First-Order Comprehensive Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis Methodology For Critical Points In Coupled Nonlinear Systems. Ii: Application To A Nuclear Reactor Thermal-Hydraulics Safety Benchmark, Dan Gabriel Cacuci

Faculty Publications

Responses defined at critical points are particularly important for reactor safety analyses and licensing (e.g., the maximum fuel and/or clad temperature). The novel mathematical framework of the first-order comprehensive adjoint sensitivity analysis methodology for critical points (1st-CASAM-CP) is applied in this work to develop a reactor safety thermal-hydraulics benchmark model which admits exact closed-form expressions for the adjoint functions and for the first-order sensitivities of responses defined at critical points (maxima, minima, saddle points) in physical systems characterized by imprecisely known parameters, external and internal boundaries. This benchmark model is designed for verifying the capabilities and accuracies of computational tools …

Small Molecule Inhibitors Of The Bacterioferritin (Bfrb)-Ferredoxin (Bfd) Complex Kill Biofilm-Embedded Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Cells, Anabel Soldano, Huili Yao, Achala N.D. Punchi Hewage, Kevin Meraz, Joel K. Annor-Gyamfi, Richard A. Bunce, Kevin P. Battaile, Scott Lovell, Mario Rivera

Faculty Publications

© 2020 American Chemical Society. Bacteria depend on a well-regulated iron homeostasis to survive adverse environments. A key component of the iron homeostasis machinery is the compartmentalization of Fe3+ in bacterioferritin and its subsequent mobilization as Fe2+ to satisfy metabolic requirements. In Pseudomonas aeruginosa Fe3+ is compartmentalized in bacterioferritin (BfrB), and its mobilization to the cytosol requires binding of a ferredoxin (Bfd) to reduce the stored Fe3+ and release the soluble Fe2+. Blocking the BfrB-Bfd complex in P. aeruginosa by deletion of the bfd gene triggers an irreversible accumulation of Fe3+ in BfrB, concomitant cytosolic iron deficiency and significant impairment …

Extreme High-Field Superconductivity In Thin Re Films, F. N. Womack, D. P. Young, D. A. Browne, G. Catelani, J. Jiang, E. I. Meletis, P. W. Adams

Faculty Publications

We report the high-field superconducting properties of thin, disordered Re films via magnetotransport and tunneling density of states measurements. Films with thicknesses in the range of 9 to 3 nm had normal-state sheet resistances of ∼0.2kω to ∼1kω and corresponding transition temperatures in the range of 6 to 3 K. Tunneling spectra were consistent with those of a moderate coupling BCS superconductor. Notwithstanding these unremarkable superconducting properties, the films exhibited an extraordinarily high upper critical field. We estimate their zero temperature Hc2 to be more than twice the Pauli limit. Indeed, in 6-nm samples the estimated reduced critical field Hc2/Tc∼5.6T/K …

Label-Free Lipidome Study Of Paraventricular Thalamic Nucleus (Pvt) Of Rat Brain With Post-Traumatic Stress Injury By Raman Imaging, Ardalan Chaichi, Syed Mohammad Abid Hasan, Nishir Mehta, Fabrizio Donnarumma, Philip Ebenezer, Kermit K. Murray, Joseph Francis, Manas Ranjan Gartia

Faculty Publications

© 2021 The Royal Society of Chemistry. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a widespread psychiatric injury that develops serious life-threatening symptoms like substance abuse, severe depression, cognitive impairments, and persistent anxiety. However, the mechanisms of post-traumatic stress injury in brain are poorly understood due to the lack of practical methods to reveal biochemical alterations in various brain regions affected by this type of injury. Here, we introduce a novel method that provides quantitative results from Raman maps in the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) region. By means of this approach, we have shown a lipidome comparison in PVT regions …

Self-Assembled Thermoresponsive Nanogel From Grafted Hyaluronic Acid As A Biocompatible Delivery Platform For Curcumin With Enhanced Drug Loading And Biological Activities, Jittima Amie Luckanagul, Pahweenvaj Ratnatilaka Na Bhuket, Chawanphat Muangnoi, Pranee Rojsitthisak, Qian Wang, Pornchai Rojsitthisak

Faculty Publications

A hyaluronic acid-grafted poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (HA-pNIPAM) was synthesized as a polymeric nanogel platform for encapsulation and delivery of hydrophobic bioactive compounds using curcumin as a model drug. As demonstrated by transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering techniques, the HA-pNIPAM was simply assembled into spherical nano-sized particles with the thermoresponsive behavior. The success of curcumin aqueous solubilization was confirmed by fluorescent spectroscopy. The resulting nanogel formulation enhanced the aqueous solubility and uptake into NIH-3T3 cells of curcumin. This nanogel formulation also demonstrates cytocompatibility against NIH-3T3 cells, which deems it safe as a delivery vehicle. Moreover, the formulation has a slight skin-protection …

Seasonal Occurrence, Horizontal Movements, And Habitat Use Patterns Of Whale Sharks (Rhincodon Typus) In The Gulf Of Mexico, Eric R. Hoffmayer, Jennifer A. Mckinney, James S. Franks, Jill M. Hendon, William B. Driggers, Brett J. Falterman, Benjamin Galuardi, Michael E. Byrne

Faculty Publications

In the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM), whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) form large aggregations at continental shelf-edge banks during summer; however, knowledge of movements once they leave aggregation sites is limited. Here we report on the seasonal occurrence of whale sharks in the northern GOM based on over 800 whale shark sightings from 1989 to 2016, as well as the movements of 42 whale sharks tagged with satellite-linked and popup satellite archival transmitting tags from 2008 to 2015. Sightings data were most numerous during summer and fall often with aggregations of individuals reported along the continental shelf break. Most sharks …

Quantum Statistical Learning Via Quantum Wasserstein Natural Gradient, Simon Becker, Wuchen Li

Faculty Publications

In this article, we introduce a new approach towards the statistical learning problem argminρ(θ )∈P_θ W² _Q(_ρ*, ρ(θ )) to approximate a target quantum state ρ_* by a set of parametrized quantum states ρ(θ ) in a quantum L²-Wasserstein metric. We solve this estimation problem by considering Wasserstein natural gradient flows for density operators on finite-dimensional C^∗ algebras. For continuous parametric models of density operators, we pull back the quantum Wasserstein metric such that the parameter space becomes a Riemannian manifold with quantum Wasserstein information matrix. Using a quantum analogue …

Reconfigurable Network For Quantum Transport Simulations, Mario A. Quiroz-Juárez, Chenglong You, Javier Carrillo-Martínez, Diego Montiel-Álvarez, José L. Aragón, Omar S. Magaña-Loaiza, Roberto De J. León-Montiel

Faculty Publications

We put forward a versatile, highly scalable, tunable electronic platform for the simulation of single-excitation quantum transport phenomena. Our system, comprising 10 state-of-the-art, fully reconfigurable electronic oscillators, is implemented by making use of functional blocks synthesized with operational amplifiers and passive linear electrical components. To test the robustness and precise control of our platform, we simulate different quantum transport protocols, such as the ballistic propagation of a single-excitation wave function in an ordered lattice, and its localization due to disorder. We implement the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model to directly observe the emergence of topologically protected one-dimensional edge states. Furthermore, we present the …

Particulate And Dissolved Organic Matter In Stormwater Runoff Influences Oxygen Demand In Urbanized Headwater Catchments, Kelly M. Mccabe, Erik M. Smith, Susan Q. Lang, Claudia Benitez-Nelson

Faculty Publications

Increasing inputs of organic matter (OM) are driving declining dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations in coastal ecosystems worldwide. The quantity, source, and composition of OM transported to coastal ecosystems via stormwater runoff have been altered by land use changes associated with urbanization and subsequent hydrologic flows that accompany urban stormwater management. To elucidate the role of stormwater in the decline of coastal DO, rain event sampling of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in samples collected from the outfall of stormwater ponds and wetlands, as well as samples of largely untreated runoff carried by stormwater ditches, was conducted across a range of urban …

Extraterrestrials In The Stacks: An Archivist’S Journey With Alien Abduction, A Stained Blue Dress, And The Betty And Barney Hill Collection, William Ross

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Adverse Childhood Events On The Psychosocial Functioning Of Children Affected By Parental Hiv In Rural China, Jordan Ezell, Sayward E. Harrison, Yanping Jiang, Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Introduction: Children affected by parental HIV are more likely than unaffected peers to experience trauma and are at-risk for negative psychological and social outcomes. This study aimed to examine the relationship between adverse childhood events and psychosocial functioning among children affected by parental HIV.

Methods: A total of 790 children ages 6–17 from Henan, China were enrolled in a longitudinal, randomized controlled trial of a resilience-based psychosocial intervention. At baseline, children reported on numerous psychosocial factors, including trauma exposure, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and peer social functioning. We used linear regression analysis to test the direct effect of trauma …

How To Sell A Friend: Disinterest As Relational Work In Direct Sales, Curtis Child

Faculty Publications

Economic sociologists agree that monetary transactions are not necessarily antithetical to meaningful social relationships. However, they also accept that creating “good matches” between the two requires hard work. In this article, I contribute to the relational program in economic sociology by examining a common but understudied type of work in which one party to a relationship stands to benefit from it financially. I identify in these highly commercialized contexts a particular style of relational work anticipated, but not fully developed, in Pierre Bourdieu’s writings: disinterest. I argue that the disinterested style is manifest by economically implicated individuals who downplay their …

The Effects Of Spiritual Experience And Church Commitment Among South Korean Young Adult Immigrants In The United States: A Mixed-Methods Study, Chulwoo Park, Mark Edberg

Faculty Publications

Background

Korean American immigrants have become one of the largest Asian American ethnic group in the United States, and Christianity have been preserving their ethnic identities. However, little is known if church commitment is associated with developing emotional well-being and work capacity. The study aims to understand the attachment to church and its effect on level of emotional well-being and work (or school) performance among South Korean young adult immigrants who have a strong faith in Christianity.

Methods

A sequential, mixed-methods study examined two dimensions of church attachment, level of religious belief and involvement in church activities. A total of …

The Tensile Root Strength Of Spartina Patens Declines With Exposure To Multiple Stressors, R. Eugene Turner, Lauris O. Hollis

Faculty Publications

Coastal wetlands may be subjected to numerous biotic and abiotic stressors from natural and anthropogenic forces in the landscape. The influx of nutrients, inorganic compounds and xenobiotics are suspected of degrading the belowground biomass of coastal macrophytes. Spartina patens acts as an ecosystem engineer for lower salinity coastal marshes and its biomechanical properties are vital to the stability and resilience of coastal wetlands. S.patens was exposed to one natural (flooding) and two anthropogenic stressors (atrazine and nutrient addition) in a greenhouse experiment to test the hypothesis that these three stressors reduce the tensile root strength of S. patens. A one-way …

Immobilization Of Cesium And Iodine Into Cs3Bi2I9 Perovskite-Silica Composites And Core-Shell Waste Forms With High Waste Loadings And Chemical Durability, Kun Yang, Weiguang Zhu, Spencer Scott, Yachun Wang, Jianwei Wang, Brian J. Riley, John Vienna, Jie Lian

Faculty Publications

© 2020 Elsevier B.V. Cs3Bi2I9, a defect perovskite derivative, is a potential host phase to immobilize iodine and cesium with high waste loadings. In this work, two strategies were explored to form Cs3Bi2I9-silica composites and a core-shell structure in order to improve chemical durability of waste form materials meanwhile maintaining high waste loadings. Cs3Bi2I9 loadings as high as 70 wt.% were incorporated into a silica matrix to form silica-ceramic composites, and 20 wt.% Cs3Bi2I9 was encapsulated into silica to form a core–shell structure by low temperature spark plasma sintering. Chemical durability of the composite and core-shell waste forms was evaluated …

Time-Varying Insomnia Symptoms And Incidence Of Cognitive Impairment And Dementia Among Older Us Adults, Nicholas V. Resciniti, Valerie Yelverton, Bezawit Eyob Kase, Jiajia Zhang, Matthew C. Lohman

Faculty Publications

There is conflicting evidence regarding the association between insomnia and the onset of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia. This study aimed to evaluate if time-varying insomnia is associated with the development of MCI and dementia. Data from the Health and Retirement Study (n = 13,833) from 2002 to 2014 were used (59.4% female). The Brief Insomnia Questionnaire was used to identify insomnia symptoms which were compiled in an insomnia severity index, ranging from 0 to 4. In analysis, participants’ symptoms could vary from wave-to-wave. Dementia was defined using results from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) global cognitive …

The Inaugural Issue Of Ornithology, T. Scott Sillett, Wesley M. Hochachka, Sabrina S. Taylor

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Switching Between Singular Points In Non-Pt -Symmetric Multilayer Structures Using Phase-Change Materials, Yin Huang, Lanyan Wang, Yuecheng Shen, Georgios Veronis

Faculty Publications

We investigate the switching between singular points in non-parity-time-symmetric multilayer structures using phase-change materials at the optical communication wavelength. We first show that absorbing singularities can be switched to exceptional points (EPs) in a two-layer structure consisting of a phase-change material layer and a lossy layer by switching the phase-change material Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) from its crystalline to its amorphous phase. We also show that spectral singularities (SSs) can be switched to EPs in a three-layer structure consisting of a lossless dielectric layer sandwiched between a GST layer and a gain layer by switching the GST from its crystalline to its …

Examining Criteria For Adulthood Among Young People In Sabah (East Malaysia), Walton Wider, Norazah Mohd Suki, Melanie L. Lott, Larry J. Nelson, Sew Kim Low, Gertrude Cosmas

Faculty Publications

This study aims to identify perceived adult status and to explore the criteria for adulthood of young people in Sabah (East Malaysia). The differences in such criteria based on gender and student status are also examined. Data collected from 208 respondents were analyzed via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The empirical results of CFA revealed six criteria for adulthood: family capacities, norm compliance, interdependence, biological transitions, role transitions, and chronological transitions. However, the independence factor was discarded for further analysis because of having weak item loadings. In addition, the ANOVA test showed that women have …

Hepatoenteric Recycling Is A New Disposition Mechanism For Orally Administered Phenolic Drugs And Phytochemicals In Rats, Yifan Tu, Lu Wang, Yi Rong, Vincent Tam, Taijun Yin, Song Gao, Rashim Singh, Ming Hu

Faculty Publications

Many orally administered phenolic drugs undergo enterohepatic recycling (EHR), presumably mediated by the hepatic phase II enzymes. However, the disposition of extrahepatically generated phase II metabolites is unclear. This paper aims to determine the new roles of liver and intestine in the disposition of oral phenolics. Sixteen representative phenolics were tested using direct portal vein infusion and/or intestinal perfusion. The results showed that certain glucuronides were efficiently recycled by liver. OATP1B1/1B3/2B1 were the responsible uptake transporters. Hepatic uptake is the rate-limiting step in hepatic recycling. Our findings showed that the disposition of many oral phenolics is mediated by intestinal glucuronidation …

Contact Stress In Helical Bevel Gears, Edward E. Osakue, Lucky Anetor, Kendall Harris

Faculty Publications

Helical bevel gears have inclined or twisted teeth on a conical surface and the common types are skew, spiral, zerol, and hypoid bevel gears. However, this study does not include hypoid bevel gears. Due to the geometric complexities of bevel gears, commonly used methods in their design are based on the concept of equivalent or virtual spur gear. The approach in this paper is based on the following assumptions, a) the helix angle of helical bevel gears is equal to mean spiral angle, b) the pitch diameter at the backend is defined as that of a helical gear, and c) …

Neuroprotective Effects Of Asparagus Officinalis Stem Extract In Transgenic Mice Overexpressing Amyloid Precursor Protein, Zhanglong Peng, Supinder Bedi, Vivek Mann, Alamelu Sundaresan, Kohei Homma, Gregory Gaskey, Minoru Kowada, Shahid Umar, Anil D. Kulkarni, Holger K. Eltzschig, Marie Francoise Doursout

Faculty Publications

To mimic Alzheimer's disease, transgenic mice overexpressing the amyloid precursor protein (APP) were used in this study. We hypothesize that the neuroprotective effects of ETAS®50, a standardized extract of Asparagus officinalis stem produced by Amino Up Co., Ltd. (Sapporo, Japan), are linked to the inhibition of the apoptosis cascade through an enhancement of the stress-response proteins: heat shock proteins (HSPs). APP-overexpressing mice (double-transgenic APP and PS1 mouse strains with a 129s6 background), ages 6-8 weeks old, and weighing 20-24 grams were successfully bred in our laboratory. The animals were divided into 5 groups. APP-overexpressing mice and wild-type (WT) mice were …

Pitting Strength Estimate For Cast Iron And Copper Alloy Materials, Edward E. Osakue, Lucky Anetor, Kendall Harris

Faculty Publications

An attempt is made to predict the pitting strength of cast iron and copper alloy materials from their compressive yield or compressive proof strength for a reliability of 99% at 107load cycles. The compressive yield or compressive proof strength is related to the tensile strength of ductile cast iron and copper alloy materials by a proportionality factor. Two proportionality factors are used for brittle cast iron materials. The pitting strength formulation incorporates a nominal design factor at 99% reliability which is estimated from a probabilistic model based on the lognormal probability density function. Pitting strength estimates from the predictions are …

Signal Timing And Geometric Design At Contraflow Left-Turn Lane Intersections, Rongwei Guo, Jinli Liu, Qun Zhao, Yi Qi

Faculty Publications

As a type of innovative intersection, Contraflow left-turn lane (CLL) intersection, has been increasingly implemented at the signalized intersections for increasing the leftturn capacity. This study developed a systematic method for determining the length of CLL and the signal timing plan for implementing CLL at signalized intersections. At first, the signal timing and geometric design requirements in the implementation of CLL were analyzed. Then, these requirements were thoroughly considered in the development of the proposed method. A case study was conducted for evaluating the operational benefits of redesigning a real-world CLL intersection using the recommended signal timing plan and CLL …

Pittsburgh, The Realest City: Shit Talk’N, Storytell’N, Social Liv’N, Jacqueline Roebuck Sakho

Faculty Publications

This article documents my lived experience as a participant observer in a writing/performance course that brought together returning citizens, police officers, community activists, university students and faculty. I am utilizing Hoffman’s (2004) “Living Stories” framework and Cutts’ (2016) expansion of Poetic Inquiry to present “Ars Spirituality” as the lens to frame the discussion of my storytelling and storiography experience. Curated by Duquesne University sociologist Norman Conti, with theoretical justification from C. Wright Mills and Erving Goffman, the course was co-facilitated by award-winning actor/writer Roger Guenveur Smith and world-renowned writing coach and performer Susan Stein over Zoom video conferencing …

Content Literacy Pd: Middle Grades Language Arts Teachers Perceptions, Nichole L. Smith, Brian K. Williams

Faculty Publications

In this study, middle school language arts teachers engaged in focus group interviews and shared their perceptions of content literacy, experiential learning, assessment data, and refined practice prior to and after participating in a sustained content literacy professional development. Findings based on these perceptions demonstrate a need for continued development in the aforementioned areas.

A Comparison Of Running Economy Across Seven Carbon-Plated Racing Shoes, Dustin P. Joubert, Garrett P. Jones

Faculty Publications

Background: Advancements in running shoe technology, particularly in the Nike Vaporfly, have been shown to improve running economy. Other brands have now also developed new, advanced shoes with a carbon-fiber plate and thicker, new midsole foams. However, none of these new shoes have been compared to the Vaporfly. Therefore, we compared the effects of 7 different carbon-plated shoes and 1 traditional racing shoe on running economy.

Methods: Seven carbon-plated shoes: Hoka-RocketX (HRX), Saucony-Endorphin Pro (SEP), Nike-Alphafly (NAF), Asics-Metaspeed Sky (AMS), Nike-Vaporfly2 (NVF2), New Balance-RC Elite (NBRC), Brooks-Hyperion Elite2 (BHE2), and one traditional shoe: Asics-Hyperspeed (AHS) were tested in 12 male …

Book Review: Assessing Culturally Informed Parenting In Social Work, Christine M. Bishop

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Creating Space For Community Representation In Police Reform, Ayesha Bell Hardaway

Faculty Publications

Input from affected communities is an essential component of the reform process aimed at remedying unconstitutional police practices. Yet, no court in DOJ-initiated police reform consent decree cases has ever granted a community organization’s motion to intervene as a matter of right. Judicial opinions in those cases have largely truncated the Federal Civil Rule 24 analysis when evaluating the interests of impacted communities. Thus, the most success achieved by a small few has been permissive intervention or amici status. The models used by the Department of Justice to elicit the community perspective have largely been frustrating and have failed to …

Signs And Christology In John 6:1-21 In Light Of Jewish And Greco-Roman Frames Of Reference: Prophet, King, And Revealer Of God, Craig R. Koester

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.