Digital Commons Network^™

Of Epistemes And Insects: How Drosophila And Butterflies Shape Our Understanding Of Radiation Risk, Donna M. Goldstein, Magdalena E. Stawkoski

Faculty Publications

This paper explores the complexities of extrapolating insect data to understand nuclear exposure effects on humans. Within radiation research, animal studies are invaluable tools for understanding biological effects of radiation exposure. However, data are often employed selectively, exposing unsettled science in extrapolating animal data to human radiation effects. Here we focus on our understanding of the genetic effects of radiation exposure, and how the debates about the long-term effects on humans were molded by research carried out on the model organism known as Drosophila; disagreements among scientists occurred within the constraints of research on this model organism, creating what …

Inexorably Entangled Environmental And Knowledge Commons, Todd Aagaard, Brett M. Frischmann

Faculty Publications

For people to effectively share an environment, they usually also must effectively share knowledge about that environment. While seemingly obvious and intuitive, this insight is often overlooked in literature about governing resources as commons. Focusing on the knowledge commons associated with an environmental commons helps to illuminate a host of complex governance dilemmas. This chapter examines the interrelationship between environmental and knowledge commons, weaving together different strands of commons research and practice. Examples discussed include shared pastures, forests, road systems, computer servers, social media platforms, living rooms, and antimicrobial effectiveness/resistance.

Transitioning From The Consolidated Framework For Implementation Research (Cfir) To The Updated Cfir For Quantitative Measurement Of Influences On Implementation Outcomes In A Faith-Based Walking Intervention, Ruth P. Saunders, Sarah Wilcox Phd, A. Caroline Rudisill, Andrew T. Kaczynski, Jasmin Parker-Brown

Faculty Publications

Background Our research team has used the highly cited Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) a priori throughout the research process to better understand influences on implementation outcomes of an organizational change innovation to promote physical activity and healthy eating in faith-based settings. CFIR has recently been updated to include substantial changes in some domains and constructs, and our research team is preparing to carry out a new implementation study of an evidence-based innovation in churches. The purpose of this paper is to describe the process we undertook to map CFIR domains, constructs, and quantitative measures from our earlier studies …

Comprehensive, Multidisciplinary Care For Fragile X-Associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome, James A. Bourgeois, Andrea Schneider, Jessica Klusek Ph.D., Ccc-Slp, Thomas R. Christensen, Ellie Levin, Kendall Gardner, Ariel A. Jacobi, Randy J. Hagerman

Faculty Publications

Objective: 

The authors reviewed the pathophysiology, clinical genetics, phenotype, and comprehensive clinical management of Fragile X-associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome (FXTAS), a neurodegenerative disorder affecting FMR1 premutation carriers (55–200 CCG repeats).

Participants: 

A multispecialty and multidisciplinary team of authors with backgrounds in psychiatry, pediatrics, clinical psychology, speech and language pathology, and neurosciences.

Evidence: 

Review of English language sources on the clinical phenomenology, genetics, pathophysiology, and clinical management of FXTAS from 2001 (the original report) through 2025, with emphasis on the general medical, psychiatric, and neurological features of FXTAS and its multispecialty and multidisciplinary clinical management.

Consensus process:

All authors contributed to the …

Explaining Variability In Employee Perceptions Of Hr Practices In Strategic Hrm Research: An Integrative Review And Future Outlook, Jeske Van Beurden, Susanne Beijer, Kaifeng Jiang, Karina Van De Voorde, Anthony Nyberg

Faculty Publications

Employee perceptions of human resource (HR) practices have become a central focus in strategic human resource management(HRM) research due to their impact on individual and organizational outcomes. Recent studies highlight the importance of un-derstanding how these perceptions are formed, what they encompass, and why they vary across employees. This special issue ofHuman Resource Management aims to advance this evolving area of research by focusing on variability in employee perceptionsof HR practices. We review the current literature on employee perceptions of HR practices, including (1) theoretical and concep-tual clarity of the employee perceptions of HR practices construct, (2) antecedents of these …

Primary School Physical Activity Culture In The Uk: Findings From A Four-Month Rapid Ethnography In Three Schools, Robert Walker, Lydia Emm-Collison, Danielle House, Simoona Kent-Saisch, Ruth Salway, Alice Porter, Abi Howard, Tom Reid, Michael Beets Med, Mph, Phd, Frank De Vocht, Russell Jago

Faculty Publications

Introduction: Physical activity is fundamental for children’s health and well-being, yet most children are not active enough. School-based interventions aiming to increase children’s physical activity have largely been ineffective, perhaps due to a lack of consideration of the unique culture within each school. The aim of this paper is to understand the key aspects of physical activity culture in English primary schools using the organizational culture framework.

Methods: A four-month rapid ethnography study was conducted within three primary schools in Bristol, UK, between March and July 2024. The findings draw on observations, interviews, documentary data, photo elicitation, informal conversations and …

Using Mobile Devices To Support Outdoor Stem Learning In Rural Contexts: An Embedded Mixed-Methods Study, Jayson Seaman, Amanda Bastoni, Andrew D. Coppens, Cindy L. Hartman, Courtney Lachaine, Katelyn Moscouver, Janet Gronneberg

Faculty Publications

Background: Rural youth face barriers to involvement in effective Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) learning experiences, leading to persistent underrepresentation in STEM fields. Purpose: This study examined the feasibility of using mobile devices to engage rural youth in informal STEM learning (ISL) during free-choice, outdoor recreational activities. We assessed outcomes of a 10-month intervention related to STEM interest, identity, and future planning. Method: Fifty-four youth ages 12 to 17 completed monthly STEM challenges delivered via a mobile platform, aligned with connected learning and free-choice learning principles. Surveys measured pre/post changes in STEM supports, STEM confidence, and …

Learning From The Storm: The Impact Of Hurricane Experience On Future Disaster Preparedness, Eren Bilen, Tamara Sheldon, Crystal Zhan

Faculty Publications

Hurricanes and tropical cyclones have become more severe over the past 40 years and are expected to intensify in the future due to climate change. In this paper, we seek to understand how natural disaster experiences shape precautionary economic behaviors in response to future risks. We combine daily, household-level consumer goods purchase data from 2008-2018 with hurricane hit and warning data and use propensity score trimming to obtain a sample of households with a similar probability of receiving a hurricane warning to mitigate the problem of endogenous residential sorting. Using a triple difference-in-differences model, we find that past hurricane experience …

Learning From The Storm: The Impact Of Hurricane Experience On Future Disaster Preparedness, Eren Bilen, Tamara Sheldon, Yi Crystal Zhan

Faculty Publications

Hurricanes and tropical cyclones have become more severe over the past 40 years and are expected to intensify in the future due to climate change. In this paper, we seek to understand how natural disaster experiences shape precautionary economic behaviors in response to future risks. We combine daily, household-level consumer goods purchase data from 2008-2018 with hurricane hit and warning data and use propensity score trimming to obtain a sample of households with a similar probability of receiving a hurricane warning to mitigate the problem of endogenous residential sorting. Using a triple difference-in-differences model, we find that past hurricane experience …

Remote Language Assessment In School-Age Children With Phelan–Mcdermid Syndrome And Genotype–Phenotype Correlation, Sarah Quadri-Valverde, Jessica Klusek Ph.D., Ccc-Slp, Linda D. Ward, Diana Ivankovic, Nancy Powers, Vijay Shankar, Rachel A. Lyman, Trudy F.C. Mackay, William Bridges, Katy Phelan, Chris Rogers, Luigi Boccuto, Sara M. Sarasua

Faculty Publications

People with Phelan–McDermid syndrome (PMS) have reduced speech and language abilities, yet little research has profiled the communication abilities in this population. The purpose of this study was threefold: identifying the language and communication profiles of school-aged children with PMS, identifying genetic contributions to language and communication abilities, and determining the feasibility of remote data collection for research purposes. A speech language pathologist used standardized assessments and direct evaluations by video conferencing to evaluate language and communication abilities. Sixteen children and adolescents were evaluated: 5 with SHANK3 pathogenic variants, 9 with 22q13 deletions including SHANK3 (PMS-SHANK3 related), and 2 …

Crepe Myrtle Bark Scale (Acanthococcus Lagerstroemiae) And Sooty Mold (Capnodium Sp.) Decrease Bloom And Fruit Number In ‘Natchez’ Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia Xfauriei ‘Natchez’), Derald A. Harp, Beatriz Ruiz, Kara Bailey, Pedro Castillo, Phoebe Alvarez

Faculty Publications

Crepe myrtle bark scale (CMBS) (Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae) is an important pest of crepe myrtle in Texas, and infestations are accompanied by excessive growth of sooty mold (SM) that will cover stems, and, in severe cases, leaves. These combine to create significant stress on the plant, and anecdotal evidence suggests a decrease in bloom number under heavy infestation. In an existing planting of 24 ‘Natchez’ crepe myrtle in four blocks, three trees were randomly chosen in each block and treated with either a dinotefuran (year 1) or imidicloprid (year 2) drench. The three remaining trees were untreated. In February of year …

Examining The Relationships Between Students’ Achievement Goals And Their Academic Achievement In An Oer-Based Course: A Person-Centered Approach, Hengtao Tang Ph.D., Yan Yang, Yu Bao

Faculty Publications

Open Educational Resources (OER) have emerged as a cost-effective alternative to traditional commercial textbooks in higher education, towards the goal of alleviating college students’ financial burden of educational expenses. However, mixed findings about the influences of the integration of OER on student learning are present. To address the gap, this study investigated whether student motivation in OER served as a latent factor that impacts their academic achievement in online asynchronous courses offered in public universities. Particularly, this study (N = 247) implemented an advanced person-centered approach—stepwise latent class analysis—to profile student achievement goals in an OER-based course and examined their …

Ephemerality As Stigma In Algorithmic Contexts: Moderation And User-Driven Deletion Of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Content On Tiktok, Valerie Vera Lookingbill, Ehsan Mohammadi Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Social media increasingly serves as important spaces for mental health information seeking and peer support, especially for individuals facing barriers to traditional care. Although nonsuicidal self-injury is frequently discussed on social media, there is limited understanding of the factors that influence the visibility of this discourse. We analyzed 973 videos related to nonsuicidal self-injury on TikTok to examine the prevalence and characteristics of posts that become unavailable (i.e., ephemeral) over time, whether due to user deletion or platform removal. Videos that used addiction-related language, included trigger warnings, or depicted scars were significantly associated with ephemerality. These findings highlight how anticipated …

Improving Hydrogen Storage Kinetics Of Polymeric Composites Via Additions Of La0.6Ce0.4Ni5 And Carbon Particles, Muhammad M. Rahman, Fenil J. Desai, Ramazan Asmatulu, Md. Nizam Uddin, Karina Suarez-Alcantara

Faculty Publications

Nanostructured metal hydrides have garnered interest in their potential to store hydrogen safely and effectively as an energy carrier. By partially substituting lanthanum (La) with cerium (Ce), the structure of lanthanum pentanickel (LaNi₅) was maintained to create a novel encapsulated La–Ce–Ni-based metal hydride (La_0.6Ce_0.4Ni₅). The incorporation of metal-polymer composites can protect metal hydrides from oxidation and enhance cyclic stability. Carbon-based materials such as graphene and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) not only store hydrogen but also improve the reaction kinetics and address thermal management issues. This study presents La_0.6Ce_0.4Ni …

Real-World Comparison Of Intravenous Vs. Oral Antimicrobial Therapy For Bone And Joint Infections, Maura Kreiser, Sarah Al Mansi, Ismaeel Yunusa Ph.D., Caroline Derrick, P. Brandon Bookstaver Pharm.D., Majdi N. Al-Hasan, Yorika Hammett, Morgan Pizzuti

Faculty Publications

Well-designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have demonstrated safe and effective use of oral antimicrobial therapy for bone and joint infections. Application of data for implementation into real-world practice, however, has inherent challenges. This retrospective cohort study compared real-world use of intravenous versus oral antimicrobial therapy in bone and joint infections within a large healthcare system comprising both academic and community medical centers. The primary outcome was the proportion of treatment failure. Key secondary outcomes included the proportion of patients with logistical failure and risk factors associated with treatment and logistical failure. Among 166 patients included, 136 (82%) and 30 (18%) …

The Sortee Guidelines For Data And Code Quality Control In Ecology And Evolutionary Biology, Joel L. Pick, Bethany J. Allen, Benedicte Bachelot, Kevin R. Bairos-Novak, Jack A. Brand, Barbara Class, Tad Dallas, Pietro B. D'Amelio, Erola Fenollosa, Esteban Fernández-Juricic, Dylan G. Gomes, Matthew J. Grainger, Thomas Guillemaud, John Christian, Ruby Krasnow, Malgorzata Lagisz, Sebastian Lequime, Daniel S. Maynard, Shinichi Nakagawa, Rose E. O'Dea, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

Open data and code are crucial to increasing transparency and reproducibility, and in building trust in scientific research. However, despite an increasing number of journals in ecology and evolutionary biology mandating for data and code to be archived alongside published articles, the amount and quality of archived data and code, and subsequent reproducibility of results, has remained worryingly low. As a result, a handful of journals have recruited dedicated data editors, whose role is to help authors increase the overall quality of archived data and code. There is, however, a general lack of consensus around what a data editor should …

Employing A Hysteresis Approach To Analyze Shifts In Tree Physiological Thresholds In Response To Drought, Mauro Brum, Annie Deslauriers, Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur, Tanner Frost, David Moore, Caroline Rodrigues Da Silva, Daniel B. Metcalfe, Heidi Asbjornsen

Faculty Publications

Drought‐induced tree mortality underscores the need for improved physiological models to predict tree responses to water stress. We employed a hysteresis modelling approach analyzing diel water absorption and desorption cycles to understand drought‐induced shifts in physiological thresholds. We applied this approach to sap flow (Js), stem diameter fluctuation (SDF), stem volumetric water content fluctuation (SVWCF), and vapour pressure deficit (VPD), datasets from two throughfall reduction experiments in contrasting ecosystems: a cloud forest (Peru) and a temperate forest (USA). Using a generalised transcendental equation, we quantified five diurnal hysteresis loops (Js:VPD, Js:SDF, Js:SVWCF, SDF:VPD, SVWCF:VPD) and derived hysteresis parameters (centroids, area, …

Social Network Determinants Of Cigarette Forgoing And Quit-Related Conversations In A 15-Day Ecological Momentary Assessment Study In Mexico And The Us, Lizeth Cruz-Jiménez, Kevin A. Carson, Jim Thrasher Ph.D., Ma, Ms, Katia Gallegos-Carrillo, Dèsirée Vidaña-Pérez, Diego F. Leal

Faculty Publications

Introduction

Methods

Roadmap: Integrating Artificial Intelligence In Structural Health Monitoring Systems, Simon Laflamme, Erik Blasch, Flippo Ubertini, Zheng Liu, John Wertz, Christine Knott, Matthew Cherry, Eric Lindgren, Fu-Kuo Chang, Amrita Kumar, Jack Poole, Keith Worden, Austin Downey, Jie Wei, Patrick F. Musgrave, Adrian S. Wong, Guiseppe Quaranta, Marco Martino Rosso, Giuseppe Carlo Marano, Yu Chen, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

Advances in computing and machine learning (ML) methods have led to a rapid rise in artificial intelligence (AI) research and applications in many fields. AI research benefitted from advances in computation hardware, collection and distribution of large data sets, and proliferation of software techniques. AI techniques include ML for provable results, deep learning for data exploration, reinforcement learning for control, and active learning for adaptive systems. Likewise, AI algorithms can handle large amounts of data, construct unknown representations, and provide a direct link between data and classification for decision making. These unmatched capabilities have been seen as a path to …

New Avenues For |Δb=2| Processes Beyond Neutron-Antineutron Oscillations, Arnau Basi Beneito, Svjetlana Fajfer, Alexey A. Petrov

Faculty Publications

We explore baryon-number-violating (|∆B| = 2) processes beyond the well-known neutron-antineutron (n-n̄) oscillations, focusing on the Λ-Λ̄ system. The presence of a strange quark in the Λ baryon introduces a new set of six-quark operators roughly of the form (uds)², which are different from the (udd)² operators responsible for n-n̄ oscillations. Using the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT), we classify all dimension-9 operators that cause |∆B| = 2  transitions and study their UV completions mediated by exotic scalar fields with trilinear interactions. We demonstrate that …

Implementation Of Centering-Based Antenatal Group Care In Flanders (Belgium): Experiences Of Women And Health Care Providers; Modalities For Sustainable Integration Into The Health Care System, Bianca Eerens, Astrid Van Damme, Nathalie Leister, Florence Talrich, Christine Mccourt, Deborah Lynn Billings Phd, Marsha Orgill, Matty Crone, Marlies Rijnders, Katrien Beeckman

Faculty Publications

In Belgium, antenatal care is characterized by one-to-one care; with limited integration of community-based approaches. Centering-Based Group Care (CBGC), derived from the CenteringPregnancy^® model, offers an alternative by combining clinical follow-up, health education, and peer support in group sessions. This study focuses on the experiences of participants and facilitators with the implementation of CBGC in three Flemish cities (Aalst, Gent, Leuven) as part of the European Union GC_1000 project. We explored the experience regarding the implementation process along with factors influencing sustainable integration into the health care system.

Methods

A total of 193 women participated in 30 CBGC trajectories …

Rewriting The Rules: Game-Based Learning For Affective And Cognitive Student Engagement In An Undergraduate History Course, Rachel Hoke, James Risk

Faculty Publications

Constructivist psychology has long demonstrated the potential for play to offer various benefits to learning. This study introduced active game-based learning experiences, in the form of role-playing games, into an undergraduate history course that also included passive lecture and discussion elements. Mixed methods student feedback surveys were used to examine the impacts of game-based learning on students’ affective and cognitive engagement in the course and offer a comparison between the lecture and game-based learning experiences. Qualitative data were analyzed through the paradigm of Mohsen, Abdollahi, and Omar’s (2019, 518-520) framework for educational value, including affective evaluation, conceptual understanding, skill development, …

Efficient Energy-Stable Discontinuous Galerkin Schemefor The Non-Isothermal Cahn–Hilliard–Navier–Stokestwo-Phase Fluid Flow System, Guang-An Zou, Meiting Wang, Kejia Pan, Yin Yang, Xiaofeng Yang

Faculty Publications

In this article, we propose a novel numerical framework for the non-isothermal Cahn–Hilliard–Navier–Stokes two-phase flow system, which couples the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations, the Cahn–Hilliard phase-field equation, and the heat transport equation to capture temperature-dependent two-phase flow dynamics. The pro-posed scheme achieves three major advances: (i) unconditional energy stability through a combined scalar auxiliary variable (SAV) and zero-energy-contribution (ZEC) approach, (ii) linearity and full decoupling of all variables while using a second-order temporal discretization, and (iii) efficient implementation via discontinuous Galerkin (DG) spa-tial discretization together with a second-order projection method for the Navier–Stokes equations. We rigorously prove the unconditional energy stability …

Congruence Properties Modulo Prime Powers For A Class Of Partition Functions, Matthew Boylan, Swati .

Faculty Publications

Let p be prime, and let p_[1,p](n) denote the function whose generating function is

∏ _n≥1 (1 − qⁿ)⁻¹ (1 − q^pn)⁻¹.

This function and its generalizations p_[c^r,d^m](n) are the subject of study in several recent papers. Let ℓ ≥ 5, let j ≥ 1, and let p ∈ {2, 3, 5}. In this paper, we prove that the generating function for p_[1,p](n) in the progression β_{p,ℓ,j …}

Ulk4 And Cdkn2a Polymorphisms Influence The Risk Of Developing Monoclonal Gammopathy Of Undetermined Significance, José Manuuel Sánchez-Maldonado, Angelica Macauda, Antonio José Cabrera-Serrano, Hauke Thomsen, Murat Güler, Rob Ter Horst, Bethany Van Guelpen, Pavel Vodicka, Stefano Landi, Subhayan Chattopadhyay, Pelin Ünal, Lucía Ruiz-Durán, Delphine Casabonne, Hartmut Goldschmidt, Istemi Serin, María Carretero-Fernández, Elena Cabezudo, Fernando Reyes-Zurita, Alyssa I. Clay-Gilmour, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is a necessary precursor condition to multiple myeloma (MM). Given the role of autophagy in modulating MM risk, we investigated whether genetic variation in autophagy-related genes influences susceptibility to MGUS. We analyzed the association of 34,042 common autophagy-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with MGUS across six independent cohorts, five from Europe and one from North America, comprising 2317 MGUS cases and 282,358 controls. We also assessed their impact on immune parameters, including absolute counts of 91 blood-derived immune cell subsets and 103 circulating immunological proteins. Meta-analysis revealed a genome-wide significant association between the ULK4 …

Impact Of Medicaid Enrollment Timing On Tumor Stage At Diagnosis And Survival In Breast, Colorectal, And Lung Cancer, Gabriel A. Benavidez, Stella Coker Watson Self Ph.D., Ms, Anthony Alberg Ph.D., M.P.H., Janice Probst, Jan Marie Eberth

Faculty Publications

Background: Medicaid-insured patients experience higher rates of late-stage cancer diagnosis and worse survival than non-Medicaid patients. The impact of Medicaid enrollment timing on cancer outcomes is less clear. This study examines the association between Medicaid enrollment and timing with tumor stage and cancer-specific survival for breast, colorectal, and lung cancers. Methods: We analyzed SEER-Medicaid linked data for 276,755 breast, 104,784 colorectal, and 101,058 lung cancer patients < 65 years of age. Patients were categorized as non-Medicaid enrollees, pre-diagnosis enrollees (≥12 months before), or post-diagnosis enrollees (≤12 months after). Multivariable logistic regression estimated odds ratios of late-stage diagnosis, and cause-specific Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess cancer-specific survival, adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic factors. Results: Compared to non-Medicaid enrollees, post-diagnosis enrollees had the highest odds of late-stage diagnosis (breast cancer: OR: 3.41; colorectal cancer: OR: 3.78; lung cancer: OR: 1.87). Pre-diagnosis enrollees also had increased odds, but the …

A Collostructional Approach To The Concealed Passive Construction In English, Rok Sim, Jungsoo Kim

Faculty Publications

This study investigates the English concealed passive construction (CPC), as in the car needs washing, using authentic corpus data. While previous research has explored certain aspects of the CPC, little attention has been given to strongly associated matrix verbs (or verb types) and interactions between matrix verbs (or verb types) and other elements of the construction. To address these issues, we apply three types of collostructional analysis, and our findings indicate that no single, straightforward pattern emerges with respect to real-life grammatical properties of the CPC. We then show that the well-known distinction between raising and control constructions, formalized …

Moderate-Temperature Hydrothermal Treatment Removes Detectable Dna And Antibiotic Resistance Genes From Municipal Sludge While Preserving Resource Value, R Sean Norman M.Sc., Ph.D., Mirza Isanovic, Gabrielle Kartzmark, Nicole Berge

Faculty Publications

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are key reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), with municipal sludge containing high bacterial densities and diverse ARGs that may spread through land application. Hydrothermal treatment (HT) is a process that inactivates pathogens and stabilizes biomass, but its performance at moderate temperatures is less understood. We evaluated HT (100°C–250°C; 2–24 h) for degrading bacterial DNA and ARGs in dewatered municipal sludge. DNA was quantified by fluorometry, bacterial presence confirmed by 16S rRNA gene PCR, and ARGs profiled by qPCR targeting 84 clinically and environmentally relevant genes. HT up to 250°C produced modest carbon densification, high solids …

Moderate-Temperature Hydrothermal Treatment Removes Detectable Dna And Antibiotic Resistance Genes From Municipal Sludge While Preserving Resource Value, R. Sean Norman, Mirza Isanovic, Gabrielle Kartzmark, Nicole Berge

Faculty Publications

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are key reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), with municipal sludge containing high bacterial densities and diverse ARGs that may spread through land application. Hydrothermal treatment (HT) is a process that inactivates pathogens and stabilizes biomass, but its performance at moderate temperatures is less understood. We evaluated HT (100°C–250°C; 2–24 h) for degrading bacterial DNA and ARGs in dewatered municipal sludge. DNA was quantified by fluorometry, bacterial presence confirmed by 16S rRNA gene PCR, and ARGs profiled by qPCR targeting 84 clinically and environmentally relevant genes. HT up to 250°C produced modest carbon densification, high solids …

Towards Sustainable Energy Storage: Evaluating The Performance Of Three Polymer Electrolytes For Zinc-Ion Batteries, Roya Rajabi, Shichen Sun, Buke Sun, Jamil A. Khan, Kevin Huang

Faculty Publications

Polymer electrolytes have been explored as an alternative to conventional aqueous electrolytes in zinc-ion batteries, particularly for flexible and wearable applications. Despite the increasing interest in polymer electrolyte-based zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs), their development is still in its early stages due to various challenges. In this study, we investigated three promising polymer electrolytes: CSAM (carboxyl methyl chitosan with acrylamide monomer), PAM (polyacrylamide monomer hydrogel electrolyte), and p-PBI (phosphate-doped polybenzimidazole solid electrolyte) with Zn(ClO₄)₂ and Zn(OTf)₂, as electrolytes for zinc-ion batteries. The p-PBI solid electrolyte showed high mechanical stability and improved resistance to short-circuiting during cycling. The …