Digital Commons Network^™

Dynamic Magnetic Null Behavior In Planar Ion Diodes: Particle-In-Cell Analysis Of Field Oscillations And Ion Beam Dynamics, Jesse C. Foster, Stephen B. Swanekamp, Paul F. Ottinger

Faculty Publications

Particle-in-cell simulations of a 1.75 MV, 375 kA, and 50 ns planar pinched-beam diode reveal that the strongest gigahertz-frequency oscillations in electric field and ion current arise from the dynamic motion of the magnetic null near the anode tip. These oscillations, which appear when the ion transit time becomes comparable to the local field-variation timescale, periodically expand the effective anode–cathode gap and generate bursts of over-accelerated ions. The resulting ion energy spectrum broadens substantially near the null while maintaining excellent beam uniformity along the anode. The simulations, therefore, demonstrate a direct physical linkage between ion transit time instability and magnetic …

Transfer Learning Neural Networks For Nuclear Forensic Image Morphology Using Image Splitting Techniques, Niko A. Petrocelli, Lee C. Lambert, Brett J. Borghetti, Abigail A. Bickley

Faculty Publications

Manual morphological analysis of actinide particles from scanning electron microscope (SEM) imagery is a critical component of nuclear forensics but is prone to significant inter-analyst variability. To address this challenge, this work develops and evaluates an automated classification method using deep learning. We introduce a methodology based on partitioning 1906 SEM images, representing 13 classes of uranium compounds, into smaller patches for analysis. Three convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures of increasing complexity were compared: a custom baseline CNN, a simple transfer learning model using ResNet50v1, and a complex model featuring hierarchical feature extraction and a spatial attention mechanism built upon …

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 …

Rewired: Reconceptualizing Legal Services For The Ai Age, Lev E. Breydo

Faculty Publications

The legal profession is at a crossroads, caught between intensifying fears of AI-driven displacement and a generational opportunity for transformation. This Article provides a practical framework for navigating the shifting terrain.

Situating legal innovation within a multi-century arc of technological change, the Article draws on management and strategy scholarship to develop two core organizing models: the Legal Services Value Chain and the Innovation Frontier. The value chain disaggregates the lifecycle of a legal matter into five distinct nodes of activity, providing a map for subsequent analyses

Building on that foundation, the Innovation Frontier traces LegalTech’s evolution from 2000s-vintage e-discovery to …

Mermaids In Pools: Ex-Situ Conservation As A Cornerstone For Sirenian Management Worldwide, D. N. Castelblanco-Martínez, E. A. Ramos, A. Alvarez-Alemán, F. L. N. Attademo, L. J. Cabrias-Contreras, D. Caicedo-Herrera, S. S. Landeo-Yauri, F. O. Luna, Miriam Marmontel, J. Sanchez, Carlos J. Silva, Vera Da Silva, Diogo Londero Da Silva, A. A. Mignucci-Giannoni

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Bridging 2d And 3d Computational Modeling Of Vacuum Arc Remelting: Capturing Rotating Arc Dynamics In Axisymmetric Simulations, Zilong Zhang, Elaheh Dorari, Ramesh Minisandram, Shakarjee Krishnamoorthi, Lang Yuan

Faculty Publications

Computational modeling of the Vacuum Arc Remelting (VAR) process has been developed to provide a deeper physical and metallurgical understanding and assist in the manufacture of defect-free ingots. While fully 3D, time-resolved arc models capture arc–melt interactions with high fidelity, their high computational cost makes 2D steady arc models still the preferred option in industrial applications. In this study, a multi-physics VAR model, which accounts for magnetohydrodynamics, heat transfer, fluid dynamics, and melting/solidification, was established in ANSYS Fluent for Alloy 718 in 3D with a rotating arc. It was validated against measured melt pool morphology. A new 2D axisymmetric oscillating …

Experiments Towards A Neutron Target For Measurements In Inverse Kinematics, S. F. Dellmann, Caroline M. Harrington, O. R. Cantrell, A. L. Cooper, A. Couture, D, V, Gorelov, I Knapová, S. M. Mosby, R. Reifarth, A. Alvarez, A. Aprahamian, J. Butz, I. J. Bos, Michael T. Febbraro, T. Hankins, B. M. Harvey, T. Heftrich, M. Le, Juan J. Manfredi, A. B. Mcintosh, K. V. Manukyan, M. Matney, S. Regener, D. Robertson, A. Simon, D. Sokolovic, E. Stech, G. Tabacaru, W. Tan, M. Wiescher, S. Yennello

Faculty Publications

Neutron-induced reactions play an important role in fundamental nuclear physics, nuclear astrophysics, and applications. In the case of reactions on rare isotopes, there are limited options for direct experimental measurements. The Neutron Target Demonstrator project at Los Alamos National Laboratory seeks to test the feasibility of moderating spallation neutrons within a 1 m³graphite cube to create a standing neutron target for neutron-induced reaction measurements in inverse kinematics. This paper presents the results of experimental neutron flux distribution tests using neutron sources (ranging from 1 keV to 50 MeV) created by accelerators at the University of Notre Dame and …

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 …

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 …

Rapid-Response Reconnaissance Architecture Design For Planetary Defense With Nested Trajectory Optimization, Adam P. Wilmer, Justin A. Atchison, Marcus J. Holzinger, Robert A. Bettinger

Faculty Publications

Reconnaissance is a vital component in a comprehensive planetary defense mitigation strategy—aimed at preventing or reducing the impact threat posed by celestial objects on close-approach trajectories to Earth. It provides decision-makers with critical information on the physical and orbital properties of a near-Earth object (NEO), enabling better assessment of size, composition, and trajectory. This study investigates how to optimally pre-position a fleet of reconnaissance spacecraft prior to the discovery of a specific hazardous NEO. It evaluates response timelines and mission success rates for combinations of spacecraft launched from Earth and those maneuvering from pre-deployed locations within the Sun-Earth system. A …

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

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 …

Discovery Of Dynamical Structures Mapping Chaotic Transport Pathways In The Earth–Moon Cr3bp, Tyler J. Kapolka, Christina E. Paljug, Robert A. Bettinger, Rachel Oliver, Bruce A. Cox, Jeremiah A. Specht

Faculty Publications

Chaos; Deterministic chaos; Earth–Moon system; Poincaré map; Quasi-chaotic; Surface of section /// For the Circular Restricted 3-Body Problem (CR3BP), the topologies present within a Poincaré map enable the extraction of useful information regarding periodic, quasi-periodic, and chaotic trajectory behavior. Aside from the prominent topologies that follow distinct concentric patterns around fixed points, indicative of the periodic and quasi-periodic motion that is often the central focus of CR3BP research, there are also many “dusty” regions on the Poincaré map that appear random without an apparent structure and are indicative of chaotic motion. This paper, for the first time in literature, identifies …

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

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 …

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 …

Switching Speed Limits In Electrically Driven Vo2 Structural Mott–Peierls Transition, Henry Navarro, Ivan K. Schuller, Yimei Zhu

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

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

Faculty Publications

Background

Objectives

Methods

Craft Meets Code: Digital Pathways For Fine Press Collections, Nicole Lewis, Brooke Farnsworth

Faculty Publications

Fine press books embody a unique blend of artistry and craftsmanship, yet their rich material and bibliographic details often remain locked in specialized catalogs or physical archives. This project explores how integrating fine press information into Wikidata—a global, linked open data platform—can preserve and amplify the cultural significance of these works in a digital context. Using the BYU Library’s fine press holdings, we’re modeling presses, printers, and editions within Wikidata’s semantic framework, creating opportunities for discovery, visualization, and computational analysis that respect the material heritage of the book arts.

The presentation will highlight:

•        Utilizing library holdings to compile a …

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 …

Uranium Chemical Compound Classification Using Sub-Images And Statistical Machine Learning For Nuclear Forensics, Lee C. Lambert, Brett J. Borghetti, Abigail A. Bickley

Faculty Publications

Uranium particle analysis from Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) imagery is a crucial tool in nuclear forensics. The particle morphology lexicon proposed by Tamasi et al. in J Radioanal Nucl Chem 307, 1611–1619 (2016) follows a standardized, manual identification process to identify particle morphology features. The present work seeks to mirror this methodology using computer feature selection from the scikit-image Python library rather than human classification. Using a random forest classifier, a 56% overall uranium true positive classification accuracy (a 39.6% balanced classification accuracy) was achieved on a test set outperforming a naïve (chance) model by 48%. The methodology introduced splits …

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

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

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), …

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.

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 …

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 …

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 …

Integrating Future Factory-To-Factory (F2f) Manufacturing Through System Of Systems Engineering (Sose): A Framework For Capability Beyond Constituent Systems, Polinpapilinho F. Katina, Hengtao Tang Ph.D., Anouar Hallioui

Faculty Publications

System of Systems Engineering (SoSE) is an emerging discipline focused on the design, integration, and evolution of metasystems—composed of multiple autonomous yet interdependent systems. These systems of systems (SoS) offer capabilities that exceed those of any individual constituent systems by enabling synergistic coordination, interoperability, and dynamic adaptation across diverse operational contexts. This study pursued three primary objectives: (i) to examine the role of integration in enabling emergent capabilities beyond those of individual systems, (ii) to explore SoSE as a framework for orchestrating Future Factory-to-Factory (F2F) Manufacturing, and (iii) to assess the implications of SoSE to address volatile, uncertain, complex, and …