Near‑Fa Ult Ground Motions, Lyu Long, Yu Deen, Yuan Yuhang, Yang Huaiyu

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

To study the influence of the pon ding e ffect on seismic responses of the cable-stayed bridge under near-fault ground motions，taking a double-tower cable-stayed bridge as the engineering background，this paper analyzed the ponding response of the main bridge and the main beam of the approach bridge of the cable-stayed bridge under near-fault ground motions and the influence of the ponding response on the structural seismic response.Besides，the influence of viscous dampers and elastic cables on the ponding effect of the cable-stayed bridge under near-fault ground motions was studied，which was compared with the seismic response of the cable-stayed bridge under far-fault ground …

Multi‑Dimensional And Multi‑Point Random Seismic Response Analysis Of Long‑Span Cable‑Stayed Bridges At Different Sites, Shi Yi, Lu Lu, Fan Shuli, Shen Meng, Zuo Chunyuan, Sun Xinguo, Cao Feifei

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

To study the random seismic response of long-span cable-stayed bridges at different sites，the site transfer function was used to evaluate the influence of different site conditions on ground motion propagation.By considering the traveling wave effect and the coherence effect，the multi-point power spectrum under different site conditions was generated.By using the pseudo excitation method for solving the absolute displacement，the seismic responses of cable-stayed bridges under uniform excitation and multi-dimensional and multi-point excitation at different sites were compared.A long-span cable-stayed bridge was selected as an example，and Ansys finite element software was used to analyze the random seismic response of the bridge.By considering …

Rigid Domain Optimization Of Steel Truss Joint With Reference To Multi‑Scale Model, Liu Gaocheng, Liu Jian, Dong Chuangwen, Li Chuanxi

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

The rigidity enhancement effect of the integral gusset plate is often simulated in the calculation of an integral nodal steel truss bridge by using a beam element with a rigid arm to improve the calculation accuracy.By taking Zhongshan Lianshwan Bridge as the engineering background，an optimization method based on a multi-scale truss model for nodal rigid domain simulation was proposed and verified.Five consecutive standard sections were selected as the study objects，and the beam element model with rigid arm and the multi-scale model of gusset plate substructure were established by using Ansys.The same boundary and loading conditions were applied.The deflection of the …

Impact Resistance Of Ecc Pipe Piles Based On Ls‑Dyna, Zeng Qingyou, Ye Chenfeng, Liu Junjun, Feng Kai, Cheng Peiyuan, Chen Weihong

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

To study the impact resistance of Engineering Cementitious Composite （ECC） pipe piles，this paper used ANSYS/LS-DYNA to simulate the impact of a vertical drop hammer on the pipe piles.The HJC constitutive model of ECC was established based on key parameters obtained from static tension and compression tests and dynamic compression tests.The correctness of the finite element model was verified by split Hopkinson Pressure Bar （SHPB） tests.The parametric analysis conducted on the pipe pile models compounded with different hammer mass and impact velocity yielded dynamic responses including the displacement，time-history curve of energy，and effective plastic strain diagrams of the pipe piles under various …

Comparative Study Of Different Ventilation Methods During Tunnel Construction, Yue Kun, Bao Xiaohua, Ao Xiang, Liu Kuan, Wu Han, Li Tao, Shen Jun

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

The continuous improvement of tunnel construction technology brings a rapid increase in the speed and mileage of tunnel excavation，during which ventilation is a main problem affecting construction efficiency and safety.Taking the Zhuhai Xingye Express （West Line ） tunnel project as an example，this paper studied the influences of forced ventilation，exhaust ventilation，and hybrid ventilation on the dilution and discharge of harmful gas CO near the tunnel face and the wind speed in the tunnel.The results show that hybrid ventilation performs better in CO dilution，while exhaust ventilation has higher CO emission efficiency with a lower wind speed near the working face.Therefore，although forced ventilation …

Stability Of Excavation Face Of Double‑Mode Shield In Earth Pressure Mode Crossing Fault Zone Of Pearl River, Tong Bin, Zhang Bin, Zhu Hanbiao, Wang Shuying

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

In view of the stability of the excavation face of the double-mode shield crossing the fault zone of the Pearl River，the project of the section from Hongshengsha Station to Yufengwei Station of the second phase of Guangzhou Metro Line Seven was studied.Through numerical simulations conducted to analyze the whole area and the local high-risk area of the shield crossing the fault zone of the Pearl River，this paper explored the construction risk of the shield crossing process.Besides，this paper analyzed the influence of different support stresses and grouting pressures on the stability of the excavation face and ground deformation，and finally，the tunneling parameters …

Development Trend On Raw Materials Market Of Ready‑Mixed Concrete Under Green Construction, Ding Hu, Ding Qingjun, Lin Haojun, Zhang Zhen

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

In the face of resource depletion，high energy consumption in production，high carbon emissions，and serious pollution brought by traditional pumpcrete raw materials，a variety of new raw materials have been gradually developed and promoted to conform with the green construction promoted by China ’s civil engineering industry，witnessing a stable increase in quality，output，and social recognition.High-quality natural river sand and pebbles are in short supply at the origin，and they can be explored in old silted river channels.Gravel and manufactured sand produced using large particle size natural pebbles，limestone，construction waste，and others as raw materials will become new substitutes.In the transformation and upgrading of production enterprises which tend …

Review Of Snow And Ice Melting Techniques For Road And Bridge In Cold Regions, Tang Liyun, Shao Haitao, Tang Huaming, Qiu Peiyong, Du Xiaoqi, Zhang Lei, Peng Hui

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

Snow and ice melting of road and bridge surfaces is crucial for traffic safety，but current research on snow and ice melting techniques mainly focuses on engineering effects and technical evaluation，without the analysis and elaboration from the perspective of their mechanisms.To this end，based on the different mechanisms，this study divided snow and ice melting techniques into three types and summarized them：passive deicing，active deicing，and energy utilization deicing.This study systematically evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of traditional deicing methods such as deicing agents and mechanical deicing，analyzed two active deicing techniques，namely inhibitive freezing pavement and phase change material pavement，discussed the environmental-friendly method for road deicing …

Post‑Evaluation Method For Decision‑Making And Implementation Of Highway Maintenance Projects Based On Ahp‑Dematel, Yu Wei, Yang Na, Li Jue

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

Addressing the current lack of post-evaluation management systems related to highways，particularly highway maintenance，this paper proposed a post-evaluation method for the decision-making and implementation of highway maintenance projects based on the combination of analytic hierarchy process （AHP） and decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory （DEMATEL ）.After building a post-evaluation model for the decision-making and implementation of highway maintenance projects and designing the evaluation process，this paper calculated key factors influencing the post-evaluation of the decision-making and implementation of highway maintenance projects and their respective comprehensive weights.The research results indicate that decision-making can possess higher accuracy and efficiency under the above calculation method，providing a …

A Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies Genetic Determinants Of Hemoglobin Glycation Index With Implications Across Sex And Ethnicity, John S. House, Joseph H. Breeyear, Farida S. Akhtari, Violet Evans, John B. Buse, James Hempe, Alessandro Doria, Josyf C. Mychaleckyi, Vivian Fonseca, Mengyao Shi, Changwei Li, Shuqian Liu, Tanika N. Kelly, Daniel Rotroff, Alison A. Motsinger-Reif

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Introduction: We investigated the genetic determinants of variation in the hemoglobin glycation index (HGI), an emerging biomarker for the risk of diabetes complications. Methods: We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for HGI in the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) trial (N = 7,913) using linear regression and additive genotype encoding on variants with minor allele frequency greater than 3%. We conducted replication analyses of top findings in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study with inverse variance-weighted meta-analysis. We followed up with stratified GWAS analyses by sex and self-reported race. Results: In ACCORD, we identified single …

Performance Comparison Of Two Binary Diagnostic Tests With Incomplete Data, Meng Wang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Diagnostic tests are medical examinations essential for patient care, as they help detect the presence of diseases and rule out certain conditions. However, diagnostic tests can make errors, and misdiagnoses resulting from these errors can potentially lead to treatment delays or inappropriate treatments. Therefore, comprehensively evaluating the performance of the diagnostic tests and ensuring test accuracy is a fundamental priority in diagnostic studies. When a new diagnostic test is developed, it is customary to compare it with an existing test in a paired study. However, incomplete test results commonly occur in practice. The maximum likelihood-based method can be used to …

Exploring The Association Between Parenting Stress And A Child’S Exposure To Positive Childhood Experiences (Pces), Elizabeth Crouch Ph.D., Elizabeth Radcliff, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Peiyin Hung Ph.D

Faculty Publications

High levels of parenting stress, defined as a caregiver or parent feeling stress or aggravation from parenting, has been previously shown to be associated with an increased likelihood of neglect, child maltreatment, and household dysfunction: adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Despite the potential mitigation of positive childhood experiences (PCEs) on ACEs, prior studies on the increased likelihood of a child experiencing ACEs due to parenting stress have left a critical question unanswered: whether high parenting stress may decrease a child’s likelihood of experiencing PCEs. We analyzed the 2019–2020 National Survey of Children’s Health to examine whether higher levels of parenting stress …

Statistical Downscaling Of Climate Datasets With Deep Generative Model And Bayesian Inference, Guiye Li, Guofeng Cao

I-GUIDE Forum

Facing the challenges of global climate change, precise and high spatial resolution climate data are crucial and in pressing need for scientific research and analysis. However, most existing datasets are only available with very coarse spatial resolution and demand large-scale resolution enhancement. Meanwhile, climate datasets own much more intricate textures than natural images. Statistical downscaling or super-resolution (SR) with the deep-learning-based generative model might be a promising approach to address these challenges. It is worth noting that a learned Bayesian reconstruction with generative models (L-BRGM) method was proposed recently. The proposed Bayesian deep learning framework employs a single pre-trained generative …

Social Isolation And Loneliness Prevention Among Rural Older Adults Aging-In-Place: A Needs Assessment, Jodi L. Southerland, Shimin Zheng, Kayla Dodson, Erin Mauck, Juanita-Dawne R. Bacsu, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Jeremy Holloway, Steffi M. Kim, Ayse Malatyali, Matthew Lee Smith

Faculty Publications

Introduction: The adverse effects of social isolation and loneliness (SI/L) have been documented among older adults in rural communities and contribute to poor health outcomes, premature disability and mortality, and increased burden on the healthcare system. The identification of factors contributing to SI/L among older adults can build the foundation for rural policymakers and leaders to allocate resources and develop tailored strategies more efficiently. The purpose of this article is to describe findings from a needs assessment designed to understand local factors that contribute to SI/L among rural older adults in a county in Northeast Tennessee. Findings from the needs …

Essays On Information Technology In Healthcare, Gleb Zavadskiy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Information technologies (IT) and information systems (IS) have profound significance across various sectors of society, including healthcare, business, education, government, and beyond. First, IT facilitates instant communication globally through email, messaging apps, video conferencing, and social media, revolutionizing how individuals and organizations interact, collaborate, and share information (Hacker et al. 2020; Tang and Hew 2020).

Secondly, the Internet and digital libraries provide worldwide access to vast amounts of information, what makes knowledge and education available to everyone, empowering individuals to learn and stay informed on diverse topics (Haleem et al. 2022). Another aspect of IT systems in various industries is …

The Association Between Oral Microbiome, Oral Inflammation, Periodontal Disease, And Systemic Metabolism In Individuals With/Without Type 1 Diabetes, Mianli Xiao

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the associations between oral microbiomes, periodontal disease (PD), and systemic metabolism in individuals with and without Type 1 diabetes (T1D). Data were obtained from 208 participants (99 with T1D, 109 non-diabetic) in the Coronary Artery Calcification in Type 1 Diabetes (CACTI) pilot study and 283 participants from the Oral Microbiome ancillary cohort study. Both studies included the collection of saliva or subgingival plaque samples. Microbial DNA was extracted, and the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Machine learning models, including Random Forest (RF) and Multi-layer Perceptron (MLP), were applied …

Association Between Neuromuscular Blocking Agents And Outcomes Of Emergency Tracheal Intubation: A Secondary Analysis Of Randomized Trials, Stephanie C. Demasi, Wesley H. Self, Neil R. Aggarawal, Michael D. April, Luke Andrea, Christopher R. Barnes, Jason Brainard, Veronika Blinder, Alon Dagan, Brian Driver, Kevin C. Doerschug, Ivor Douglas, Matthew Exline, Daniel G. Fein, John P. Gaillard, Sheetal Gandotra, Kevin W. Gibbs, Adit A. Ginde, Stephen J. Halliday, Jin H. Han, Taylor Herbert, Kevin High, Christopher G. Hughes, Akram Khan, Andrew J. Latimer, Amelia W. Maiga, Steven H. Mitchell, Derek J. Vanderhaar, James E. Walker, Et Al

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Study objective: To examine the association between the neuromuscular blocking agent received (succinylcholine versus rocuronium) and the incidences of successful intubation on the first attempt and severe complications during tracheal intubation of critically ill adults in an emergency department (ED) or ICU. Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of data from 2 multicenter randomized trials in critically ill adults undergoing tracheal intubation in an ED or ICU. Using a generalized linear mixed-effects model with prespecified baseline covariates, we examined the association between the neuromuscular blocking agent received (succinylcholine versus rocuronium) and the incidences of successful intubation on the first attempt …

Efficient Phosphate Removal From Water Using Ductile Cast Iron Waste: A Response Surface Methodology Approach, Mai Hassan Dr., Nada Alkhashab Eng., Ahmed Osman Dr., Dalia A. Ali Eng

Chemical Engineering

Water scarcity is a critical issue worldwide. This study explores a novel method for addressing this issue by using ductile cast iron (DCI) solid waste as an adsorbent for phosphate ions, supporting the circular economy in water remediation. The solid waste was characterized using XRD, XRF, FTIR, and particle size distribution. Wastewater samples of different phosphate ion concentrations are prepared, and the solid waste is used as an adsorbent to adsorb phosphate ions using different adsorbent doses and process time. The removal percentage is attained through spectrophotometer analysis and experimental results are optimized to get the optimum conditions using Design …

Measuring The Misplacement Of Data From Multidimensional Scaling, Lucy Liu

Holster Scholar Projects

Multidimensional scaling (MDS), in which high-dimensional data is projected to a lower dimensional map, is often followed by clustering in the reduced plot. To examine the effect of MDS on clustering, we simulate several data structures and apply clustering methods, including topological data analysis. We first perform clustering using the data in the original, high-dimensional space, then perform MDS to scale the data down to a lower dimension, cluster on this scaled data, and compare differences in the results. We found that MDS can often decrease clustering performance, and is unable to correctly represent data structures with unique shapes or …

Mathematics In Contemporary Society, Patrick J. Wallach

Open Educational Resources

Mathematics in Contemporary Society is the textbook that corresponds to MA-321, the course of the same name. The course is designed to provide students with mathematical ideas and methods found in the social sciences, the arts, and in business. Topics will include fundamentals of statistics, scatterplots, graphics in the media, problem solving strategies, dimensional analysis, mathematics in music and art, and mathematical modeling. EXCEL is used to explore real world applications.

Burden Of Disease Attributable To High Body Mass Index: An Analysis Of Data From The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2021, Xiao-Dong Zhou, Qin-Fen Chen, Wah Yang, Mauricio Zuluaga, Giovanni Targher, Christopher Byrne, Luca Valentu, Fei Luo, Christos Katsouras, Christopher Opio

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: Obesity represents a major global health challenge with important clinical implications. Despite its recognized importance, the global disease burden attributable to high body mass index (BMI) remains less well understood.

Methods: We systematically analyzed global deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to high BMI using the methodology and analytical approaches of the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2021. High BMI was defined as a BMI over 25 kg/m2 for individuals aged ≥20 years. The Socio-Demographic Index (SDI) was used as a composite measure to assess the level of socio-economic development across different regions. Subgroup analyses considered age, …

Rates Of Reporting And Analyzing Race And Ethnicity In Athlete-Specific Sports Medicine Research: A Systematic Review, John H. Sonnier, Carlo Coladonato, Irfan A. Khan, Gregory Connors, Ryan W. Paul, Anya T. Hall, Emma E. Johnson, Meghan E. Bishop, Fotios P. Tjoumakaris, Kevin B. Freedman

Rothman Institute Papers

BACKGROUND: Race- and ethnicity-based differences in treatment access and outcomes have been reported in the orthopaedic sports medicine literature. However, the rate at which race and ethnicity are reported and incorporated into the statistical analysis of sports medicine studies remains unclear.

PURPOSE: To determine the rate at which race and ethnicity are reported and analyzed in athlete-specific sports medicine literature.

STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.

METHODS: Using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, articles published by the 3 journals of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine between 2017 and 2021 were considered …

Making Plans Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, And Reusable With Data Infrastructure: A Search Engine For Constructing, Analyzing, And Visualizing Planning Documents, Lindsay Poirier, Dexter Antonio, Makenna Dettmann, Tiffany Eng, Jennifer Ganata, Sujoy Ghosh, Mirthala Lopez, Ranesh Karma, Asiya Natekal, Catherine Brinkley

Statistical and Data Sciences: Faculty Publications

Local land-use plans help guide future development, but it is often difficult to compare content across jurisdictions, making regional coordination and plan evaluation challenging. This research reviews federal, state, and local data infrastructure guidance for land-use plans and compares such guidance to compliance with a California use-case. Findings indicate a number of obstacles to fostering data sharing and comparative analysis of plans: there is currently no central repository of land-use plans; plans are not uniform in format and are often out of date; many plans are not machine-readable thereby inhibiting text extraction, and planning language varies so greatly that there …

Assessing The Impact Of Femur Morphological Variations On Pediatric Hip Joint Biomechanics Using Statistical Shape Modeling, Tamara Chambers

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This dissertation aimed to (1) quantify morphological variations in the pediatric hip joint and (2) evaluate the sensitivity of an infant musculoskeletal model (MSM) to these variations, considering hip joint center estimation errors. A shape statistical model (SSM) of decedent infant femurs from the Ortolani collection was created using ShapeWorks, capturing key morphological features, such as variations in the femoral neck-shaft and anteversion angles. Seven synthetic femurs were generated from the SSM to create SSM-informed MSMs, which were systematically evaluated through kinematics and kinetics analyses in OpenSim. Incorporating the SSM led to slight changes in the pediatric MSMs’ kinematics but …

A Qualitative Study Exploring Graduated Medical Residents’ Research Experiences, Barriers To Publication And Strategies To Improve Publication Rates From Medical Residents, Dorothy Kamya, Brigette Macharia, Wangari Siika, Caroline Mbuba

Anaesthesiology, East Africa

Background: In Kenya, postgraduate medical residents must complete a research dissertation for their Master of Medicine studies. However, the subsequent publication rate is lower than in higher-income settings, limiting the availability of population-specific data. This study explored residents’ experiences with research, reasons for the low publication rate, and strategies to improve publication rates.

Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with 9 faculty members and non-academic support staff, as well as 18 Master of Medicine graduates who had successfully completed their research projects, to investigate their experiences with conducting, supervising, and publishing research. The interview data was analysed using inductive …

Communities That Heal Intervention And Mortality Including Polysubstance Overdose Deaths: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Bridget Freisthler, Rouba A. Chahine, Jennifer Villani, Redonna Chandler, Daniel J. Feaster, Svetla Slavova, Jolene Defiore-Hyrmer, Alexander Y. Walley, Sarah Kosakowski, Arnie Aldridge, Carolina Barbosa, Sabana Bhatta, Candace Brancato, Carly Bridden, Mia Christopher, Tom Clarke, James David, Lauren D'Costa, Irene Ewing, Soledad Fernandez, Erin Gibson, Louisa Gilbert, Megan E. Hall, Sarah Hargrove, Timothy Hunt, Elizabeth N. Kinnard, Lauren Larochelle, Aaron Macoubray, Shawn R. Nigam, Edward V. Nunes, Carrie B. Oser, Sharon Pagnano, Peter J. Rock, Pamela Salsberry, Aimee Shadwick, Thomas J. Stopka, Sylvia Tan, Jessica L. Taylor, Philip M. Westgate, Elwin Wu, Gary A. Zarkin, Sharon L. Walsh, Nabila El-Bassel, T. John Winhusen, Jeffrey H. Samet, Emmanuel A. Oga

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

IMPORTANCE: The HEALing Communities Study (HCS) evaluated the effectiveness of the Communities That HEAL (CTH) intervention in preventing fatal overdoses amidst the US opioid epidemic.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of the CTH intervention on total drug overdose deaths and overdose deaths involving combinations of opioids with psychostimulants or benzodiazepines.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This randomized clinical trial was a parallel-arm, multisite, community-randomized, open, and waitlisted controlled comparison trial of communities in 4 US states between 2020 and 2023. Eligible communities were those reporting high opioid overdose fatality rates in Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York, and Ohio. Covariate constrained randomization stratified …

Bayesian Nonparametric Models For Pooled Data, Yizeng Li

Theses and Dissertations

This work examines two applications of pooling: group testing and pooled biomonitoring. Group testing, introduced by Dorfman in the early 1940s, was initially developed to screen for syphilis among U.S. inductees during World War II. Since then, the approach has demonstrated cost-saving benefits in diverse fields, including drug discovery, genetics, and infectious disease testing. While various regression methods—parametric, nonparametric, and semiparametric—have been proposed to analyze group testing data, they fall short in addressing age-related disparities in disease presence if such variations exist. In Chapter 2, we address this gap by expanding varying coefficient regression within a Bayesian framework to accommodate …