Statistics and Probability Commons^™

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 …

Burden Of Disease Attributable To High Body Mass Index: An Analysis Of Data From The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2021, Xiao-Dong Zhou, Qin-Fen Chen, Wah Yang, Mauricio Zuluaga, Giovanni Targher, Christopher Byrne, Luca Valentu, Fei Luo, Christos Katsouras, Christopher Opio

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: Obesity represents a major global health challenge with important clinical implications. Despite its recognized importance, the global disease burden attributable to high body mass index (BMI) remains less well understood.

Methods: We systematically analyzed global deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to high BMI using the methodology and analytical approaches of the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2021. High BMI was defined as a BMI over 25 kg/m2 for individuals aged ≥20 years. The Socio-Demographic Index (SDI) was used as a composite measure to assess the level of socio-economic development across different regions. Subgroup analyses considered age, …

Genomic And Socioeconomic Determinants Of Racial Disparities In Breast Cancer Survival: Insights From The All Of Us Program, Nubaira Rizvi, Hui Lyu, Leah Vaidya, Xiao Cheng Wu, Lucio Miele, Qingzhao Yu

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Background: Breast cancer outcomes are worse among Black women in the U.S. compared to White women. While extensive research has focused on risk factors contributing to breast cancer; the role of genomic elements in health disparities between these racial groups remains unclear. This study aims to identify genomic variants and socioeconomic status (SES) determinants influencing racial disparities in breast cancer survival through multiple mediation analyses. Methods: Our investigation is based on the NIH-supported All of Us (AoU) program and analyzes 7452 female participants with malignant tumors of breast, including 5073 with genomic data. A log-rank test reveals significant racial differences …

Assessing The Adequacy Of A Prediction Model, Abhaya Indrayan, Sakshi Mishra Ms

COBRA Preprint Series

No abstract provided.

Large Deviation Theory In Stochastic Processes: Applications To Biological Modeling, Moshe C. Silverstein

Dissertations

This dissertation delves into developing and applying stochastic models to analyze complex biological systems. It leverages Large Deviation Theory (LDT) to gain insights into these systems, focusing on two key examples: neural networks and calcium signaling dynamics. Traditional deterministic methods frequently fail to capture biological processes' randomness and inherent variability. Meanwhile, many stochastic approaches struggle to be mathematically tractable or provide accessible insights. The approach introduced in this study provides rigorous mathematical frameworks to enhance understanding of these stochastic behaviors while remaining tractable and insightful.

A stochastic model for a random biological neural network is constructed that addresses the dependencies …

Risk Factors For Cognitive Impairment In Adult Population Of Coastal Area: A Cross-Sectional Study In Maringkik Island, Indonesia, Herpan Syafii Harahap, Arina Windri Rivarti, Nurhidayati Nurhidayati, Fitriannisa Faradina Zubaidi, Dini Suryani, Legis Ocktaviana Saputri, Yanna Indrayana, Athalita Andhera, Muhammad Hilam, Abiyyu Didar Haq

Kesmas

Cognitive impairment is a medical condition commonly found in elderly populations, which can be due to vascular risk factors in patients. There remains limited data on risk factors for cognitive impairment among coastal region populations. This study aimed to investigate risk factors for cognitive impairment in the adult population of Maringkik Island, West Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. Data collected were age, sex, education level, hypertension, antihypertensive treatment, diabetes mellitus, cigarette smoking, and body mass index status. A total of 114 participants were recruited using a consecutive sampling method. The participants’ cognitive function assessment used the Mini-Cog instrument. The cognitive impairment …

Variation And Predictors Of Covid-19 Mortality In Hospitalized Cases In West Sumatra Province, Indonesia: A Retrospective Observational Study, Defriman Djafri, Ade Suzana Eka Putri, Yudi Pradipta

Kesmas

During 2020, the year of the COVID-19 pandemic, different Indonesian provinces had different numbers of COVID-19 infections and fatalities, particularly in West Sumatra Province. This study aimed to investigate the variation of confirmed COVID-19 cases and determine predictors of mortality in hospitalized patients across districts in West Sumatra Province. A retrospective observational study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. From March 2020 to June 2021, 46,005 confirmed cases were collected in the province, of which 42,308 were hospitalized and analyzed. Confirmed cases and deaths were compared by geographic location using spatial analysis. The risk predictors of death were estimated using …

Exploration Of Positive Deviance In Prevention Of Underweight In The Under-Five: A Qualitative Study On Low-Income Urban Families, Irwan Budiono, Lukman Fauzi, Dewi Sari Rochmayani

Kesmas

Children under the age of five (the under-five) from low-income families are more vulnerable to experience underweight. This nutritional vulnerability is evident in the preliminary study, where 35.1% of the under-five experience underweight, and 28.48% are low-income families. This study aimed to explore Positive Deviance (PD) behaviors in preventing underweight among the under-five. The study applied a qualitative approach with a case study design. Data collection took place in July-August 2022, focusing on low-income families in the Gunung Brintik area. Data were collected through two focus group discussions, seven in-depth interviews, and five key informant interviews. Coding, subtheme, and theme …

Cluster Effect For Snp-Snp Interaction Pairs For Predicting Complex Traits, Hui Yi Lin, Harun Mazumder, Indrani Sarkar, Po Yu Huang, Rosalind A. Eeles, Zsofia Kote-Jarai, Kenneth R. Muir, Johanna Schleutker, Nora Pashayan, Jyotsna Batra, David E. Neal, Sune F. Nielsen, Børge G. Nordestgaard, Henrik Grönberg, Fredrik Wiklund, Robert J. Macinnis, Christopher A. Haiman, Ruth C. Travis, Janet L. Stanford, Adam S. Kibel, Cezary Cybulski, Kay Tee Khaw, Christiane Maier, Stephen N. Thibodeau, Manuel R. Teixeira, Lisa Cannon-Albright, Hermann Brenner, Radka Kaneva, Hardev Pandha, Et Al

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) interactions are the key to improving polygenic risk scores. Previous studies reported several significant SNP-SNP interaction pairs that shared a common SNP to form a cluster, but some identified pairs might be false positives. This study aims to identify factors associated with the cluster effect of false positivity and develop strategies to enhance the accuracy of SNP-SNP interactions. The results showed the cluster effect is a major cause of false-positive findings of SNP-SNP interactions. This cluster effect is due to high correlations between a causal pair and null pairs in a cluster. The clusters with a …

Disparities And Protective Factors In Pandemic-Related Mental Health Outcomes: A Louisiana-Based Study, Ariane L. Rung, Evrim Oral, Tyler Prusisz, Edward S. Peters

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a wide-ranging impact on mental health. Diverse populations experienced the pandemic differently, highlighting pre-existing inequalities and creating new challenges in recovery. Understanding the effects across diverse populations and identifying protective factors is crucial for guiding future pandemic preparedness. The objectives of this study were to (1) describe the specific COVID-19-related impacts associated with general well-being, (2) identify protective factors associated with better mental health outcomes, and (3) assess racial disparities in pandemic impact and protective factors. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of Louisiana residents was conducted in summer 2020, yielding a sample of 986 Black …

Non-Receptor Tyrosine Kinases: Their Structure And Mechanistic Role In Tumor Progression And Resistance, Abdulaziz M. Eshaq, Thomas W. Flanagan, Sofie Yasmin Hassan, Sara A. Al Asheikh, Waleed A. Al-Amoudi, Simeon Santourlidis, Sarah Lilly Hassan, Maryam O. Alamodi, Marcelo L. Bendhack, Mohammed O. Alamodi, Youssef Haikel, Mossad Megahed, Mohamed Hassan

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) function as key molecules in the signaling pathways in addition to their impact as a therapeutic target for the treatment of many human diseases, including cancer. PTKs are characterized by their ability to phosphorylate serine, threonine, or tyrosine residues and can thereby rapidly and reversibly alter the function of their protein substrates in the form of significant changes in protein confirmation and affinity for their interaction with protein partners to drive cellular functions under normal and pathological conditions. PTKs are classified into two groups: one of which represents tyrosine kinases, while the other one includes the …

Lactoferrin And Lysozyme To Promote Nutritional, Clinical And Enteric Recovery: A Protocol For A Factorial, Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Randomised Trial Among Children With Diarrhoea And Malnutrition (The Boresha Afya Trial), Ruchi Tiwari, Kirkby Tickell, Emily Yoshioka, Joyce Otieno, Adeel Shah, Barbra Richardson, Lucia Keter, Maureen Okello, Churchil Nyabinda, Indi Trehan

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Introduction: Children with moderate or severe wasting are at particularly high risk of recurrent or persistent diarrhoea, nutritional deterioration and death following a diarrhoeal episode. Lactoferrin and lysozyme are nutritional supplements that may reduce the risk of recurrent diarrhoeal episodes and accelerate nutritional recovery by treating or preventing underlying enteric infections and/or improving enteric function.

Methods and analysis: In this factorial, blinded, placebo-controlled randomised trial, we aim to determine the efficacy of lactoferrin and lysozyme supplementation in decreasing diarrhoea incidence and improving nutritional recovery in Kenyan children convalescing from comorbid diarrhoea and wasting. Six hundred children aged 6–24 months with …

Exploring Healthcare Chatbot Information Presentation: Applying Hierarchical Bayesian Regression And Inductive Thematic Analysis In A Mixed Methods Study, Samuel Nelson Koscelny

All Theses

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, significantly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, which are leading causes of death in the United States. While contributing to over 691,000 deaths in 2021 alone in the United States (U.S.), it also imposes immense economic burden on the healthcare system, costing approximately $131 billion annually. One way to address this issue is for increased self-care behaviors and medication adherence, both of which require sufficient health literacy. Despite the importance of health literacy, 90% of U.S. adults struggle with health-related subjects. Overcoming the issues associated with health literacy requires addressing the …

Interpregnancy Interval And Adverse Perinatal Outcomes: A Within-Individual Comparative Method, Maria Sevoyan, Marco Geraci, Edward A. Frongillo, Jihong Liu, Nansi S. Boghossian

Faculty Publications

Background and Aim: Previously observed associations between interpregnancy interval (IPI) and perinatal outcomes using a between-individual method may be confounded by unmeasured maternal factors. This study aims to examine the association between IPI and adverse perinatal outcomes using within-individual comparative analyses. Methods: We studied 10,647 individuals from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Consecutive Pregnancies Study in Utah with ≥3 liveborn singleton pregnancies. We matched two IPIs per individual and used conditional logistic regression to examine the association between IPI and adverse perinatal outcomes, including preterm birth (PTB, < 37 weeks’ gestation), small-for-gestational-age (SGA, < 10th percentile of sex-specific birthweight for gestational age), low birthweight (LBW, < 2,500 g), and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission. Point and 95% confidence interval (CI) estimates were adjusted for factors that vary across pregnancies within individuals. Results: CIs did not unequivocally support either an increase or a decrease in the odds of PTB (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.31, 95% CI: 0.87, 1.96), SGA (aOR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.51, 1.28), LBW (aOR: 1.59, 95% CI: 0.90, 2.80), or NICU admission (aOR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.66, 1.40) for an IPI < 6 months compared to 18–23-months IPI (reference), and neither did the CIs for the aOR of IPIs of 6–11 and 12–18 months compared to the reference. In contrast, an IPI ≥24 months was associated with increased odds of LBW (aOR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.03, 2.66 for 24–29 months; aOR: 2.27, 95% CI: 1.21, 4.29 for 30–35 months; and aOR: 2.09, 95% CI: 1.17, 3.72 for ≥36 months). Conclusions: Using a within-individual comparative method, we did not find evidence that a short IPI compared to the recommended IPI of 18–23 months was associated with increased odds of PTB, SGA, LBW, and NICU admission. IPI ≥ 24 months was associated with increased odds of delivering an LBW infant.

Genomic Data Science Approaches For Understanding Human Diseases, Snehal Shah

All Dissertations

The intricate interplay of genetic predisposition, environmental influences, and lifestyle acts as the multifactorial landscape of diseases. Understanding this complexity presents a significant challenge. Molecular insights into disease mechanisms, particularly the interactions of DNA, RNA, and proteins with environmental and lifestyle factors, have revolutionized disease diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. High-throughput technologies, such as next-generation sequencing, generate large amounts of molecular data, holding a wealth of knowledge. These datasets unveil the roles of genes and their interactions with various factors through analysis, shedding light on previously unknown molecular mechanisms underlying disease pathogenesis. Furthermore, they facilitate the discovery of biomarkers crucial for …

Gender-Specific Mental Health Outcomes In Central America: A Natural Experiment, Thea Nagasuru

Computer Science Summer Fellows

While COVID lockdown measures have had varying effects on the mental health of different demographics, several bodies of research have noted their disparate effect on women. Why is women's mental health more negatively impacted by lockdown measures, and how much more are they impacted than men? How can we predict and mitigate these negative effects on women? This paper aims to contribute to answering those questions by comparing COVID stringency measures and their effect on the gap in depression rates between men and women in two neighboring countries: Nicaragua and Honduras.

Childhood Sexual Abuse And Compulsive Sexual Behavior Among Men Who Have Sex With Men Newly Diagnosed With Hiv, Monique J. Brown, Medinat Omobola Osinubi, Daniel Amoatika, Mohammad Rifat Haider, Sally Kirklewski, Patrick Wilson, Nathan B. Hansen

Faculty Publications

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) continues to be a public health challenge. The prevalence of experiencing CSA is higher among men who have sex with men (MSM) than the general population. CSA has been linked to compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) among varying populations but has not been examined among MSM who were newly diagnosed with HIV. Therefore, the aims of this study were to assess the direct association between CSA and CSB among newly diagnosed MSM living with HIV, and to identify the potential mediating roles of depressive symptoms and emotion regulation in the association between CSA and CSB. The study …

Ocular Gene Transfer In The Spotlight: Implications Of Newspaper Content For Clinical Communications, Shelly Benjaminy, Tania M. Bubela

Office of the Provost

Background: Ocular gene transfer clinical trials are raising hopes for blindness treatments and attracting media attention. News media provide an accessible health information source for patients and the public, but are often criticized for overemphasizing benefits and underplaying risks of novel biomedical interventions. Overly optimistic portrayals of unproven interventions may influence public and patient expectations; the latter may cause patients to downplay risks and over-emphasize benefits, with implications for informed consent for clinical trials. We analyze the news media communications landscape about ocular gene transfer and make recommendations for improving communications between clinicians and potential trial participants in light of …

A Probabilistic Approach To Estimate The Temporal Order Of Pathway Mutations Accounting For Intra-Tumor Heterogeneity, Menghan Wang, Yanqi Xie, Jinpeng Liu, Austin Li, Li Chen, Arnold Stromberg, Susanne Arnold, Chunming Liu, Chi Wang

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

The development of cancer involves the accumulation of somatic mutations in several essential biological pathways. Delineating the temporal order of pathway mutations during tumori- genesis is crucial for comprehending the biological mechanisms underlying cancer development and identifying potential targets for therapeutic intervention. Several computational and statistical methods have been introduced for estimating the order of somatic mutations based on mutation profile data from a cohort of patients. However, one major issue of current methods is that they do not take into account intra-tumor heterogeneity (ITH), which limits their ability to accurately discern the order of pathway mutations. To address this …

Primary Care Payment Models And Avoidable Hospitalizations In Ontario, Canada: A Multivalued Treatment Effects Analysis., Nibene Habib Somé, Rose Anne Devlin, Nirav Mehta, Sisira Sarma

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Publications

Improving access to primary care physicians' services may help reduce hospitalizations due to Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (ACSCs). Ontario, Canada's most populous province, introduced blended payment models for primary care physicians in the early- to mid-2000s to increase access to primary care, preventive care, and better chronic disease management. We study the impact of payment models on avoidable hospitalizations due to two incentivized ACSCs (diabetes and congestive heart failure) and two non-incentivized ACSCs (angina and asthma). The data for our study came from health administrative data on practicing primary care physicians in Ontario between 2006 and 2015. We employ a …

A Modified Switching Procedure From Temporary To Tunneled Central Venous Dialysis Catheters, Johannes Eberhard, Constantin Bedau, Andrew Genius Chapple, Julia Klein, Christoph Reissfelder, Anna Isabelle Kaelsch, Andreas Lutz Heinrich Gerken, Sebastian Zach, Kay Schwenke

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Tunneled central venous catheters are commonly used for dialysis in patients without a functional permanent vascular access. In an emergent setting, a non-tunneled, temporary central venous catheter is often placed for immediate dialysis. The most critical step in the catheter insertion is venipuncture, which is often a major cause for longer intervention times and procedure-related adverse events. To avoid this critical step when placing a more permanent tunneled catheter, an exchange over a previously placed temporary one can be considered. In this paper, we present a modified switching approach with a separate access site. Methods: In this retrospective analysis …

Access To Prostate-Specific Antigen Testing And Mortality Among Men With Prostate Cancer, Hari S. Iyer, Benjamin V. Stone, Charlotte Roscoe, Mei Chin Hsieh, Antoinette M. Stroup, Charles L. Wiggins, Fredrick R. Schumacher, Scarlett L. Gomez, Timothy R. Rebbeck, Quoc Dien Trinh

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Importance: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening for prostate cancer is controversial but may be associated with benefit for certain high-risk groups. Objectives: To evaluate associations of county-level PSA screening prevalence with prostate cancer outcomes, as well as variation by sociodemographic and clinical factors. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used data from cancer registries based in 8 US states on Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, and non-Hispanic White men aged 40 to 99 years who received a diagnosis of prostate cancer between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2015. Participants were followed up until death or censored after 10 years or December …

Accessible Real-Time Eye-Gaze Tracking For Neurocognitive Health Assessments, A Multimodal Web-Based Approach, Daniel C. Tisdale

Master's Theses

We introduce a novel integration of real-time, predictive eye-gaze tracking models into a multimodal dialogue system tailored for remote health assessments. This system is designed to be highly accessible requiring only a conventional webcam for video input along with minimal cursor interaction and utilizes engaging gaze-based tasks that can be performed directly in a web browser. We have crafted dynamic subsystems that capture high-quality data efficiently and maintain quality through instances of user attrition and incomplete calls. Additionally, these subsystems are designed with the foresight to allow for future re-analysis using improved predictive models, as well as enable the creation …

Physician-Patient Interactions In Online Healthcare Communities: The Effects Of Preconsultation On Service Delivery And Patient Satisfaction, Qian Tang, Anqi Zhao

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Preconsultation by medical professionals is a common practice in offline healthcare services to improve consultation efficiency but is rarely adopted for online healthcare services. In a noteworthy departure from this trend, a Chinese online healthcare community (OHC) has instituted preconsultation by assistant physicians prior to online consultations. Using comprehensive service data from this OHC, this study scrutinizes the effects of preconsultation on online healthcare services from both the physician and patient perspectives. The findings reveal that preconsultation by the assistant physician can significantly increase the attending physician’s response speed, length, and provision of informational support, while maintaining a consistent level …

Spatial Durbin Model On The Utilization Of Delivery At Health Facilities: A 2017 Indonesian Demographic And Health Survey Analysis, Indah Sri Wahyuni, Ira Gustina, Martya Rahmaniati Makful, Tris Eryando

Kesmas

The utilization of delivery at health facilities is a major intervention in reducing 16 to 33% of deaths. This study aimed to determine the model of utilization of delivery at health facilities in Indonesia in 2017 and its influential factors. This study used secondary data from the 2017 Indonesian Demographic and Health Survey using a Spatial Durbin Model (SDM) approach. The population was mothers aged 15 – 49 years, spread across 34 provinces of Indonesia, and had 15,321 samples. The results showed that the Moran’s I value was positive (0.146) and significant at p-value = 0.007, indicating clustered regions with …

Mapping For Tracking Sexually Transmitted Infections By Subdistricts In Surabaya, Indonesia, Destri Susilaningrum, Brodjol Sutijo Suprih Ulama, Fausania Hibatullah, Diandra Soja Anjani

Kesmas

The 2014 shutdown localization of prostitution in Surabaya City, East Java Province, Indonesia, has given rise to an illegal prostitution industry, resulting in the spread of uncontrolled sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Mapping needs to be done to track the spread of the disease. This study used secondary data on STIs in 2020 from the Surabaya City Health Office. By using biplot analysis, this study sought to offer a detailed understanding of the distribution and dynamics of STI cases in different parts of Surabaya. The early-stage syphilis was found in Tegalsari and Krembangan Subdistricts; then, gonorrheal urethritis was found in Tandes, …

Advancing Objective Mobile Device Use Measurement Inchildren Ages 6–11 Through Built-In Device Sensors: A Proof-Of-Concept Study, Olivia L. Finnegan, Robert Glenn Weaver Med, Phd, Hongpeng Yang, James W. White, Srihari Nelakuditi, Zifei Zhong, Rahul Ghosal Ph.D., Yan Tong, Aliye B. Cepni, Elizabeth L. Adams, Sarah Burkart Mph, Ph.D., Michael W. Beets Med, Mph, Phd, Bridget Armstrong Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Mobile devices (e.g., tablets and smartphones) have been rapidly integrated into the lives of children and have impacted howchildren engage with digital media. The portability of these devices allows for sporadic, on-demand interaction, reducing theaccuracy of self-report estimates of mobile device use. Passive sensing applications objectively monitor time spent on a givendevice but are unable to identify who is using the device, a significant limitation in child screen time research. Behavioralbiometric authentication, using embedded mobile device sensors to continuously authenticate users, could be applied toaddress this limitation. This study examined the preliminary accuracy of machine learning models trained on iPad …

Employing Digital Pcr For Enhanced Detection Of Perinatal Toxoplasma Gondii Infection: A Cross-Sectional Surveillance And Maternal-Infant Outcomes Study In El Salvador, Mary K. Lynn, Marvin Stanley Rodriguez Aquino, Pamela Michelle Cornejo Rivas, Xiomara Miranda, David F. Torres-Romero, Hanson Cowan, Madeleine M. Meyer, Willber D. Castro-Godoy, Mufaro Kanyangarara Ph.D., Stella Coker Watson Self Ph.D., Ms, Berry A. Campbell, Melissa Nolan Ph.D., Mph

Faculty Publications

Toxoplasma gondii is a parasitic infection that can be transmitted in utero, resulting in fetal chorioretinitis and other long-term neurological outcomes. If diagnosed early, pregnancy-safe chemotherapeutics can prevent vertical transmission. Unfortunately, diagnosis of acute, primary infection among pregnant women remains neglected, particularly in low-and-middle-income countries. Clinically actionable diagnosis is complex due to the commonality of infection during childhood and early adulthood which spawn long-last antibody titers and historically unreliable direct molecular diagnostics. The current study employed a cross-sectional T. gondii perinatal surveillance study using digital PCR, a next generation molecular diagnostic platform, and a maternal-fetal outcomes survey to ascertain …