Digital Commons Network^™

Phosphatase-Substrate Prediction Using Heterogeneous Knowledge Graph, Jannatul Ferdaus, Marzieh Ayati, Hansapani Rodrigo

Research Symposium

Background: Phosphatase-substrate interactions may serve as biomarkers for diseases, offering crucial insights to support early diagnosis. Analyzing these substrate-specific interactions is also crucial in recommending different drugs. In our research, we constructed a knowledge graph that provides a comprehensive network representation, capturing diverse relationships among biological entities relevant to phosphatases.

Methods: Our knowledge graph represents 5 unique nodes- kinase, phosphatase, substrate, drug, and disease. The connections between the nodes are obtained from DrugMap (drug and their target proteins; disease and their associated proteins), STRING protein-protein interaction, DEPOD 2019 (phosphatase and their substrate), PhosphoSitePLUS (kinases and their substrate), and UniProt. As …

Integrated Density Functional Theory And Experimental Study Of Optical And Electronic Properties For Mos2/ (Metal=Au, Pt, Ni, Cu) And Mos2/Graphene/Metal Heterointerfaces, Shishir Timilsena, Sanju Gupta, Muhammad I. Bhatti, Nicholas Dimakis

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

We present computational simulations and experimental analyses of various heterointerfaces constructed from two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and graphene on gold (Au), platinum (Pt), nickel (Ni), and copper (Cu) substrates. We combined density functional theory electronic structure, optical properties, and work function to elucidate heterostructure changes due to metal selection, corroborated with experimentally determined surface electronic properties. Here, we correlate shifts in the metal d-band center relative to the Fermi energy with the MoS2 bandgaps and bandgaps in the Dirac point region of the MoS2/graphene/Metal heterointerfaces. For the Ni heterointerfaces, the upshift of the metal d-band relative to the Fermi energy …

Higher-Order Exceptional Points In A Non-Reciprocal Waveguide Beam Splitter, Hamed Ghaemidizicheh, Shahram Dehdashti, Andreas Hanke, Ahmed Touhami, Janis Nötzel

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

Non-Hermitian systems have attracted significant interest because of their intriguing properties, including exceptional points (EPs), where eigenvalues and the corresponding eigenstates coalesce. In particular, quantum systems with EPs exhibit an enhanced sensitivity to external perturbations, which increases with the order of the EP. Therefore, higher-order EPs hold significant potential for advanced sensing applications, but they are challenging to achieve due to stringent symmetry requirements. In this work, we study the dynamics of a generalized lossy waveguide beam splitter with asymmetric coupling by introducing non-reciprocity as a tunable parameter to achieve higher-order EPs even without dissipation. Moreover, we analyze the evolution …

Class Groups And Selmer Groups In Special Families, Debanjana Kundu, Abhishek _

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

We explore the relationship between (3-isogeny induced) Selmer group of an elliptic curve and the (3 part of) the ideal class group, over certain non-abelian number fields.

A Proposal To Explore Geometry With Geogebra: Graphical Exploration And Formal Demonstration Of The Collinearity Of The Barycenters Of A Polygon, Saulo Mosquera Lopez, Marlio Paredes, Walter Castro

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

This paper illustrates an example of a mathematical activity that teachers and students can replicate to create an experience that resembles professional mathematical activity. We extend the property “Consider a triangle ABC, any straight line and let A’, B’, C’ be the reflections of the points A, B, C on the straight line then the barycenters of the triangles ABC, A’BC, AB’C and ABC’ are collinear and the line of collinearity is perpendicular to the straight line” for any quadrilateral. It is proved that there are four additional triangles, for a total of eight, whose barycenters are collinear and that …

Atomistic Characterization Of Hydration-Dependent Fuel Cell Ionomer Nanostructure: Validation By Vibrational Spectroscopy, Dan J. Donnelly, Moon Young Yang, Nicholas Dimakis, Seung Soon Jang, William A. Goddard Iii, Eugene S. Smotkin

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

The development of Nafion alternatives for fuel cells and electrolyzers requires a fundamental understanding of hydration-dependent ion-exchange site acid/base chemistry. We present here reactive force field (ReaxFF) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of Nafion at varying molar water/ion-exchange-site ratios (λ), which we correlate to our experimental and density functional theory-based vibrational spectra. ReaxFF describes the formation and breaking of covalent bonds, enabling simulations of proton exchange between sulfonic acid/sulfonate groups and water/hydronium. Our MD simulations determine the λ-dependent equilibrium proportions of protonated and deprotonated sites. We find that protonated sites persist across all λ from 0 to 20, challenging the widely …

Course Material Or External Factors?: Assessing Student Perceptions That Impede Learning In Engineering Education, Eleazar Marquez, Samuel Garcia Jr.

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Engineering courses are mathematically inclined and rigorous in nature. Numerous pedagogical methods such as communication strategies, learning environments, and visual supplements have been designed and implemented to promote student learning, engagement, and success in rigorous topics. As such, engineering students are encouraged to allot sufficient time to recurrently process lecture notes, attend office hours, or inquire about ambiguous technical content to fully assimilate course material. In this study, students enrolled in two engineering courses (Rigid Body Dynamics and Engineering Analysis) were evaluated to identify which aspects (course material or external factors) generated the most predicaments during a semester span. The …

The Weaving Of Machine Learning And Artificial Intelligence Into The Fabric Of Cybersecurity Curriculum: From Degree Plan To Capstone Projects, Mahmoud K. Quweider, Liyu Zhang, Jorge Castillo, Ala Qubbaj

Informatics and Engineering Systems Faculty Publications

As our newly designed degree in Cybersecurity enters its fourth year, students in the program are starting to take courses beyond the basic ones, including senior courses, technical electives, and capstone projects. While Cybersecurity is at the heart of our degree that addresses the national need for cybersecurity specialists, how we approach the education and pedagogy of cybersecurity in the era of Big Data and AI/ML (Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning) is a question that we are addressing in real-time as techniques and measures and countermeasures of cybersecurity attacks keep evolving and taking advantages of the rapid advancements in computing, memory, storage, …

Search For Gravitational Waves Emitted From Sn 2023ixf, A. G. Abac, R. Abbott, Teviet Creighton, Mario C. Diaz, Francisco Llamas Villarreal, Soma Mukherjee, Volker Quetschke, Wenhui Wang

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

We present the results of a search for gravitational-wave transients associated with core-collapse supernova SN 2023ixf, which was observed in the galaxy Messier 101 via optical emission on 2023 May 19, during the LIGO–Virgo–KAGRA 15th Engineering Run. We define a five-day on-source window during which an accompanying gravitational-wave signal may have occurred. No gravitational waves have been identified in data when at least two gravitational-wave observatories were operating, which covered ∼14% of this five-day window. We report the search detection efficiency for various possible gravitational-wave emission models. Considering the distance to M101 (6.7 Mpc), we derive constraints on the gravitational-wave …

Nsf Eec: Establishing Utrgv’S Center For Broadening Participation In Engineering: Engage, Educate, Enrich, Ala Qubbaj, Laura Benitez, Noe Vargas Hernandez, Constantine Tarawneh, Arturo A. Fuentes, Nazmul Islam, Edna Orozco-Leonhardt, Thuy Vu, Angela M. Chapman

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Hispanics are one of the fastest growing populations in the US, yet they are underrepresented in engineering. University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), a major Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) with a student population over 95% Hispanic, is well-positioned to address this disparity. UTRGV established a Center for Broadening Participation in Engineering: Engage, Educate, Enrich (CBPE-E3) to enhance Hispanic participation in engineering from early awareness through professional employment. The CBPE -E3 aims to increase enrollment, retention, and advancement rates of Hispanic students in higher education engineering, especially Latinas facing intersectional barriers of race and gender. The CBPE -E3 envisions becoming …

Predictors Of Nursing Students' Stress, Anxiety, And Depression During The Covid-19 Pandemic In A Hispanic-Serving University In South Texas: A Cross-Sectional Study, Maria I. Diaz, Eleftherios Gkioulekas, Nancy Nadeau

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: In nursing education, there have been several studies on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the ability of nursing students to cope while in nursing school.

Purpose statement: The goal of this study is to assess undergraduate nursing students' support mechanisms as predictors of stress, anxiety, and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic within a Hispanic-serving institution in South Texas.

Methods: Across-sectional design was used in this study. An online survey using self-reported questionnaires was used to gather data from an undergraduate nursing student cohort during the Fall 2021 semester. Linear regression was used to identify the predictors of …

“What Makes It Eigen-Esque-Ish?”: A Form-Function Analysis Of The Development Of Eigentheory Concepts In A Quantum Mechanics Course, Megan Wawro, Kaitlyn Stephens Serbin

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Eigentheory concepts are central in mathematics and physics; they serve multiple functions, such as symbolizing physical phenomena and facilitating mathematical computations. Words and meanings associated with eigentheory develop and vary over time, as do their associated symbols. In this study, we investigate how “eigen” develops over time in one quantum mechanics course by analyzing form-function relations (Saxe, 1999) for eigentheory concepts over 22 class sessions. We share results concerning our microgenetic and ontogenetic analyses of the creation of form-function relations and their shifts over time by characterizing the continuity and discontinuity of the various functions and forms associated with concepts …

High Moment And Pathwise Error Estimates For Fully Discrete Mixed Finite Element Approximations Of The Stochastic Stokes Equations With Multiplicative Noise, Liet Vo

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

This paper is concerned with high moment and pathwise error estimates for both velocity and pressure approximations of the Euler–Maruyama scheme for time discretization and its fully discrete mixed finite element discretization. Optimal rates of convergence are established for all pth moment errors for p ≥ 2 using a novel doubling of moments technique. The almost optimal rates of convergence are then obtained using Kolmogorov’s theorem based on the high moment error estimates. Unlike for the velocity error estimate, the high moment and pathwise error estimates for the pressure approximation are proved in a time-averaged norm. In addition, the …

Biochar Suppresses Growth, Pupation And Eclosion Success Of A Specialist (Manduca Sexta) And A Generalist (Spodoptera Frugiperda) Insect Herbivore, Nischal Wagle, Soumya Unnikrishnan, Satinderpal Kaur, Engil Isadora Pujol Pereira, Rupesh R. Kariyat

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Biochar is a charcoal-like substance made by the pyrolysis of organic material from agricultural and forestry waste. While biochar is well documented for altering soil physicochemical conditions, few studies have investigated its possible effects on the management of arthropod pests. Tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta) and fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda, FAW) are specialist and generalist insect herbivores respectively, that can cause significant defoliation in natural and agricultural ecosystems. In this study, we examined whether walnut shell biochar can affect growth and development of these herbivores. Specifically, we investigated how biochar influences parameters such as mass gain, length …

Exposure To Metoprolol And Propranolol Mixtures On Biochemical, Immunohistochemical, And Molecular Alterations In The American Oyster, Crassostrea Virginica, Andrew Salinas, Md Saydur Rahman

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Pharmaceutical drugs, particularly beta-blockers (e.g., metoprolol, propranolol, etc.), are extensively used to treat human cardiovascular conditions, yet pose significant risks to non-target aquatic organisms when introduced into coastal and marine environments via wastewater effluent. This study aimed to investigate the effects of short-term exposure (one week) to environmentally relevant concentrations of metoprolol and propranolol (MP) mixtures (low-dose: 50 ng/L propranolol and 250 ng/L metoprolol, and high-dose: 250 ng/L propranolol and 650 ng/L metoprolol) in the American oyster (Crassostrea virginica, a commercially and ecologically important marine bivalve mollusk) under controlled laboratory conditions. Histopathological assessments revealed structural damage to gills, …

Impact Of Seed Moisture And Temperature On Hemp Seed Germination, Paul Cockson, Andrea Webb, Natalia Martinez-Ochoa, Lindsey Moffitt, Robert Pearce, Manohar Chakrabarti

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Germination rates of commercial lots of hemp have been highly variable, resulting in poor stand establishment. Germination rates in some seed lots have decreased by 50% after only 1 year of storage. The objective of this trial was to investigate the impact of seed storage conditions on seed germination over time. Industrial hemp (IH) seeds (cv. NWG2730) were harvested from the field. The seeds were cleaned, sorted, and dried to specific moisture contents (MC) 6%, 8%, 10%, and 14%. Seeds were subdivided, placed in hermetically sealed packets, and stored at temperatures of −20°C, 4°C, 10°C, or 21°C for 3, 6, …

The Right Answer For The Wrong Reason: Preservice Science And Mathematics Teacher Preferences And Explanations Of Inquiry-Based Teaching, Elizabeth R. Goldberg, Taylor K. Darwin

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Inquiry in science and mathematics education has a long and established history within the student-centered teaching movement because it can positively impact student learning, retention, and engagement. Yet few teachers have embraced these practices in the classroom. Potential reasons include misalignment of teachers’ attitudes about inquiry and a lack of understanding of what inquiry is and how to implement it in the classroom. This mixed-methods study compares these claims by examining preservice teachers’ attitudes and knowledge about inquiry-based teaching. Eighty-seven discussion posts were analyzed on preservice science and math teachers’ preferences for inquiry-based versus teacher-centered instruction at the beginning and …

Long-Term Neurocognitive And Behavioral Outcomes In Survivors Of Pediatric Brain Tumors: A Systematic Review, Tirath Patel, Pulkit Johar, Vaishnavi Kanisetti, Megan Szobody, Tori Sayers, Sriya Gullapalli, Murali Yallapu, Mushfiq Hassan Shaikh, Nikhilesh Anand, Kelsey Baker, Bharathi Gadad

School of Medicine Publications

Background: Brain tumors are among the most common neoplasms in children. These patients suffer from neurocognitive impairment, treatment-related side effects, and experience a subpar quality of life (QoL), affecting academic endeavors, social interaction, and mental wellbeing.

Methods: This review investigated different long-term neurocognitive and behavioral outcomes in pediatric brain tumor survivors and evaluated various effective treatment methods. We identified 75 relevant articles published between 2019 and 2024 using PubMed, PMC, Embase, and Google Scholar databases. Duplicates were removed, and 14 studies were finally selected following the PRISMA guidelines. Initial observations noted significant variations in the study methodologies and inclusion criteria. …

Wildlife Road Mortalities During Covid-19 Pandemic-Related Lockdown In South Texas: A Comparative Survey, Bradley Evan Beer, Kevin W. Ryer, Md Saydur Rahman, John H. Young Jr., Richard J. Kline

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Mortalities of wildlife caused by collisions with vehicles along roads are increasing in prevalence, threatening the existence of various species and populations. The COVID-19 pandemic-related lockdown provided an opportunity to gain a better understanding of how wildlife vehicle mortality occurrences change in response to anthropogenic variables and how varying survey methods influence obtaining mortality data. In this study, data were collected in three observation periods: pre-lockdown (PreL), during lockdown (DL), and post-lockdown (PostL) in south Texas. There were 194 wildlife mortalities recorded during weeks 4–27 of 2020. Results of this study showed that road mortality survey counts did not change …

Conditional Quantization For Some Discrete Distributions, Edgar A. Gonzalez, Mrinal Kanti Roychowdhury, David A. Salinas, Vishal Veeramachaneni

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Quantization for a Borel probability measure refers to the idea of estimating a given probability by a discrete probability with support containing a finite number of elements. If in the quantization some of the elements in the finite support are preselected, then the quantization is called a conditional quantization. In this paper, we have determined the conditional quantization, first for two different finite discrete distributions with a same conditional set, and for a finite discrete distribution with two different conditional sets. Next, we have determined the conditional and unconditional quantization for an infinite discrete distribution with support {12𝑛:𝑛∈ℕ}. We have …

Various Bone Disorders Affecting The Medically Underserved South Texas Region, Blake Martin, Manoj Peiris, Michael Sander

School of Medicine Publications

Bone disorders can have a devastating impact on an individual’s quality of life. The main objective of our study was to analyze various demographic disparities between various bone disorders in the demographically unique Rio Grande Valley region. We hypothesized that osteoporosis would be the most prevalent condition and that the demographics between the various conditions would vary depending on age, sex, BMI, and ethnicity but not on marital status. This was a retrospective chart review using the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley UTHealth electronic database from January 1, 2017, to January 1, 2024. Any relevant individuals seen at a …

Goodness Of Fit Tests In Spatial Autoregressive Stochastic Frontier Models, Ming-Yu Deng, Yue Fu, Levent Kutlu, Minxian Wang

School of Economics and Finance Faculty Publications

This article mainly considers goodness of fit tests for the inefficiency in spatial autoregressive stochastic frontier (SARSF) models by utilizing the characteristic function of the centralized composite error term. As a prerequisite of the tests, we propose easy-to-compute moment estimators for distributional parameters of such a term, showing the consistency based on spatial near-epoch dependent properties. Meanwhile, the asymptotic distribution of the estimators is derived by generalizing the central limit theorem (CLT) in Kelejian and Prucha (Citation2001) from linear-quadratic forms to polynomial-trigonometric forms. Then, the cosine and sine tests, being simple to implement in SARSF analysis, are established …

White Light Specular Reflection Data Augmentation For Deep Learning Polyp Detection, Jose Angel Nuñez, Fabian Vazquez Jr., Diego Adame, Xiaoyan Fu, Pengfei Gu, Bin Fu

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Colorectal cancer is one of the deadliest cancers today, but it can be prevented through early detection of malignant polyps in the colon, primarily via colonoscopies. While this method has saved many lives, human error remains a significant challenge, as missing a polyp could have fatal consequences for the patient. Deep learning (DL) polyp detectors offer a promising solution. However, existing DL polyp detectors often mistake white light reflections from the endoscope for polyps, which can lead to false this http URL address this challenge, in this paper, we propose a novel data augmentation approach that artificially adds more white …

Hierarchical Log Bayesian Neural Network For Enhanced Aorta Segmentation, Delin An, Pan Du, Pengfei Gu, Jian-Xun Wang, Chaoli Wang

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Accurate segmentation of the aorta and its associated arch branches is crucial for diagnosing aortic diseases. While deep learning techniques have significantly improved aorta segmentation, they remain challenging due to the intricate multiscale structure and the complexity of the surrounding tissues. This paper presents a novel approach for enhancing aorta segmentation using a Bayesian neural network-based hierarchical Laplacian of Gaussian (LoG) model. Our model consists of a 3D U-Net stream and a hierarchical LoG stream: the former provides an initial aorta segmentation, and the latter enhances blood vessel detection across varying scales by learning suitable LoG kernels, enabling self-adaptive handling …

Architecture Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Glutamyl-Trna Synthetase Defines A Subfamily Of Dimeric Class Ib Aminoacyl-Trna Synthetases, Michael K. Fenwick, Stephen J. Mayclin, Steve Seibold, Amy E. Derocher, Sandhya Subramanian, Isabelle Q. Phan, David M. Dranow, Donald D. Lorimer, Ariel B. Abramov, James M. Bullard

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Chemistry)

The aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (AaRSs) are an ancient family of structurally diverse enzymes that are divided into two major classes. The functionalities of most AaRSs are inextricably linked to their oligomeric states. While GluRSs were previously classified as monomers, the current investigation reveals that the form expressed in Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a rotationally pseudosymmetrical homodimer featuring intersubunit tRNA binding sites. Both subunits display a highly bent, “pipe strap” conformation, with the anticodon binding domain directed toward the active site. The tRNA binding sites are similar in shape to those of the monomeric GluRSs, but are formed through an approximately 180-degree rotation …

Derived $P$-Adic Heights And The Leading Coefficient Of The Bertolini–Darmon–Prasanna $P$-Adic $L$-Function, Francesc Castella, Chi-Yun Hsu, Debanjana Kundu, Yu-Sheng Lee, Zheng Liu

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Let E/Q be an elliptic curve and let p be an odd prime of good reduction for E. Let K be an imaginary quadratic field satisfying the classical Heegner hypothesis and in which p splits. The goal of this paper is two-fold: (1) we formulate a p-adic BSD conjecture for the p-adic L-function LBDP p introduced by Bertolini–Darmon–Prasanna [Duke Math. J. 162 (2013), pp. 1033–1148]; and (2) for an algebraic analogue F BDP p of LBDP p , we show that the “leading coefficient” part of our conjecture holds, and that the “order of vanishing” part follows from the expected …

Nifuroxazide And 4-Hydroxybenzhydrazone Derivatives As New Antiparasitic (Trypanosoma Cruzi And Leishmania Mexicana) And Anti-Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Agents, Timoteo Delgado-Maldonado, Diana V. Navarrete-Carriola, Lenci K. Vazquez-Jimenez, Alma D. Paz-Gonzalez, Baojie Wan, Scott Franzblau, Othman Mueen Mohammed, Lorena Rodríguez-Páez, Charmina Aguirre-Alvarado, Debasish Bandyopadhyay

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background/Objectives: Nifuroxazide (Nfz) is a drug that has been used as a scaffold for designing antimicrobial and antiparasitic agents. This study aimed to synthesize and evaluate in vitro of Nfz and twenty-five 4-hydroxybenzhydrazone derivatives as potential anti-Trypanosoma cruzi, anti-Leishmania mexicana, and anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis agents.

Methods: The compounds were synthesized by condensing 4-hydroxybenzhydrazide with appropriate aldehydes in acidic conditions and structurally confirmed by spectroscopic techniques. All compounds were evaluated in vitro against T. cruzi strains (NINOA and A1), L. mexicana (M379 and FCQEPS strains), and M. tuberculosis (H37Rv strain), followed by enzymatic assays against T. cruzi …

Vanadyl Phthalocyanine As A Low-Temperature/Low-Pressure Catalyst For The Conversion Of Fructose To Methyl Levulinate, Juan Luna, Mataz Alcoutlabi, Elizabeth M. Fletes, Helia Magali Morales, Jason Parsons

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

In this study, a vanadyl phthalocyanine was synthesized and characterized using XRD, FTIR, and XPS, confirming the successful metalation of the phthalocyanine ring. XRD analysis showed the vanadyl phthalocyanine crystallized in the P-1 crystal lattice, with unit cell parameters a = 12.058 Å, b = 12.598 Å, and c = 8.719 Å, and the lattice angels were 96.203°, 94.941°, and 68.204°. FTIR spectroscopy supported the metalation by the disappearance of the N-H stretch of the non-metalated phthalocyanine. The vanadyl phthalocyanine was tested as a heterogenous catalyst for the conversion of fructose into methyl levulinate in H2SO4–methanol and HCl–methanol systems. The …

Three-Dimensional Learning Through Phenomenon-Based Science Education And Its Application Via The Collapsed Container Phenomenon, Maryam Saberi, Noushin Nouri

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications

This research aims to investigate and explain three-dimensional (3D) learning through the phenomenon-based science education approach. The study employed documentary review research methodology to analyze sources that introduce phenomenon-based science education (including research articles, new science education standards, and Iran's national science curriculum guide). The findings indicate that three-dimensional learning, with its emphasis on disciplinary core ideas, crosscutting concepts, and science and engineering practices, provides a comprehensive framework for understanding and explaining natural phenomena. In this research, the six stages of phenomenon-based science education—including introducing the phenomenon, creating a questions-observations-interpretations table, developing an initial model, exploring the phenomenon, completing a …

How Much Should Consumers With Mild To Moderate Hearing Loss Spend On Hearing Devices?, Vinaya Manchaiah, Steve Taddei, Abram Bailey, De Wet Swanepoel, Hansapani Rodrigo, Andrew Sabin

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: This study examined the relationship between hearing device price and sound quality. Method: A novel consumer-centric metric of sound quality (“SoundScore”) was used to assess hearing devices’ audio performance. Each hearing device is tested with two fittings. The “Initial Fit” is designed to approximate the most likely fitting for an individual with a mild-to-moderate sloping sensorineural hearing loss. The “Tuned Fit” includes adjusting parameters optimized to hit prescriptive fitting targets (NAL NL2) on an acoustic manikin. Each fitting is evaluated across five dimensions. Both fittings are combined using a weighted average to create a single number from 0 to …