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Does Genetic Testing Influence Outcomes: Early Experience In Melanoma Case Series, Ryan Reyes, George Skenteris, Stella Coker Watson Self Ph.D., Ms, Christine Marie-Gilligan Schammel, Steven D. Trocha Mar 2026

Does Genetic Testing Influence Outcomes: Early Experience In Melanoma Case Series, Ryan Reyes, George Skenteris, Stella Coker Watson Self Ph.D., Ms, Christine Marie-Gilligan Schammel, Steven D. Trocha

Faculty Publications

Background:

The treatment and prognosis of melanoma have historically been based on histologic stage and Breslow depth; however, due to the increase in surveillance, melanomas are being identified at an earlier stage and lower Breslow depth. Advances in genetic testing, such as Decision Dx®, mean that melanoma diagnostic decisions and prognosis can now be directed by genetics. The purpose of this project was to assess the influence of a Decision Dx® high-grade (Class 2A/B) classification on the treatment of melanoma patients at a regional medical center, particularly those not deemed high risk by conventional classification methods, including Breslow depth and …


Using The Misinformation Exposure-Trust Framework For Audience Segmentation: Predicting Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among U.S., Jing Zeng, Jinxu Li, Nan Yu, Xi Cui, Anli Xiao Ph.D. Feb 2026

Using The Misinformation Exposure-Trust Framework For Audience Segmentation: Predicting Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among U.S., Jing Zeng, Jinxu Li, Nan Yu, Xi Cui, Anli Xiao Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

This study examines whether individuals’ exposure to and trust in COVID-19 vaccine misinformation can be used to segment audiences and explain variations in vaccine hesitancy and health beliefs. Using k-means clustering, a survey of 819 U.S. college students (March–May 2021) identifies four subgroups based on combinations of high or low misinformation exposure and trust: misinformation-shielded (low exposure, low trust), misinformation-vulnerable (low exposure, high trust), misinformation-resistant (high exposure, low trust), and misinformation-accepting (high exposure, high trust). These subgroups differ significantly in political ideology, vaccine hesitancy, and health beliefs. The misinformation-shielded subgroup reports more liberal views, lower hesitancy, and higher perceived efficacy, …


Exosome Engineering For Blocking Gut Dysbiosis And Inducing Cell Death Mechanisms In Glioblastoma Multiforme, Ahalya Muraleedharan, Karthik Rangavajhula, Swapan K. Ray Feb 2026

Exosome Engineering For Blocking Gut Dysbiosis And Inducing Cell Death Mechanisms In Glioblastoma Multiforme, Ahalya Muraleedharan, Karthik Rangavajhula, Swapan K. Ray

Faculty Publications

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most lethal primary brain tumor in adults. Emerging evidence endorses that gut dysbiosis contributes to GBM progression through the gut–brain axis (GBA), promoting inflammation and therapeutic resistance via abnormal short-chain fatty acid production and cytokine dysregulation. Exosomes, naturally occurring nanovesicles (30–150 nm), offer promising therapeutic potential due to their blood–brain barrier permeability, biocompatibility, and versatile cargo capacity. This review examines exosome engineering strategies for dual targeting: inhibiting alterations in gut microbiome and inducing regulated cell death mechanisms such as apoptosis and ferroptosis in GBM. We describe exosome engineering with detailed focus on cargo loading approaches …


Effect Of Hdl Disk And Ldl Dimer Presence On Lipoprotein Particle Number Determination And Subclassification, Zsuzsanna Kuklenyik, Anna A. Ivanova, Lauren E. Drinkard, David M. Schieltz, Jeffrey I. Jones, Kevin Bierbaum, Christopher A. Toth, Michael S. Gardner, Bryan A. Parks, Michael Andrews, Jennifer D. Kusovschi, Jack A. Sultan, Antony Lehtikoski, Jon C. Rees, Wanda I. Santana, Victoria Connor, Eric Leszynski, Robert W. Mcgarrah Iii, Mark A. Sarzynski Facsm, William E. Kraus, John R. Barr Feb 2026

Effect Of Hdl Disk And Ldl Dimer Presence On Lipoprotein Particle Number Determination And Subclassification, Zsuzsanna Kuklenyik, Anna A. Ivanova, Lauren E. Drinkard, David M. Schieltz, Jeffrey I. Jones, Kevin Bierbaum, Christopher A. Toth, Michael S. Gardner, Bryan A. Parks, Michael Andrews, Jennifer D. Kusovschi, Jack A. Sultan, Antony Lehtikoski, Jon C. Rees, Wanda I. Santana, Victoria Connor, Eric Leszynski, Robert W. Mcgarrah Iii, Mark A. Sarzynski Facsm, William E. Kraus, John R. Barr

Faculty Publications

High-density and low-density lipoproteins (HDL and LDL) are established analytical targets for diagnosis and risk stratification of numerous chronic diseases. This study investigates potential sources of bias in lipoprotein particle counting (HDL-P and LDL-P), focusing on the most atheroprotective small-HDL and most pro-atherogenic small-LDL. Plasma samples were fractionated using asymmetric-flow field-flow fractionation (AF4), coupled with hydrodynamic size measurement and comprehensive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis of each fraction. Concentration-size profiles were deconvoluted into 10 HDL and 8 LDL Gaussian subspecies. Molecular volume ratios were used to evaluate proposed particle models, providing evidence for the presence of s-HDL disk and …


Egain Tube Memristors Offering Reliable Switching On A Biological Time Scale, Yuriy V. Pershin, Liya Patel, Bapi Bera, Doug Aaron, Stephen A. Sarles Feb 2026

Egain Tube Memristors Offering Reliable Switching On A Biological Time Scale, Yuriy V. Pershin, Liya Patel, Bapi Bera, Doug Aaron, Stephen A. Sarles

Faculty Publications

Memristive devices have been considered promising candidates for nature-inspired computing and in-memory information processing. However, experimental devices developed to date typically show significant variability and function at different time scales than biological neurons and synapses. This study presents a memristive device comprised of liquid-metal eutectic gallium indium (EGaIn) contained within a mm-scale tube that operates via a bulk, voltage-dependent switching mechanism and exhibits distinct unipolar resistive switching characteristics that occur on a biological time scale (tens of milliseconds). The switching mechanism involves voltage-controlled growth and dissolution of an oxide layer on the surface of the liquid metal in contact with …


Paternal Effects Without Paternity? Testing Non-Genetic Male Influence On Offspring Size And Brood Size In A Gynogenetic Vertebrate, The Amazon Molly (Poecilia Formosa), Ulrike Scherer, Sean Ehlman, David Bierbach, Jens Krause, Max Wolf Feb 2026

Paternal Effects Without Paternity? Testing Non-Genetic Male Influence On Offspring Size And Brood Size In A Gynogenetic Vertebrate, The Amazon Molly (Poecilia Formosa), Ulrike Scherer, Sean Ehlman, David Bierbach, Jens Krause, Max Wolf

Faculty Publications

Paternal effects, i.e., effects of fathers on the phenotype of their offspring that are not mediated by the transmission of alleles, are increasingly recognized as a potentially significant source of phenotypic variation across taxa – even in the absence of paternal care. Gynogenetic systems, which rely on sperm to trigger embryogenesis without incorporating male genetic material, provide a powerful way to experimentally isolate paternal effects from effects caused by the integration of male genetic material. Up to now, however, paternal effects remain largely unexplored in these systems. Here, we tested for non-genetic paternal effects in the gynogenetic Amazon molly ( …


The Detection Of Marine Microseismic Activity With The Cuore Tonne-Scale Cryogenic Experiment, D. Q. Adams, C. Aldunio, K. Alfonso, A. Armatol, Frank Avignone Iii, O. Azzolini, G. Bari, F. Bellini, G. Benato, M. Beretta, C. Bucci, J. Camilleri, A. Caminata, A. Campani, J. Cao, C. Capelli, S. Capelli, L. Capelli, J. Capelli, A. Caminata, Et. Al. Feb 2026

The Detection Of Marine Microseismic Activity With The Cuore Tonne-Scale Cryogenic Experiment, D. Q. Adams, C. Aldunio, K. Alfonso, A. Armatol, Frank Avignone Iii, O. Azzolini, G. Bari, F. Bellini, G. Benato, M. Beretta, C. Bucci, J. Camilleri, A. Caminata, A. Campani, J. Cao, C. Capelli, S. Capelli, L. Capelli, J. Capelli, A. Caminata, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

Vibrations from experimental setups and the environment are a persistent source of noise for low-temperature calorimeters searching for rare events, including neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay or dark matter interactions. Such noise can significantly limit experimental sensitivity to the physics case under investigation. Here, we report the detection of marine microseismic vibrations using mK-scale calorimeters. This study employs a multi-device analysis correlating data from CUORE, the leading experiment in the search for 0νββ decay with mK-scale calorimeters, and the Copernicus Earth Observation program, revealing the seasonal impact of Mediterranean Sea activity on CUORE’s …


Rapid Single-Cell Measurement Of Transient Transmembrane Water Flow Under Osmotic Gradient, Hong Jiang, Jinnawat Jongkhumkrong, Y. J. Chao, Qian Wang, Guiren Wang Feb 2026

Rapid Single-Cell Measurement Of Transient Transmembrane Water Flow Under Osmotic Gradient, Hong Jiang, Jinnawat Jongkhumkrong, Y. J. Chao, Qian Wang, Guiren Wang

Faculty Publications

Aquaporins (AQPs) are critical for transmembrane water transport in response to osmotic gradients, but their gating and regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. A central challenge is the lack of methods to measure water flow across AQPs from individual cells with the spatiotemporal resolution and sensitivity equivalent to patch-clamp recordings of ion fluxes—a limitation stemming from the electrically silent nature of water flow. Here, we present a novel optical technique—Flow-Induced Fluorescence Increase Velocimetry (FIFIV) based on Laser-Induced Fluorescence Photobleaching Anemometry (LIFPA)—that enables direct, real-time monitoring of cytoplasmic flow induced by transmembrane water transport under osmotic pressure gradients. Using small molecular fluorescent …


Translating Community Voices To Build Meaningful Engagement: A Community Health Worker Led Study, Lauren Workman, Julie Smithwick Msw, Chw, Kimberly C. Rawlinson, Mark M. Macauda, Lashandra Morgan, Whitney Davis Feb 2026

Translating Community Voices To Build Meaningful Engagement: A Community Health Worker Led Study, Lauren Workman, Julie Smithwick Msw, Chw, Kimberly C. Rawlinson, Mark M. Macauda, Lashandra Morgan, Whitney Davis

Faculty Publications

Background: Understanding community perspectives on barriers and facilitators of meaningful engagement, equitable decision making, and sustainable community improvement is critical for advancing health equity. Community Health Workers can make significant contributions to research teams, as they are bridges into communities and bring unique perspectives. This study describes community voices on barriers to authentic engagement and insights on strategies to build trust, as well as the way in which these data were translated into a tangible assessment tool and a community-facilitated learning academy.

Methods: A team of Community Health Workers led a series of 24 ‘open mic’ discussions in four South …


Association Between Dietary Folate And Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness Among African Americans And European Americans, Lihchyun Joseph Su, Sarah O'Connor, Daniela Ramirez Aguilar, Minjae Lee, Harrison Wong, Hui-Yi Lin, Jeannette T. Bensen, James L. Mohler, Lenore Arab, Longgang Zhao, Ebonee N. Butler, Laura Farnan, Susan E. Steck Phd, Mph, Rd Feb 2026

Association Between Dietary Folate And Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness Among African Americans And European Americans, Lihchyun Joseph Su, Sarah O'Connor, Daniela Ramirez Aguilar, Minjae Lee, Harrison Wong, Hui-Yi Lin, Jeannette T. Bensen, James L. Mohler, Lenore Arab, Longgang Zhao, Ebonee N. Butler, Laura Farnan, Susan E. Steck Phd, Mph, Rd

Faculty Publications

Background: Despite the confirmed beneficial effects on preventing neural tube defects, concerns about high intakes of synthetic folate, or folic acid, in promoting cancer progression have been raised. This study evaluated the association between folate intake and prostate cancer (PCa) aggressiveness among African-American (AA) and European-American (EA) males. Methods: This study included 722 AA and 775 EA men with prostate cancer. Folate intake (dietary folate equivalent (DFE), synthetic folate, natural folate) was estimated using the National Cancer Institute Dietary History Questionnaire and detailed dietary supplement use questionnaire. Analyses included univariable comparisons of demographic and clinical characteristics of the two racial …


Examining The Impact Of Young Children’S Motor Development On Inhibitory Control And Social Skills, Ali S. Brian, Shea E. Ferguson, Angie Starrett, Emily Kallis, J. Ross Ramsey Feb 2026

Examining The Impact Of Young Children’S Motor Development On Inhibitory Control And Social Skills, Ali S. Brian, Shea E. Ferguson, Angie Starrett, Emily Kallis, J. Ross Ramsey

Faculty Publications

Background/Objectives: Understanding how motor and cognitive development may contribute to prosocial behavior is essential for supporting whole-child development in early learning settings. Early childhood education settings are well-positioned to address these concerns through integrated approaches that support the whole child. Research exploring the mechanisms that link developmental domains remains limited, especially regarding how motor development may influence social outcomes through cognitive processes such as inhibitory control. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine whether gains in motor skills were associated with prosocial behaviors indirectly through improvements in inhibitory control. Methods: Preschoolers (N = 238; Mage = 66.61, SD …


Women’S Reproductive Health Conditions And Fertility Goals, Karen Benjamin Guzzo, Kathleen Broussard Feb 2026

Women’S Reproductive Health Conditions And Fertility Goals, Karen Benjamin Guzzo, Kathleen Broussard

Faculty Publications

There is a large body of research examining women’s fertility decision-making. Yet this work rarely considers how women’s experiences with reproductive health conditions may be linked to their fertility goals, a problematic oversight given the growing emphases on reproductive careers and childbearing biographies that highlight the need to take a life course approach to fertility. Using the 2015–2019 National Survey of Family Growth (N = 8867), this paper examines how reproductive health conditions are associated with women’s fertility goals among women who are not surgically sterile or meet the medical definition of infertility. Slightly more than one in five …


Women’S Reproductive Health Conditions And Fertility Goals, Karen Benjamin Guzzo, Kathleen Broussard Feb 2026

Women’S Reproductive Health Conditions And Fertility Goals, Karen Benjamin Guzzo, Kathleen Broussard

Faculty Publications

There is a large body of research examining women’s fertility decision-making. Yet this work rarely considers how women’s experiences with reproductive health conditions may be linked to their fertility goals, a problematic oversight given the growing emphases on reproductive careers and childbearing biographies that highlight the need to take a life course approach to fertility. Using the 2015–2019 National Survey of Family Growth (N = 8867), this paper examines how reproductive health conditions are associated with women’s fertility goals among women who are not surgically sterile or meet the medical definition of infertility. Slightly more than one in five …


Examining The Impact Of Young Children’S Motor Development On Inhibitory Control And Social Skills, Ali S. Brian Ph.D., Shea E. Ferguson, Angie Starrett Ph.D., Emily Kallis, J. Ross Ramsey Feb 2026

Examining The Impact Of Young Children’S Motor Development On Inhibitory Control And Social Skills, Ali S. Brian Ph.D., Shea E. Ferguson, Angie Starrett Ph.D., Emily Kallis, J. Ross Ramsey

Faculty Publications

Background/Objectives: Understanding how motor and cognitive development may contribute to prosocial behavior is essential for supporting whole-child development in early learning settings. Early childhood education settings are well-positioned to address these concerns through integrated approaches that support the whole child. Research exploring the mechanisms that link developmental domains remains limited, especially regarding how motor development may influence social outcomes through cognitive processes such as inhibitory control. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine whether gains in motor skills were associated with prosocial behaviors indirectly through improvements in inhibitory control. Methods: Preschoolers (N = 238; Mage = 66.61, SD …


Challenges, Stressors, And Resilience Resources Experienced By Older Black Women In Rural South Carolina Throughout The Covid-19 Pandemic, Arielle N'Diaye, Camryn Garrett, Sarah Wilcox Phd, Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Shan Qiao Ph.D. Feb 2026

Challenges, Stressors, And Resilience Resources Experienced By Older Black Women In Rural South Carolina Throughout The Covid-19 Pandemic, Arielle N'Diaye, Camryn Garrett, Sarah Wilcox Phd, Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Shan Qiao Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Background

Resilience has been established as a protective factor against mental health challenges (e.g., anxiety, depression). From an intersectional perspective, the stressors experienced by Black women living in rural communities are likely to have been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to identify the challenges and stressors experienced and the resilience resources available to and relied upon by rural, Black women, during the pandemic.

Methods

Individual, in-depth, structured interviews (n = 24) were conducted among Black women living in rural South Carolina, recruited by local community health workers, from January to April of 2024. All interviews were recorded, …


A New Highly Oxygen-Deficient And Cubic Pr3Zro8-Δ For Intermediate-Temperature Thermochemical Production Of Oxygen And Hydrogen, Jiaxin Lu, Yongliang Zhang, Luhong Chen, Yan Chen, Ke An, Yasser Shoukry, Xinfang Jin, Zhi-Hao Wang, Sai Mu, Kevin Huang Feb 2026

A New Highly Oxygen-Deficient And Cubic Pr3Zro8-Δ For Intermediate-Temperature Thermochemical Production Of Oxygen And Hydrogen, Jiaxin Lu, Yongliang Zhang, Luhong Chen, Yan Chen, Ke An, Yasser Shoukry, Xinfang Jin, Zhi-Hao Wang, Sai Mu, Kevin Huang

Faculty Publications

Two-step thermochemical cycles offer a clean route for hydrogen and oxygen production but are typically limited to high temperatures exceeding 1500 °C. Lowering operating temperatures would enable the use of alternative heat sources such as industrial waste heat. Here, we report Pr3ZrO8 as a new enabling material for efficient intermediate-temperature redox cycling, with thermal reduction at 900 °C in argon and steam oxidation at 400 °C. Pr3ZrO8 adopts a face-centered cubic structure similar to CeO2 but exhibits significantly greater oxygen deficiency, achieving average oxygen and hydrogen fluxes of 331.7 and 70.3 µmol·g-1, respectively, …


Trends In Self-Reported Responses To Nutrition Facts Labels Before And After Nutrition Labeling Policy Implementation: A Comparison Of Adults In The United States And Mexico, Jim Thrasher Ph.D., Ma, Ms, Victor Vilalobos, Dai Fang, Alejandra Jáuregui, Alejandra Contreras-Manzano, Rachel Davis Ph.D., Lana Vanderlee, Christine M. White, Rachel B. Acton, James W. Hardin, Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D., Simón Barquera, David Hammond Feb 2026

Trends In Self-Reported Responses To Nutrition Facts Labels Before And After Nutrition Labeling Policy Implementation: A Comparison Of Adults In The United States And Mexico, Jim Thrasher Ph.D., Ma, Ms, Victor Vilalobos, Dai Fang, Alejandra Jáuregui, Alejandra Contreras-Manzano, Rachel Davis Ph.D., Lana Vanderlee, Christine M. White, Rachel B. Acton, James W. Hardin, Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D., Simón Barquera, David Hammond

Faculty Publications

Background

In 2020–2021, both Mexico and the United States implemented similar, newly formatted nutrition facts labels (NFLs). Mexico simultaneously implemented front-of-package warning labels (FoPWLs), which emphasize high amounts of less healthy nutrients described in NFLs (e.g., calories, sugar, salt, trans fat, and saturated fat) to enhance consumer understanding of nutrition information.

Objectives

To evaluate these policies by comparing pre- and postpolicy trends in self-reported responses to NFLs.

Methods

Annual surveys from the adult International Food Policy Study (2018–2023) were analyzed for Mexico (n = 24,832) and the United States (n = 25,464). Outcomes included reported ease of finding …


Exploring The Links Between Bullying Victimization And Suicidal Ideation For Secondary Students With Disabilities: The Mediating Role Of Mental Health, Christopher M. Claude, Nicholas A. Gage, Araba M. Amissah, Chad Rose Ph.D., Dennis A. Kramer Feb 2026

Exploring The Links Between Bullying Victimization And Suicidal Ideation For Secondary Students With Disabilities: The Mediating Role Of Mental Health, Christopher M. Claude, Nicholas A. Gage, Araba M. Amissah, Chad Rose Ph.D., Dennis A. Kramer

Faculty Publications

Bullying victimization is a well-established risk factor for adverse mental health outcomes, including suicidal ideation, yet less is known about the mechanisms linking these experiences for students with disabilities. Using data from the Georgia Student Health Survey (N = 356,292 high school students across 496 schools), this study examined differences in bullying victimization, mental health difficulties, and suicidal ideation by Individualized Education Program (IEP) status and tested direct, mediated, and moderated pathways among these constructs. Students with IEPs reported higher levels of bullying victimization, mental health difficulties, and suicidal ideation compared to peers without IEPs, although effect sizes were …


Digital Twin Enabled Robot Collision Detection Using Time Series Forecasting, Fadi El Kalach, Mojaba A. Farahani, Philip Samaha, Thorsten Wuest, Ramy Harik Feb 2026

Digital Twin Enabled Robot Collision Detection Using Time Series Forecasting, Fadi El Kalach, Mojaba A. Farahani, Philip Samaha, Thorsten Wuest, Ramy Harik

Faculty Publications

The advent of Industry 4.0 has reshaped modern manufacturing, driven by breakthroughs in cutting-edge technologies. A key example is the widespread deployment of sensors, which capture and transmit large volumes of operational data. This data surge has fueled the development of advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications, enhancing manufacturing intelligence and efficiency. A key enabler of such intelligence is Time-Series Forecasting (TSF), which leverages historical data to predict future trends and events, thereby providing actionable insights for proactive decision-making. In parallel, Digital Twin (DT) technology has gained significant prominence due to its capacity for bidirectional communication with physical manufacturing systems, enabling …


Approaching Lower Bound Of Lattice Thermal Conductivity By Simultaneously Suppressing Diagonal And Off-Diagonal Phonon Contributions, Alejandro David Rodriguez, Riccardo Rurali, Changpeng Lin, Joshua Ojih, Mohammed Al-Fahdi, G. Jeffrey Snyder, Ming Hu Feb 2026

Approaching Lower Bound Of Lattice Thermal Conductivity By Simultaneously Suppressing Diagonal And Off-Diagonal Phonon Contributions, Alejandro David Rodriguez, Riccardo Rurali, Changpeng Lin, Joshua Ojih, Mohammed Al-Fahdi, G. Jeffrey Snyder, Ming Hu

Faculty Publications

Pushing the intrinsic lattice thermal conductivity (LTC) in crystalline materials to lower bounds is crucial for fundamental materials research towards emerging technologies including thermoelectric energy conversion and thermal management in both hypersonic aircraft and next-generation turbine systems. However, in the ultralow LTC regime ( <  1 Wm-1K-1), the competition between propagative (particle-like) and coherent phonons—arising from off-diagonal components—poses a significant challenge in further reducing LTC. We perform quantitative analysis of 4700 materials using density functional theory (DFT), spanning all crystallographic groups, to elucidate the interplay between diagonal and off-diagonal phonon contributions. We identify a critical balance between these transport mechanisms, where intermediate phonon lifetimes ( ~ 1 ps) and slow group velocities ( ~ 1 km/s) collectively suppress both contributions, enabling ultralow LTC. Results from a large dataset of 31,058 structures by machine learning models strongly resemble the DFT trends of two-channel phonon transport. Leveraging these models, we screen 25,882 additional materials and confirm their properties with DFT, identifying 12 candidates with ultralow room-temperature LTC—including a record-low value of 0.132 Wm-1K-1. Our large-scale analysis reveals fundamental insights into dual-channel phonon transport, enabling rational design of ultralow LTC materials and accelerating the discovery of advanced phononic crystals with tailored thermal transport properties.


A Transcriptional Program Associated With Neurotransmission In The Living Human Brain, Alexander W. Charney, Lora E. Liharska, Eric Vornholt, Alissa Valentine, Anina Lund, Alice Hashemi, Ryan C. Thompson, Terry Lohrenz, Jessica S. Johnson, Nicole Bussola, Esther Cheng, You Jeong Park, Salman Qasim, Alisha Aristel, Lillian Wilkins, Kimia Ziafat, Hannah Silk, Lisa M. Linares, Brendan Sullivan, Claudia Feng, Beniamino Hadj-Amar Ph.D. Feb 2026

A Transcriptional Program Associated With Neurotransmission In The Living Human Brain, Alexander W. Charney, Lora E. Liharska, Eric Vornholt, Alissa Valentine, Anina Lund, Alice Hashemi, Ryan C. Thompson, Terry Lohrenz, Jessica S. Johnson, Nicole Bussola, Esther Cheng, You Jeong Park, Salman Qasim, Alisha Aristel, Lillian Wilkins, Kimia Ziafat, Hannah Silk, Lisa M. Linares, Brendan Sullivan, Claudia Feng, Beniamino Hadj-Amar Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

At the foundation of neurotransmission, and by extension at the foundation of brain function, are coordinated programs of gene expression involving many thousands of genes. These programs are poorly defined in humans because most modern studies that characterize human brain gene expression use tissue obtained in the postmortem state when neurotransmission and brain function have ceased. Here, to advance knowledge of the gene expression programs at the foundation of neurotransmission in the human brain, gene expression was characterized in 130 prefrontal cortex (PFC) samples obtained from participants of the Living Brain Project (LBP) during neurosurgical procedures in conjunction with intracranial …


Survival On Image Regression With Application To Partially Functional Distributional Representation Of Physical Activity, Rahul Ghosal, Sunwoo Emma Cho, Marcos Matabuena Feb 2026

Survival On Image Regression With Application To Partially Functional Distributional Representation Of Physical Activity, Rahul Ghosal, Sunwoo Emma Cho, Marcos Matabuena

Faculty Publications

Technological advancements in wearable devices and medical imaging often lead to high-dimensional physiological signals in the form of images or surfaces. To address these data structures, we develop a novel survival on image regression model with a specific focus on partially functional distributional representation of wearable data. The existing approaches for functional data and survival outcomes have been primarily developed for uni-dimensional functional predictors. Drawing on recent developments in distributional data analysis, we model temporally varying distributional patterns of physical activity (PA) as a partially functional distributional predictor within a semiparametric Cox model framework. We use tensor product splines to …


Environmental Chemicals And Maternal Depression During And After Pregnancy: A Scoping Review, Pengfei Guo, Yunyue Shi, Cindy Nguyen, Haoran Zhuo, Tormod Rogne, Zeyan Liew Feb 2026

Environmental Chemicals And Maternal Depression During And After Pregnancy: A Scoping Review, Pengfei Guo, Yunyue Shi, Cindy Nguyen, Haoran Zhuo, Tormod Rogne, Zeyan Liew

Faculty Publications

Purpose of Review

There is increasing evidence that several environmental exposures may pose a risk for depression, including maternal depression. We conducted a scoping review of epidemiological evidence regarding maternal exposure to environmental chemicals and perinatal depression.

Recent Findings

We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Dimensions, and Scopus, and summarized the findings from 27 articles that examined environmental chemical exposures and maternal depression. Studies of ambient air pollutants (N = 11) showed exposure to NO2 and PM10 to be most consistently associated with antenatal or postnatal depression. Studies of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including phthalates (n = 6), …


Evaluation Of The Consistency Of A Speech Verification System With Human Raters In Early Literacy Screening Assessments, Yaacov Petscher, Jennifer O'Sullivan, Hugh W. Catts, Ashley Edwards, Lisa Fitton Ph.D., Ccc-Slp Feb 2026

Evaluation Of The Consistency Of A Speech Verification System With Human Raters In Early Literacy Screening Assessments, Yaacov Petscher, Jennifer O'Sullivan, Hugh W. Catts, Ashley Edwards, Lisa Fitton Ph.D., Ccc-Slp

Faculty Publications

This study investigates the use of a speech verification system (SVS) technology, a form of automatic speech recognition (ASR), in the assessment of children's reading skills. Despite the growing integration of ASR systems in educational assessment, significant challenges persist, particularly due to the acoustic, pronunciation and dialectal variability inherent in children's speech. Our research evaluated the consistency between human rater (HR) and speech verification system (SVS) scores produced from SoapBox Labs across three linguistic tasks—phoneme blending, expressive vocabulary and word reading. Results reveal variability in agreement rates, with SVS showing lower consistency with human raters in phonologically complex tasks like …


Evaluation Of The Consistency Of A Speech Verification System With Human Raters In Early Literacy Screening Assessments, Yaacov Petscher, Jennifer O'Sullivan, Hugh W. Catts, Ashley Edwards, Lisa Fitton Ph.D., Ccc-Slp Feb 2026

Evaluation Of The Consistency Of A Speech Verification System With Human Raters In Early Literacy Screening Assessments, Yaacov Petscher, Jennifer O'Sullivan, Hugh W. Catts, Ashley Edwards, Lisa Fitton Ph.D., Ccc-Slp

Faculty Publications

This study investigates the use of a speech verification system (SVS) technology, a form of automatic speech recognition (ASR), in the assessment of children's reading skills. Despite the growing integration of ASR systems in educational assessment, significant challenges persist, particularly due to the acoustic, pronunciation and dialectal variability inherent in children's speech. Our research evaluated the consistency between human rater (HR) and speech verification system (SVS) scores produced from SoapBox Labs across three linguistic tasks—phoneme blending, expressive vocabulary and word reading. Results reveal variability in agreement rates, with SVS showing lower consistency with human raters in phonologically complex tasks like …


International Society Of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Effects Of Dietary Antioxidants On Exercise And Sports Performance, Drew E. Gonzalez, Broderick L. Dickerson, Brandon M. Roberts, Jennifer A. Kurtz, Adam M. Gonzalez, Matthew J. Mcallister, Jeffrey L. Heileson, Richard J. Bloomer, Shawn M. Arent, Darren G. Candow, Jeffrey R. Stout, Karen A. Hecht, Bill Campbell, Chad M. Kerksick, Douglas Kalman, Jose Antoino, Richard B. Kreider Feb 2026

International Society Of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Effects Of Dietary Antioxidants On Exercise And Sports Performance, Drew E. Gonzalez, Broderick L. Dickerson, Brandon M. Roberts, Jennifer A. Kurtz, Adam M. Gonzalez, Matthew J. Mcallister, Jeffrey L. Heileson, Richard J. Bloomer, Shawn M. Arent, Darren G. Candow, Jeffrey R. Stout, Karen A. Hecht, Bill Campbell, Chad M. Kerksick, Douglas Kalman, Jose Antoino, Richard B. Kreider

Faculty Publications

Following a comprehensive review, the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) has developed an official position on the role of dietary antioxidants in exercise and sport. Antioxidants play a complex, context-dependent role in vivo; they can facilitate recovery from exercise but may also hinder training adaptations when consumed at supraphysiological doses. While endogenous antioxidant systems can effectively maintain redox balance, dietary sources, particularly whole foods, can help mitigate excessive oxidative stress following intense/heavy training or inadequate recovery. The influence of dietary antioxidants depend on timing, dosage, type, and individual factors. The ISSN’s official position encompasses the following: (1) Redox balance …


Limit Theorems For Andrews’ Restricted Overpartitions, Tapas Bhowmik, Alex Cao, Jack Frew, John Lehman, Wei-Lun Tsai Feb 2026

Limit Theorems For Andrews’ Restricted Overpartitions, Tapas Bhowmik, Alex Cao, Jack Frew, John Lehman, Wei-Lun Tsai

Faculty Publications

The study of overpartitions in recent years has been used to great effect in various fields, including hypergeometric series, q-series identities, and mathematical physics. We investigate the limiting distributions of the number of parts in a family of overpartitions of n,  introduced by Andrews, where parts are counted with two different weights. Using Andrews’ identities and the saddle-point method, we establish two central limit theorems (CLTs) for the number of parts as n → ∞, corresponding to these weightings. We also derive explicit formulas for the mean and variance in each case.


Vegetation Enhances Nitrogen Removal In Stormwater Ponds In Coastal South Carolina, Darcy Perin, Annie Bourbonnais Feb 2026

Vegetation Enhances Nitrogen Removal In Stormwater Ponds In Coastal South Carolina, Darcy Perin, Annie Bourbonnais

Faculty Publications

Coastal development and the increase in impervious surfaces lead to greater stormwater volumes, a key contributor to nonpoint source pollution. Stormwater ponds are generally highly efficient in eliminating particle-bound nutrients, such as phosphorus, but are often much less effective at removing dissolved nutrients, like nitrogen. Excess inorganic nitrogen can lead to coastal eutrophication, harmful cyanobacterial blooms, and coastal hypoxia. However, inorganic nitrogen can be removed from the environment through several different microbially facilitated processes. This research aims to estimate the rates of nitrogen removal (i.e., by denitrification), the net N2 fluxes, and internal recycling (DNRA) across the sediment-water interface …


Assessing Working Musicians’ Perspectives Of Need And Barriers Regarding Lay Harm Reduction Efforts For Substance-Related Harm In South Carolina, Sarah Grace Frary Feb 2026

Assessing Working Musicians’ Perspectives Of Need And Barriers Regarding Lay Harm Reduction Efforts For Substance-Related Harm In South Carolina, Sarah Grace Frary

Faculty Publications

Background

Harm Reduction (HR) approaches applied to substance use aim to decrease the toxic consequences of overdose. The addition of xylazine and benzodiazepines to fentanyl, the primary opioid in the US drug supply, increases the likelihood of overdose. Likewise, adding fentanyl to other popular substances, such as cocaine and methamphetamine, has further driven the exponential increase in opioid and stimulant overdoses. Engaging lay community members in HR efforts may help to combat the overdose crisis. Substance use is common in live music settings, and working musicians may be uniquely positioned within “the scene” – individuals who populate specific cultural niches …


On-Orbit Correction Of Ecostress Radiances By Comparison With Iasi Hyperspectral Sounders, David S. Wethey, Sarah A. Woodin, Jorge Vazquez-Cuervo Feb 2026

On-Orbit Correction Of Ecostress Radiances By Comparison With Iasi Hyperspectral Sounders, David S. Wethey, Sarah A. Woodin, Jorge Vazquez-Cuervo

Faculty Publications

Radiance data from ECOSTRESS (ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station), which is the first of a planned virtual constellation of wide-swath ultra-high-resolution thermal satellites, were used to test the concept of on-orbit cross-calibration based on the Global Space-based Inter-Calibration System (GSICS) with the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) as the reference. Validation of the results was performed using comparisons of corrected ECOSTRESS radiances with strictly independent data from IASI and the Cross-Track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) and with RTTOV radiative transfer simulations of clear-sky observations in iQuam (the NOAA in situ sea surface temperature quality monitor database). ECOSTRESS has …