Digital Commons Network^™

Bicontinuous Interconnected Porous Biomaterials For Tissue Engineering And Regeneration, Aihik Banerjee, Anjana Khanal, Prince D Okoro, Shankar P Kharal, Kevin Dalsania, Baishali Kanjilal, Shiril B Iragavarapu, Yiqing Chen, Janitha M Unagolla, Huinan H Liu, Joshua T Morgan, Robert P Hesketh, Arash Pezhouman, Reza Ardehali, Bahman Anvari, Martin F Haase, Iman Noshadi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Biomaterials mimicking natural extracellular matrix are necessary to create an optimal microenvironment for cell adhesion, migration, proliferation, and differentiation. These scaffolds must possess bicontinuous interconnected porosity to ensure the effective exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and metabolic waste, which are crucial for developing functional tissues. Here, a novel bicontinuous interfacially jammed emulsion (BIJEL)-Integrated PORous Engineered System (BIPORES) is developed to confer bioinert synthetic polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) with unique bicontinuous interconnected porosity and surface topography. This platform is fabricated through controlled phase separation and interfacial stabilization of two continuous phases by nanoparticles. Functional validation using human mesenchymal stem cells, and human …

High Risk Of Persistence And Risk Of Dysplasia After Diagnosis Of Ultrashort Barrett's Esophagus, Wasseem Skef, Jasmine Haydel, Ashwin Rao, Ronan Allencherril, Rollin George, Gyanprakash A Ketwaroo, Aaron P Thrift, Hashem B El-Serag, Theresa Nguyen Wenker

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: The management of ultrashort (< 1 cm) Barrett's esophagus (BE) remains unclear. We aimed to determine the prevalence of ultrashort BE (USBE) at index diagnosis, identify factors associated with persistent BE after USBE diagnosis, and identify risk of dysplasia after initial USBE in a population of US veterans.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Houston, TX, of consecutive patients with new BE diagnosis from November 1990 to June 2022 with follow-up through April 2023. Using a pathology database, we identified patients with a new USBE diagnosis and any subsequent follow-up esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). We examined the association of sociodemographic and clinical risk factors of persistent USBE cohort compared with longer-length segment BE and those with a negative follow-up EGD after index USBE with χ 2 tests and logistic regression models. Last, we calculated the prevalence and …

Ambulatory Acute Kidney Injury In Patients With Cirrhosis Is Common And Burdensome, Kavish R Patidar, Ruben Hernaez, Yan Liu, George Cholankeril, Jennifer R Kramer, Thom Taylor, Prasun Jalal, Tzu-Hao Lee, Avegail G Flores, Giuseppe Cullaro, Andrew S Allegretti, Pere Gines, Fasiha Kanwal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background & aims: Little is known about ambulatory acute kidney injury (A-AKI), which develops in an outpatient setting.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with cirrhosis between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2019 from 130 hospitals in the Veterans Affairs healthcare system. Patients were classified as having incident A-AKI if they met the International Club of Ascites AKI criteria in an outpatient setting. We used multivariable regression models to identify factors associated with A-AKI development within 1 year of cirrhosis diagnosis. We also conducted a structured implicit review of patients' medical charts to determine the …

Targeting Steroid Receptor Coactivators For The Treatment Of Benign Female Reproductive Disorders, Yuri Park, Jaeyeong Jeong, Eunsu Kim, Nuri Sung, Sang Jun Han

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Steroid receptor coactivators (SRCs) are master regulators of nuclear receptor signaling and play essential roles in female reproductive physiology. By integrating steroid hormone signaling with growth factors and metabolic pathways, SRC-1, SRC-2, and SRC-3 coordinate key processes such as decidualization, placental development, and ovarian function. Dysregulation of SRCs is strongly linked to the progression of benign gynecologic disorders, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and uterine fibroids, largely through enhancing hormonal hypersensitivity and disrupting nuclear receptor-mediated cellular pathways. Emerging evidence further implicates specific SRC isoforms in disease pathogenesis, underscoring their potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets. To inhibit SRC activity, …

Gregor: Accelerating Genomics For Rare Diseases, Moez Dawood, Ben Heavner, Marsha M Wheeler, Rachel A Ungar, Jonathan Lotempio, Laurens Wiel, Seth Berger, Jonathan A Bernstein, Jessica X Chong, Emmanuèle C Délot, Evan E Eichler, James R Lupski, Ali Shojaie, Michael E Talkowski, Alex H Wagner, Chia-Lin Wei, Christopher Wellington, Matthew T Wheeler, Gregor Partner Members, Claudia M B Carvalho, Richard A Gibbs, Casey A Gifford, Susanne May, Danny E Miller, Heidi L Rehm, Kaitlin E Samocha, Fritz J Sedlazeck, Eric Vilain, Anne O'Donnell-Luria, Jennifer E Posey, Lisa H Chadwick, Michael J Bamshad, Stephen B Montgomery, Genomics Research To Elucidate The Genetics Of Rare Diseases (Gregor) Consortium

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Rare diseases are collectively common, affecting approximately 1 in 20 individuals worldwide. In recent years, rapid progress has been made in rare disease diagnostics due to advances in next-generation sequencing, development of new computational and functional genomics approaches to prioritize genes and variants and increased global sharing of clinical and genetic data. However, more than half of individuals suspected to have a rare disease lack a genetic diagnosis. The Genomics Research to Elucidate the Genetics of Rare Diseases (GREGoR) Consortium was initiated to study thousands of challenging rare disease cases and families and apply, standardize and evaluate emerging genomics technologies …

Optic Nerve Injury Impairs Intrinsic Mechanisms Underlying Electrical Activity In A Resilient Retinal Ganglion Cell, Thomas E Zapadka, Nicholas M Tran, Jonathan B Demb

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are the sole output neurons of the retina and convey visual information to the brain via their axons in the optic nerve. Following injury to the optic nerve, RGCs axons degenerate and many cells die. For example, a model of axon injury, the optic nerve crush (ONC), kills ~80% of RGCs after two weeks. Surviving cells are biased towards ‘resilient’ types, including several with sustained firing to light stimulation. RGC survival may depend on activity, and there is limited understanding of how or why activity changes following optic nerve injury. Here we quantified the electrophysiological properties …

Neurodevelopmental Abnormalities Underlying Behavioral Deficits In A Model Of Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Arvind Chandrakantan, Michael R Williamson, Vaishnav Krishnan, Mahyar J Hedayatpour, Adam C Adler, Nandani Adyapak, Chris S Ward, Russell Ray, David Durgan, Farrah Kheradmand, Benjamin Deneen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Rationale: Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea (POSA) is a relatively common childhood sleep disorder whose neurodevelopmental phenotype includes deficits in learning and memory, olfaction, and fine motor abilities.

Objectives: To date, there has not been a validated preclinical model of POSA, hampering efforts in understanding how nocturnal episodes of intermittent hypoxia disrupt neurodevelopmental trajectories. The objective of this study was to create a faithful sculpting of the human condition in a preclinical murine model.

Methods: We used clinical data from children with POSA to develop and validate a mouse model of POSA that faithfully recapitulates several behavioral deficits seen in the …

Genome Sequencing Reveals The Impact Of Pseudoexons In Rare Genetic Disease, Georgia Pitsava, Megan Hawley, Light Auriga, Ivan De Dios, Arthur Ko, Sofia Marmolejos, Miguel Almalvez, Ingrid Chen, Kaylee Scozzaro, Jianhua Zhao, Rebekah Barrick, Nicholas Ah Mew, Vincent A Fusaro, Jonathan Lotempio, Matthew Taylor, Luisa Mestroni, Sharon Graw, Dianna Milewicz, Dongchuan Guo, David R Murdock, Kinga M Bujakowska, Changrui Xiao, Emmanuèle C Délot, Seth I Berger, Eric Vilain

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Advancements in sequencing technologies have significantly improved clinical genetic testing; yet, the diagnostic yield remains around 30% to 40%. Emerging technologies are now being deployed to address the remaining diagnostic gap.

Methods: We tested whether short-read genome sequencing could increase the diagnostic yield in individuals enrolled into the UCI-GREGoR research study, who had suspected Mendelian conditions and prior inconclusive testing. Two other collaborative research cohorts, focused on aortopathy and dilated cardiomyopathy, consisted of individuals who were undiagnosed but had not undergone harmonized prior testing.

Results: We sequenced 353 families (754 participants) and found a molecular diagnosis in 54 (15.3%) …

Restricting Metabolic Plasticity Enhances Stress Adaptation Through The Modulation Of Pdh And Hif1a In Trap1-Depleted Colon Cancer, Hong-Yuan Tsai, Miao-Hsueh Chen, Jihye Yun, Lisa A Lai, John F Valentine, Mary P Bronner, Teresa A Brentnall, Sheng Pan, Ru Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Metabolic plasticity allows cancer cells to survive under adverse conditions. To investigate the role of mitochondrial chaperone tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1 (TRAP1) in this process, we used CRISPR/Cas9 mediated genetic deletion to knock out (KO) TRAP1 in colon cancer cells. Depletion of TRAP1 triggered a series of events: induced metabolic reprogramming, increased glycolytic flux, downregulation of mitochondrial complex I, and elevated ROS generation. TRAP1-deficient cells showed tolerance to Oxidative Phosphorylation (OXPHOS) inhibitors and exhibited a higher extracellular acidification rate (ECAR). Additionally, TRAP1 depletion activated hypoxia response elements (HREs) and upregulated HIF1A target genes such as GLUT1 and MCT1. …

Risk Score Roulette: A Cautionary Tale Of Polygenic Risk Score Reliability, Diane Xue, Elizabeth E Blue, Alexis C Wood, Jerome I Rotter, Alison E Fohner

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Genetic risk prediction for Alzheimer's disease (AD) has high potential impact, yet few studies have assessed the reliability of various polygenic risk score (PRS) methods at the individual level. Here, we evaluated the reliability of AD PRS estimates among 6338 participants from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. We compared four PRS models that have been previously associated with dementia risk. Despite similar population-level performance metrics, inter-model reliability of individual-level risk assessment was low, even among individuals classified in the top and bottom deciles. These findings raise serious concerns about the downstream application of PRS for guiding interventions for AD.

Global Cooling Watch 2025, Omar Abdelaziz, Ray Gluckman, Ian Hamilton, Radhika Khosla, Lily Riahi

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

The second edition of UNEP’s Global Cooling Watch Report takes a deep dive into one of the decade’s most urgent challenges: surging heat, soaring cooling demand, and stark inequalities in access. Produced by the UNEP-led Cool Coalition, the report provides a comprehensive assessment of the rapidly growing global demand for cooling and the need for climate-friendly solutions to the issue. The 2025 report builds on the first Global Cooling Watch (2023), which established the Sustainable Cooling Pathway framework. The new edition deepens analysis of intensifying extreme heat and its effect on cooling demand, improved assessment of passive cooling, and coverage …

Home And Religion, Emma Alexandra Grimley, Orlando Woods, Lily Kong

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

This chapter explores how religious practices and identities intersect with the home as both a construct and physical locale and surveys the social science literature on religion in/and the home. We argue that the shifting space-times of religious practice reflect and influence the changeable and porous boundaries between public and private space, the home and beyond the home. This influence is shown by reference to three areas of focus: the home as a private space of and for religion; the use of religion to cross social and spatial boundaries of home; and the reconfiguration of the home in religious practice …

Poster Abstract: Field Evaluation Of Body Thermoregulation-Based Dynamic Bedroom Air Temperature Control To Improve Sleep, Wenhao Zhang, Stefano Schiavon, Clayton Miller

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

Sleep is essential for human health and well-being. Previous lab-based studies have shown that dynamically adjusting bedroom temperature according to body thermoregulation can improve sleep quality and thermal satisfaction. However, such strategies have not been tested in real-world settings, and there is a lack of practical solutions developed for residential buildings. In this work, we test a body thermoregulation-based dynamic air conditioning (AC) control strategy designed for typical Singapore homes and evaluated it in a pilot field deployment. The preliminary findings suggest that the proposed strategy can be successfully implemented in real bedroom settings and may improve sleep outcomes.

Remaking The Smart City Through The Covid-19 Pandemic: Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Orlando Woods, I-Chun Catherine Chang, Haeran Shin

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be a catalysing force for urban innovation in general, and for smart city agendas specifically, throughout the world. From the development of contact tracing technologies and the enforcement of quarantine and safe distancing measures, to the dissemination of public health information and advancement of telehealth rollouts, the promises of “smart” technologies to reveal and govern patterns of socio-spatial contact and mobility can be found at the core of effective city management during the pandemic. Arguably nowhere is this truer than in the cities of Seoul, Singapore and Taipei, where the Asian developmental state was …

Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit Clark Tailings Consolidated Waste Management Area Site Investigation Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp) Revision 0, Woodard & Curran

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

The Effectiveness Of A First-Year Experience Course: A Case Study From A Public Regional University In The Central United States, Taler J. Alexander

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Student retention has become an increasingly popular topic for colleges and universities as they look for ways to keep students amid ever-changing budget climates. Research shows that high quality first-year experience (FYE) courses can provide crucial support to new students as they enter the college or university. Additionally, many researchers have found that supporting students through their transition to a new college environment, developing their sense of belonging, and helping them get involved on campus lead to increased student retention. The purpose of this study was to explore the curriculum, format, and delivery of the FYE course at Blue University …

The Heart Of Policing: Exploring The Essence Of The Phenomenon Between Organizational Culture And Police Officer Job Satisfaction, Charles C. Palmer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological qualitative study was to explore the essence of the phenomenon between organizational culture and police officer job satisfaction among rural law enforcement agencies in Oklahoma. Retaining police officers has become an increasingly challenging task for law enforcement organizations across the United States, as high turnover, costly recruitment, and voluntary resignations continue to strain departments. While previous research has primarily examined demographic and occupational variables influencing satisfaction, limited attention has been given to how organizational culture affects the lived experiences of U.S. police officers. Guided by Edgar Schein’s organizational culture theory, this study examined how …

Leading Beyond The Lecture: A Case Study Exploring How Community College Students Experience Their Instructors’ Positive Leadership Strategies, Mandy Morrison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Positive leadership, an approach to leading individuals to the point of flourishing, has been studied in corporate contexts. While the student-to-instructor relationships only distantly compare to the employee-to-supervisor dynamics, the relationships and power differential have similarities, making the pillars of positive leadership relevant in the context of higher education. Given the critical nature of student success to stakeholders in higher education and the students themselves, discovering instructor strategies that enhance student success can demonstrate an upward spiral of positivity that extends from the student, to the instructor, to the college, and ultimately to the community. Framed by leader-member exchange (LMX) …

Moderators Of Antidepressant Augmentation Versus Switch In The Optimum Randomised Controlled Trial, Helena K Kim, Jordan F Karp, Helen Lavretsky, Daniel M Blumberger, Patrick J Brown, Alastair J Flint, Emily Lenard, J Philip Miller, Charles F Reynolds, Steven P Roose, Eric J Lenze, Benoit H Mulsant

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Older adults with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) benefit more from treatment augmentation than switching. It is useful to identify moderators that influence these treatment strategies for personalised medicine.

AIMS: Our objective was to test whether age, executive dysfunction, comorbid medical burden, comorbid anxiety or the number of previous adequate antidepressant trials could moderate the superiority of augmentation over switching. A significant moderator would influence the differential effect of augmentation versus switching on treatment outcomes.

METHOD: We performed a preplanned moderation analysis of data from the Optimizing Outcomes of Treatment-Resistant Depression in Older Adults (OPTIMUM) randomised controlled trial (

RESULTS: Of …

The Multilevel Limb-Loss And Preservation Rehabilitation Continuum Model (Mlprc): An Evidence-Based Implementation Model Integrating Multiple Perspectives To Improve Outcomes For People Facing Limb Loss, Prateek Grover, Elvin Geng, Rachel G Tabak

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: The patient journey from threatened to actual limb loss, subsequent rehabilitation, and limb preservation through the health system is complicated and prone to delays, attrition, and inequities. A shared multi(socioecological)-level conceptualization of this journey among the multiple stakeholders is the first step for systematically improving limb care through identification of bottlenecks and gaps, contributory factors, and responsive interventions and implementation strategies.

OBJECTIVE: To meet this knowledge gap by presenting a novel implementation model, the Multilevel Limb-loss and Preservation Rehabilitation Continuum (MLPRC), that can be used to develop multilevel applications.

METHODS: MLPRC was developed in three overlapping steps: (1) design …

Basal Cell Of Origin Resolves Neuroendocrine-Tuft Lineage Plasticity In Cancer, Abbie S Ireland, Ramaswamy Govindan, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Neuroendocrine and tuft cells are rare chemosensory epithelial lineages defined by the expression of ASCL1 and POU2F3 transcription factors, respectively. Neuroendocrine cancers, including small cell lung cancer (SCLC), frequently display tuft-like subsets, a feature linked to poor patient outcomes

Proteolysis-Targeting Chimeras In Cancer Therapy: Targeted Protein Degradation For Next-Generation Treatment, Yamile Abuchard, Mariana Barragan, Ricardo Pequeno Bracho, Salique H. Shaham, Debasish Bandyopadhyay, Elias George, Diane Nguyen, Manish Tripathi

School of Medicine Publications

Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) have the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment by specifically targeting and degrading oncogenic proteins. Using the ubiquitin-proteasome system, PROTACs allow the selective degradation of disease-causing proteins, including those traditionally deemed “undruggable” by conventional small-molecule inhibitors. By catalytically eliminating rather than inhibiting proteins, PROTACs provide sustained target suppression with lower doses and reduced toxicity. Their bifunctional design linking a protein of interest to an E3 ligase drives targeted ubiquitination and subsequent proteasomal degradation. Recent progress demonstrates promise in treating solid and hematologic malignancies, with several candidates advancing to clinical trials. This review provides a comprehensive overview of developing …

Development And Evaluation Of The Phenotypic 2g Test To Detect Drug-Resistant Tb, J. I. Garcia, E. T. Mambuque, Amberlee Hicks, Alyssa Schami, S. Munguambe, N. Gomez, G. Tembe, B. Saavedra, S.-H. Wang, Blanca I. Restrepo

School of Medicine Publications

Background: Early diagnosis of TB with drug susceptibility testing (DST) is critical to achieve successful treatment outcomes. We aimed to develop and test a novel colorimetric, 12-well, thin-layer agar-based test to assess its accuracy for TB diagnosis and DST in a clinical setting in Southern Mozambique.

Methods: Development of the first prototype of the second generation (2G) test in the laboratory setting followed by a cross-sectional diagnostic accuracy study with consecutive recruitment of subjects with microbiologically confirmed TB using GeneXpert MTB/RIF Ultra.

Results: In the laboratory setting, the 2G test showed 100% accuracy in detecting resistance of genotypically characterised drug-resistant …

Association Of Component Strategies Of The Target Stroke Phase 3 Nationwide Quality Improvement Program With Accelerated Door-To-Puncture And Door-In-Door-Out Times For Ischemic Stroke Endovascular Thrombectomy In The United States, Brian Mac Grory, Kaiz S. Asif, Haolin Xu, Brooke Alhant, Jay Lusk, David Hasan, Soojin Park, Amelia K. Boehme, Ameer E. Hassan, Kyle M. Fargen

School of Medicine Publications

Background: The Target Stroke Phase III program is a national quality improvement initiative led by the American Heart Association, which sought to improve the quality of care for patients with acute stroke undergoing acute reperfusion therapy including endovascular thrombectomy (EVT).

Methods: A retrospective, observational cohort study was performed using data from the American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Program between January 1, 2017, and March 31, 2022. Three categories of patients were analyzed: (1) patients who arrived directly at the thrombectomy hospital and had EVT, (2) patients who were transferred in from a nonthrombectomy hospital and had EVT, and …

Advancements In Metastatic Spinal Cord Compression Treatment: A Narrative Review Of Innovations, Challenges, And Future Directions, Tirath Patel, Fathimathul Henna, Iman Sharif, Anaya Noor, Hafiza Tooba Siddiqui, Zarhaish Barkat-Ullah, Mahnoor Ishaque, Najia Ali Khan, Christopher Hanani, Abhishek Goyal, Nikhilesh Anand

School of Medicine Publications

Objective: To synthesize recent advancements in metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC) treatment, evaluating their efficacy in improving neurological function, pain relief, survival, and quality of life.

Background: MSCC is an oncologic emergency caused by the progression of cancer to the spine and is prevalent in approximately 3-5% of all cancer patients, with a relatively higher incidence of breast, prostate, and lung cancers. MSCC can lead to irreversible paralysis due to loss of vital sensory and motor functions, thus requiring an immediate diagnosis and treatment.

Methods: A systematic PubMed search identified studies published over the past 5 years focusing on advancements …

Exploring The Influence Of Self-Efficacy And Cultural Identity On Black Teacher Retention, Cicely Kelly Ward

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study addressed the persistent challenge of retaining Black educators in racially diverse U.S. secondary schools. The specific problem was a knowledge gap regarding how the lived experiences of Black teachers connect their self-efficacy and cultural identity to retention. The purpose of this study was to explore these dynamics to inform the development of more effective support strategies. This qualitative phenomenological study involved semistructured interviews with 10 Black secondary school teachers who had 3 or more years of experience in the Southeastern region of Texas. The researcher analyzed the interview data using a thematic analysis framework to identify patterns of …

Effects Of Aromatherapy On Promoting Sleep In Patients With Neurological Deficits, Cherylle R. Reed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Reliance on sleep aids in neurological patient population can lead to negative side effects and compromise patient safety. The purpose of this doctoral nursing project was to determine if the implementation of McDonnell and Newcomb’s aromatherapy process will reduce the incidence of sleep-promoting medication administration as compared to the current practice in neurological deficit patients over 4 weeks. A quantitative, quasi-experimental design evaluated effects on sleep quality and pharmacological sleep aids by using McDonnell and Newcomb’s aromatherapy combination of lavender, bergamot, and ylang ylang essential oils placed on a cotton ball at the patient’s bedside each night. The sample included …

The Effect Of Perceived Principal Leadership Styles And School Type On Elementary Teacher Self-Efficacy, Karen M. Gonzalez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of perceived principal leadership styles and school type on elementary teachers’ self-efficacy. The study examined two research questions. The first examined differences between teachers’ self-efficacy in Title 1 and non-Title 1 schools, and the second examined differences in teacher self-efficacy and perceived principal leadership styles (authoritarian, democratic, and laissez-faire). The convenience sample included 129 elementary teachers from social media teacher groups that taught in various Title 1 and non-Title 1 school districts. I used a quantitative, causal-comparative method to collect data and survey questionnaires that identified trends in leadership styles …

From Personas To Talks: Revisiting The Impact Of Personas On Llm-Synthesized Emotional Support Conversations, Shenghan Wu, Yimo Zhu, Wynne Hsu, Mong-Li Lee, Yang Deng

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The rapid advancement of Large Language Models (LLMs) has revolutionized the generation of emotional support conversations (ESC), offering scalable solutions with reduced costs and enhanced data privacy. This paper explores the role of personas in the creation of ESC by LLMs. Our research utilizes established psychological frameworks to measure and infuse persona traits into LLMs, which then generate dialogues in the emotional support scenario. We conduct extensive evaluations to understand the stability of persona traits in dialogues, examining shifts in traits post-generation and their impact on dialogue quality and strategy distribution. Experimental results reveal several notable findings: 1) LLMs can …

Chain Of Strategy Optimization Makes Large Language Models Better Emotional Supporter, Weixiang Zhao, Xingyu Sui, Xinyang Han, Yang Deng, Yulin Hu, Jiahe Guo, Libo Qin, Qianyun Du, Shijin Wang, Yanyan Zhao, Bing Qin, Ting Liu

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The growing emotional stress in modern society has increased the demand for Emotional Support Conversations (ESC). While Large Language Models (LLMs) show promise for ESC, they face two key challenges: (1) low strategy selection accuracy, and (2) preference bias, limiting their adaptability to users’ emotional needs. Existing supervised fine-tuning (SFT) struggles to address these issues, as it rigidly trains models on single gold-standard responses without modeling nuanced strategy trade-offs. To overcome these limitations, we propose a novel two-stage framework that optimizes strategy selection preferences at each dialogue turn. We first leverage Monte Carlo Tree Search to construct ESC-Pro, a high-quality …