Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Investigation Of Magnesium-Potassium Phosphates As Potential Nuclear Waste Form For The Immobilization Of Minor Actinides, Hans Conrad Zur Loye, Petr Vecernik, Monika Kiselova, Vlastislav Kašpar, Hana Korenkova, Vlastimil Miller, Petr Bezdicka, Jan Šubrt, Natalija Murafa, Volodymyr Shkuropatenko, Sergey Sayenko

Faculty Publications

Several recent studies have evaluated technologies of spent nuclear fuel processing specifically for solidifying transuranic (TRU) waste as a by-product of fission. Of the TRU group, plutonium and the minor actinides will be responsible for the bulk of the radiotoxicity and heat generation of spent nuclear fuel in the long term (300 to 20,000 years). In this study, we investigated magnesium potassium phosphate (MKP)-based compounds as host waste forms for the encapsulation of inactive trivalent Nd and Sm as analogues of the minor trivalent actinides, Am and Cm. Waste forms were fabricated under ambient atmospheric conditions by adding 5 wt.% …

Spatial Pattern And Differential Expression Analysis With Spatial Transcriptomic Data, Fei Qin, Xizhi Luo, Bo Cai Ph.D., Feifei Xiao, Guoshuai Cai

Faculty Publications

The emergence of spatial transcriptomic technologies has opened new avenues for investigating gene activities while preserving the spatial context of tissues. Utilizing data generated by such technologies, the identification of spatially variable (SV) genes is an essential step in exploring tissue landscapes and biological processes. Particularly in typical experimental designs, such as case-control or longitudinal studies, identifying SV genes between groups is crucial for discovering significant biomarkers or developing targeted therapies for diseases. However, current methods available for analyzing spatial transcriptomic data are still in their infancy, and none of the existing methods are capable of identifying SV genes between …

Bound States And Particle Production By Breather-Type Background Field Configurations, Abhishek Rout, Brett Altschul

Faculty Publications

We investigate the interaction of fermion fields with oscillating domain walls, inspired by breather-type solutions of the sine-Gordon equation, a nonlinear system of fundamental importance. Our study focuses on the fermionic bound states and particle production induced by a time-dependent scalar background field. The fermions couple to two domain walls undergoing harmonic motion, and we explore the resulting dynamics of the fermionic wave functions. We demonstrate that while fermions initially form bound states around the domain walls, the energy provided by the oscillatory motion of the scalar field induces an outward flux of fermions and antifermions, leading to particle production …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Hiv-Related Stigma: A Quantitative Survey Of Tanzanian Men, June 2019, Amandeep Kaur, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Geoffrey K. Kangogo, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Ivan E. Teri, Gaspar Mbita, Aima A. Ahonkhai, Donaldson F. Conserve

Faculty Publications

Experiencing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may impact personal opinions, attitudes, and judgments, which can further result in HIV-related stigma. HIV-related stigma consequentially may impact HIV preventive measures such as HIV testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis uptake, and condom use. The extent to which ACEs influence HIV-related stigma perception has not been well studied. Therefore, the study aimed to examine the association between ACEs and perceived and interpersonal HIV-related stigma among Tanzanian HIV-negative men. Quantitative survey data were obtained from the Tanzania STEP (Self-Testing Education and Promotion) project established in four wards: Mabibo, Manzese, Tandale, and Mwanyanamala. A total of 507 men responded …

Evaluation And Lessons Learned From The Dissemination And Implementation Science Scholars Program In The National Cancer Prevention And Control Research Network, Daniela B. Friedman, Cam Escoffery, Elaine H. Morrato, Cynthia A. Thomson, Courtney N. Petagna, Freda Allyson Hucek, Mary Wangen, Aubrey Villalobos, James R. Hébert Scd, Samuel Noblet, Mayank Sakhuja, David O. Garcia, Jennifer L. Cruz, Stephanie B. Wheeler

Faculty Publications

Background:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-funded Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network (CPCRN) has been a leader in cancer-related dissemination & implementation (D&I) science. Given increased demand for D&I research, the CPCRN Scholars Program launched in 2021 to expand the number of practitioners, researchers, and trainees proficient in cancer D&I science methods. Methods:

The evaluation was informed by a logic model and data collected through electronic surveys. Through an application process (baseline survey), we assessed scholars’ competencies in D&I science domains/subdomains, collected demographic data, and asked scholars to share proposed project ideas. We distributed an exit survey …

Exploring The Association Between Parenting Stress And A Child’S Exposure To Positive Childhood Experiences (Pces), Elizabeth Crouch Ph.D., Elizabeth Radcliff, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Peiyin Hung Ph.D

Faculty Publications

High levels of parenting stress, defined as a caregiver or parent feeling stress or aggravation from parenting, has been previously shown to be associated with an increased likelihood of neglect, child maltreatment, and household dysfunction: adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Despite the potential mitigation of positive childhood experiences (PCEs) on ACEs, prior studies on the increased likelihood of a child experiencing ACEs due to parenting stress have left a critical question unanswered: whether high parenting stress may decrease a child’s likelihood of experiencing PCEs. We analyzed the 2019–2020 National Survey of Children’s Health to examine whether higher levels of parenting stress …

Social Isolation And Loneliness Prevention Among Rural Older Adults Aging-In-Place: A Needs Assessment, Jodi L. Southerland, Shimin Zheng, Kayla Dodson, Erin Mauck, Juanita-Dawne R. Bacsu, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Jeremy Holloway, Steffi M. Kim, Ayse Malatyali, Matthew Lee Smith

Faculty Publications

Introduction: The adverse effects of social isolation and loneliness (SI/L) have been documented among older adults in rural communities and contribute to poor health outcomes, premature disability and mortality, and increased burden on the healthcare system. The identification of factors contributing to SI/L among older adults can build the foundation for rural policymakers and leaders to allocate resources and develop tailored strategies more efficiently. The purpose of this article is to describe findings from a needs assessment designed to understand local factors that contribute to SI/L among rural older adults in a county in Northeast Tennessee. Findings from the needs …

A Comparison Of Gaussian Processes And Polynomial Chaos Emulators In The Context Of Haemodynamic Pulse–Wave Propagation Modelling, L. Mihaela Paun, Mitchel J. Colebank, Dirk Husmeier

Faculty Publications

Computational modelling of the cardiovascular system is a promising future direction for patient-specific healthcare. However, the computational cost of these simulators is a bottleneck for their practical use in clinic for real-time digital twins. Emulation can overcome this, yet an extensive investigation into cardiovascular emulators is warranted. In this study, we emulate two one-dimensional haemodynamics models of the pulmonary circulation and compare two common emulation strategies: Gaussian processes (GPs) and polynomial chaos expansions (PCEs). We start by reducing the parameter space of the models through global sensitivity analysis, and then compare both emulation strategies using a multivariate, time-series output …

Examination Of Photoinduced Radicals In Two Crystal Forms Of Triphenylamine Bis-Urea Macrocycles, Md Faizul Islam, Gamage Isuri P. Wijesekera, Anmon J. Sindt, Mark D. Smith, Linda S. Shimizu

Faculty Publications

This study probes two solvates of triphenylamine (TPA) bis-urea macrocycle 1 and their activated structures to evaluate their maximum photoinduced radicals (PIRs), the subsequent decay of the radicals, and their regeneration. The hierarchical assembly of TPAs shows promise in stabilizing less substituted derivatives, potentially expanding the utility of TPAs that lack stabilizing para-substituents. Single crystal structure analysis reveals that host 1 adopts a planar conformation with the two ureas pointing in opposite directions when dimethoxyethane (DME) is encapsulated within the channel. Whereas previously, 1 adopted a bowl-shaped conformation with the two ureas pointing in the same direction (syn …

Examination Of Photoinduced Radicals In Two Crystal Forms Of Triphenylamine Bis-Urea Macrocycles, Md Faizul Islam, Gamage Isuri P. Wijesekera, Ammon J. Sindt, Mark D. Smith, Linda S. Shimizu

Faculty Publications

This study probes two solvates of triphenylamine (TPA) bis-urea macrocycle 1 and their activated structures to evaluate their maximum photoinduced radicals (PIRs), the subsequent decay of the radicals, and their regeneration. The hierarchical assembly of TPAs shows promise in stabilizing less substituted derivatives, potentially expanding the utility of TPAs that lack stabilizing para-substituents. Single crystal structure analysis reveals that host 1 adopts a planar conformation with the two ureas pointing in opposite directions when dimethoxyethane (DME) is encapsulated within the channel. Whereas previously, 1 adopted a bowl-shaped conformation with the two ureas pointing in the same direction (syn …

Innovative Strategies For Healthcare Data Integration: Enhancing Etl Efficiency Through Containerization And Parallel Computing, Ehsan Soltanmohammadi

Theses and Dissertations

The healthcare industry is rapidly transforming due to technology adoption, resulting in an explosion of data. Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) processes are crucial for integrating and analyzing this data to support decision-making and enhance patient care. However, ETL processes face significant challenges, including data diversity, quality issues, security and compliance, and scalability. Opportunities exist to optimize ETL processes through advanced technologies like big data analytics, containerization, and parallel computing, improving data quality, and enhancing security. This literature review examines current ETL processes in healthcare, highlighting challenges and opportunities for future improvement, ultimately aiming to enhance healthcare outcomes and patient experiences. …

Multi-Scale Ai-Assisted Gene Expression Decoding, Fengyao Yan

Theses and Dissertations

Genes can be treated as a graph that can be mapped. Tremendous information is coded in genes to ensure a complex functioning organism. Decoding this information is critical to understanding our biology and developing treatments for various diseases including cancer. Deep learning, a new branch of computer science, has gained traction over the past decade. It offers more insight into the data that is processed by the deeplearning models. Our study has shown that deep-learning models can be an effective tool in decoding genetic data such as gene tissue-deconvolution, gene graph mapping and genomic imputation. In tasks such as tissue …

Using Machine Learning And Deep Learning Algorithms To Improve Low Birthweight Prediction, Yang Ren

Theses and Dissertations

Low birthweight (LBW) is a major public health issue resulting in increased neonatal mortality and long-term health complications. Traditional LBW analysis methods, focusing on incidence rates and risk factors through statistical models, often struggle with complex unseen data, and thus, their effectiveness is limited in early prevention of LBW, requiring more advanced LBW prediction models. Therefore, this dissertation delves into this important research area by proposing and examining novel machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) algorithms, aiming to predict LBW more accurately during the early stage of pregnancy. This dissertation consists of three studies, strategically designed to build upon …

A Low Density Tracker For The Dune Nd Complex., Nibir Talukdar

Theses and Dissertations

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a next-generation long- baseline neutrino experiment aimed at resolving mass hierarchy and the CP violation puzzle in the neutrino sector. Although neutrinos are the most abundant particles in the universe, their study is challenging due to their extremely low interaction cross sections. DUNE aims to overcome these challenges by sending a beam of muon (anti)neutrinos from Fermilab, located near Chicago, to the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in South Dakota.

The experiment consists of a near detector (ND) complex at Fermilab, which mea- sures the composition of the unoscillated neutrino beam, and a …

Bayesian Nonparametric Models For Pooled Data, Yizeng Li

Theses and Dissertations

This work examines two applications of pooling: group testing and pooled biomonitoring. Group testing, introduced by Dorfman in the early 1940s, was initially developed to screen for syphilis among U.S. inductees during World War II. Since then, the approach has demonstrated cost-saving benefits in diverse fields, including drug discovery, genetics, and infectious disease testing. While various regression methods—parametric, nonparametric, and semiparametric—have been proposed to analyze group testing data, they fall short in addressing age-related disparities in disease presence if such variations exist. In Chapter 2, we address this gap by expanding varying coefficient regression within a Bayesian framework to accommodate …

Engaging Students In The Scientific Process: An Examination Of Active Learning Strategies In Introductory Geoscience Labs, Meryssa Piper

Theses and Dissertations

High-quality instruction of introductory geoscience courses entices students to major in geoscience fields and ensures undergraduate students have opportunities to learn and apply scientific information and practices. Prior studies indicate that active learning strategies in higher education settings can increase student knowledge and interest. This dissertation explores the integration of two active learning strategies in introductory geoscience laboratory courses: inquiry and gamification The first study housed in Chapter 2 investigates the level of inquiry used in introductory geoscience lab activities across the United States. Through a comprehensive analysis of these activities, this chapter assesses: (1) the degree to which instructor …

Nonlinear Optical Studies Of Complex Materials, Govinda Kharal

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents an in-depth exploration of nonlinear optical investigations into complex material systems, employing second harmonic generation (SHG) and complementary bulk measurement techniques. The first project focuses on surface symmetries and phase transitions in IrTe2. Using SHG and electrical resistance measurements, we systematically investigate temperature-induced symmetry changes and reveal significant shifts in transition temperatures due to thermal cycling. Comparison with bulk X-ray diffraction confirms that these shifts are surface-related, providing a new interpretation of inconsistencies in reported transition temperatures. Our findings emphasize the effectiveness of SHG in capturing subtle surface phenomena, with future directions involving straincontrolled studies to manipulate …

The Fifth Element In Three Dimensions: Boron Systematics Along And Across The Aleutian Volcanic Arc, Owen Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

This study uses abundances and isotope ratios of the fluid-mobile element boron (B) to better understand the role of fluids in volcanism at the Aleutian arc in Alaska. In volcanic rocks from the Aleutian volcanic front, patterns in B abundance and isotope ratios (δ11B) point to three endmembers: a sediment melt, a slab interior melt, and a slab-top melt. Most lavas from the eastern Aleutian Islands have δ11B of -2 to +5‰, similar to Aleutian sediment. Hence, sediment is likely to be the dominant B source in the Aleutian Island samples. In lavas from the western Aleutian seafloor, high δ11B …

Topics In Beyond The Standard Model Physics, Sapan Karki

Theses and Dissertations

Standard Model and General relativity are two pillars of modern physics, and their reconciliation would bring a long-sought harmony in physics along with insights into the secrets of the universe. It is then natural to try and modify these theories by searching for the fundamental symmetry describing our world. In this work, I work on the implication of breaking of Lorentz symmetry and the existence of topological objects called solitons. In chapter 3, I show how a cosmologically generated Lorentz- Violating model has instability issues. I then show how the quantum corrections on Lorentz-Violating models can produce ambiguity in β-function …

Reframing And Advancing Academic Mentorship To Support New And Early Career Faculty Members, Juanita-Dawne R. Bacsu, Patricia C. Heyn, Steffi Kim, Zahra Rahemi, Monique J. Brown, Darina V. Petrovsky, Justine S. Sefcik, Jodi L. Southerland, Jeremy Holloway, Elyse Couch, Ayse Malatyali, Matthew L. Smith

Faculty Publications

Mentorship is critical to fostering professional growth and career development in academia. However, academic mentorship is often an informal activity that is overlooked and under researched. There is much ambiguity and uncertainty surrounding mentorship roles and strategies in academia. This paper provides recommendations and strategies to reframe and advance academic mentorship to support new and early career faculty.

Allura Red Ac Is A Xenobiotic. Is It Also A Carcinogen?, Lorne J. Hofseth Ph.D., James Hébert Scd, Elizabeth Angela Murphy, Erica Trauner, Athul Vikas, Quinn Harris, Alexander A. Chumanevich

Faculty Publications

Merriam-Webster and Oxford define a xenobiotic as any substance foreign to living systems. Allura Red AC (a.k.a., E129; FD&C Red No. 40), a synthetic food dye extensively used in manufacturing ultra-processed foods and therefore highly prevalent in our food supply, falls under this category. The surge in synthetic food dye consumption during the 70s and 80s was followed by an epidemic of metabolic diseases and the emergence of early-onset colorectal cancer in the 1990s. This temporal association raises significant concerns, particularly given the widespread inclusion of synthetic food dyes in ultra-processed products, notably those marketed toward children. Given its interactions …

Allura Red Ac Is A Xenobiotic. Is It Also A Carcinogen?, Lorne J. Hofseth, James R. Hébert Scd, Elizabeth Angela Murphy, Erica Trauner, Athul Vikas, Quinn Harris, Alexander A. Chumanevich

Faculty Publications

Merriam-Webster and Oxford define a xenobiotic as any substance foreign to living systems. Allura Red AC (a.k.a., E129; FD&C Red No. 40), a synthetic food dye extensively used in manufacturing ultra-processed foods and therefore highly prevalent in our food supply, falls under this category. The surge in synthetic food dye consumption during the 70s and 80s was followed by an epidemic of metabolic diseases and the emergence of early-onset colorectal cancer in the 1990s. This temporal association raises significant concerns, particularly given the widespread inclusion of synthetic food dyes in ultra-processed products, notably those marketed toward children. Given its interactions …

Measurement Of Single Differential Cross Sections, Polarization Observables, And Beam-Spin Asymmetry In Charged Two-Pion Electroproduction Off The Proton, Christopher Andrew Mclauchlin

Theses and Dissertations

Emergent phenomena are described as such due to functional differences in paradigms based on observation scale, one of the most fundamental being the emergence of hadronic structure from bare quarks and gluons, as dictated by the strong interaction. Measurement of charged two-pion electroproduction off the proton with CLAS in run group E1-6 and the extraction of single differential cross sections, polarization observables, and beam-spin asymmetries was performed as a necessary step in illuminating the length scale currently dark to Quantum Chromodynamics within the structure of the proton. Understanding the scale-dependent nature of this hadronic structure is integral to understanding nature …

Accurate Crystal Structure Prediction Of New 2d Hybrid Organic–Inorganic Perovskites, Nima Karimitari, William J. Baldwin, Evan W. Muller, Zachary J.L. Bare, W. Joshua Kennedy, Gábor Csányi, Christopher Sutton

Faculty Publications

Low-dimensional hybrid organic–inorganic perovskites (HOIPs) are promising electronically active materials for light absorption and emission. The design space of HOIPs is extremely large, as a variety of organic cations can be combined with different inorganic frameworks. This not only allows for tunable electronic and mechanical properties but also necessitates the development of new tools for in silico high throughput analysis of candidate materials. In this work, we present an accurate, efficient, and widely applicable machine learning interatomic potential (MLIP) trained on 86 diverse experimentally reported HOIP materials. This MLIP was tested on 73 experimentally reported perovskite compositions and achieves a …

Cortisol And Alpha-Synuclein Stability In Saliva Under Varying Storage And Handling Conditions, Mo Zheng, Sujata Srikanth, Jeremiah Carpenter, Delphine Dean

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor impairments and non-motor symptoms, significantly impacting patients' quality of life. Currently, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is the primary biofluid used for PD biomarker studies, notably α-synuclein, despite the invasive nature of lumbar puncture procedures. Recent work has shown that some of these PD biomarkers have been measured in saliva. As an alternative to CSF, saliva can be non-invasively self-collected by patients repeatedly over time to monitor biomarker levels. However, the stability of these biomarkers in saliva needs to be evaluated before saliva can be considered for patient self-collection studies. Therefore, …

Table Of Contents

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Different Vegetable Oils (Macadamia Nut Oil And Walnut Oil) On The Coefficient Of Friction As A Finish For Oak Wood, Lee Dillon

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Slipping due to insufficient friction with flooring can cause fatal injuries in workplaces and homes. Oak wood flooring is commonly used in construction to build these environments. In the manufacturing process, wood finishing is conducted at the end of the process to strengthen the properties and longevity of the wood, although it could impact the coefficient of friction (COF) causing slip falls. Vegetable oils, such as macadamia nut and walnut oils, used as wood finishes have gained prominence due to their beneficial aspects to the environment. However, little is known about their effectiveness as a safe coating for wood floors. …

Neurosymbolic Cognitive Methods For Enhancing Foundation Model-Based Reasoning, Kaushik Roy, Siyu Wu, Alessandro Oltramari

Faculty Publications

Foundation models have emerged as powerful tools, exhibiting extraordinary performance across various tasks, such as language processing, visual recognition, code generation, and human-centered engagement. However, recent studies have highlighted their limitations when grounded, abstract, and generalized reasoning capabilities are required. Complex tasks often involve multiple hierarchical reasoning steps, which are typical features of human thinking processes. In fact, in this chapter we claim that cognitively-inspired computational models, such as the so-called Common Model of Cognition, are key to enable complex reasoning within foundation model-based artificial intelligence (AI) systems. We investigate neurosymbolic approaches for mapping AI system components to those of …

Size Fractionation Informs Microbial Community Composition And Interactions In The Eastern Tropical North Pacific Ocean, Madeleine A. Thompson, David L. Valentine, Xuefeng Peng

Faculty Publications

Marine microorganisms are drivers of biogeochemical cycles in the world’s oceans, including oxygen minimum zones (OMZs). Using a metabarcoding survey of the 16S rRNA gene, we investigated prokaryotic communities, as well as their potential interactions with fungi, at the coastal, offshore, and peripheral OMZ of the eastern tropical North Pacific. Water samples were collected along a vertical oxygen gradient, and large volumes were filtered through three size fractions, 0.22, 2, and 22 µm. The changes in community composition along the oxygen gradient were driven by Planctomycetota, Bacteroidota, Verrucomicrobiota, and Gammaproteobacteria; most are known degraders of marine polysaccharides and usually associated …

Striatal Beat Frequency Interval Timing Model With Microgravity Stressor, Jason Michael Fitzgerald, Sorinel Oprisan

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

The Striatal Beat Frequency (SBF) model of interval timing uses frontal cortex (FC) neural oscillations to record the state of the brain at the reinforcement time Tc during fixed interval (FI) procedures in the long-term memory (LMEM). The state of the FC oscillators at any given time is stored in a short-term memory (SMEM) buffer. The SBF model uses the spiny neurons of the basal ganglia (BG) as coincidence detectors to produce beats between the content of the SMEM and LMEM. Across multiple species that can perform interval timing, there are two invariant properties: (a) the timing is precise, and …