Digital Commons Network^™

Recovery Of Saltmarsh Macroinfauna After The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Manisha Pant, John W. Fleeger, David Samuel Johnson, Rita Riggio, Aixin Hou, Donald R. Deis, Scott Zengel

Faculty Publications

To examine invertebrate community recovery after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, we monitored the recovery of macroinfauna in replicated reference, moderately and heavily oiled salt marshes in Barataria Bay Louisiana for 8.5 years after the spill. Plants suffered near 100% mortality in heavily oiled marshes, profoundly altering the sedimentary environment. Plants in moderately oiled marshes did not suffer extensive mortality but experienced reduced above- and belowground plant biomass. A community analysis based on 40 macroinfaunal taxa was conducted during early (2011–2012), middle (2013–2017), and late (2017–2018) stages of recovery. The early stage was marked by very low taxonomic diversity …

Prompt Periodicity In The Grb 211211a Precursor: Black-Hole Or Magnetar Engine?, Gavin P. Lamb, Thomas Baxter, Conor M.B. Omand, Dimple, Zoë Mcgrath, Cairns Turnbull, Eric Burns, Hamid Hamidani, Ilya Mandel, Kim L. Page, Stephan Rosswog, Nikhil Sarin, Andrew Blain, Laurence Datrier, Shiho Kobayashi, Andrew Levan, Rhaana Starling, Benjamin Gompertz, Nusrin Habeeb, Khang Nguyen, Nial Tanvir

Faculty Publications

The merger origin long GRB 211211A was a class (re-)defining event. A precursor was identified with a s separation from the main burst, as well as a claimed candidate quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) with a frequency Hz. Here, we explore the implications of the precursor, assuming the quasi-periodicity is real. The precursor variability time-scale requires relativistic motion with a Lorentz factor, and implies an engine-driven jetted outflow. The declining amplitude of the consecutive pulses requires an episodic engine with an 'on/off' cycle consistent with the QPO. For a black-hole central engine, the QPO can have its origin in Lense-Thirring precession of …

Ab Initio Informed 20ne(P, Pα)16o Reaction Elucidates The Emergence Of Alpha Clustering From Chiral Potentials, G. H. Sargsyan, Kazuki Yoshida, Kazuyuki Ogata, K. D. Launey, J. E. Escher, D. Langr, T. Dytrych

Faculty Publications

We report on the first ab initio informed α knock-out reaction in the intermediate-mass region, with the aim to probe the underlying chiral potential and its impact on the emergence of alpha clustering in this mass region. The theoretical predictions of the α+¹⁶O clustering in the ²⁰Ne ground state, based on the ab initio symmetry-adapted no-core shell model with continuum, yield a triple differential cross section for ²⁰Ne(p, pα)¹⁶O that is in a remarkable agreement with the data. This allows us to examine predictions of surface and in-medium α-cluster features that emerge from the …

Structure Of Beta-Decaying States In The Deformed, Neutron-Rich Nucleus 104nb, S. Nandi, F. G. Kondev, M. P. Carpenter, J. A. Clark, P. A. Copp, D. J. Hartley, H. Jayatissa, T. Lauritsen, S. Marley, G. E. Morgan, G. Mukherjee, C. Müller-Gatermann, W. Reviol, G. Savard, D. Seweryniak

Faculty Publications

Excited structures in ¹⁰⁴Mo were populated by β decays of the ground and isomeric states in the neutron-rich nucleus ¹⁰⁴Nb. The beams were produced by the CARIBU facility at Argonne National Laboratory, re-accelerated by the ATLAS accelerator and implanted on a moving-tape system in the middle of the GAMMASPHERE array. Separate decay schemes for the two β-decaying states in ¹⁰⁴Nb were constructed for the first time. The structure of the isomers are discussed in the framework of the deformed Nilsson model and systematics of known quasiparticle structures in neighboring nuclei.

Fermi Detection Of Gamma-Ray Emission From The Hot Coronae Of Radio-Quiet Active Galactic Nuclei, Jun Rong Liu, Jian Min Wang, Zi Hao Zhao, D. F. Torres, J. B. Thayer, H. Tajima, D. J. Suson, P. Spinelli, G. Spandre, E. J. Siskind, C. Sgrò, D. Serini, P. M. Saz Parkinson, M. Sánchez-Conde, O. Reimer, A. Reimer, M. Razzano, B. Rani, R. Rando, S. Rainò, G. Principe, T. A. Porter, R. Pillera, M. Pesce-Rollins, M. Persic, G. Panzarini, D. Paneque, J. F. Ormes, E. Orlando, M. Orienti, N. Omodei, R. Niwa, M. Negro

Faculty Publications

Relativistic jets around supermassive black holes are well-known powerful γ-ray emitters. In the absence of the jets in radio-quiet active galactic nuclei, how the supermassive black holes work in γ-ray bands is still unknown despite great observational efforts in the past three decades. Here, considering the previous efforts, we carefully select an active galactic nucleus sample composed of 37 nearby Seyfert galaxies with ultrahard X-rays for γ-ray detection by excluding all potential contamination in this band. Adopting a stacking technique, we report the significant γ-ray detection (test statistic 30.6, or 5.2σ) from the sample using 15-year Fermi-LAT observations. We find …

Purification Of Uranium Tetrafluoride Using Ammonium Bifluoride, Kyle R. Foster, Juliano Schorne-Pinto, Ronald E. Booth, Annabelle Husek, Mina Aziziha, Hunter B. Tisdale, Bernie W.N. Fitzpatrick, Hans Conrad Zur Loye, Markus H.A. Piro, Theodore M. Besmann

Faculty Publications

A method of purification for UF₄ utilizing NH₄HF₂ was investigated to remove oxygen and hydrate impurities from the salt. The original salt exhibited a melting point at 915–920 °C, which corresponds to the eutectic temperature of the UF4-UO2 system, showing clear signs of oxygen contamination. To purify the salt, an air-tight reaction vessel inside an argon glovebox was used to react UF4/NH4HF2 mixtures at elevated temperatures under a continuous flow of inert gas. The process yielded a significantly purer UF4 salt as confirmed via inert gas fusion, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and inductively coupled plasma-optical …

Redundant Functions Of Mir156-Targeted Squamosa Promoter Binding Protein-Like Transcription Factors In Promoting Cauline Leaf Identity, Darren Manuela, Liren Du, Qi Zhang, Yifei Liao, Tieqiang Hu, Jim P. Fouracre, Mingli Xu

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Crystal Growth, Thermal, Optical, Magnetic And Electrochemical Properties Of Mo2Ta2O11, Md Abdullah Al Muhit, Alevtina A. Maksimova, Sean C. Wechsler, Habiba Binte Kashem, Gopabandhu Panigrahi, Gregory Morrison, Morgan Stefik, Hans Conrad Zur Loye

Faculty Publications

Single crystals of the transition metal oxide Mo2Ta2O11 were grown for the first time using molten flux synthesis. The compound crystalizes in the trigonal space group R 3‾m (no. 166) with lattice parameters a = b = 5.6267(1) Å and c = 25.1424(6) Å and a unit cell volume of 689.36(3) ų. The structure of Mo2Ta2O11 is composed of alternating layers of TaO6 octahedra and MoO4 tetrahedra connected via corner-sharing. CaH2 was used to achieve a partial low temperature reduction of Mo2Ta2O11. The electrochemical lithiation of polycrystalline Mo2Ta2O11 was also investigated for the first time. Mo2Ta2O11 underwent a …

How Stereotypes And Labor Shortages Lured Asians To The Sunshine: A Brief Historical And Demographic Review Of Asian Americans In Florida., Wenxian Zhang

Faculty Publications

Asians began to arrive in Florida in the years after the Civil War, concentrated mainly in railroad construction, agriculture, and service sectors such as laundry, restaurant, and grocery business. Their population grew very slowly until after World War II, when the discriminatory immigration policies were finally lifted. The 1965 immigration reform act, openings of the Walt Disney World and other tourist attractions, the end of the Vietnam War, the thriving sunbelt economy, and the rapid population growth have all brought numerous new Asian immigrants to the southernmost state in America. Shaped by multiple waves of immigration and various socioeconomic factors, …

The Unappreciated Role Of Intent In Algorithmic Moderation Of Abusive Content On Social Media, Xinyu Wang, Sai Koneru, Pranav Narayanan Venkit, Brett Frischmann, Sarah Rajtmajer

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Diversity And Equity In Medical Education Over The Past Decade: Applications, Matriculations, And The Growing Gaps, Gang Lv, Xiangxiang Jiang, Jordan Franklin, Minghui Li, Jing Yuan, Z Kevin Lu Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Background

Diversity and race-concordant relationships contribute to improved patient experiences and outcomes. In contrast, the representation of underrepresented in medicine (URiM) individuals in different medical specialties is declining. The essential pathway to improving diversity within the future workforce centers around the inclusion of a diverse cohort of medical students. We aimed to examine the diversity of medical school applications and admissions across sex, race and ethnicity over the past decade.

Methods

This study used data from the Association of American Medical Colleges from 2015 to 2024. URiM individuals refer to minority populations that are underrepresented in the medical profession, including …

Using Ai To Promote Student Learning Through Preparation For And Reflection About Simulations, John Lande

Faculty Publications

This article provides model language for a course assignment in which students use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to prepare for and reflect on simulations. The assignment promotes deep learning and supports formative assessment by helping faculty see how students think, make choices, and develop insights. Students upload the simulation materials and the assignment to an AI tool, use it to plan for the simulation, and return to the same chat afterward to reflect. They then ask the AI to generate a draft paper, which they revise using the Track Changes feature in Word. Faculty can use the same feature to …

Characterizing The Influence Of Racism-Related Stress And Pandemic-Related Changes In Social Connections On Cardiovascular Health: Study Protocol And Theoretical Framework, Jewel Scott Phd, Rn, Fnp-C, Victoria Money, Charles Ellis, Chanita Hughes-Halbert, Michelle A. Birkett, Gayenell Magwood

Faculty Publications

Background Cardiovascular-related morbidity and mortality among young adults are rising, and disparities between young Black and White women are immense. Health behaviors including physical activity and diet are essential for optimal cardiovascular health. Psychosocial factors, such as racism, perceived stress, and lack of social support, contribute to racial inequities in cardiovascular disease, which were further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposed study aims to assess the influence of racism-related stress and other social determinants of health, including social connectedness, on quality of life and cardiovascular-related health behaviors. Methods This is a concurrent, triangulation, mixed-methods study combining survey data on …

Numerical Simulation For The Design Of Induction Heating Based Radio Frequency Reactor For Ethylene Production, Hunter Teel, Matthew Craps, Hector-Colon Mercado, Perter Ciesielski, Sirivatch Shimpalee

Faculty Publications

Ethylene is a vital petrochemical compound produced in vast amounts yearly by manufacturers that have enough scale to overcome the inherent thermodynamic inefficiencies of the process. In order to address the inefficiencies that prevent smaller scale or intermittent production ethylene, investigation of new production methods are required. In this work, we investigate the use of a radio frequency (RF) based reactor system that generates heat internally as opposed to applying heat externally via steam or direct combustion of fossil fuels. In order to guide the design of an electromagnetic based reactor system, we have created a macroscale model capable of …

A Comparative Techno-Economic Analysis Of Aqueous And Anhydrous Hcl Electrolysis Processes, O. Felix, K. Likit-Anurak, K. Ngamsanroaj, Sirivatch Shimpalee, Ben Meekins

Faculty Publications

The state-of-the-art aqueous HCl electrolysis process is a well-established process for chlorine production but faces challenges such as limited conversion efficiencies, corrosion, and additional pre- and post-electrolyzer processing steps that add to its cost. This study evaluates whether a recently demonstrated anhydrous HCl electrolysis process is more economically viable than the state-of-the-art aqueous process. A 1D electrolyzer model was developed using Aspen Custom Modeler® and integrated into Aspen Plus® for process modeling. Multiple conversion efficiencies (30.5 %, 50 %, 80 %, and 93.4 %) were analyzed for the anhydrous process, with various heat recovery and heat exchanger configurations assessed using …

Medicaid Managed Care Organization Service Coverage And Diagnosis And Treatment Of Opioid Use Disorder: Evidence From Quasi-Random Auto-Assignment In Kentucky, Shelby R. Steuart, Miguel Antonio G Estrada, Christina Andrews Ph.D., Colleen M. Grogan, Olivia M. Hinds, Emily C. Lawler, Lauren A. Peterson, Felipe Lozano-Rojas, Emily C. Lawler, Lauren A. Peterson, Felipe Lozano-Rojas, Melissa A. Westlake, Coady Wing, Amanda J. Abraham

Faculty Publications

Introduction

Opioid-related mortality continues to claim tens of thousands of American lives annually. Medicaid plays an outsized role in financing opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment, paying for almost 40% of all Americans who received OUD treatment in 2017. Methods

Using Medicaid T-MSIS Analytic Files data and a novel data set of Medicaid managed care organization (MCO) plan coverage, we examined the relationship between comprehensiveness of benefits for OUD treatment provided by Medicaid MCO plans and the likelihood of OUD diagnosis and medications for OUD (MOUD) receipt among newly enrolled Medicaid beneficiaries in Kentucky. We use two stage least squares to …

Functional Time Transformation Model With Applications To Digital Health, Rahul Ghosal Ph.D., Marcos Matabuena, Sujit K. Ghosh

Faculty Publications

The advent of wearable and sensor technologies now leads to functional predictors which are intrinsically infinite dimensional. While the existing approaches for functional data and survival outcomes lean on the well-established Cox model, the proportional hazard (PH) assumption might not always be suitable in real-world applications. Motivated by physiological signals encountered in digital medicine, we develop a more general and flexible functional time-transformation model for estimating the conditional survival function with both functional and scalar covariates. A partially functional regression model is used to directly model the survival time on the covariates through an unknown monotone transformation and …

Mutualistas: La Sociedad Auxiliar De Mutua Beneficiaria, Antonito Colorado, 1937-1994, José A. Rivera Ph.D

Faculty Publications

Mutual Aid Societies proliferated in the American Southwest during a period of rapid social change, 1880-1930. In Hispanic towns, these societies were referred to as mutualistas, with a large number concentrated in the San Luis Valley of Colorado and rural counties of northcentral New Mexico. One of the men’s organizations, La Sociedad Protección Mutua de Trabajadores Unidos (SPMDTU), started in Antonito, Colorado, and quickly spread to other communities of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico and eventually to a few mining towns in Utah. With a tri-state model in place, women formed their own mutual protection societies: Sociedad Protectora …

If We Don’T Lose Heart, John Peckham

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Cell-Free Protein Synthesis Reactor Formats: A Brief History And Analysis, Dallin M. Chipman, Anna C. Woolley, Davu N. Chau, William A. Lance, Joseph P. Talley, Tyler P. Green, Benjamin C. Robbins, Bradley Charles Bundy

Faculty Publications

Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) has transformed protein production capabilities by eliminating cellular constraints, enabling the rapid expression of difficult-to-produce proteins in an open, customizable environment. As CFPS applications expand from fundamental research to industrial production, therapeutic manufacturing, and point-of-care diagnostics, the diverse array of reactor formats has become increasingly important yet challenging to navigate. This review examines the evolution and characteristics of thirteen major CFPS reactor formats, from traditional batch systems to advanced platforms. The historical development of CFPS reactors from the 1960s to present day is presented. Additionally, for each format, operational principles, advantages, limitations, and notable applications are …

Identification Of Authentic Gnss Signals In Time-Differenced Carrier-Phase Measurements With A Software-Defined Radio Receiver, Zhen Zhu, Sanjeev Gunawardena, Eric Vinande, Jason Pontious

Faculty Publications

The time-differenced carrier phase can be computed from measurements recorded by a multi-global navigation satellite system software-defined radio receiver such as PyChips, from which the user displacement and receiver clock drift can be solved. PyChips is able to simultaneously track authentic and inauthentic signals in separate channels, which makes it possible to observe both types of measurements with corresponding navigation data. A random sample consensus algorithm has been introduced to assess the consistency between the measurements and data. This algorithm successfully separated authentic channels from inauthentic channels when they are broadcast simultaneously.

Sex-Dependent Modulation Of Behavioral Allocation Via Ventral Tegmental Area-Nucleus Accumbens Shell Circuitry, Kristen A. Mclaurin, Jessica M. Illenberger, Hailong Li, Rosemarie M. Booze, Charles F. Mactutus

Faculty Publications

Diagnostic criteria for substance use disorder, cocaine type (i.e., cocaine use disorder), outlined in the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, imply that the disorder arises, at least in part, from the maladaptive allocation of behavior to drug use. To date, however, the neural circuits involved in the allocation of behavior have not been systematically evaluated. Herein, a chemogenetics approach (i.e., designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs)) was utilized in combination with a concurrent choice self-administration experimental paradigm to evaluate the role of the mesolimbic neurocircuit in the allocation of behavior. Pharmacological activation …

Feedback Parameters For A Closed-Loop Multiple-Input Multiple-Output Model Of The Upper Limb, Ian Syndergaard, Daniel B. Free, Dario Farina, Steven Knight Charles

Faculty Publications

Both closed-loop models and multi-input multi-output (MIMO) models of the neuromusculoskeletal system of the upper limb are important for simulating and understanding motor control. Yet no large-scale linear neuromusculoskeletal models of the upper limb that are both closed-loop and MIMO have been developed. The primary difficulty in creating such models is choosing appropriate feedback parameters (such as feedback gains and delays), as such a collection of parameters is not available in the literature. The purpose of this work is to 1) present a method for developing MIMO models of short-loop afferent feedback and 2) offer estimates of average feedback parameter …

A Demand Systems Analysis Of Energy Sources In The United States, Rafael Bakhtavoryan

Faculty Publications

This study estimates a Generalized Exact Affine Stone Index model to quantify demand structure among such energy sources as natural gas, coal, nuclear, wind, solar, and geothermal energy, employing monthly time-series data ranging from January of 2009 through December of 2020. The demand for natural gas, coal, and nuclear energy emerges as inelastic. A significant substitutability relationship is empirically established between the energy sources. All the computed expenditure elasticities are positive, with natural gas being the most sensitive and nuclear energy being the least sensitive to energy source expenditures. Pre-committed consumption is found for geothermal energy. Finally, the welfare implications …

High-Frequency Impedance Spectroscopy: Measurement Reproducibility, Electromagnetic, And Ionic Effects In Cylindrical Lithium-Ion Cells, Matthew R. King, Paul T. Coman, Rafid Mollah, Md Rayhan Khan, Saranraj Karuppuswami, Taylor R. Garrick, Ralph E. White

Faculty Publications

Accurate high-frequency electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (HF EIS) is critical for understanding lithium-ion battery (LIB) behavior under AC perturbations, relevant to electric vehicle systems and charging infrastructure. However, measurements at high frequencies are often distorted by external electromagnetic interference, poor contact quality, and wiring artifacts. This study investigates four experimental testbench configurations for HF EIS of cylindrical LIBs, highlighting the impact of contact resistance, Faraday shielding, wire twisting, and calibration. A coupled electrochemical-electromagnetic model is developed to isolate and analyze the skin effect and frequency-dependent electrolyte conductivity. Results show that spot-welded connections, twisted and shielded wiring, and calibration within a Faraday …

3d Nano-Architected Polymer Shell Enables Reconfigurable Stabilized Blue Phase Soft Crystals, Sephideh Norouzi, Yazael R. Morales-Flores, Tadej Emersic, Jeremy Money, Otillo E. Rodriguez-Lopez, Andrew Casale, Juan J. De Pablo, Jose A. Martinez-Gonzalez, Monirosadat Sadati

Faculty Publications

Blue phases (BPs), formed through the self-assembly of chiral liquid crystal molecules into 3D nanolattices with cubic symmetries, exhibit dynamic photonic bandgaps in the visible spectrum, offering transformative opportunities for advanced optical circuits, sensing and communication technologies. However, their thermal stability is restricted to a narrow temperature range (0.5–1.0 K), limiting practical applications. Polymer stabilization of bulk BPs has extended thermal stability but often compromises the dynamic behavior essential for fast-response functionalities. Here, experimental and computational approaches are integrated to investigate the effect of curvature and interfacial interactions on BP polymer stabilization. It is demonstrated that photo-polymerization of reactive monomers …

Understanding The Effect Of Chiral Nn Parametrization On Nuclear Shapes From An Ab Initio Perspective, Kevin S. Becker, Kristina D. Launey, Andreas Ekström, Grigor H. Sargsyan, Darin C. Mumma, Tomáš Dytrych, Daniel Langr, Jerry P. Draayer

Faculty Publications

The ab initio symmetry-adapted no-core shell model naturally describes nuclear deformation and collectivity, and is therefore well-suited to studying the dynamics and coexistence of shapes in atomic nuclei. For the first time, we analyze how these features in low-lying states of⁶Li and¹²C are impacted by the underlying realistic nucleon-nucleon interaction. We find that the interaction parametrization has a notable but limited effect on collective shapes in the lowest⁶Li and¹²C states, while collective structures in the excited 2⁺ state of¹²C are significantly more sensitive to the interaction parameters and exhibits …

Evaluating Potential Changes From Nitrogen To Phosphorus Nutrient Limitation Of Phytoplankton Growth In North Inlet Estuary, Catherine Schlenker, James L. Pinckney

Faculty Publications

In marine systems, molar ratios of the biolimiting inorganic nutrients, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), are assumed to follow the “Redfield ratio” (N:P = 16:1), which is often used to infer nutrient limitation of phytoplankton biomass. Traditionally, estuaries are considered N-limited (N:P <  16) but with higher coastal N-loading, reports of P-limitation (N:P > 16) have increased. In recent decades, nutrient loading in North Inlet Estuary (NIE) has changed such that dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN):dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) ratios increased from ca. 7 to 20 (2002–2021). This suggests that primary production in NIE may be transitioning from N-limitation to NP co-limitation or primary P-limitation. Due to high N:P ratios, we hypothesized that …

Exploring The Translation Lookaside Buffer (Tlb) For Low-Level Task Differentiation And Classification, Cristian Agredo, Daniel F. Koranek, Christine M. Schubert, Jose A. Gutierrez Del Arroyo, Tor J. Langehaug, Scott R. Graham

Faculty Publications

The primary focus of modern Central Processing Unit (CPU) technologies is performance improvement, with security often considered a secondary concern. As a result, vulnerabilities within the system are overlooked. While significant research, both offensive and defensive, has been conducted on CPU caches, relatively little attention has been given to the Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB) due to its perceived lack of data granularity. Prior studies have typically combined multiple Hardware Performance Counters (HPCs) or relied on timing analysis to extract meaningful insights. In contrast, this study introduces a novel methodology that leverages only TLB related HPCs for multi-task classification, without incorporating …

High Field Performance Of Si-Doped N-Aln Layers Grown Using Pulsed Mocvd, Abdullah Al Mamun Mazumder, Tariq Jamil, Mafruda Rahman, Muhammad Ali, Grigory Simin, Asif Khan

Faculty Publications

We report on the study of high-field performance of Si-doped n-AlN layers that were grown using a pulsed metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (PMOCVD) process. In the past we showed this pulsed doping approach to lead to doping efficiency superior to that in the conventional MOCVD process. Here using them as the drift layer for a quasi-vertical conduction Schottky barrier, we show their ability to withstand high reverse bias voltages and sustain an electrical field as high as 9.9 MV cm−1. Our study thus demonstrates the viability of the PMOCVD growth and doping approach to yield n-AlN layers suitable …