Digital Commons Network^™

Striation Characteristics In Atmospheric Pressure Ac-Driven Glow Discharge Operating In Monoatomic Gas, Ayuob K. Alwahaibi, Sang Hee Won, Tanvir Farouk

Faculty Publications

Striation in an atmospheric pressure AC-driven helium glow discharge operating at 25 kHz is experimentally characterized. Striation behavior is characterized by the visualization of discharges and voltage–current measurements over a range of plasma power. Voltage–current characteris tics reveal that striations form in the “normal” glow regime of operation, with a higher number of strata at low current, diminishing as dis charge current increases. The relative differences and similarities in the striation patterns during the positive and negative cycles are identified. High-speed imaging shows the striations to be traveling in time—“moving striations.” The spatial luminosity of the striations is tracked over …

Equal Chances Or Fewer Victims? Moral Judgments In Autonomous Vehicle Dilemmas, Alexander Matros, Eren Bilen, Leonid Matros

Faculty Publications

We examine the moral dilemma of how autonomous vehicles (AVs) should be programmed to act in unavoidable crash scenarios involving trade-offs between saving one life and saving many. We report results from three experimental studies that investigate individuals’ preferences over alternative AV decision rules in stylized crash scenarios. Across designs, we find robust support for a probabilistic decision rule that assigns passengers and pedestrians equal ex ante chances of survival (a 50:50 rule). This preference persists across different framings and remains salient even when additional probabilistic options are introduced.

Obesogenic Behaviors During Structured Periods Among Children And Adolescents With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Keagan P. Kiely, Keith Brazendale, Mckenna Hill, Sarah Burkart, Michael Beets Med, Mph, Phd, Elizabeth L. Adams Phd, Bridget Armstrong, Christine St. Laurent, Abigail L. Hogan Ph.D., James W. White Iii, Olivia Finnegan, Joshua Culverhouse, Anthony Holmes, Robert Glenn Weaver Med, Phd

Faculty Publications

Background:

Children and adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are at greater risk for obesity and poor obesogenic behaviors (e.g., physical activity, screen time, diet, sleep) than their typically developing counterparts. The Structured Days Hypothesis (SDH) suggests that in typically developing children and adolescents, obesogenic behaviors worsen during periods of reduced structure (e.g., weekend or summer vacation). However, children and adolescents with IDD have unique factors that may alter how structure (i.e., pre-planned, segmented, adult supervised, out-of-home programs) influences obesogenic behaviors. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to examine obesogenic behaviors during periods of more …

Ecologic Factors Contributing To West Nile Virus Hyperendemicity In Central South Carolina: An Integrated Vector–Human–Environmental Study, Elba S. Fridriksson, Ahayla Muraleedharan, Kyndall C. Dye-Braumuller, Madeleine M. Meyer, Kia Zellars, Hiuxuan Li, Melissa S. Nolan Ph.D., Mph

Faculty Publications

West Nile virus (WNV) is an endemic arboviral infection in the United States that has undergone phyloge-netic evolution since its introduction 25 years ago. An integrated vector–human–pathogen study was conducted in the summer of 2023 to unearth contemporary Culex quinquefasciatus habitat patterns and human transmission spillover foci in South Carolina, a state with historically little WNV data. A serosurvey revealed WNV seroprevalence 10 times the national average (22% versus 2%, respectively), with unusual epidemiologic risk factors. Female Culex quinquefas-ciatus WNV positivity was low (2.7%), with viral phylogenetics 100% homologous to the WN02 clade. Mosquito vectors clustered in affluent urban neighborhoods …

Theoretical And Conceptual Approaches To Journalism Education, August E. Grant, Jeffrey S. Wilkinson, G. Nathan Carnes

Faculty Publications

Many journalism programs embrace the teaching hospital model because of its practical approach, employing working journalists as journalism educators. However, critics contend a more conceptual model of journalism education is needed. This essay explores the literature on journalism education models and seeks to integrate the teaching hospital and entrepreneurial journalism approaches with the revised Bloom's Taxonomy and Fink's Taxonomy of Significant Learning. Combined, these models provide a solid theoretical foundation for practical, applied journalism education. This essay applies these four models to journalism education, yielding a matrix of dimensions that can guide the creation or modification of curricula as well …

Boronate Esters For The Binding And Detection Of Low Molecular Weight Volatile Amines, Xiaoning Li, James Boyt, Steven Sloope, Luke T. Lackovic, Mark D. Smith, James J. Lavingne

Faculty Publications

Conjugated thiophene-based diboronate esters, 1–4, were synthesized to investigate how substituents on catechol alter the Lewis acidity and accessibility to boron, and influence binding interactions with low molecular weight Lewis basic amines. Crystallographic analysis indicated that both boron centres bind analyte and that Lewis base coordination induces deplanarization of the conjugated system. Spectroscopic studies demonstrate that amine binding disrupts conjugation, producing distinct and reproducible optical responses that depend on analyte basicity and structure, with association constants in organic solvent ranging from 10³ to 10⁶ M⁻¹. Quantitative binding analyses indicate strong negative cooperativity between the two boron …

The Promise Of Mindfulness-Based Interventions: A Stress-Reduction Strategy For Testicular Cancer Survivors' Health-Related Quality Of Life, Michael J. Rovito, Colin F. Mahony, Kamalie Thomas, Keith Brazendale, Ciaran Fairman Ph.D., Cscs, Cet

Faculty Publications

Background: Testicular cancer (TC) disproportionately affects younger men and carries unique psychosocial and physiological consequences that extend well beyond treatment. Despite favorable survival rates, TC survivors frequently report diminished health-related quality of life (HRQoL). These burdens are often compounded by masculinity-related identity disruptions, fear of recurrence, sexual dysfunction, and a lack of tailored psychosocial support. Existing interventions remain limited, with most programs focused on physical rehabilitation or early detection. Few address the multidimensional stressors that shape the TC survivorship experience.

Aims: This narrative review examines the literature on HRQoL among TC survivors and evaluates the potential of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) …

Rapid Flood Inundation Mapping For Dam Failure And Operations, Shivakumar Balachandran, Parvaneh Nikrou, Ayman Mokhtar Nemnem, Reza Saleh Alipour, Sagy Cohen, Xingong Li, Erfan Goharian, Jasim Imran

Faculty Publications

Dam failure often causes catastrophic flooding. Although conventional hydrodynamic models are available for generating flood inundation maps, there is a need for low-complexity models that can provide rapid inundation estimates during emergency situations. Operational releases of large volumes may also lead to downstream flooding. This study utilizes two DEM-based models, OWP HAND-FIM and FLDPLN, to produce flood inundation maps for near-real-time operational applications. Three dam-related scenarios, including failures and controlled operations, are examined using these simplified models for the Fall River Dam in Kansas. Breach flows are estimated using empirical relationships, and discharge attenuation is calculated using an analytical approach. …

Patient-Specific Lumped-Parameter Model For Quantifying Vessel-Specific Remodeling And Predicting Right Ventricular Function In Pulmonary Hypertension, Christopher G. Lechuga, Amirreza Kachabi, Mitchel J. Colebank, Claudia E. Korcarz, Farhan Raza

Faculty Publications

Purpose: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a heterogeneous disease with patient-specific variability and vessel-specific remodeling, which eventually lead to right ventricular (RV) failure. The gold standard for RV assessment—pressure–volume (PV) loop acquisition—is invasive and limited to specialized settings. This study aims to develop a patient-specific lumped-parameter model that quantifies vessel-specific remodeling and simulates RV PV loops across PH phenotypes using routine clinical data.

Methods: A lumped-parameter model was calibrated using right heart catheterization and echocardiography data. Model agreement was assessed by R2 values for pressure and flow goodness-of-fit, and model-derived hemodynamic metrics were comparedwith clinical values. A dimensionality reduction approach was …

Characterization Of Ru(Ii) Polypyridyl Photosensitizers Bound To Tio2 Supports Through A New Covalent Metal-Ester Bonding Motif, D. M. S. C. Dissanayake, Christopher T. Lebarron, Laura C. Maybach, Joseph J. Kuchta Iii, Seyyedamirhossein Hosseini, Aaron K. Vannucci

Faculty Publications

The development of photoelectrochemical (PEC) devices involves the attachment of molecular photosensitizers onto solid supports. Particularly significant to this work are PECs that rely on ruthenium-based photosensitizers on high band gap metal oxide (MOx) supports. In this study, we have explored a new ester binding motif (MOx-ester) to covalently attach a ruthenium polypyridyl photosensitizer to TiO₂. This new MOx-ester photoanode is compared to the traditional photoanodes that utilize acid/base binding groups to attach the molecular Ru sensitizers to TiO₂. The new MOx-ester binding motif is characterized by cyclic voltammetry UV-Vis, solid state ¹³C NMR, and …

Psychological Resilience In The Covid-19 Response: A Systematic Review For Future Public Health Preparedness, Atena Pasha, Abdul-Hanan Saani Inusah, Jannatun Nayem, Xiaoming Li, Shan Qiao

Faculty Publications

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of psychological resilience for well-being. While several reviews have addressed resilience in specific populations or contexts, few have synthesized global literature across diverse populations. This review examines psychological resilience across diverse populations, focusing on measurement, associated factors, and future public health preparedness strategies. Method: Guided by the PRISMA, a thorough search of PsycINFO, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science was conducted in February 2024, including quantitative studies considering psychological resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic published in peer-reviewed English journals from 2020 to 2024, using search terms relevant to psychological resilience and COVID-19. …

“When And Where [We] Enter…”? Intersectional Ideologies And Experiences In African American Support For Lgbtq+ Communities, Monique L. Lyle, Todd Shaw

Faculty Publications

This article examines how intersectional ideologies and experiences of marginalization affect the extent to which African Americans support or oppose the marginalization of LGBTQ communities. We posit that awareness of the race-gender positionality of African American women, as well as the unique positionalities of other marginalized African American subgroups, is critical to understanding the conditions under which Black Americans embrace LGBTQ rights and communities. Using the Black respondent subsample of the 2016 Collaborative Multiracial Post-Election Study, we test the extent to which intersectional theories explain African American cross-group consciousness with LGBTQ persons and support for LGBTQ rights and communities. In …

Community Synchrony In Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Is Unrelated To Environmental Variability But Differs Among Functional Feeding Groups, Anthony J. Pignatelli, Tad Dallas

Faculty Publications

Environments are becoming increasingly more variable, as a function of climate change. As this occurs, species may be exposed to conditions outside their preferred range. Such variability in the environment can influence community abundance as individual species respond either similarly (synchronous dynamics) or differently (asynchronous dynamics) to each other. These fluctuations in abundances are important for understanding the impact of environmental variability on species temporal fluctuations in aquatic macroinvertebrates. This group of organisms is species-rich and highly sensitive to environmental fluctuations. We analyzed 18 stream macroinvertebrate communities sampled by the National Ecological Observatory Network between 2014 and2022 to understand how …

Green Runs: Colorado Cannabis Sales During Ski Season, Joshua H. Hess, Isabellle Bassock

Faculty Publications

This study examines the impact of ski tourism on Colorado’s retail marijuana (RMJ) sales, leveraging county-level sales data and ski resort characteristics. Using a two-way fixed effects model, we analyze seasonal variations in RMJ sales across counties with differing ski resort acreages. Our findings indicate that ski resort counties experience significant increases in RMJ sales during peak ski months (December–March), with the most prominent effects observed in counties with the largest ski resorts. The largest ski resort county– Summit County– sees an estimated seasonal increase of $4.35 million in RMJ sales. We estimate the isolated extra-state ski tourism effects and …

Recalibrating The Risk Of False Confession Wrongful Convictions: Interrogation Tactics And Inverse Probability, Scott M. Mourtgos, Ian T. Adams

Faculty Publications

False confession wrongful convictions (FCWCs) are a serious failure of the criminal justice system. Although scholars have identified interrogation tactics thought to elevate this risk, existing research rarely estimates the population-level probability that legally permissible methods will produce an FCWC. Instead, inference relies on outcome-selected case series and laboratory diagnosticity ratios that ignore base rates and the far larger universe of interrogations without false confessions. This article offers a methodological recalibration. We formalize the outcome-selection problem and apply inverse probability logic to derive posterior FCWC risk integrating base rates, sensitivity, and specificity. Using Monte Carlo simulation, we synthesize available empirical …

Boiling A Frog: Pre-Adaptive Processes And Prison Riot Dynamics, Hayden P. Smith

Faculty Publications

This study explores the adaptive mechanisms and survival strategies deployed by incarcerated individuals during the Lee Prison Riot of April 15, 2018. Drawing solely on in-depth interviews with 25 incarcerated men (predominantly Black, aged 25–61) at Lee Correctional Institution, and utilizing the importation and deprivation models as analytical frameworks, the analysis reveals that early-life trauma, neighborhood disruption, and the construction of survival pride significantly shape inmate adaptation. In particular, the research documents how inmates are channeled into “high‑alpha dorms” where collective violence becomes both predictable and deeply ambiguous, and where post‑riot behaviors signal the emergence of a “new normal” in …

Stories From Former Foster Youth College Graduates: The Positive Impact Of K-12 Schooling And Related Educational Policy, Amanda Moon, Kristen D. Seay

Faculty and Staff Publications

Youth in foster care face disproportionate challenges when it comes to education and personal well-being. Many studies use a deficit lens when evaluating these challenges. In contrast, this study is asset-based, centering first-person accounts from five former foster youth college graduates. Using a counter-narrative framework, we conducted semi-structured interviews with participants to reveal key supports in K-12 schooling participants believed helped them achieve academic and life milestones. These were relationships with teachers and coaches, access to extracurricular activities, and literacy-rich environments. We also reviewed 11 relevant federal educational policies to identify provisions and implementation needs that aligned with participant experiences. …

Meet Me At The Rock: The Behavioral Patterns Of Collective Violence In Prison, Hayden P. Smith

Faculty Publications

This study explores the behavioral dynamics of collective violence in prisons, focusing on the largest prison riot in the United States in twenty-five years at Lee Correctional Institution, using an ethnographic approach and Crime Script Analysis (CSA). The sample consisted of twenty-five incarcerated men, predominantly African American, aged 25 to 61, with extensive incarceration histories, experiences of violence, and influencer status within the prison community. It identifies key factors such as situational awareness, gang affiliations, and chronic understaffing that escalate violence. Themes include the "pressure cooker" environment, elevated tensions, and stages of confrontation, escalation, and de-escalation. A key finding is …

Police Staffing Shortages, Public Awareness, And Policy Preferences, Hunter M. Boehme, Joshua Mccrain, Scott M. Mourtgos, Brandon Tregle

Faculty Publications

Since the summer of 2020, police agencies across the United States have continued to experience police staffing shortages. The consequences of understaffed police agencies are well studied, but little is known about whether the public is aware of the staffing problem and its consequences for public safety and police behavior. This study presents a pre-registered factorial survey experiment to 3105 US adults, varying the information respondents see on the consequences of staffing shortages (e.g., public safety, police behavior) and the messenger of this information (e.g., police chief, mayor). Respondents are then asked about their levels of concern about police staffing, …

When Disasters Trigger Cyber Vulnerabilities: Mapping Physical-Digital Interdependencies In Critical Infrastructure Systems, Dikshya Panta, Sicheng Wang, Aditya Sapkota, Prakash Ranganathan

Faculty Publications

Critical infrastructure (CI) systems such as power, water, communications, and emergency services are increasingly exposed to compound risks in which natural disasters and cyber incidents interact and amplify one another. Traditional risk assessments often isolate physical and digital threats, overlooking the cascading dependencies that emerge when operational stress, emergency reconfiguration, and adversarial exploitation coincide. This study conducts a 2019–2025 scoping review and introduces a Geographic Information System (GIS) driven six-stage disaster cyber compounding framework that characterizes, maps, and operationalizes compound risk across interdependent CI sectors. The framework integrates a common operating picture, analytic situational understanding, exposure mapping, threat-fingerprint encoding, detection …

The Age And Composition Of The Voyager Seamounts: Evidence For A Long-Lived Marquesas Mantle Source, Andrea Balbas, Hannah Paradis, Kevin Konrad, Valerie A. Finlayson, Michael Bizimis, Stephanie Anderson, Christopher Kelley, Nicole A. Raineault, Beth N. Orcutt

Faculty Publications

We present new observations on the dynamics and locations of deep mantle reservoirs derived from the ages and compositions of Voyager Seamount Chain lava flows. The previously unexplored Voyager Seamount Chain trends NW–SE between the Mid-Pacific Mountains and the Northwestern Hawaiian Ridge. Volcanic samples were recovered from the chain during the Ocean Exploration Trust expedition NA134. The lava flows are alkalic to highly alkalic in composition. Ages ranged from 81 to 86 Ma (n = 8), with the oldest ages in the NW and an age-progression toward the SE. The Voyager age-progression continues southward through the Northern Line Islands …

Supervised Resistance Training In An Individual With Glioblastoma Undergoing Chemoradiation: A Case Report, Bruce Nakfoor, Ciaran Fairman Ph.D., Cscs, Cet

Faculty Publications

Introduction:

Exercise has demonstrated safety and efficacy in mitigating treatment-related symptoms across cancer populations; however, evidence in neuro-oncology remains limited, particularly during active chemoradiation.

Methods:

We report the case of a 63-year-old individual with newly diagnosed glioblastoma, experiencing symptoms of fatigue, balance issues, headaches, and memory loss, who initiated a 12-week supervised resistance training program during concurrent chemoradiation. Assessments at baseline and post-intervention included physical function and quality-of-life outcomes.

Results:

Adherence was 56% (20/36 sessions), and no adverse events occurred. The patient showed improvements in 6-minute walk distance and short physical performance battery score that exceeded established minimal clinically important …

Gendered Paths To Cancer Knowledge And Screening Behavior Among Black Adults: Results From A Community-Partnered Study, Carolyn M. Tucker, Guillermo M. Wippold, Kirsten G. Klein, Logan Marcum, Ji-Hyun Lee, Gonghao Liu, Staja Q. Booker, Elliott Leighton, Danielle E. Jake-Schoffman, Adrian S. Taylor, Ron Rawls, Kenyarda T. Feathers, Kevin A. Thorpe, Gwendolyn Saffo, Deborah Johnson

Faculty Publications

Background

Efforts are needed to promote cancer knowledge and the uptake of cancer screening behaviors among Black Americans. Such efforts must be customized for the unique differences in facilitators/barriers among Black men and women. The present study leverages the potential of the UF Health Cancer Institute Community-Partnered Cancer Disparities Research Collaborative (CDRC) to identify the psychosocial and structural factors associated with cancer knowledge and screening behaviors among Black American men and women.

Method

411 Black Americans participated in this cross-sectional study; 75.9% identified as cisgender women and 24.1% as cisgender men.

Results

Older age, higher education and income level were …

Strength In Numbers: Exploring The Link Between Upper Body Muscular Strength And Academic Achievement In Youth, Julian A. Reed, Marsha Dowda Drph, Russell R. Pate Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between upper body strength and endurance (UMSE) and academic achievement in youth.

Design

Cross-sectional study included 5th (N = 25,025) and 8th grade (N = 14,988) students in South Carolina.

Methods

Academic achievement was measured using a statewide assessment and classified into two categories (meets/exceeds standards or does not meet/approaches standards). Achievement in mathematics and English Language Arts was assessed. UMSE was measured as part of the South Carolina FitnessGram project and expressed as Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ) or Needs Improvement – Health Risk. Student demographic characteristics were derived …

Cognitive Dysfunction In Women With The Fmr1 Premutation During Midlife: The Lassi-L Reveals Curvilinear Cgg-Dependent Risk Buffered By College Education, Jessica Klusek, Jillian Gierman, Amanda Fairchild, Andreana M. Benitez, Elizabeth Berry-Kravis, Marsha R. Mailick

Faculty Publications

Background

The FMR1premutation (FXPM) is a common genetic variant (∼1:151 females) linked to increased risk for neurodegenerative disease. Midlife cognitive phenotypes remain poorly defined.

Objective

To characterize episodic memory performance in midlife FXPM women and examine potential risk moderation via genetic (i.e., FMR1CGG repeat expansion size) and environmental (i.e., college degree attainment) influences.

Methods

Eighty-eight FXPM women and 84 matched controls, aged 30–55, completed the Loewenstein-Acevedo Scales for Semantic Interference and Learning (LASSI-L), a measure of specific episodic memory processes sensitive to subtle Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related cognitive and neuropathological changes.

Results

FXPM women demonstrated deficits in proactive semantic …

Table Of Contents

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Magnesium Glycinate Vs. Magnesium Citrate On The Growth Of Lactobacillus Acidophilus In Simulated Gastrointestinal Conditions, Inaya Siddique

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Macadamia Nut Oil Solution On The Growth Of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Yashas Peddireddy

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

The Comparative Effect Of Four Reflective Coatings On The Thermal Performance Of Residential Roofing In Climate Zone 8b, Henry Holton

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

A Hybrid Cooling System Utilizing Active Air And Phase Change Material Polyethylene Glycol In A Lithium-Ion Battery Pack, Arieleus Taine

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Batteries have become one of the most important components of electronic devices. However, a large issue lies in overheating batteries, which decreases their performance and lifespan. Although cooling systems have been researched to combat this, the combination of phase change material polyethylene glycol (PEG) and fans has not been observed. The purpose of this study was to determine if a hybrid system consisting of PEG and air cooling would decrease temperatures compared to individual cooling systems such as just air cooling. It was hypothesized that the hybrid cooling system would have lower overall temperatures as compared to individual active and …