2026 Showcase Abstracts

PURPOSE: Medical trainee mistreatment is a prevalent issue within medical education. Awareness has grown due to questions on the AAMC Graduation Questionnaire (GQ) and LCME accreditation requirements. Understanding how to mitigate mistreatment requires further investigation. As most mistreatment originates from faculty behavior, this scoping review summarizes current faculty development efforts aimed at preventing student mistreatment.

Methods: A literature search was conducted using PubMed and MedEd Portal. AAMC General Questionnaire data was accessed from the AAMC website. The search yielded 14 publications including training workshop reports, survey analyses, longitudinal studies, and scholarly perspectives. Publications were analyzed within study types for outcomes and across study types to identify themes.

Results: Mistreatment rates reported on the AAMC GQ remained stable from 2014-2024 (mean: 39.3%, SD 1.4). 6/14 articles assessed long-term outcomes; 0/6 reported reduction in mistreatment. Another 6/14 articles assessed faculty understanding of mistreatment, with 4 of these 6 implementing a training exercise. All 4 reported statistically significant improvements in understanding of mistreatment after workshops. 6 articles focused on equity and inclusion while the remaining publications covered a broader spectrum of issues.

Conclusions: Faculty development initiatives in the last decade aimed at reducing student mistreatment have not demonstrated appreciable results. It remains unclear whether reductions in mistreatment following training modules or workshops are sustainable. It is also unclear whether broader cultural interventions in academic environments may be required to create change. These findings show that further investigation into the root causes of mistreatment and faculty interventions must continue to pursue safer learning environments.

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly multimodal, achieving “modality-fit” is essential to prevent user frustration and technological mismatch. This research challenges the common assumption that an interface is merely a neutral wrapper for AI. Instead, it positions communication modality as a constitutive psychological experience that defines how users perceive and interact with technology. Integrating Cognitive Appraisal Theory, Social Presence Theory, and Task-Technology Fit, this study develops and validates the AI Communication Modality Appraisal (AICMA) framework.Through four experimental studies (N = 1,332), we examined three modalities—touchscreen only, touchscreen with text, and touchscreen with voice—across low- and high-complexity service contexts in hotels and fast-food restaurants. The results reveal that communication modality exerts distinct cognitive and affective effects: touch fosters control and effort reduction; text facilitates performance-based reasoning; and voice enhances naturalness and emotional engagement. Furthermore, task complexity fundamentally moderates these pathways, shifting adoption drivers from heuristic to systematic processing. In simple tasks, users rely on quick intuition (heuristic processing); however, as complexity increases, users shift to a deliberate evaluation of performance and emotion (systematic processing).The findings advance theory by positioning modality as a constitutive element of AI adoption and establishing task complexity as a boundary condition for cognitive-affective integration. For practice, this study argues that successful AI implementation should not be driven by technological novelty alone. Instead of pursuing the “fanciest” interface, success depends on strategically alignment. The findings provide actionable guidance for designing context-aware, human-aligned AI service interfaces that are both functional and emotionally resonant.

Study abroad is a well-documented high-impact practice associated with increased student engagement, persistence, and post-graduate success. Yet first-generation college students remain significantly underrepresented in global learning opportunities due to persistent financial, cultural, and information barriers. This poster demonstrates the design, implementation, key partnerships, and longitudinal outcomes of the First-Gen Abroad Program at Washington State University over its first ten years. Housed within the Office for Access & Opportunity/Division of Student Affairs, this initiative intentionally expands access to education abroad for first-generation and income challenged students across the WSU system through an equity-minded, asset-based framework. Grounded in holistic student support models, the program weaves together targeted outreach, culturally responsive advising, structured pre-departure preparation, cohort-based engagement, and intentional post-return reflection. Central to the model is proactive advisor participation, in which advisors serve as trusted navigators, advocates, and sense-makers throughout the study abroad process-demystifying global learning, mitigating barriers, and reinforcing students’ academic and personal goals before, during, and after their international experience. Drawing on multiple data sources, this study examines participant demographics, persistence, academic performance, and self-reported gains in global awareness, confidence, and sense of possibility. Preliminary findings demonstrate increased participation of first-generation students in study abroad, high levels of satisfaction, and meaningful impacts on students’ academic motivation, identity development, and aspirations for future careers.

The College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) at Washington State University (WSU) helps students from migrant or seasonal farmworker families succeed in college and improve their lives through higher education. Despite the program's long history nationwide since 1972, no study had compared CAMP students to similar students from farmworker backgrounds at the same university who weren't in the program. Only two earlier quantitative studies in California (Ramirez 2010) and in Colorado (Garcia, Nieto 2019) had been done, and both highlighted the need for this type of comparison. WSU launched its CAMP in 2006. This new study fills that gap by comparing the two groups at WSU. It focuses on federal performance measures: 1) at least 86% of students completing their first year (earning 24 credits) and 2) 92% of those returning for year two. CAMP students must meet strict eligibility rules, including proven farmworker background and being new WSU freshmen. The results show CAMP students perform better: Over the past 10 years, 89% completed their first year with 24 credits, and 98% of those returned for their second year. Overall, CAMP participants are more likely to graduate than similar WSU students not in the program. In short, the study confirms that CAMP effectively supports these students' success in college.

Stigma associated with behavioral health problems can negatively impact the recovery process. Multi-year data on stigmatization can help assess the effectiveness of policy efforts in reducing stigma. However, stigmatization is a sensitive topic, and its measurement through surveys can be influenced by social desirability bias and mode of data collection. This research addresses three questions about individuals receiving behavioral health services: (1) Do they report higher, lower, or the same rate of stigmatization over time? (2) Do the rates vary depending on the survey mode? (3) Do the rates vary even when controlling for gender and race or ethnicity?

Data comes from the Behavioral Health Enrollee Survey in Washington state, 2017-2024. A random sample of approximately 10,000 adults was drawn annually from a list of Medicaid clients receiving at least one hour of outpatient behavioral health treatment from May through October the previous year. A mixed-mode web/telephone survey was administered annually from April through November. Respondents were asked if they felt discriminated, diminished, ignored, patronized, and marginalized. Response rates ranged from 5.0% to 23.3%.

Over the eight-year period, the proportion of individuals feeling stigmatized either leveled off or declined by 2024 compared to 2017. Rates uniformly declined among phone respondents, but web completers showed a mixed pattern. Regardless of gender and race/ethnicity, more respondents reported feeling stigmatized on the web than on the phone. The results help clarify the relationship between survey methods, knowledge production, and policy, and suggests continued need for initiatives to reduce stigmatization.

The aim of this mixed methods study was to examine the role cannabis plays in young adults’ sexual experiences to better understand their attitudes and intentions to use cannabis prior to sexual activity. After an initial survey of several hundred young adults regarding cannabis use patterns and sexual experiences, subsequent qualitative interviews were conducted to further examine the perceived impact of cannabis use on sexual consent. Research questions included:

• How do young adults use cannabis prior to engaging in sexual activity?
• What are the perceived outcomes from engaging in sexual activity after using cannabis?

A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted on semi-structured Zoom interviews with 10 young adults (ages 21-25) who had reported using cannabis prior to sex, with three themes identified. First, cannabis use can increase (create and/or accelerate) feelings of intimacy and connectedness, which raises concerns over the manufacturing of consent via chemical impairment. Second, establishing sexual consent in tandem with cannabis use is complicated, as many young adult cannabis users do not perceive their consent or decision-making as affected by cannabis use. And lastly, though young adults express concerns over sexual coercion and cannabis use, study participants only discussed such concerns theoretically, without any real-life examples offered.

This research has significant implications for public health, especially to improve knowledge on cannabis in relation to sexual health. Better understanding how cannabis use creates intimacy and connectedness, as well as how users view decision-making as unimpaired after use can help inform policy around cannabis use and consent.

Decision support systems (DSSs) provide growers with data-driven tools to enhance pest management decisions, yet adoption varies across agricultural sectors. This study examines awareness, use, and perceptions of insect pest management DSSs—specifically the Washington State University Potato Decision Aid System (WSU-Potato DAS)—among potato growers in Washington State. A mixed-mode survey (mail and web) conducted in spring 2025 assessed key factors influencing pest management decisions, growers’ familiarity with DSSs, and user experiences with WSU-Potato DAS.

Results show that growers prioritize overall effectiveness, impacts on crop quality and yield, processor requirements, human health, and resistance management when making pest management decisions. Nearly 80% of respondents reported familiarity with insect pest management DSSs, but fewer than half reported using WSU-Potato DAS. Among users, over 75% agreed that WSU-Potato DAS was easy to understand, fit their goal of reducing pesticide use while maintaining crop protection, increased their ability to prevent pest outbreaks, and aligned with best practices recommended by agricultural advisors. Nearly 90% mostly or completely trust WSU-Potato DAS information. Users especially valued the pathogen maps, phenology models in degree days, spray selection tool, and text alerts.

As researchers from outside entomology, we emphasize the importance of integrating grower perspectives and social science approaches to understand the human dimensions of pest management technology adoption. These insights can complement entomological research by illuminating the behavioral, perceptual, and practical factors that shape the real-world impact of pest management innovations.

The cardiovascular and ocular systems are closely interconnected, yet they are often modeled separately, limiting understanding of their physiological interdependence. In this work, we present Eye2Heart, a closed-loop mathematical model that integrates cardiovascular and ocular dynamics within a unified framework. Using an electrical–hydraulic analogy, the model describes interactions between the heart and retinal circulation through a system of ordinary differential equations. Model outputs are compared with available clinical and experimental data, showing agreement with key cardiovascular indicators, such as stroke volume and cardiac output, as well as ocular hemodynamic measures, including retinal blood flow. We further explore in silico the effects of variations in intraocular pressure and left ventricular compliance, illustrating how changes in cardiac function and ocular pressure influence both local retinal circulation and global systemic dynamics. The Eye2Heart model provides a platform for studying cardiovascular–ocular coupling and supports future extensions toward patient-specific modeling and personalized medicine.

NEW BOOK (Publication Date March 3): https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/matthew-avery-sutton/chosen-land/9781541646339/?lens=basic-books

In the United States today, there is no faith more dominant than Christianity. In Chosen Land, historian Matthew Avery Sutton chronicles Christians’ five-hundred-year endeavor to turn North America into their version of the kingdom of God, revealing the fruitful and dynamic entanglement between the history of America and the history of American Christianity.

In the centuries after Christianity first arrived on American shores, colonizers and colonized from New England to Spanish California practiced many varieties of the faith. After the founding of the United States, the nation’s lack of a state religion forced new and evolving strains of Christianity to battle for potential adherents, as they still do to this day. As American Christianity has bent, fractured, and adapted to changing times, Christian belief has shaped everything from the promise of Manifest Destiny to Ronald Reagan’s approach to the Cold War, the rise of the Southern Lost Cause narrative to the triumphs of the civil rights movement.

A landmark work of narrative synthesis tracing the faith’s major figures and currents, Chosen Land confirms the unique place that American Christianity—always both steadfast and precarious—occupies at the center of our shared history.

Chemoreceptors, or methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCPs), are ancient and widespread prokaryotic sensors that direct taxis in response to stimuli and are attractive targets for therapeutic control of bacteria 1–4. Decades of study have yielded substantial mechanistic insight into chemoreceptor function, but the absence of high-resolution full-length structures containing ligand-binding domains (LBD) has limited understanding of how effector sensing is structurally coupled to long-range signal transduction. Here, we present the intact structure of the chemoreceptor transducer-like protein D (TlpD) from the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori, in complex with its ligand Zn2+, determined by X-ray crystallography in two crystal forms at 2.4-3.0 Å. Three different conformations are captured, revealing how interactions in the ligand-binding site of the chemoreceptor zinc-binding (CZB) domain are interconnected with the distal kinase interface. Small changes at the ligand-binding site coincide with cascades of side-chain rearrangements across the dimer, distortion of the receptor coiled-coil, and conformational and dynamic shifts at the kinase interface over 140 Å away. These near-atomic resolution structures provide a framework for understanding cooperativity and allosteric communication in chemoreceptors, and establish a representative model for a widespread class of soluble chemoreceptors important in bacterial pathogenesis 2,5.

Principle topicEmployee wrongdoing, such as violations of rules and workplace discrimination, is emotionally consequential for managers, yet little is known about how managers experience and regulate their own emotions in these situations. Drawing on Gross’s (1998) process model of emotion regulation and affective events theory, we aim to investigate the emotions that managers experience after employee wrongdoing, and what (if any) emotion regulation strategies they apply to regulate those emotions. Methods & ResultsWe used a qualitative, critical incident technique comprising semi-structured interviews of 34 managers to examine their emotional and regulatory responses. Content analysis of 384 thought units from interviews revealed 17 distinct emotions, with anger and frustration most common, but also surprise, empathy, guilt, and other less studied reactions, indicating that wrongdoing often elicits a variety of co‑occurring emotions. We also identified 13 emotion regulation strategies, with physiological intervention and cognitive reappraisal most prevalent, alongside underexplored tactics such as social support, time delay, and labeling. On average, managers discussed four emotions and five emotion regulation strategies.ImplicationsThe study extends research on moral emotions and emotion regulation by revealing a broader range of emotions and a more diversified regulatory strategies than suggested by prior research. Manager’s use of multiple strategies signifying that emotion regulation in the context of employee wrongdoing is complex and multi-faceted. Practically, our findings highlight the value of preparing managers for a variety of emotional reactions and equipping them with diverse regulation tools to support effective, professional responses to employee wrongdoing.

TikTok is a key source of contraceptive information for young adults. Two independent reviewers analyzed 101 most viewed videos with the hashtags #tubal, #tuballigation, and #tubestied for creator demographics, tonality, and content. Many videos portray personal experiences and have a negative tone, highlighting distrust, side effects, and tubal failure resulting in pregnancy. Educational content has a significantly higher average medical accuracy (p=0.003) and content accessibility (p=0.02) scores when created by medical professionals as compared to laypeople. As TikTok promotes engagement over shared concerns, many videos portray a narrative of dissatisfaction and complication following permanent contraception procedures.

This poster aims to close the gap between disability services offices and music education faculty when implementing accommodations in the multiple contexts of a preservice music education student. Reasonable accommodation in music teacher education is most often understood as an individualized compliance process, yet its effectiveness is shaped by instructional and programmatic conditions and the necessity to think creatively about the learning environments in which preservice music educators complete their education. These learning environments include didactic classrooms (e.g., lecture courses), instrumental or vocal technique courses (e.g., brass methods where a student learns how to teach each brass instrument), methods courses (e.g., elementary music methods), and student teaching. Each of these environments need to be considered differently to best ensure equal access for a disabled student.

In this poster, we will synthesize current literature in music teacher education and disability services and integrate our own professional experiences where we have supported preservice music education students with disabilities. We offer ideas for each environment of the preservice music educator and how faculty can create more accessible environments from inception. Additionally, we offer recommendations for disability services offices to better support and understand the learning environments for preservice music educators. This research is imperative, because there is nothing that currently exists in the literature, and with more than 20% of undergraduate students reporting a disability (U.S. Department of Education), there is a greater need than ever for more research and more practitioner support.

Food hubs have proliferated across the United States as demand for local food has risen and small-scale producers seek opportunities to scale-up production. However, in many rural areas with small scale agricultural production and high poverty, the brick-and-mortar approach to food hub infrastructure can be cost prohibitive. In addition, high-quality locally produced food can often be out of the price range of low-income community members, even after aggregation at the food hub level.

To address these challenges in Clallam County, WSU Clallam County Extension has partnered with a network of local food banks to invest in micro-scale aggregation, distribution, and processing infrastructure. This approach reimagines the role of food banks as multifunctional rural food hubs—expanding affordable food access for underserved residents while simultaneously creating viable market opportunities for small and mid-scale farms.

As a result of this partnership, we have seen over a 300% increase in the amount of high-quality fresh produce purchased locally for food banks. Our partner food banks are now contracting/buying directly from farmers, and together, we have created a processing kitchen to produce high-quality prepared food to food bank clientele, other community food access points, and institutional markets utilizing excess food bank inventory, excess gleaned produce and ingredients sourced from local farms. As a result, our food banks are not only serving as emergency food networks for those in need, but local food hubs broadly increasing access across sectors to strengthen our local food systems for all citizens.

Aims: Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) remains a critical public health issue; however, standardized treatment options are sparse and solely pharmacological. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a non-pharmacological treatment with the potential to reduce opioid withdrawal-related symptoms (WSs) and thus support recovery. However, human-subjects research regarding HBOT “dosage” is limited.

Methods: Furthering our previous research, we conducted a three-arm randomized-controlled trial to evaluate HBOT’s efficacy in reducing WSs during OUD methadone-tapering. The target sample was N=36 (N=12/arm). Participants (aged 18+ utilizing methadone clinics in Washington, USA) were randomized to receive four HBOT sessions of either 100% oxygen at 2.0 Atmospheres Absolute (ATA); 100% oxygen at 1.3 ATA; or 21% oxygen at 1.3 ATA (control). Methadone dose was tapered ~5% twice (pre-HBOT sessions two and four). Feasibility was evaluated by monitoring both participant progress and the completion of pre-post surveys regarding WSs, pain, mental-health, sleep, and treatment satisfaction (post-only).

Results: Between Spring 2024-2025, 60 individuals expressed interest; 44 consented; 26 received physician screening; 22 entered the HBOT chamber. Participant disinterest drove attrition. 20 completed ≥1 HBOT session; 14 (70%) completed all four. Average methadone dose reduced from 81.37mg/ml pre-HBOT to 68.47mg/ml 90-days post-HBOT (N=19). The small sample limited between-group statistical testing. Survey completion was highly varied. Treatment was reportedly easy, comfortable, and beneficial.

Conclusions: Individuals with OUD can safely undergo methadone dose reductions when supported by a complimentary non-pharmacological program. Although the 70% completion rate is noteworthy for this clinical population, additional support may be needed to bridge the gap from initial interest to study completion.

Pathogen infection triggers the immune system to activate multiple cellular stress and microbial defense pathways. During active infection and upon pathogen clearance, this immune response is tightly regulated as both an insufficient and excessive response can be detrimental to survival. Using the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, as a model organism we have previously shown that the sensory neurons ASH and ASI can suppress the immune response. In the current study, we specifically inhibited the function of the non-sensory AIA neurons using a chemical-genetic approach. We discovered that inhibiting the function of the AIA neurons significantly reduced the survival of C. elegans against the bacterial pathogen Salmonella enterica. When the function of the AIA neurons is restored and the animals are treated with antibiotics to clear the S. enterica infection, the survival is rescued. However, even in the presence of antibiotics to clear the S. enterica infection, animals with non-functional AIA neurons still show a reduced survival. Functional assays revealed that AIA neurons suppress the expression of specific unfolded protein response (UPR) genes during infection. Silencing of the main regulator of these genes, XBP-1, rescues the survival of AIA inhibited animals during the post-infection recovery stage. These results uncover a possible neuro-immune communication pathway underlying the suppression of the immune system, allowing homeostatic recovery after pathogen clearance.

Public libraries are increasingly serving as access points for health and social services, particularly for unhoused individuals who face significant barriers to traditional systems of care. This literature review encompasses eleven studies spanning the United States, Canada, and Australia to explore how libraries are being reimagined as vital health access points.

The reviewed literature includes case studies, mixed-methods studies, reviews, and a practice guideline that describe library-based interventions such as embedding licensed social workers or social work interns, forming partnerships with healthcare and social service agencies, and delivering programs that address patron needs such as housing instability, mental health needs, and harm reduction. Across studies, reported outcomes include improved access to housing and social services, high patron engagement in services, increased staff confidence and understanding of complex psychosocial needs of patrons, and strengthened trust between libraries and vulnerable patrons.

This review also identifies common challenges related to such interventions, including role ambiguity for library-based social workers and interns, physical space constraints with a lack of privacy, mismatches between perceived and self-reported patron needs, and a lack of long-term outcome data. Despite these challenges, the literature demonstrates potential for public libraries to bridge service gaps for unhoused people, as they are spaces already frequently visited. This review reveals that public libraries are safe, inclusive, and accessible community spaces for vulnerable populations. As such, they are uniquely positioned to be low-barrier health access points for unhoused individuals.

Keywords: Public Libraries; Library; Social Service; Social Worker; Intern; Student; Homeless; Unhoused; Psychosocial Needs

WSU ROAR is Washington State University’s inclusive, residential postsecondary education program within the College of Education, Sport, and Human Sciences. It is designed to support students with intellectual disabilities (ID) in achieving meaningful academic, social, employment, and independent living outcomes. In fall 2025, the program received a $2.5 million federal grant to further develop and expand its services. Through this Showcase Proposal our team of program staff and Special Education faculty aims to highlight the importance of inclusive higher education, share current program operations, and outline our future plans for growth.

Since its founding in 2018, WSU ROAR has served 75 students and maintains an 85% completion rate. One year after exit, 63% of graduates are employed, surpassing state and national averages for individuals with ID. As the largest of only six Comprehensive Transition Programs in the Pacific Northwest, WSU ROAR fills a critical regional need. Students participate in undergraduate audit courses, specialized career and independent living coursework, and structured employment experiences tailored to their self identified goals, while fully engaging in campus life through residential living and student organizations.

Grounded in person centered planning and strong collaboration with faculty, employers, and state agencies, WSU ROAR supports individualized pathways toward competitive integrated employment and independent adulthood. The program also contributes to national research and dissemination efforts in inclusive postsecondary education. By reducing barriers and affirming the capacity of students with ID to thrive in college, WSU ROAR advances WSU’s land grant mission and strengthens access, equity, and inclusion across Washington State.

Background: Prior authorization (PA) is a tool used by insurance companies to manage healthcare utilization and limit costs, but PA denials can delay care that may affect patient outcomes. The extent to approval timelines are changing yearly remains poorly quantified.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study analyzing PA processing timelines for outpatient surgeries involving the shoulder, elbow, hip, and knee in adult patients completed by a single Orthopedic Surgeon in 2017 and 2022. Patients were grouped into those with a denial followed by eventual approval (Denial group) and those approved without appeal (No Denial group). We performed Welch’s two-sample t-tests and calculated 95% confidence intervals (CI) to compare time to approval between groups and time periods.

Results: A total of 58 surgeries were included for 2017 and 111 for 2022. For both 2017 and 2022, patients in the Denial group experienced significantly longer approval times than those in the No Denial group (2017 mean = 58.7 vs. 10.4 days, p < 0.0121; 2022 mean = 132.2 vs. 11.9 days, p < 0.00015). Mean wait time for PA approval increased significantly from 2017 to 2022 among patients experiencing an initial denial (58.7 vs. 132.2 days, p = 0.0136; mean difference between 2017 and 2022: 73.5 days, 95% CI:[16.77, 130.23]).

Conclusions: Initial denial of PAs is associated with a statistically significant and clinically meaningful increase in time to treatment approval. These delays may contribute to delays in care and increased burden for both patients and providers.

Green tea is widely consumed for its cardiovascular benefits, which may overlap with the use of amiodarone, a first-line antiarrhythmic drug that possesses variable oral bioavailability (22%-80%). Recent in vitro and clinical data indicate that green tea reduced the intestinal solubility and systemic exposure of raloxifene. Raloxifene and amiodarone are both lipophilic drugs, but amiodarone is a cardiovascular medication with a narrow therapeutic index that depends on solubility for absorption in the intestine. This study investigated the interaction between green tea catechins and amiodarone, focusing on solubility and dissolution in fasted state simulated intestinal fluid (FaSSIF). In vitro studies found that green tea extract (GTE) equivalent to 1 cup of brewed tea and the main flavan-3-gallate catechin, (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), at an equimolar concentration to that present in the GTE, both significantly decreased soluble amiodarone by 99% and 50%, respectively. The flavan-3-ol catechin, (−)-epigallocatechin (EGC), did not affect amiodarone concentrations in FaSSIF. In addition, 1 cup of brewed green tea significantly reduced amiodarone tablet dissolution by 74%. A pharmacokinetic study in fasted mice revealed that GTE did not affect amiodarone's systemic concentrations. A follow-up solubility study found that the vehicle used for liquid gavage in mice confounded the results and caused the discrepancy between in vitro and in vivo results. These findings suggest that green tea consumption may impact on the bioavailability of amiodarone, potentially affecting its therapeutic efficacy. Further research is needed to explore the clinical implications of this interaction in patients who consume green tea while taking amiodarone.

Aims: The purpose of the project is to evaluate the efficacy of a current workplace violence (WPV) prevention program offered to first-year registered nurse students. The results of this project will determine whether the program has met its objectives of ensuring nurse safety in the organization.

Rationale: Despite its preventable nature, worker-on-worker WPV continues to have detrimental effects on nursing staff and patient care. Compromised nurse safety negatively affects patient care, safe staffing, and healthcare finances. A rural hospital in southeastern Washington has concerns regarding nurse safety and patient well-being due to a surge in reported incidents of WPV among its healthcare workforces. Proactively, one strategy used to mitigate WPV incidents is to mandate participation of newly hired nurse residents in a WPV prevention course during their residency.

Brief description: This project employs a mixed methods approach to collect both qualitative and quantitative data to assess the efficacy of the WPV prevention course. The mixed methods data will be gathered through survey questions that align with the class objectives. The data will be analyzed using the Theory of Planned Behavior. To evaluate the effectiveness of the WPV prevention program, the CDC Program Evaluation framework will be employed.

Assessment of Findings: \Data collection will occur during August through December 2025. Final outcomes are currently in progress and the results are not available at time of abstract submission.

Conclusions: Data analysis will occur between January through March 2026. The conclusion is not available at the time of abstract submission.

Contingency management (CM) is the most effective behavioral intervention for stimulant use disorder, yet its application to improving adherence to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) remains limited. While MOUD is the gold-standard treatment for opioid use disorder, challenges persist. Differences in medication delivery across methadone, sublingual buprenorphine, and long-acting injectable (LAI) buprenorphine further complicate CM implementation. Engaging clinicians directly in CM development may improve feasibility across diverse MOUD settings.

We used a user-centered, iterative co-design process to adapt CM for reinforcing MOUD adherence. A targeted literature review informed initial CM design. Structured meetings were conducted with buprenorphine prescribers and opioid treatment program (OTP) staff. Meetings were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis to identify feasibility constraints, workflow considerations, and acceptable reinforcement. Draft CM protocols were iteratively refined.

Participants included substance use disorder program staff, physicians, and a chief medical officer representing buprenorphine and methadone treatment settings. Clinicians emphasized workflow compatibility as a key for feasibility. Observable and verifiable adherence behaviors were prioritized for reinforcement. Methadone adherence was defined by observed dosing, sublingual buprenorphine by observed ingestion, and LAI buprenorphine by injection receipt with supplemental reinforcement for case management engagement. Clinicians emphasized flexibility, partial adherence reinforcement, and non-punitive design to support patient engagement. Protocols converged on a 12-week duration with modality-specific frequency.

An iterative, clinician-driven co-design process can be used to adapt CM protocols to support MOUD adherence while aligning with real-world clinical workflows. These findings highlight the value of co-design in addressing implementation barriers before pilot testing/outcome evaluation.

Principal TopicBovine anaplasmosis, caused by Anaplasma marginale, is a production limiting tick-borne disease of cattle. Prophylactic use of tetracycline is the main preventative. Anecdotal reports of outbreaks despite tetracycline use raise questions about whether there is variation in susceptibility among strains. This variation could occur through variations in efflux pumps, as A. marginale lacks tetracycline resistance genes. To address these questions, we measured the response of A. marginale and a subset of efflux pumps to tetracycline in cell culture and compared the response of two strains of A. marginale to tetracycline in infected red blood cells from cattle.MethodTick cells and red blood cells infected with A. marginale were exposed to varying doses of tetracycline. Bacterial transcript and protein levels were measured using RT-qPCR or western blotting. One-way ANOVA and Dunnett’s multiple comparison test were performed to test for significance.Results/ImplicationsThere was a dose-dependent decrease in A. marginale transcript in cell culture from 2 to 25 μg/mL tetracycline. Transcript from am1229, an efflux pump, was significantly increased (P=0.047) in response to tetracycline. The Kansas and St. Maries strains of A. marginale differed in susceptibility to 0.01 μg/ml tetracycline in red blood cells.These data suggest differences in susceptibility to tetracycline between strains. The increase in transcript of am1229 suggests upregulation of an efflux pump in response to tetracycline. Establishing doses and responses in cell culture will allow for direct comparison of tetracycline susceptibility among strains. This information will help producers reduce antibiotic use and prevent bovine anaplasmosis.

In Fall 2025, Washington State University partnered with Dyad Strategies to conduct a comprehensive assessment of its fraternity and sorority community, gathering responses from more than 2,300 students. The study examined organizational culture, student well‑being, and behavioral trends while comparing WSU data to peer and national benchmarks. Overall, findings reflect a generally healthy fraternity/sorority community: hazing tolerance is significantly lower than national averages, trust in campus administration is higher, and sorority members demonstrate notably strong accountability‑centered sisterhood.

The assessment also highlights opportunities for improvement including strategies to integrate data into advising practices, guiding chapters in setting evidence‑based goals, and focusing community‑wide programming on belonging, accountability, and balanced social culture.

This poster presents a foundation for data‑informed decision‑making to enhance student experience and strengthen fraternity/sorority life at WSU.

Washington State University Fraternity and Sorority Life participated in the inaugural cohort of the Piazza Center’s Hazing and Hazardous Drinking Community of Practice, leveraging this collaborative network to strengthen our hazing prevention strategies. Through access to research-informed assessment tools, we measured student responses to hazing prevention education and evaluated the impact of sharing community-based survey findings with students. This poster illustrates how these tools informed program enhancements and reinforced student engagement with hazing prevention education. It highlights year 3 survey results and explores the connection between data transparency, policy understanding, and the evolution of new member activities.

Practitioners are tasked with assessing and evaluating programs and initiatives to enhance the student experience. However, these efforts can be challenging when students are disengaged from assessment activities. This poster highlights strategies implemented within Fraternity and Sorority Life that significantly increased response rates to a national survey—from 1% to 22%, and ultimately to 49% over a three-year period. These improvements were achieved by aligning research with students’ lived experiences and interests, and by clearly demonstrating the value of their participation in surveys and other research-based initiatives.

Influenza remains a global health concern and requires continuous research to understand the interplay between host-pathogen interactions and immune responses. Human challenge studies provide a controlled environment to investigate the dynamics of influenza infection. I employed mathematical modeling to analyze data from such studies, focusing on individuals who controlled the infection versus the non-controlled volunteers in the challenge study.

I extended the target cell-limited model into a six-compartment mathematical model to incorporate immune response dynamics and host factors influencing infection outcomes to recapitulate the human challenge data. I calibrated the models to viral load data from untreated volunteers in human challenge studies and distinguished volunteers’ immune components between those who cleared and those who experienced prolonged viral shedding over the course of the infection.

Key findings revealed different immunological signatures between the two groups. Individuals who controlled infection exhibited rapid activation and expansion of immune effector cells, facilitating viral clearance within a defined time frame. In contrast, low viral-shedding individuals showed delayed or insufficient immune responses, correlating with prolonged shedding.

Simplified pharmacokinetics were also incorporated into the viral dynamics model to analyze oseltamivir and baloxavir pharmacokinetics, two antiviral influenza treatments. Oseltamivir is a neuraminidase inhibitor which blocks viral release and results in a gradual, sustained reduction in viral load. In contrast, Baloxavir, a cap-dependent endonuclease inhibitor, exhibits a rapid initial viral suppression that is consistent with its mechanism of blocking viral replication initiation. I recapitulated the qualitative differences in viral load kinetics to better understand their mechanisms of action.

Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens are abundant in dairy farms and have the potential to contaminate dairy products. In collaboration with a milk powder processing plant, this study evaluated the occurrence and toxigenic potential of these organisms in raw milk, processing environments, and finished dry powder. Raw milk and finished product samples (three each, collected in duplicate) were analyzed. In addition, a process line profile was conducted prior to line shutdown, including four in-process product samples collected between raw milk receiving and the spray dryer and nine product-contact surface samples. Liquid samples (50-60 mL) and powder samples (50-60 g) were analyzed using 25-mL or 25-g aliquots, respectively.Enumeration and confirmation were performed according to FDA Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) methods. Presumptive isolates were characterized using API biochemical assays (API 50 CH/CHB and API 20A), MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and multiplex PCR for toxin gene profiling. One B. cereus isolate, recovered from a process line surface, was characterized and determined to carry the hblC, nheA, cytK, and entFM genes. Two C. perfringens isolates, recovered from raw milk and a process line sample, were characterized and determined to carry the cpa gene, indicating toxigenic potential. Neither organism was isolated from finished dry powder samples.These results demonstrate that toxigenic B. cereus and C. perfringens can be present within milk powder processing environments, highlighting the importance of environmental monitoring and validation of process controls.

Principal Topic: The objective of this study is to explore how exposure to different information sources creates awareness of genetic testing for disease risk and whether such awareness leads to health behavior change. We aim to measure the association between the different sources of information, including the internet, traditional media, family/friends, and health care providers. and the level of genetic testing awareness, as well as determine whether this awareness can influence the health behavior changes, such as increased physical activity, changed diet, or quitting smoking, among people. The theoretical framework is based on the Social Amplification of Risk Framework (SARF). Method: This study used the nationally representative data from the 2022 HINTS 6 Cycle 4 survey. This research employed logistic path analysis using structural equation modeling to test mediation (sources → awareness → behavior change). The study included seven parameters, with 1564 responses from the US population. Results/implications: All four information sources were significantly associated with increased awareness of genetic testing, with healthcare providers having the strongest influence (Std.lv = 1.048). Awareness was significantly associated with self-reported behavior change (β = 0.212, p < .001), supporting the proposed mediation. These findings emphasize using different communication sources, particularly through healthcare professionals, to improve genetic literacy and informed decision-making in public health.This study identifies an effective information source (e.g., health care provider) to create awareness of genetic testing for disease risk, which in turn initiates health behavior change among people.

Neural regulation of innate immunity is increasingly recognized as a critical mechanism controlling host defense, yet the molecular and circuit-level pathways underlying neuroimmune communication remain poorly defined. Here, we investigate the role of FRPR-4, a neuropeptide-responsive G protein–coupled receptor primarily expressed in neurons, in regulating innate immune responses in Caenorhabditis elegans. FRPR-4 is known to regulate posture and motor behavior, but its role in host defense has not been previously characterized.

We show that frpr-4(ok2376) mutants exhibit significantly reduced survival upon infection with live bacterial pathogens, while survival remains normal under non-pathogenic or heat-killed conditions, indicating a specific defect in immune defense rather than baseline health or lifespan. Behavioral assays revealed no differences in pathogen avoidance between mutants and wild-type animals. In contrast, frpr-4 mutants displayed markedly increased intestinal bacterial accumulation despite normal pathogen intake and expulsion, implicating impaired immune-mediated pathogen clearance as the underlying cause of susceptibility.

Transcriptomic analysis identified multiple FRPR-4–dependent gene expression changes during infection, including dsl-6, a Notch-ligand gene, as a candidate downstream effector linking neuronal GPCR signaling to immune regulation. Building on prior identification of the neuropeptide FLP-13 as a ligand for FRPR-4, we are investigating the FLP-13/FRPR-4 signaling axis using genetic, epistasis, transgenic rescue, and neuronal circuit approaches to define its role in host defense.

Together, these findings identify FRPR-4 as a novel neuronal regulator of innate immunity and reveal a neuropeptide–GPCR pathway that links neural activity to immune clearance mechanisms, providing new insight into conserved principles of neuroimmune regulation.

The US pathologist workforce has experienced a significant decline over the 2007-2017 timeframe, with a 17.5% decrease, while the overall workforce grew by 16.6%. Pathology workload has also increased by 41.73%. In regard to residency, pathology has been stable over the past 20 years, with 600 residents entering the workforce per year, but this is 270 pathologists less when compared to the number of pathologists leaving the workforce. During the time period from 2007-2017, radiology first-year residents increased by 42%. This raises the question of postmortem diagnosis and how this decline in pathologists will affect the timing and availability of autopsies in smaller towns, especially in Idaho, with a pathologist ratio of 1.37 per 100,000. With the increase in radiology residents and the more widespread availability of computed tomography (CT), radiology may be able to step into the role of diagnosing the cause of death. In this study, a board-certified radiologist examined 20 CT scans through the Willed Body Program at Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine (WSU) with the intent of finding metastatic cancer. The radiologist identified 4 cadavers with metastatic cancer, and the correct source was confirmed with biopsy and pathology from a board-certified pathologist. This study reveals the effectiveness and identification of metastatic cancer by a radiologist and their potential future in identifying causes of death to ease the pathologist's burden.

Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) is a widely used manufacturing process for polymer composites, yet existing models describing resin flow are largely limited to synthetic fibers with uniform shapes and structures. These models do not adequately represent composites made from agricultural waste, where the reinforcement consists of irregularly shaped natural particulates with complex internal structures. As a result, predicting and controlling resin flow during manufacturing remains a major challenge for natural fiber polymer composites (NFPCs).

Agricultural residues, such as crop stalks and hulls, have gained increasing attention as sustainable alternatives to synthetic fibers due to their low weight, abundance, and reduced environmental impact. However, their heterogeneous properties and strong interactions with resin limit their broader industrial adoption. Addressing this challenge requires a modeling framework that captures how resin moves through these complex materials.

This research aims to develop a model that describes resin flow through natural particulates during VARTM by treating agricultural residues as a porous medium. Using principles from continuum mechanics, the model accounts for the collective behavior of particles when packed together. To handle the geometric complexity of natural particulates, an upscaled modeling approach is employed, allowing resin flow to be described at the component level rather than at the scale of individual particles.

Preliminary results indicate that particulate properties such as porosity and packing structure strongly influence resin flow behavior. This work provides new insight into how agricultural waste characteristics affect composite manufacturing and offers a pathway toward optimizing sustainable composite production.

Postpartum anxiety and depression can affect early caregiving and infant socioemotional development, yet less is understood about whether demographic factors moderate these associations. This study examined whether income, education, and gestational age moderated links between postpartum anxiety, stress, or depression and infant temperament. We hypothesized that higher income, education, and gestational age would buffer these effects.

199 mothers were assessed when infants were 2 and 6 months old. Participants completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale, and Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised. Moderation analyses controlling for infant sex were performed.

Higher gestational age buffered the effect of stress on infant surgency, whereas lower gestational age amplified it (b = 0.33, p <.05). Higher education buffered the effects of state and trait anxiety on infant negative emotionality (NE; b = -0.48, p <.01; b = -0.22, p <.01). Education moderated association with regulatory capacity/orienting (RCO): mothers with lower education reported lower RCO as trait anxiety increased, whereas RCO was stable for higher education mothers (b = 0.14, p <.05). Family income moderated the effect of trait anxiety on NE, with lower income mothers reporting increased NE at higher anxiety levels (b = -0.10, p <.05).

Lower socioeconomic status (SES) mothers showed stronger links between stress or anxiety and infants’ temperament. These findings suggest that socioeconomic factors shape maternal mental health effects on early development. Early identification of maternal anxiety and depression, particularly among mothers with lower SES or shorter gestation, may support timely intervention and prevent temperament difficulties.

Forest Youth Success is a workforce training program offered for Skamania County teens in partnership with Skamania County WSU Extension, the Stevenson Carson School District, and the U.S. Forest Service.

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS of the 2025 season;

At Bonneville Dam, crews collected 96 30-gallon bags of common tansy, cleared 24 bags of trash from the Columbia River Shoreline, cleared approximately 1,500 square yards of brush to provide a defensible area in case of fire along Hamilton Island trails.

Youth packed in the equipment and materials alongside our Forest Service partner and helped install anti-slip boards on a 91-foot bridge for the safety of equestrians on the Panther Creek Bridge on the PCT and cleared 100 yards of trail between the bridge and associated campground.

At Oldman Pass crews cleared 4 miles of ski and tubing trails of brush, saplings, and a variety of invasives. Crews recreated a 10x10ft wide corridor on OK loop, Trail 151, Klindt’s Trail and a 12x12ft corridor on Trail 150. Crews cleaned and reported on conditions of multiple pedestrian bridges.

Working at the local fish hatchery youth cleared a 150ft drainage ditch, removed 400 yards of brush along fence lines, and filled 34 truckloads with brush for fuels reduction along roadsides.

Trail maintenance occurred at Hemlock Recreation Area, Whistlepunk Trail, and Government Mineral Springs Campground.

Funding ($113,000) for this WSU Extension program was provided by the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, and employed 18 youth, 4 adult hires, had 3 crews, 5 projects, and 3,090 labor hours.

Malaria and Lassa fever remain significant public health challenges in Sub-Saharan and West Africa, where overlapping symptoms and shared risk environments complicate disease surveillance and control. Understanding how these diseases interact when they occur together is essential for designing effective, coordinated control strategies. In this study, we develop and analyze a deterministic compartmental mathematical model to investigate the transmission dynamics of malaria-Lassa fever co-infection and to identify key drivers of co-infection prevalence.

The model stratifies the population into susceptible, malaria-infected, Lassa fever-infected, and co-infected classes and is analyzed to determine threshold conditions for disease persistence and extinction. The framework also assesses whether one infection can invade a population already affected by the other using invasion reproduction numbers. Epidemiological data from Nigeria are used to estimate key transmission parameters, and simulations are conducted to explore co-infection patterns.

Results indicate that malaria consistently drives the infection burden, even when both diseases circulate together. The analysis further reveals that reducing mosquito-to-human transmission for malaria and limiting human-to-human transmission for Lassa fever are the most effective strategies for lowering co-infection levels. Sensitivity analysis highlights which transmission factors exert the greatest influence on co-infection outcomes.

This work contributes a data-informed framework for studying interacting infectious diseases and provides practical insights for public health decision-makers. The findings support prioritizing integrated control measures that target both mosquito exposure and human contact to reduce disease burden in regions where malaria and Lassa fever coexist, with potential extension to other multi-disease settings.

Personality traits play a key role in shaping our lives, in part through informing our emotion regulation. Specifically, the trait conscientiousness is related to goal-directedness, improved impulse control, and more adaptive emotion regulation. People lower in conscientiousness may experience more difficulty regulating their impulses and may seek external forms of emotion regulation, such as music. Exploratory research suggests there might be a negative association between conscientiousness and music use as an emotional regulation strategy, such that people lower in conscientiousness report greater music use as emotion regulation.

The current study aims to assess whether individuals with lower conscientiousness report greater difficulty with emotional regulation and greater endorsement of music as an emotional regulation strategy. Participants (N = 660) completed an online Qualtrics survey assessing personality (Mini-IPIP), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation (DERS-18), Music in Mood Regulation (B-MMR), and demographics. The Mini-IPIP has 5 dimensions assessing imagination/intellect, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Emotion regulation difficulty will be assessed as the total DERS score.

We aim to examine how conscientiousness relates to emotion regulation broadly, and music-based emotion regulation more specifically. We will first test the Pearson correlation between conscientiousness and emotion regulation. Then, we will assess the correlation between conscientiousness and music use for emotion regulation. We hypothesize that individuals with lower trait conscientiousness will report greater difficulty with emotion regulation and endorse greater use of music as an emotion regulation strategy.

Cheddar cheese is the second most consumed cheese in the United States, and demand is increasing for aged Cheddars with more desirable flavors. Flavor development in Cheddar is driven by biochemical reactions mediated by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that rely on proteolytic enzyme systems to degrade casein. The resulting casein-derived amino acids, peptides, and oligopeptides aid LAB growth while releasing hydrophobic peptides that are strongly associated with bitter flavors. Some LAB possess extensive peptidolytic activity, further converting peptides into free amino acids and flavor and aroma compounds.The use of adjunct cultures offers a strategy to optimize ripening by enhancing flavor development, minimizing bitterness, and improving product consistency. This study examines whether changes in microbial composition and gene expression are associated with differences in proteolysis, texture, and sensory attributes during ripening. Cheddar cheeses produced with three culture treatments are sampled monthly for 13 months. Microbial communities are characterized using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, transcriptional activity is assessed by RNA sequencing, and peptide analysis is examined using UPLC-MS/MS profiling. Texture is measured by compression testing, and sensory attributes are evaluated using quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) where trained panelists (n = 10, 20 hours of training) evaluate Cheddar cheese attributes using a 15-cm line scale. Sensory results for the first 4 months indicate no differences in taste or texture among the cheeses during ripening, except for the initial difference in hardness. Ongoing analyses aim to identify specific bacterial species and metabolic pathways contributing to flavor and texture development in aged Cheddar.

Understanding how our DNA is regulated requires looking beyond genes and into the ""non-coding"" regions that control them. Traditionally, transcription factors (proteins that bind small sections of DNA) were viewed as either activators or repressors of gene expression. However, our lab has discovered a new layer of regulation called ""spatial grammar."" This revealed that a transcription factor's function (activator or repressor) is dictated by its precise binding position relative to the gene's start site. Deciphering this grammar is critical, as it explains how the genetic code is actually read and why specific non-coding mutations, which might otherwise seem insignificant, can trigger disease.

We investigated how small DNA alterations, such as insertions or deletions, disrupt this spatial grammar and act as ""hidden drivers"" of disease by analyzing large-scale genetic data from the ICGC and COSMIC cancer databases. Our study focused on mutations within non-coding DNA that alter the physical spacing between transcription factors and their target genes to assess how these shifts correlate with oncogenic activity.

Our findings reveal that cancerous insertions and deletions are significantly enriched in the regions governing transcription factor spacing. This suggests that many non-coding mutations are active cancer drivers that disrupt the genome's spatial logic. This research transforms our understanding of genetics: it is no longer enough to know if a protein binds to DNA; we must know exactly where it binds. This provides a powerful new lens for oncology, potentially allowing us to predict how ""silent"" mutations drive tumor growth.

Principal Topic:"Quantum" has become the go-to adjective in pop culture for describing complex sciences. This is in part due to the many advances quantum mechanics has offered society as a whole today, despite its counter-intuitive explanations and resulting phenomena. This work studies a particular quantum system: a condensed gas of atoms known as a Bose-Einstein condensate, with which we explore the interplay between the spin of its constituent particles and the quantum-equivalent of their spatial movements. The goal is to pierce the veil of how the two play off each other in hopes of better describing the system to exploit its quantum properties for future technologies.Methods:We probe the quantum system numerically as well as through analytical methods where possible. We begin with well-known Gross-Pitaevskii equations for the quantum fluid and then simplify them to a new "few-state" model that captures the essential physics of the system. We then study the system's behavior by solving these equations via simulation and analyzing the results. We use a variety of mathematical techniques to validate and draw intuition from the simplified model, calling upon perturbative expansions and short-time analysis.Results:We have obtained a few-state model that accurately describes the system's behavior including specific resonances previously uncaptured by previously-published simplifications. In particular, this work predicts a new type of resonance that may have impacts on realizing future quantum technologies.

Background: Corneal blindness remains a leading cause of reversible vision loss worldwide. It disproportionately affects populations in low- and middle-income countries where access to donor corneal tissue is limited. International collaborations facilitating corneal tissue donation may play a critical role in addressing this gap while supporting clinical care and education.

Methods: This report is based on internship in Hyderabad, Pakistan. Observations were made across outpatient clinics, inpatient services, and operating rooms within the cornea and external disease service. No patient-level data were collected.

Results: Clinical exposure revealed a high prevalence of advanced corneal pathology, including infectious keratitis, corneal scarring, and sequelae of delayed presentation. Limited local access to donor corneal tissue highlighted the importance of international donation programs in enabling corneal transplantation. The collaborative model supported timely surgical intervention for visually disabling disease while contributing to a high-volume educational environment for trainees.

Conclusions: Cross-border corneal tissue donation programs represent a valuable strategy for addressing corneal blindness in resource-limited settings. Such collaborations provide meaningful educational opportunities and highlight the importance of sustainable global ophthalmology partnerships.

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) in education has received sustained scholarly attention, yet its integration into assessment practices in K-12 settings remains insufficiently examined. The recent emergence of large language models (LLMs) has lowered technical barriers through natural language interaction, accelerating the use of AI to evaluate complex, open-ended student work. While these systems offer efficiency gains and expanded analytic capacity, they also raise persistent concerns related to validity, transparency, fairness, and educational alignment.Although recent research highlights the importance of human involvement across the AI lifecycle, limited attention has been given to how human actors contribute to the development, deployment, and evaluation of LLM-based assessment systems in K-12 education. Existing evaluation approaches continue to emphasize statistical agreement metrics, providing little insight into how human expertise shapes rubric design, prompt construction, model configuration, and post hoc validation.To address these gaps, this systematic review synthesizes evidence from 33 peer-reviewed studies on AI-based assessment in K-12 education. Guided by PRISMA procedures, the review examines patterns of human involvement, technical approaches employed, and evaluation practices used to assess performance and validity. Findings indicate that although human-in-the-loop practices are common, human roles are often underreported and unevenly integrated. Evaluation practices primarily prioritize accuracy and agreement, while fairness, interpretability, and construct validity receive limited attention. Overall, this review shifts the focus from the feasibility of LLM-based assessment to the conditions under which such systems can be responsibly integrated into pedagogically meaningful K-12 assessment practices.

Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, a bacterium that can cause persistent infection by repeatedly changing a specific protein displayed on its surface. This process, known as antigenic variation, allows the bacterium to stay one step ahead of the immune system and maintain long-term infection. Although this immune-evasion strategy has been recognized for nearly three decades, certain mechanistic elements have remained elusive because the DNA region responsible is unusually challenging to genetically manipulate. We recently developed an experimental strategy that overcomes this barrier and used it to examine how the physical organization of the bacterium’s DNA relates to the antigenic variation process. We observed that variation can occur even when vlsE, the gene associated with antigenic variation, is located on a separate DNA molecule, challenging previous assumptions that all required components must be physically linked on the same DNA segment. By exploiting this in trans recombination system, we generated a targeted mutation within the vlsE gene. This mutation was associated with reduced vlsE expression and a lack of detectable variation during infection in mice, suggesting that vlsE expression is required for antigenic variation. Together, these findings represent a significant methodological advance and provide a new framework for understanding how Lyme disease bacteria evade immune defenses and carry out persistent infection.

Gluten free baked goods can have a marked quality difference compared to wheat-based standards. This study compares yellow pea flour and buckwheat flour against all-purpose wheat flour to observe how gluten free flours with different properties influence baking quality of cookies. To contrast against the standard all-purpose wheat flour, yellow pea flour was selected for its high protein content while buckwheat flour was selected for its high fiber content.

Cookies were baked following a standardized method with 100% all-purpose wheat flour, 100% buckwheat flour, and 100% yellow pea flour. Physical dimensions, color, hardness, and fracturability for each cookie variant were compared.

There were significant differences between the height (p<.001), width (p<.05), spread factor (p<.001), and all axes of the CIELAB color space (p<.001) for all cookie variants. Hardness was only significantly different for buckwheat cookies (p<0.05) while fracturability was only significantly different for yellow pea cookies (p<0.05).

Buckwheat cookies were the thickest and had the lowest spread factor. Their relative lack of hardness indicates a cookie that crumbles easily. The high fiber nature of buckwheat flour creates a cookie structure that has less continuity and is relatively fragile. Yellow pea cookies had the highest fracturability, indicating a more flexible cookie with a delayed snap. The high protein nature of yellow pea flour creates a highly cohesive cookie structure that is resistant to breakage.

The results of this study will help aid in a better understanding of how high fiber or high protein flour may change gluten free cookie formulations.

Individual variations in impulsive decision-making stem from a combination of genetic, biological, and environmental influences. Delay discounting (DD), the devaluation of future outcomes, is one of the critical components of decision-making. Lower SES has consistently been linked to steeper discounting, reflecting a stronger preference for immediate, smaller rewards over delayed, larger rewards. Emerging evidence suggests that environmental exposures, such as heat, limited greenery, and air pollution (PM2.5), may impair cognitive function and increase impulsive choice. Further, some studies have shown that higher PM2.5 exposure predicts steeper DD. However, whether this is the case with other environmental factors remains unclear. This study investigated how SES and multiple environmental factors jointly predict delay discounting. Participants were recruited for an EMA study in Chicago (n = 395) in which discounting was assessed using the Kirby Delay Discounting Scale, with the percentage of immediate rewards chosen out of total trials used as the outcome variable. Predictors included participant-level income bracket and home heat exposure, as well as neighborhood-level measures of heat, air quality/PM2.5, and greenspace. Regression analysis revealed that SES significantly predicted discounting: a higher income bracket was associated with a lower proportion of immediate reward choices (Beta = –0.15, p < .01). However, analyses of environmental factors (heat stress, air quality, and greenspace) showed no significant associations with delay discounting. The unexpected absence of direct effects from environmental factors such as greenery, heat, and air quality suggests complex, context-dependent influences. Future research should explore potential mediating factors or alternative measurement approaches.

Pathogen adaptation to different environments is a critical component of disease persistence and an important target of research. For Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, the ability to adapt between tick and mammalian environments remains a source of interest to the field. The genome of B. burgdorferi is fragmented between a chromosome and numerous smaller plasmids, many of which are vital for infection. There is often a direct relationship between plasmid copy number and the relative activity of the genes on the plasmid. As such, plasmid copy number regulation is an important factor for bacterial adaptation and an intriguing target for research. A previous study investigated the role of two genes bbd21 and bbd22 on copy number regulation, finding that deleting these genes decreased the growth rate of the bacteria, increased the copy number of certain plasmids, and weakened the infectivity by 10-fold. We hypothesized these results were due only to the loss of bbd21, however, our original bbd21 mutant clone was also lacking bbd22 expression. By deleting just bbd22 the research presented here will elucidate the specific relationship between bbd21/bbd22 and copy number.

This paper examines the economic consequences of household dissolution during Peru’s post-pandemic recovery (2020-2024). Using a difference-in-differences framework ap- plied to the ENAHO longitudinal panel, I identify causal effects while controlling for invariant heterogeneity and government transfers. The analysis yields three findings. First, I document a distinct Added Worker Effect where dissolution drives a 15.8 percentage point increase in female labor supply. However, this entry is concentrated in the informal sector and fails to prevent a 21.8% decline in per capita income, sug- gesting that employment functions as a distress mechanism rather than a recovery tool. Second, the study resolves a ”consumption smoothing puzzle” where total ex- penditure remains stable despite income losses. Decomposition reveals a forced budget restructuring: the loss of economies of scale drives a 26.9% surge in food spending, crowding out investment in education and discretionary goods (-49.4%). Third, struc- tural vulnerabilities are acute among urban mothers, who face a 30.4% income penalty, whereas rural households and childless women show no significant welfare loss. Finally, re-partnering triggers an immediate exit from the labor force but fails to statistically restore per capita income levels. These results highlight the limitations of labor-centric social protection in stabilizing fractured households.

The United States (US) ranks first or second compared to 10 other countries in the amount of CT and MRI orders, however; only 25% of medical schools require a clerkship in radiology (1,2). Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine (WSU) have integrated radiological classes taught by a radiologist and CT scans of student cadavers to ensure radiological education. The willed body program at WSU College of Medicine provides cadaver CT’s for student education. Students have full access to the CT scans of their cadaver and review the scan with a board-certified radiologist at the end of the school year. We set out to see how accurate the radiologist was in identifying the source and type of metastatic cancer in four cadavers and its value in implementation in the medical school curriculum.

CT review of 20 cadavers in a U.S. medical school by a Radiologist with greater than 20 years of experience revealed four cadavers with suspected metastatic cancer. After biopsy and pathology, there was successful confirmation of cancer in all 4 cadavers, revealing the effectiveness of CT in predicting metastatic cancer. Furthermore, incorporating CT imaging into anatomy labs to identify neoplasms enhances student experience when dissecting gross specimens. CT imaging provides students exposure to early-cancer manifestations that may not be evident with traditional dissection. By analyzing CT images alongside cadaveric specimens, students can identify characteristic features of neoplasm/metastasis.

Multilingual learners of English (MLE) often complete the same challenging language tasks but have different feelings (e.g., excited, overwhelmed, or even bored) toward the tasks. The study draws on task engagement model (Egbert et al., 2021) and stress appraisal model (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984) to examine how MLEs appraise the task challenge (i.e., information and linguistic difficulty) and their appraisals result in different stress forms. The study distinguishes between eustress, a productive form of stress that supports engagement, and distress, a harmful stress that can hinder engagement. Understanding the appraisal process is essential for designing tasks for optimal engagement and have clear description of MLEs’ individual differences.

This descriptive case study investigates how MLEs appraise the balance between task challenge and their skills, how their appraisals lead to eustress and distress, and factors influence their appraisals. Indonesian college students learning English participate in the study. Data collection is currently ongoing. Participants complete brief yet real-time surveys during language tasks using a mobile app that delivers scheduled notifications and followed by semi-structured interviews conducted via Zoom. Survey data are analyzed using descriptive statistics and interview data are analyzed using thematic analysis.

Preliminary analysis indicates there is individual differences in how MLEs appraise whether the tasks feel appropriately challenging. The findings suggest that perception of challenge, task clarity, and prior experience lead to feeling eustress and distress. The findings provide a description of MLEs’ understanding of task challenge appraisals and how teachers can create engaging language tasks.

Promoting equity and representation in STEM for women and underrepresented minorities (URM) has been a priority within the past decades. Scholarly interest in STEM identity, its development, and the relationships between motivation, academic performance, and persistence in STEM fields has gained more attention within STEM research. Studies suggest that the more one identifies and feels accepted by others as a STEM person, the greater their motivation, performance, and persistence in STEM. However, studies have found that women and URM students report lower STEM identity. This discrepancy is attributed to their historic lack of representation within STEM, and due to the sociocultural, socioeconomic, and systemic challenges they disproportionally face. There is notably less discourse that examines and accounts for students who identify as Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander (NHPI), the most underrepresented group in STEM. NHPI often experience the greatest barriers to higher education and STEM careers compared to other URM, however, they are greatly overlooked and unaccounted for in STEM research. To address this gap, 145 undergraduate students in the Pacific US territory of Guam were surveyed, and ten were interviewed. The survey instrument included questions from a validated model for STEM identity. Preliminary survey results indicate that overall, students have a medium level of STEM identity, with NHPI students (n=55) having lower STEM identity compared to non-NHPI students, t(141) = 1.673, p = .097. White, Hispanic/Latino, and Asian students had the highest STEM identity mean scores. Female students (n=106) had lower STEM identity than male students.

Studying the work of the Bengal branch of the World Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WWCTU) established in 1883, my poster investigates temperance discourses of liquor consumption in the late 19th and early 20th century colonial Bengal. In demonstrating how local temperance initiatives were embedded in global movements, the WWCTU were at the forefront in delineating public perceptions of liquor through vernacular temperance literature and education. Drawing on two key vernacular publications and WWCTU’s reports about scientific temperance instruction and moral education, this poster examines WWCTU’s temperance literature as a public-facing discourse in colonial Bengal.

By analyzing a fictional narrative, a catechism, and the inherent moral logics in contrasting literary forms, I argue that WWCTU-produced vernacular temperance literature in Bengal foregrounded the embodied effects of liquor to reframe temperance discourse around individual responsibility, displacing attention from colonial structures and collective accountability. Such publications presented drinking in two ways : firstly, as a health issue for one’s body and mind, affecting responsible citizenship and secondly, by highlighting ramifications of drunkenness for the family, underscoring the family’s role in the health of the national body politic. But both narrative forms individualized responsibilities of young boys and wives while obscuring the colonial state’s deep fiscal dependence on liquor revenue and complicity in sustaining the vice of drunkenness. This poster, therefore, sheds light on the intersection of health, body, and temperance in colonial Bengal, wherein responsibility for consuming liquor was gendered, embodied and vice was portrayed as personal choice, reflecting the incongruities within colonial rule.

Phase transitions are commonly associated with changes between classical states of matter, such as liquid to solid. In contrast, a quantum phase transition is a transition between distinct quantum ground states, driven by changes in system parameters rather than temperature.

In this work, we investigate quantum phase transitions in a spin orbit coupled gas of ultracold rubidium atoms. Spin-orbit coupling links the atoms’ internal spin states to their momentum, enabling precise control of their quantum properties. As system parameters are varied, we expect discontinuous changes in the atomic momentum and spin composition, signaling a phase transition.

We begin by trapping rubidium atoms at room temperature and cooling them to ultracold temperatures using laser cooling techniques. At these temperatures, the atoms condense into a collective quantum state called Bose-Einstein condensate. Additional laser fields are used to control the energy splitting and relative phase between spin states. Time resolved absorption imaging allows us to track the evolution of the system following these parameter changes.

Our measurements reveal a delayed dynamical response of the atoms to changes of the laser frequencies. This behavior reflects non equilibrium dynamics near a quantum phase transition.

Our experiments provide a highly controlled platform for studying quantum phase transitions, non equilibrium dynamics, and quantum fluctuations in macroscopic systems, with potential applications in quantum sensing and precision measurement.

Visual imagery plays an essential role in how we communicate and educate people about science. The kinds of visual imagery we typically rely on for these purposes take many different forms, including maps, graphs, charts, and drawings. Despite this critical role, research about artistic and scientific sensemaking are often severed and studied in separate contexts. Additionally, research about visual imagery interpretation reveals that it is a complex process with which many people struggle, resulting in a disengagement or a surface-level understanding of a visual work. In this study, we explore the sensemaking processes surrounding scientific visual imagery with students in an agricultural science course in central Washington. In particular, we ask: What kinds of connections and scaffolding do the participants use to interpret an image? How does image interpretation differ between the participants learning in community with one another versus in solitude? These results provide insight into the mechanisms of how people approach interpreting scientific imagery. We observed participants relying on previous knowledge and collective consensus rather than making interpretations connected to the discrete visual details of the diagrams. As artists, scientists, and educators, this information is valuable in guiding the development of future diagrams, to reach viewers possessing a range of visual literacies.

Awe is a complex emotion characterized by vastness and a need for cognitive accommodation, often associated with transcendence and wonder. Previous research has demonstrated that awe-inspiring stimuli, such as natural landscapes, can mitigate stress, foster prosocial behavior, and enhance positive affect. Affect, or one’s subjective emotional experiences can range from mundane to extraordinary, fluctuate over time, and shape our overall mood and sense of well-being. While psychoactive substances like cannabis have been used to evoke “peak-experiences”, expanding perception and inspiring awe, little empirical work has explored whether cannabis use might moderate the emotional appraisal or impact of awe-inspiring stimuli.

The current study aims to investigate changes in affect following a brief nature video depicting National Park time-lapse scenes. Participants (N = 660) completed a Qualtrics survey assessing baseline affect prior to the nature video exposure. Then affect was reassessed, followed by measures to capture awe experiences and cannabis use patterns. We hypothesize that participants will broadly report a significant increase in positive affect and a decrease in negative affect following the video. We also predict cannabis users will experience greater increases in positive affect, more awe, and greater reductions in negative affect compared to non-users. Paired-samples t-tests will be conducted to assess changes in affect from baseline to post-video, and a moderation analysis will be conducted to assess whether cannabis moderates the effect of experienced awe on changes in affect. This project will help us understand impacts of awe on changes in affect and whether cannabis use moderates these effects.

Potassium Tantalate (KTaO3) single crystals annealed in hydrogen show room temperature persistent photoconductivity (PPC). Photons of energy near the bandgap excite substitutional hydrogen defects and promote electrons to the conduction band which results in a remarkable increase in conductivity never seen before. Recent studies have shown the material also exhibits photochromism; the transparent crystal darkens upon illumination. This color change is characterized by a UV-Vis absorption peak at 400 nm that increases with time while the dark color fades into yellow. The increase in absorption over time can be accelerated by heating the crystal. PPC and photochromism have also been observed when annealing with deuterium instead of hydrogen, with photochromic effects happening slower when samples are deuterated. Doppler broadening positron annihilation spectroscopy (DB-PAS) shows a decrease in annihilation events near the surface of the crystal after annealing, indicating a reduction in potassium vacancy defects. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) measurements show a reduction in hydrogen and deuterium in the first 1 μm from the surface, consistent with the PAS results.

Throughout the United States, elementary school music curriculums largely emphasize the general education practices typical of most accredited music education degree programs, which primarily center Western traditions and forms of understanding. Lakeside Elementary is a K-5 public school in Plummer, Idaho on the Coeur d’Alene reservation where tribal culture and language are infused into many educational subjects – with music being a noted exception. In response, the “Music as Community” project was undertaken with the intent to incorporate Coeur d’Alene tribal songs and musical traditions into the student experience at Lakeside. This case study documents the project in which Coeur d’Alene tribal members shared traditional and cultural knowledge in four units: Learning to sing in the Snchitsu'umshtsn language, the Battle of Pine Creek and the Rose Creek Singers, the life and songs of Mildred Bailey, and hand drum making. The project culminated with a fieldtrip to Washington State University for the purpose of creating high-quality recordings of the songs from each unit in a professional studio environment. The final mastered recordings were pressed and duplicated onto physical compact discs that were distributed at no cost throughout the tribal community. The goal of the project was to deepen community connections, provide experiential learning opportunities, and increase the depth and breadth of knowledge about tribal songs and traditions for Lakeside students and teachers alike as an example of snmiypnqwiln, a Coeur d’Alene core value encompassing long-term, holistic learning rooted in tribal values that is applied meaningfully within the community.

Optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) are devices that generate non-classical light, which can be used to measure physical quantities with precision beyond classical limits. These quantum mechanical states are formed at the single-particle level from materials that split one photon into two correlated photons. Since their utility depends on the quality of these correlations, it is important to understand how different material properties affect a given state. Moreover, experiments provide a large number of photons for processing, so these dynamics require investigation on both classical and quantum scales.Our work investigates the sensitivity to interaction strengths and frequency imbalances in a third-order OPO. Treated quantum mechanically, we evolve states over time and observe how the trajectories depend on these parameters. Sensitivity is then quantified with the quantum Fisher information (QFI), which is a standard metric for this purpose. These simulations are complemented by a semi-classical approach that forgoes quantum correlations in favor of large-scale behavior. Stability and ground-state analyses are conducted numerically and analytically to characterize state evolution and identify parameter regimes supporting qualitatively different dynamical phases.We find strong correspondence between the quantum and classical descriptions in parameter space. The QFI reveals distinct regions bounded by critical lines of enhanced sensitivity, which are mirrored in the classical limit and associated with the disappearance of stable and metastable states. This establishes a unified picture of sensitivity and stability in OPOs, enabling systematic identification of regimes optimal for quantum-enhanced sensing.

Reducing drag is essential for improving the efficiency and endurance of underwater devices such as vehicles and soft robots, where even small reductions can yield significant energy savings. Sharkskin provides a natural model for drag reduction through microscopic, tooth-like surface features, yet how these features interact and can be reliably manufactured remains unclear. This study tested the hypothesis that biomimetic sharkskin surfaces with intentionally combined microstructural features can reduce hydrodynamic drag relative to smooth surfaces, and that these effects can be systematically linked to designed surface geometry created by 3D-printing.

To evaluate this hypothesis, flexible, 3D-printed biomimetic sharkskin surfaces were developed and compared to smooth control surfaces fabricated from the same materials. Rigid microstructured panels were embedded within a soft silicone base to achieve both geometric fidelity and mechanical compliance. Scanning electron microscopy was used to verify printed feature dimensions. Drag performance was assessed in a controlled and customized flow system by measuring pressure drop across each surface under identical conditions. The results showed that drag was highly sensitive to surface geometry and drag reduction can be potentially achieved by applying multiple factors such as varying the microstructures' height, spacing, lengths, and arrangement.

Overall, this work establishes a reproducible experimental framework linking surface design, fabrication limits, and drag performance, supporting the translation of sharkskin-inspired surfaces into practical underwater technologies that rely on passive drag reduction.

Background: According to the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 27.9 million individuals in the United States ages 12 and over suffered from alcohol use disorder (AUD). Of these individuals, approximately 2.5% received medication-assisted therapy within the previous year. Varenicline (Chantix) is an FDA-approved smoking cessation therapy that acts as a partial agonist at the alpha-4-beta-2 nicotinic cholinergic receptor. Our aim is to examine the relationship between varenicline and the treatment of alcohol use disorders.

Objectives: The primary focus of this work is the impact of varenicline on drinking behaviors in heavy drinkers with or without co-existing tobacco smoking.

Methods: A systematic search of PubMed was conducted and 19 studies were included in this review, after exclusion of duplicates. All included studies are Randomized Control Trials or Clinical Trials conducted in humans.

Results: Although studies indicate mixed effects of varenicline on drinking behavior among those who drink heavily or are alcohol-dependent, varenicline has been found to modulate aspects of cognitive functioning that relate to alcohol use within this population. The impacts of varenicline on drinking behavior are related to factors such as sex of the individual, severity of alcohol dependence, and presence of co-administered treatments.

Conclusions: The findings from this review can be used to inform the validity of expanding medication options to treat heavy drinking. More research is needed, however, to determine whether there is a role for varenicline in moderate drinking conditions.

This study aimed to address conventional backpack sprayer issues such as inconsistent spray distribution, inadequate coverage, and applicator exposure, during spray applications in topographically challenging and small-scale vineyards. To address these challenges, a conventional single nozzle boom was re-engineered into a three-nozzle boom system and anti-drift shield. The spray efficacy of both boom types—conventional (T1) and modified (T2) was evaluated in a modified vertical shoot position (VSP) trained vineyard. Field trials were conducted using pyranine tank mixture in a battery-powered backpack sprayer operated at 40 psi and an application rate of 52 GPA. Spray deposition (ng cm−2) and coverage (%) were quantified (mean ± SE) in two canopy zones, sides, and leaf surfaces using mylar card samplers and water-sensitive papers respectively. The patch-based dosimetry method and air sampler were used to monitor the dermal and inhalation exposure. These samplers were processed using fluorometry analysis. Higher spray deposition compared to T1 (406.68±28.85 ng cm−2), was quantified in T2 (616.2±61.52 ng cm−2) along with more uniform deposition across the top and bottom zones. However, overall coverage was slightly higher for T1 (20.70±1.53 %) than T2 (18.31±1.18 %). Despite these findings, ANOVA indicated no significant treatment effects (p>0.05) for both spray deposition and coverage. Whereas dermal and inhalation exposure showed 39.7% and 59.5% reduction in exposure for modified sprayer system compared to the conventional sprayer. Overall, the modified sprayer provided higher spray deposition, consistent distribution, and reduced exposure compared to the conventional sprayer.

The Liver Health Index (LHI), based on serum albumin, cholesterol, and bilirubin, remains poorly characterized during the prepartum period. The objectives of this study were to evaluate associations between prepartum LHI and lactational performance, and to assess relationships between pre- and postpartum LHI. 250 Holstein cows from a dairy in Washington were enrolled. Blood was collected at −7 and 7 days relative to calving to measure LHI. Postpartum diseases were diagnosed within 10 days postpartum. Milk yield, risk of pregnancy, and herd removal were monitored through 300 days postpartum. Prepartum cows were categorized into LHI quartiles, with top and bottom quartiles representing high and low, respectively. Binary and continuous outcomes were analyzed via logistic regression and ANOVA, and associations between pre- and postpartum LHI via Pearson correlations. Disease occurrence differed by prepartum LHI (P= 0.05), with greater incidence in cows from the bottom compared with the top quartiles (69.4 vs. 56.7%). Milk yield was higher in cows from the top quartiles than those from the bottom quartiles (11,397 vs. 10,193 kg; P < 0.01). Risk of pregnancy differed according to LHI (P = 0.05), with greater pregnancy risk in the top quartiles (86.1 vs. 77.7%). Risk of herd removal was also lower in cows with high LHI (13.9 vs. 27.1%; P < 0.01). A moderate positive correlation was observed between pre- and postpartum LHI (r = 0.53; P < 0.01). In conclusion, prepartum LHI was associated with postpartum health and performance, supporting its potential utility as a predictive biomarker.

Authors: Mckaylin Wood, BSN, DNP-FNP Candidate, Washington State University, Spokane, WA; Mark Walsworth, M.D., AAFP, Coeur d’ Alene, ID; Julie Nugent-Carney, APRN, PMHNP, DNP, Washington State University, Spokane, WA; Luise Wyatt, Quality Improvement Coordinator, Coeur d’ Alene, ID

Campus: Spokane

College: Washington State University College of Nursing

Purpose: This project was designed to improve the monitoring and screening of chronic kidney disease (CKD) for patients with diabetes by implementing a clinical decision support tool (CDS) to increase the collection rates of the urine albumin-creatinine ratio (uACR) at a primary care clinic in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Background: CKD is currently the 11th leading cause of death worldwide and affects approximately 1 in 7 individuals. Despite best practice recommendations, uACR testing is often missed in primary care. Without routine uACR monitoring, clinicians may miss early signs of CKD progression, leading to delays in care and an increased risk of complications.

Methods: The Kidney Profile, a CDS tool informed by best-practice recommendations, was implemented in August 2025. The Kidney Profile enables clinical staff to work autonomously. Clinical staff received 30 minutes of in-person education on Kidney Profile utilization and the electronic health record ordering process. A survey informed by Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory assessed staff confidence in ordering the uACR, while the Plan-Do-Study-Act framework was used to identify barriers, successes, and modifications to the intervention.

Results: This project is currently in the implementation phase. Data collection includes the number of uACRs ordered and completed and aggregated staff survey data. Outcomes will also include thematic analysis of the qualitative responses from staff surveys.

Conclusion/Future Implications: If this project is successful, the evidence supports implementing an EHR alert to notify staff when uACR collection is due, further improving CKD screening and monitoring in patients with diabetes.

Integrating hyper-thermophilic acidification (HTA) with hydrothermal treatment (HTT) presents a novel approach to enhance volatile fatty acids (VFA) production from dairy manure (DM). This research investigated the impacts of varied HTT operational conditions on the solubilization of lignocellulosic biomass and subsequent VFA production. Experimental setups involved three batches where temperature (120°C, 150°C, 180°C), time interval between treatments (24h, 48h, 72h), and agitation conditions were varied to determine their effects on VFA yields. Results demonstrated that applying HTT at 180°C for 1h with time intervals of 24h with mechanical agitation significantly increased VFA production, achieving a peak concentration of 18 g/L. Additionally, lignocellulose analyses of the DM elucidated the changes in its overall composition, with the highest lignin content reduction at 43%. Py-GC-MS analysis proved that agitation further enhanced the breakdown of S and G units, with significant increases in compounds such as 4-vinylguaiacol (G) and syringaldehyde (S), suggesting improved lignin accessibility and degradation. These findings underscore the effectiveness of HTT, particularly under hyper-thermophilic conditions, in overcoming lignocellulosic resistance to enzymatic hydrolysis, thereby improving the DM fiber conversion to VFA.Keywords: Anaerobic acidification, Hydrothermal treatment, Dairy manure, Volatile fatty acid

Soil acidification in no-till (NT) systems poses a critical challenge to agricultural sustainability, particularly where deep-banded nitrogen fertilizers create stratified low pH zones that restrict root growth and nutrient availability. Conventional lime management relies on surface application and tillage incorporation, which disrupts soil conservation practices and often fails to correct subsurface acidity. Subsurface fluid-lime injection has emerged as a promising alternative; however, its effectiveness is strongly influenced by soil transport properties and topographic variability that affect application uniformity. This research investigates the transport dynamics and agronomic impacts of subsurface fluid-applied lime over three cropping seasons (winter pea–spring canola–winter wheat) across variable soil profiles under NT management. Using a novel applicator system, fluid lime was injected at multiple depths in a long-term NT field exhibiting acidity stratification. High-resolution soil sampling, isotopic tracing (δ¹³C), and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis were used to track lime movement, pH modification, and microbial community responses. Crop performance was evaluated using grain yield and quality metrics. Results show that fluid lime significantly increased soil pH in the 5–10 cm target zone relative to the control, though lateral movement was constrained by soil texture and organic matter gradients. Yield responses were closely linked to localized pH improvements and exhibited strong topographic dependence, highlighting variability in lime distribution. These findings support precision subsurface liming strategies that mitigate acidity while maintaining no-till benefits.

Fresh rice noodles pose a food safety risk due to their high moisture content and neutral pH, which favor the growth of pathogens. This study evaluated the growth and enterotoxin production of major foodborne pathogens in fresh rice noodles under different storage temperatures. Fresh rice noodles were produced at a commercial facility. Samples were divided into two treatments: uninoculated and inoculated. The inoculated samples contained 2-3 log CFU/g of the target pathogens. Both treatments were incubated at 12, 18, 29, and 35 °C for 72 h. Samples were analyzed for pathogen growth, enterotoxin production, and changes in pH and aw. Three independent replications were conducted, yielding a total of 936 samples.All five target pathogens were recovered from uninoculated samples. At 12 °C, pathogen populations remained below the detection limit (1.7 log CFU/g) for 72 h, while growth entered the stationary phase after 24 h at 18 °C and after 6 h at 29 and 35 °C. No Bacillus cereus or Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxins were detected in uninoculated samples. In inoculated samples, pathogen growth was significantly affected by a time-temperature interaction (p < 0.05), resulting to a similar growth pattern to uninoculated samples. High levels of B. cereus enterotoxin were detected at 35 °C after 48 and 72 h, while S. aureus enterotoxin was detected at 18 °C after 72 h, 29 °C after 24 h, and 35 °C after 12 h. These results demonstrate that strict temperature control is essential for improving food safety for fresh rice noodle producers.

Total hip arthroplasty is one of the most successful orthopedic procedures, with approximately 500,000 surgeries performed annually in the United States and a steadily increasing demand. Cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (CoCrMo) alloys are widely used for femoral heads due to their excellent wear resistance. However, when coupled with Ti-6Al-4V stems, these systems are susceptible to fretting and tribocorrosion at the modular taper junction, leading to metal ion release, adverse local tissue reactions, and increased revision risk. This study evaluates additively manufactured and wrought Ti-6Al-4V and CoCrMo femoral head systems to establish baseline performance and develop accelerated testing strategies. Hip simulator experiments were conducted using an in-house designed benchtop simulator in synovial fluid environments at pH 7.0 and pH 5.0, under loads of 350 N and 600 N for 1.5 million cycles with combined roll, pitch, and yaw motions to replicate joint kinematics. Damage was quantified using gravimetric weight loss, surface imaging, and image-based machine-learning-assisted analysis. At 350 N, Ti-6Al-4V femoral heads exhibited higher wear and fretting damage, while CCM femoral heads coupled with Ti-6Al-4V shafts showed pronounced corrosion damage due to galvanic effects. At 600 N, both corrosion and wear damage intensified significantly, with wrought CoCrMo experiencing the most severe degradation from combined galvanic and fretting mechanisms. Acidic pH conditions accelerated material degradation across all systems. This work provides a systematic framework for fundamental understanding and rapid screening of AM total hip arthroplasty materials, demonstrating that load magnitude and electrochemical environment critically influence failure modes at the modular taper junction.

Substance-use disorders (SUDs) are a growing public health crisis, with nearly 108,000 overdose deaths reported in the US during 2022 alone (NIDA 2025). Over the past two decades, the impact of SUD has nearly quadrupled (Spencer et al., 2024), highlighting the urgent need for improved intervention strategies. While traditional compartmental models, such as the Susceptible-Infectious-Recovered (SIR) model, have been widely used to study the spread of infectious diseases, research has shown that opioid epidemics follow patterns that can be effectively analyzed using such epidemiological models (White and Comiskey, 2007). Thus, compartmental models provide frameworks for predicting the waves of opioid epidemics and assessing the impact of intervention strategies. In this study, we formulated a mathematical model that captures the development, progression, and treatment of SUD. By incorporating behavioral factors and real-world data, this innovative model allows for a deeper analysis of treatment adherence and long-term recovery outcomes. Insights from this work show that addiction will prevail within the community if social isolation triggers (e.g., opioid prescription overuse) are not eradicated. Reducing transmission rates, both socially and in isolation, will decrease the peak of the addiction curve and delay the growth of the addicted population. A comparison of treatment and prevention reveals that prevention has the higher impact on mitigating the addiction peaks. However, we seek to understand how improving treatment and recovery benefits the addicted individuals. Raising treatment rates and treatment adherence significantly lowers the endemic state of the addiction curve. Future directions include expanding treatment adherence to incorporate social determinants of health.

Background: Health promotion efforts on college campuses play a critical role in addressing student health concerns, including sexual health, mental health, alcohol use, cannabis use, and other substance-related risks. Campus Health Educators (CHEs) are central to these efforts, serving as gatekeepers who design, select, and implement prevention and intervention strategies. As student health needs continue to evolve, particularly around substance use, understanding CHEs’ perceptions and preparedness is essential.

Methods: This study surveyed Campus Health Educators across U.S. college campuses (N = 108) to examine their perceptions of the health issues most concerning to college students and to assess their confidence in addressing these topics through health promotion programming. Participants reported perceived student concern and self-rated confidence across multiple health domains, including sexual health, mental health, alcohol use, cannabis use, and cannabis-alcohol co-use.

Results: Findings revealed substantial variation across topic areas. Traditional health promotion domains, such as sexual health and alcohol use, were associated with relatively higher levels of educator confidence. In contrast, emerging issues, particularly cannabis use and cannabis-alcohol co-use, were perceived as generating high levels of student concern but were associated with lower levels of educator confidence. This mismatch highlights potential gaps between student needs and campus health promotion capacity.

Conclusions and Implications: These findings provide insight into current campus health promotion priorities and suggest that Campus Health Educators may benefit from additional training, resources, and institutional support to address emerging substance-related issues. Implications for strengthening evidence-based intervention selection and enhancing campus prevention efforts are discussed.

When a homogeneous system is driven through a phase transition, spatial defects can spontaneously emerge due to the breakdown of adiabaticity. In cosmology, quantum fluctuations during the early universe seed primordial defects that evolve into large-scale structures. The size of these structures and the transition rate follow a universal power law known as the Kibble-Zurek mechanism (KZM). Ultracold atomic systems provide a platform to investigate this phenomenon under controlled conditions, particularly in regimes dominated by quantum fluctuations.We study the KZM in a quantum many-body system using a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). Recent experimental advances at Washington State University enable the realization of a two-momentum-component BEC with a rich and highly tunable phase diagram. By quenching the system from a symmetric phase into a symmetry-broken phase, we emulate a transition analogous to that experienced by the early universe. We develop a theoretical framework to describe defect formation in this quantum regime and investigate how different quench rates introduce distinct length and time scales. Our model quantitatively predicts the scaling behavior observed in both experiments and stochastic numerical simulations.We observe the formation of domains whose size follows a power-law dependence on the transition rate, providing evidence of KZM in a quantum system. Our results reveal a complex cascade of dynamical transitions that distinguishes this system from classical counterparts and refines the conventional interpretation of the KZM. This platform opens new directions for exploring quantum phase transitions, non-equilibrium dynamics, and the role of quantum fluctuations in many-body systems.

One-carbon (C1) metabolism is a fundamental biochemical pathway that is essential for plants’ growth and development. It is tightly linked to photorespiration, a process that occurs when the enzyme Rubisco reacts with oxygen instead of carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. Photorespiration is major metabolic cost to plants, reducing photosynthetic efficiency and significantly limiting crop productivity. For example, current models of photorespiration show that it causes 36% and 20% yield loss in soybeans and wheat respectively. Importantly, a 5% reduction in photorespiration can improve photosynthetic efficiency and generate up to $500 million in annual economic gains. This research investigates the role of two C1 metabolism enzymes (cSHMT4, FTHFL) and HPR1 (a photorespiratory enzyme) in managing this critical balance between plant growth and energy waste.To study this, we generated Arabidopsis plants with genetically altered enzyme levels, including both "knockout" (reduced activity) and over-expression plants. We grew these plants under normal and elevated carbon dioxide concentrations and evaluated their developmental and metabolic changes. We then analyzed their chemical composition by profiling key metabolites like amino acids and folates in leaves and roots using an advanced technique called High-Performance Liquid Chromatography.Our findings indicate that altering the activity of these enzymes significantly affects plant growth and development and the metabolic levels of different amino acids and other metabolites associated with C1 metabolism and photorespiration. These findings are critical for plant production as they provide genetic blueprints for engineering more resilient crops with improved photosynthetic efficiency to ensure global food security.

Over the last decade, disagreements about climate change policy have increased, leaving people with mixed feelings about its need and effectiveness. These mixed feelings (ambivalence) can cause individuals to be more susceptible to partisan cues and targeted messaging strategies. Current research suggests that conservatives are more ambivalent towards climate policy and pro-environmental behaviors in comparison to the left; However, younger conservatives are more supportive of climate policy than older ones but overall group policy support remains small. Ambivalence is thought to reduce climate policy support, but most studies so far rely on single country-level data, do not incorporate age, and use inconsistent methods. The current study examines political affiliation, if it influences ambivalence, and if age changes this relationship across countries. Using the 2020 wave “Political Polarization and Environmental Attitudes” international survey conducted by the Leibniz Institute for Social Sciences through the International Social Survey programme, 13 survey questions across individuals in 19 countries focusing on climate policy, economic views, and environmental attitudes are analyzed through an ordinary least squares regression (OLS). Respondents are analyzed for inconsistencies between responses to each question to check how much ambivalence one holds based on the modified Kaplans ambivalence formula. Results show that conservatives exhibit greater ambivalence towards supporting climate change policy compared to the left; Age does not appear to influence this relationship, suggesting that ambivalence is more widespread. This highlights that ambivalence may stem from other social factors like identity and values, which is crucial for developing messaging strategies for policy support.

How do police and Spanish-speaking community members navigate language and cultural barriers? To address this question, I draw on literature from criminal justice and sociology to explore the emotional and practical implications of officers’ and community members’ identity dynamics, particularly as they relate to belonging and interpretation decisions. In so doing, I analyze emotions in relation to identity characteristics, such as race, gender, immigration status, and spoken language, and how police officers and community members “make sense of” their emotions when navigating language barriers.

I will share my preliminary findings from my research in a mid-sized agrarian city in Washington. I conducted 33 interviews with law enforcement, took field notes from 60 hours of observations during police ride-alongs, and conducted 7 focus groups with community members.

My preliminary findings suggest that officers’ decisions about when and how to provide language services were partially contingent upon the exigency of the situation, the seriousness of the crime, the availability of resources (e.g., bilingual officers), as well as their department’s culture, the unique subculture of their particular shift (day, swing, or graveyard), their working style with fellow officers, and their individual preferences. Community members discussed their preferences regarding who should serve as an interpreter (e.g., an officer, neutral third party, family member, etc.) and shared their frustrations around assumptions about whether individuals, particularly children, were Spanish-speaking. Both officers and community members discussed identity dynamics, and how they helped or hindered rapport-building.

Background: Adolescents are frequent social media users, often posting content about controversial topics and advocating for social issues. This study examined the associations between attitudes, norms, and efficacy for sharing controversial topics on social media and adolescents’ sharing of contraceptive access advocacy contentMethods: This study surveyed 18- to 20-year-olds from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia (N = 966), including both closed- and open-ended questions on social media use, attitudes, and opinions regarding health and other issues, with a focus on sexual and reproductive health.Results: Findings showed that women and nonbinary adolescents were more likely to post contraceptive access advocacy content than men, and that perceptions that the topic was controversial where they lived, that they believed sharing controversial information on social media was important (attitudes), and that others they knew shared controversial information on social media (norms) were associated with increased sharing on contraceptive access advocacy content on social media. The teens noted that sharing such information online could raise awareness of topics, provide information and resources for others, and allow them to have a voice.Conclusions and Implications: Our findings highlight the interplay of psychosocial factors, such as attitudes, norms, and perceptions of a reproductive health topic as controversial, with engagement with contraceptive access information on social media. However, a belief that engaging with social media on controversial issues will lead to change was not associated with sharing. Sharing is more about awareness and participant identity than the belief that the action will spur change.

Arabinoxylans are a major type of dietary fiber found in wheat, and they play a vital role in influencing both wheat’s end-use properties and human health. Arabinoxylans can be grouped into water-extractable or water-unextractable based on their solubility, thereby affecting water absorption in wheat flour, which influences baking properties. In humans, increased levels of arabinoxylans have several health benefits, making them a valuable trait for improving the nutritional quality of wheat. To understand the natural variation of these dietary fibers in wheat, we measured the arabinoxylans of a 250 hard wheat TCAP panel and 180 WSU soft spring wheat breeding lines. A modified color-based method was used to measure the breakdown of arabinoxylans into a compound called furfural, which reacts with a chemical called phloroglucinol. The strength of this reaction produces a pinkish color, which is measured at 510 nm and 552 nm wavelengths, allowing the calculation of both total and water extractable arabinoxylans in each sample. We also used molecular markers on chromosomes 1B and 6B to analyze these two populations. In the hard wheat panel, total arabinoxylans ranged from 10.1 to 22.7 mg/g, while soft wheat ranged from 8.6 to 15.9 mg/g. Water-extractable arabinoxylans showed similar variation. The molecular analysis showed that the favorable alleles of the markers used were associated with high arabinoxylan content and vice versa, therefore validating the presence of these loci in both populations. This research helps identify wheat lines with naturally high arabinoxylans and supports future breeding efforts aimed at improving human health.

Background: As mixed-autonomy traffic becomes increasingly common, autonomous vehicles (AVs) must operate alongside human drivers who may not always follow social norms or traffic laws. Existing AV planning frameworks often struggle in adversarial scenarios, such as forced cut-ins or right-of-way violations, leading either to unsafe over-optimism or excessive conservatism that can result in traffic deadlocks.Goal: This research aims to develop an action-planning framework that enables an AV to distinguish between unaware or law-violating drivers and responsive ones, ensuring safety without sacrificing efficiency.Methods: We adopt a Level-k reasoning framework to model the strategic depth of human drivers. A key innovation is the use of behavior-driven danger signaling, whereby the AV actively probes human intent by issuing signals designed to elicit a response. Using a Bayesian belief update mechanism, the AV infers whether a driver is adversarial or cooperative and adapts its planned trajectory accordingly.Results: The proposed system is validated through real-world experiments using an Ackermann-steered robotic platform. Three high-stakes scenarios are considered: forced lateral cut-ins, longitudinal merging violations, and frontal oncoming lane encroachments. In all cases, the AV successfully identified potential threats early and executed defensive maneuvers only when the human driver was confirmed to be unresponsive.Significance and Conclusions: The results demonstrate that autonomous vehicles can safely navigate non-cooperative traffic by actively probing human intent rather than passively assuming compliance. This work advances the reliable integration of autonomous systems into real-world urban traffic.

Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms are increasing in frequency and magnitude due to rising water temperatures and eutrophication. One of the most hepatotoxic and common cyanotoxins produced by these blooms is microcystin-leucine-arginine (MCLR). MCLR is a group 2B carcinogen and may exacerbate existing liver diseases like metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). This study investigates the effects of MCLR on liver cell populations in healthy and MASLD mice. C57BL/6J mice received either a control or MASLD-inducing high fat/high cholesterol diet, followed by oral gavage with vehicle or MCLR. H&E-stained liver sections were scored by a veterinary pathologist and single nuclei RNA-sequencing (snRNA-Seq) analysis was then performed. Ten distinct cell populations were identified within samples: hepatocytes, cholangiocytes, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs), macrophages, neutrophils, B cells, T cells, plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), and an undefined immune cell population. SnRNA-Seq indicated alterations to hepatic structure and function due to the combination of MCLR exposure and MASLD diet. These were evidenced by altered cell population proportions (i.e., increased macrophages and decreased hepatocytes) increased differential expression of genes in most cell types (e.g., macrophages, cholangiocytes), shifting hepatocyte zonation (e.g., shift towards periportal expression) and altered cellular communication. These effects highlight important differences in cell type-specific responses to MCLR in healthy versus MASLD livers and suggest increased hepatotoxicity in pre-existing liver disease.

Bacterial canker disease (BCD), caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae and P. amygdali pv. morsprunorum poses a serious threat to Washington State’s $800 million sweet cherry industry. A major BCD problem in WA is heading-cut infection in newly established orchards in spring. Copper has long been used for cut-wound protection, but prolonged copper-based treatment has led to widespread resistance. We assessed the efficacy of lime sulfur, acibenzolar-S-methyl (Ag), oxytetracycline (Tc), latex paint (LP), Badge X2 (BX2), kasugamycin (Ksg), Vacciplant, and clove oil for preventing cut-wound infection in newly planted cherry orchards. Randomized controlled field experiments involving 190 trees were conducted in early and late May to represent hot-dry and cool-humid environmental conditions. Canker development was evaluated at 3, 5, and 8 weeks following inoculation. Statistical analyses revealed significant differences in canker progression among treatments. In 2024 field trials, Ksg and Tc significantly reduced canker development when heading cuts were made under hot, dry conditions, whereas copper- and latex-paint-based treatments provided little protection. Under cool, humid conditions, Tc, Ag, and Ksg were more effective in limiting canker length. Overall, canker development was faster and more frequent in trees pruned during cool, humid weather. In 2025 trials, kasugamycin again suppressed canker progression, while the addition of Vacciplant or repeated applications did not enhance efficacy. Furthermore, no pathogen was recovered when pruning cuts removed cankers at least 12.7 cm below visible symptoms. These findings demonstrate that both chemical choice and environmental conditions at pruning are critical factors in preventing cut-wound infections by pseudomonads.

Exposure to drug-associated environmental cues results in the retrieval of drug memories and triggers drug relapse in cocaine users. Interestingly, drug memories are also destabilized upon retrieval and interference with their reconsolidation into long-term memory storage can attenuate cocaine memory strength and prevent drug relapse. We have previously shown that inhibition of neural activity in the dorsal hippocampus cornu ammonis region 3 (dCA3) immediately after memory retrieval disrupts cocaine-memory strength. Conversely, inhibition of the dorsolateral septum (dlS), a brain region that receives monosynaptic inputs from the dCA3, enhances cocaine-memory strength in a sex-dependent manner. Here, we investigated the role of the dCA3-to-dlS neural pathway in regulating cocaine-memory strength in a rat model of drug addiction. Based on our earlier findings in the dlS, we hypothesized that the dCA3-to-dlS pathway is an inhibitory feedback circuit. Thus, inhibition of this pathway using deschloroclozapine (DCZ), an agonist for an inhibitory G protein-coupled designer receptor, would increase contextual cocaine memory strength and consequently augment context-induced drug-seeking behavior. Contrary to our hypothesis, DCZ-induced inhibition of the dCA3-to-dlS circuit reduced drug-seeking behavior in male rats with no effects in females. Together with our previous findings, these results indicate that dCA3 inputs to some neuronal populations in the dlS are necessary for retaining cocaine memories in male rats. However, the dlS as a whole may be a locus for the bidirectional regulation of cocaine memory strength. Furthermore, dCA3 inputs to the dlS may be a therapeutic target for the treatment of cocaine-use disorder.

Principal Topic. As generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools become increasingly embedded in higher education, universities face growing challenges in balancing innovation with ethical responsibility. While many institutions have adopted AI for teaching, assessment, and administrative decision-making, formal policies often lag behind practice. Guided by Chan’s AI Ecological Education Policy Framework, this study examines how AI policies are interpreted and enacted across pedagogical, governance, and operational dimensions. Rather than focusing solely on policy documents, the study centers the perspectives of faculty, preservice teachers, and university policymakers to understand how ethical AI integration unfolds in everyday institutional contexts.Method. This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews with faculty members, preservice teachers, and university policymakers at a large public research university. Participants represented diverse instructional and administrative roles. Interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis aligned with the pedagogical, governance, and operational dimensions of the framework. Analysis focused on participants’ experiences with AI use, policy clarity, ethical concerns, and institutional support structures.Results. Findings indicate broad support for AI integration alongside significant concerns about unclear policy guidance, uneven training, and inconsistent governance mechanisms. Participants reported that pedagogical innovation is often constrained by ambiguity in institutional policies and limited operational support. Ethical considerations, such as fairness, accountability, privacy, and human judgment, emerged as central across all participant groups. The study highlights the need for clearer, practice-oriented AI policies that integrate ethical values across institutional levels. These findings offer actionable insights for universities seeking to move from reactive to proactive, responsible AI governance in higher education.

Principal Topic: Although equity in teaching and learning has gained increased scholarly attention, equity in student engagement remains understudied in instructional planning and practice. Engagement is not an inherent learner trait but is shaped by the intentional design of conducive learning environments that support meaningful learning experiences. The purpose of this exploratory single-subject case study is to examine how an undergraduate writing instructor perceives diverse engagement needs and how these perceptions inform equitable, UDL-aligned engagement practices. Grounded in social constructivism and pragmatic theories of experience, UDL frames engagement as emerging from socially constructed, meaningful learning experiences. Method: Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and classroom observations to examine instructor’s perceptions and practices, supplemented by student self-report questionnaires. Thematic analysis of teacher’s interviews, frequencies of teacher’s UDL-informed classroom strategies, and descriptive analysis of student data provided triangulated insights. Results/Implications: Findings indicate that student engagement is shaped by purposefully designed learning environments and experiences shaped by instructor beliefs, institutional policies, and theoretical alignment. Efforts to cultivate a safe, trusting, and empathetic environment—through emotional responsiveness, pedagogical flexibility, and growth-focused feedback—helped reduce barriers to engagement. However, equitable engagement supports were offered through individual accommodations, requiring students to self-advocate rather than being embedded preemptively into the instructional design as UDL recommends. Furthermore, minimal integration of authentic tasks, structured collaboration, and digitally mediated writing, constrained equitable engagement. These findings offer novel, actionable guidance for UDL-aligned instructional design and faculty development, detailing concrete ways to foster equitable, individualized engagement among diverse undergraduate writing students.

Sleep is essential for brain healing, yet many patients recovering from stroke or traumatic brain injury report poor sleep during hospitalization. This qualitative study explored how hospitalized patients experience sleep disruption and what changes they believe could improve rest and recovery.

We conducted semi-structured interviews with adult inpatients hospitalized for stroke or traumatic brain injury. Participants were asked about their sleep quality, nighttime interruptions, and perceptions of how sleep affected their recovery. Interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify recurring concerns and suggested solutions.

Patients consistently described fragmented sleep caused by frequent overnight vital sign checks, hallway conversations, alarms, and room entry by staff. Many reported feeling exhausted, irritable, and less able to participate in daytime therapies as a result. Participants emphasized that while they understood the need for monitoring, the timing and frequency of nighttime care often felt excessive or poorly coordinated. Suggested improvements included clustering overnight care, reducing unnecessary alarms, lowering ambient noise, dimming lights, and offering earplugs or quiet hours.

These findings highlight a tension between necessary medical monitoring and patients’ need for restorative sleep during neurological recovery. Addressing modifiable sources of nighttime disruption may represent a low-cost, patient-centered opportunity to improve hospital experience and support healing after brain injury. Incorporating patient perspectives into hospital sleep practices could help align safety with recovery-focused care.

Coxiella burnetii (Cb) is a Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterium that causes query (Q) fever in humans and coxiellosis in livestock, including goats, sheep, and cattle. Pivotal to Cb virulence is the requirement of the pathogen to transition from the metabolically dormant and non-replicative Small Cell Variant (SCV) to the metabolically active and replicative Large Cell Variant (LCV). Although optimal metabolic activity includes metabolism of glucose, a role for glucose in facilitating the pathogen’s developmental transitions has not been tested. Analysis of gene expression following infection with the SCV form suggests that glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway, and cell wall biosynthesis are active processes. Therefore, we hypothesize that glucose is critical for Cb SCV to LCV transition. To test this hypothesis, we are investigating the impact of limiting glucose conditions on Cb SCV to LCV transition using spectrophotometry and qPCR, following incubation in axenic media and infection of physiologically different host cell types. Our analysis reveal that limiting glucose conditions impair Cb early development in both axenic media and during infection of Vero cells. Additional experiments will investigate Cb SCV to LCV transitions in other relevant host cells, including JEG-3 and THP-1. The outcome of these experiments will elucidate the role of glucose in Cb SCV to LCV transitions, a critical component of the pathogen’s virulence. Our findings may also set the stage for future research on selectively interfering with Cb glucose phosphorylation, given that Cb does not encode the canonical enzyme hexokinase, which catalyzes glucose phosphorylation in (mammalian) host organisms.

Social media plays a central role in middle schoolers’ lives, offering opportunities for learning and creativity, posing risks to mental well-being. This study examines how parental media literacy and parenting approaches shape children’s social media use and emotional outcomes. Grounded in media literacy theory and the Technology Acceptance Model, the study highlights digital parenting as a relational process, emphasizing how parents evaluate, guide, and support children’s online experiences.Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 174 U.S. parents of children aged 11-14, including a local community sample (n = 21) and a national sample recruited through Prolific (n = 153). Parents reported their own media literacy skills, use of mediation strategies (active discussion, rule-setting, and shared media use), children’s social media behaviors, perceived mental well-being indicators, and experiences with digital monitoring tools. Quantitative analyses were complemented by thematic analysis of open-ended responses.Parents with higher media literacy were more likely to use active, discussion-based mediation and reported fewer negative well-being indicators for their children. Media literacy was associated with child engagement in educational or creative social media activities. In contrast, heavier reliance on restrictive rule-setting showed a negative association with children’s well-being, particularly in the local sample. Although many parents perceived digital monitoring tools as useful, adoption was limited due to low awareness, perceived complexity, privacy concerns, and a preference for trust-based parenting. Findings suggest that effective digital parenting requires screen-time limits; parent-focused media literacy education and accessible tools may better support healthy social media use.

Principal Topic:Public sentiment towards science is generally positive, but skepticism is encouraged to prevent misinformation. However, individuals’ motivation and biases can influence how trust in information is formed. Some individuals value scientific ideals, but distrust experts and scientific institutions. This view is reflected in the phrase “do your own research” (DYOR), which promotes independent inquiry and skepticism, but is also associated with anti-expert attitudes and conspiratorial beliefs. While they value scientific inquiry, DYOR adherents believe their own self-research is equivalent to peer-reviewed studies. This study examines DYOR perceptions alongside attitudes towards climate change, vaccines, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).Method:A nationally representative survey of 631 U.S. adults was conducted through Prolific. Participants completed measures evaluating DYOR perceptions and skepticism or rejection of climate change, vaccines, and GMOs. Demographic variables included age, political orientation, religiosity, income, gender, education, and urbanicity.Results/Implications:Hierarchical regression analyses controlling for demographics showed significant models for climate change (R²=.249, F(4,610)=50.196, p<.001), GMOs (R²=.073, F(3,610)=11.292, p<.001), and vaccines (R²=.204, F(4,610)=38.774, p<.001). DYOR perceptions predicted greater skepticism toward climate change (β=-.210, p<.001) and vaccines (β=-.256, p<.001), but not GMOs (β=-.042, p=.859). Education was positively associated with attitudes toward climate change, vaccines, and GMOs, while political conservatism and urbanicity were negatively associated with attitudes toward climate change and vaccines. GMO attitudes, instead, were linked to political conservatism, gender, and education. Overall, DYOR is most strongly associated with skepticism toward highly politicized science issues, highlighting the combined influence of epistemic beliefs and sociopolitical factors in shaping science attitudes.

AbstractThe continuously rising atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂), driven by anthropogenic activities such as transportation and energy-intensive industrial processes, has motivated extensive research into its conversion into value-added chemicals and fuels. Among the available strategies, electrochemical CO₂ reduction (CO₂RR) has emerged as a promising and sustainable approach. In this work, we explore two advanced electrocatalyst systems to enhance the efficiency and selectivity of CO₂RR.First, a cobalt-based Weyl semimetal, Co₃Sn₂S₂, is investigated as a heterogeneous electrocatalyst. Single crystals of Co₃Sn₂S₂ were synthesized via a flux method at 1100 °C, and both single-crystal and powder forms were evaluated. Owing to its unique topological electronic structure, Co₃Sn₂S₂ exhibits efficient CO₂ reduction toward formic acid (HCOOH), carbon monoxide (CO), and methane (CH₄), even at a low electrochemically active surface area while maintaining high current density. The synergistic interaction between Co and Sn promotes key intermediates (CO* and HCOO*), enabling favorable CO₂RR pathways.In addition, CuCoS thin-film electrocatalysts were fabricated on glassy carbon electrodes via potentiostatic electrodeposition under an applied magnetic field. Magnetic-field-assisted deposition significantly reduces charge-transfer resistance and shifts metal-ion reduction to lower potentials, facilitating uniform film formation. The combined effects of Cu, Co, and S enhance CO₂RR toward liquid fuels and hydrocarbons.Overall, this study demonstrates that topological Weyl semimetals and magnetically engineered multi-metal sulfide thin films represent promising platforms for efficient and selective electrochemical CO₂ conversion.

Temperature has a profound impact on arthropod vectors and the pathogens they transmit. Ticks are blood-feeding ectoparasites that transmit numerous pathogens and are likely to experience thermal stress in the environment. We tested how thermal stress influences Rhipicephalus microplus survival and transovarial transmission of Babesia bovis parasite, which causes the economically important cattle disease bovine babesiosis. Infected and uninfected replete female ticks and eggs were exposed to 13 temperature treatments, ranging from 0°C to 44°C. Temperature had a significant non-linear effect on mortality and egg hatching success. Exposure to extremely low (0, 2, 4°C) and high (40, 42, 44°C) temperatures significantly reduced survival and fecundity in female ticks. We measured Babesia copy numbers using qPCR and ddPCR, targeting ksp gene. Temperature significantly affected parasite loads in female ticks (F11,124.25 = 7.01, p <0.0001) and eggs (F6,108 = 3.385, p <0.001). Transovarial transmission was assessed by measuring parasite levels in larvae from thermally stressed females and eggs. Larvae from thermally stressed females (0°C and 32°C) had significantly higher parasite loads than those from unstressed females (26°C). However, temperature stress had no significant effect on parasite loads in larvae from thermally stressed eggs. We conclude that extreme temperature increases tick mortality, reduces hatching success, and increases transmission of B. bovis in female ticks. These findings highlight the role of temperature as a key determinant of vector competence and suggest that increased temperature variation may elevate tick-mediated transmission of parasites, potentially facilitating tick range expansion into previously unsuitable regions and increasing disease risk.

Protecting the Heart from Cancer Treatment-Related Excessive Scarring.

Doxorubicin is a powerful cancer therapy used to treat many types of cancer. However, its use is limited because it can damage the heart. This damage leads to weakened heart function and the buildup of scar tissue (fibrosis). The only drug currently approved to protect the heart, dexrazoxane, may reduce the effectiveness of doxorubicin against cancer. This creates an urgent need for safer ways to protect the heart during cancer treatment.

Our previous work identified a protein called cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) as an important driver of doxorubicin-induced damage to heart muscle cells. Because heart muscle cell/ tissue injury from doxorubicin is often associated with excessive activation of scar-producing cells (fibroblasts), we studied the role of CDK7 in these fibroblasts.

We found that doxorubicin does not directly activate fibroblasts. Instead, it causes heart muscle cells to release stress signals that activate nearby fibroblasts. Additionally, doxorubicin increased CDK7 activity in fibroblasts in both cell culture experiments and animal models. Blocking CDK7, either with drugs or genetically, significantly decreased fibroblast activation and scar formation. This in turn improved heart function.

Together, these findings show that CDK7 plays a key role in driving scar formation and heart damage caused by doxorubicin. Targeting CDK7 and its regulatory partners may provide a new and effective way to protect the heart during cancer therapy.

Background: Visual representation in healthcare education influences career choice and patient outcomes. When students see providers who represent them, they are more likely to pursue healthcare careers. Although Emergency Medical Services (EMS) promotes diversity, it is unclear whether training materials reflect U.S. demographics.

Purpose: Evaluate demographic (race, ethnicity, gender) and role representation in the two most widely used U.S. paramedic textbooks.

Methods: A national snowball survey of paramedic programs identified the two most commonly used textbooks. Medical and EMS students coded all human figures for perceived demographics and role. A random sample was double coded to assess reliability (IRR >0.80).

Results: 3,513 individuals were coded; 1,427 with visible faces were analyzed. In 2023 Black, Hispanic, and Asian individuals comprised 14%, 20%, and 7% of the U.S. population but represented only 9%, 2%, and 2% of depicted individuals. Women accounted for 29% of those shown despite comprising 50% of the population. After adjusting for gender and textbook, role representation differed by race and ethnicity. Compared with White individuals, Black (aOR 0.64, 95% CI 0.42–0.98) and Asian (aOR 0.26, 0.11–0.61) individuals were less likely to be depicted as EMS providers. Asian individuals were more likely to appear as patients (aOR 2.57, 1.55–4.26). Hispanic individuals were more likely depicted as providers (aOR 2.7, 1.54–4.99) and less likely shown as patients (aOR 0.36, 0.18–0.74) overall.

Conclusion: The two most widely used U.S. paramedic textbooks have notable disparities in racial and ethnic representation, both in absolute representation and role depiction.

The tick-borne apicomplexan parasite Babesia (B.) bigemina is one of the causative pathogens of bovine babesiosis, which causes enormous economic losses in the cattle industry worldwide. Due to the shortcomings of current control measures, novel control options are urgently needed. B. bigemina has a dixenic life cycle, and in the sexual stage, HAP2 is an indispensable protein for gamete fusion of this parasite. Structural studies on HAP2 revealed that it has three extracellular domains, designated as DI, DII, and DIII. Previous studies showed that blocking HAP2 domains can result in the blockade of gamete fusion of Plasmodium spp to different extents. Therefore, this study focused on determining the structure of this protein. Our study compared the Alphafold-predicted Babesia bigemina HAP2 with the crystal and predicted structures of HAP2 of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Arabidopsis thaliana, Plasmodium spp., and Babesia spp. We observed that three domains of B. bigemina HAP2 overlapped with the domains of those HAP2 proteins that showed significant structural similarity, despite lacking significant sequence similarity, and that the disulfide bonds are strictly conserved across the three domains. In addition, the structural analysis using HAP2 from multiple strains of B. bigemina also showed that they were remarkably similar. Defining the sequence of each HAP2 domain allowed us to generate domain-specific antibodies, which will be used in further studies. This study defined the structure and sequence of the domains of B. bigemina HAP2, providing a novel avenue for developing a transmission-blocking vaccine by targeting these domains.

Recent advances in biology allow for the measurement of active genes in tissues while tracking the location of those cells. This spatial view of gene expression enhances the understanding of cellular communication in the context of tissue, a capability that single-cell studies lack. However, current techniques face a trade-off between gene activity accuracy and image resolution. Methods prioritizing gene activity accuracy capture signals from groups of nearby cells rather than individual cells, leading to mixed measurements that complicate interpretation. Consequently, it remains unclear which cell types contribute to observed gene activity in each spatial region.

To separate these mixed signals, existing computational methods typically use reference data from single-cell experiments. While these methods are effective, they require well-matched reference datasets and are constrained by the cell types that have already been identified. This limitation reduces their effectiveness in complex biological contexts.

An alternative approach is to analyze data independently, without relying on external references. This reference-free method can directly infer which cell types are present in a specific region. In this study, we present a reference-free computational framework that utilizes patterns in gene activity, gene relationships, and machine-learning techniques to estimate the distribution of cell types across spatial regions along with their corresponding gene activity profiles. When applied to data from the mouse medial preoptic area, this model successfully separated mixed cellular signals. The ultimate goal of this project is to develop a model that facilitates the discovery of new or context-specific cell states that would otherwise remain hidden.

Social bond theory argues that strong social bonds: attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief (Hirschi, 1969) reduce offending. A substantial body of research that tested social bond theory provides support for this general proposition. However, most studies used an aggregated delinquency scale, with far fewer exploring disaggregated offense types. This reliance limits the insight into whether social bonds can operate similarly across distinct offense types. Using the Research on Pathways to Desistance dataset, this study addresses this limitation. Results show that a strong belief bond is highly predictive of reducing the likelihood of self-reported crimes across four categories: property, violent, drug-related, and illegal income-generating offenses. Specifically, respondents who believe staying out of trouble with the law is highly important report a significant reduction in the likelihood of crimes across four categories. One unit increase in the importance of staying out of trouble with the law is associated with a 25% reduction in the odds of committing property crimes, a 27% reduction in the odds of committing violent crimes, a 23% reduction in the odds of committing drug-related crimes, and a 25% reduction in the odds of committing illegal income-generating offenses. The findings suggest that belief appears to function as a more consistent bond-based predictor than other types of bonds. These findings also highlight the importance of disaggregating offense types in testing the social bond theory, which can contribute to implications for policy reform and reentry program design.

Turbulence or localized flow around metal surfaces has a profound influence on corrosion behavior, altering ion transport, disrupting passive films, and modifying the dynamics of gas evolution. However, the role of solution turbulence or flow, especially in the context of electrochemical corrosion environments, remains relatively unexplored. In this study, ultrasonic agitation was employed to introduce consistent and high-frequency hydrodynamic disturbance using a 30 kHz, 150 W handheld sonotrode, to evaluate its effect on the corrosion response of high-purity aluminum immersed in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. Electrochemical techniques, including open circuit potential (OCP), potentiostatic polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), were conducted under alternating sonication ON/OFF cycles and long-term sonication. The introduction of ultrasonication led to a negative shift in OCP and a marked reduction in potential fluctuations. Under potentiostatic control, sonicated specimens exhibited higher current densities, which can be attributed to improved ionic mobility, disruption of surface films, and the prevention of localized bubble accumulation. Post-corrosion surface examination using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and 3D profilometry demonstrated that sonication promotes more uniform corrosion morphology, with lower surface roughness and shallower maximum pit depths than static circumstances. These findings highlight the importance of fluid dynamics at the electrode-electrolyte interface, establishing ultrasonication as a powerful tool for controlling corrosion mechanisms.

Quantitative health science plays a crucial role in research by supporting evidence-based solutions; yet there are significant barriers to its application in the context of Indigenous health. An emerging literature promotes quantitative methods that are rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing, but translational resources not readily accessible. Our project begins to address this gap by 1) ascertaining perspectives of practitioners regarding the utility and potential for Indigenous-centered quantitative health science, and 2) mapping existing approaches represented in the scientific literature. We surveyed 49 individuals in the US and Canada who use quantitative science for Indigenous health as part of academic, governmental, and Tribal organizations. A majority endorsed a belief that greater power for Indigenous Peoples in quantitative health science decision-making at all stages would increase self-determination (86%), actionability of research (86%), and health benefits (81%) for Indigenous communities. These proportions were even greater (100%, 94%, and 94%, respectively) among respondents who self-identified as Indigenous (n=17). Many respondents reported that existing resources are not easy to access or implement, indicating significant potential for improving the translation of existing resources to practitioners. To comprehensively identify such resources, we are conducting a scoping review of publications that describe Indigenous-centered quantitative health science methodologies. Among 15,175 unique citations returned by our search, we have screened 5,674 titles/abstracts. To date, 283 (5%) publications are pending full-text review for potential inclusion. The ultimate result of this work will be a translational toolkit to support implementation of Indigenous-centered quantitative methods in Indigenous health science contexts.

Principal Topic: In the U.S. K-12 education system, there has been an increase in students from diverse groups (NCES, 2019), necessitating educators to have culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogy (CRSP) approaches to address the needs of these students and their families. Foundational knowledge, though often included in teacher preparation coursework, many preservice teachers (PSTs) report limited opportunities to apply these strategies in real-world settings (Miller, 2020). This gap raises concerns about PSTs' preparedness and confidence in diverse classrooms and how well they can identify problems and provide relevant solutions in these spaces.

Method: This mixed-methods study examined PSTs (N= 26) enrolled in Diversity and Literacy methods courses. The quantitative part explored participants' demographic characteristics, grouped into two categories: 1) age (younger vs. older); 2) language status (monolingual vs. bilingual), and their self-efficacy in identifying problems and proposing culturally relevant solutions using Case-Based Instruction. The qualitative component analyzed PSTs' CRSP competencies through their written responses as they evaluated cases, which were coded using the Culturally Responsive Sustaining Strategies Rubric (CRSSR, Van Omar et al., 2023).

Result: The quantitative findings revealed no statistically significant differences in PSTs' self-reported abilities to identify and solve problems in the classroom cases presented to them, based on demographics. However, the qualitative findings showed that older bilingual PSTs demonstrated higher competencies in identifying problems and proposing relevant solutions.

Implications: With solution identification emerging as a critical skill, this highlights the need for structured, culturally responsive practices, such as CBI, to enhance PSTs' competencies.

Soil health is essential for supporting plant growth and ecological functions, assessed through factors such as nutrient availability, crop productivity, and the diversity of soil microbial communities. Soil microorganisms interact to form complex biofilms, which play a pivotal role in nutrient cycling. However, investigating microbial activity in soil remains challenging due to its inherent complexity, heterogeneity, and the limitations of current technologies for real-time monitoring. Notably, soil microbes generate electrochemical currents during metabolic processes via electron transfer mechanisms. This current can be monitored in real-time using inert electrodes, providing a novel and effective approach to studying microbial metabolism. We conducted a soil reactor experiment to investigate the impact of nutrient amendments, including primary plant root exudates (glucose, sodium acetate, and malic acid), on microbial community structure under varying polarization potentials (cathodic and anodic). The study revealed that unique microbial communities were selectively enriched within the reactor system depending on the specific carbon source amendments and polarization potentials applied. This research aims to correlate soil microbes enriched by each carbon source to overall soil health and microbiome function with measured electrochemical signals.

Purpose: Childhood vaccination rates in the United States have declined since the COVID-19 pandemic, with rural areas disproportionately affected. In rural Washington State, barriers such as limited healthcare access, transportation challenges, and provider shortages contribute to declining immunization rates. Although vaccines are free and required for school entry, the proportion of fully vaccinated school-age children continues to decrease.

Background: Washington State’s K–12 vaccination rate was 90.8% in the 2023–2024 school year, well below herd immunity thresholds. Rural counties show even lower rates. For instance, Pend Oreille County reported only 68.5% coverage in 2024–2025, the lowest statewide. As vaccination rates decline, previously controlled diseases such as measles and pertussis are reemerging. This project aims to increase vaccine access for rural families in northeastern Washington.

Methods: Using the Increasing Vaccination Model and the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice Model, this project targets logistical and access barriers by bringing vaccines directly to rural communities. In collaboration with local schools and health departments, vaccines will be delivered directly to these areas to reduce transportation and access limitations. Quantitative data will be collected from vaccine administration forms, and qualitative data will be collected through parent surveys. Goals include increasing vaccination rates and gathering feedback on accessibility and community perceptions.

Anticipated Results (February 2026): Expected outcomes include expanded vaccine access, higher childhood vaccination rates, improved school readiness, and a scalable model for rural vaccination efforts.

Conclusion: Providing childhood vaccinations directly to rural communities may increase rural childhood vaccination uptake and reduce healthcare access disparities.

Lyme disease is the most common disease spread by ticks in the United States. Early symptoms often include fever, fatigue, and rash, but if left untreated, Lyme disease can lead to long-term complications affecting the joints, heart, and nervous system. Currently, there is no available human vaccine, making it critical to better understand how the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease establish long-term infection in the body.

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which must carefully control when certain genes are turned on or off in order to infect a host successfully. One key protein, called OspC, is required early during infection but becomes harmful to the bacteria if the gene remains on for too long. This means the bacteria must tightly regulate OspC at the correct time.

My research focuses on a small regulatory molecule that helps control this process. In laboratory experiments, I found that disrupting the normal timing of this regulatory molecule leads to major changes in both OspC gene and protein expression levels. Most importantly, when these bacteria were tested in mice, those with disrupted regulation were unable to establish infection, while normal bacteria infected and spread successfully. Together, these results show that the precise timing of gene regulation is essential for Lyme disease bacteria to infect a host. By improving our understanding of how Borrelia burgdorferi controls infection, this work may help guide future strategies for preventing or treating Lyme disease.

Pears are typically stored under commercial storage conditions for extended periods. While fresh whole pears have not been directly linked to listeriosis outbreaks, the potential for contamination and survival of Listeria monocytogenes during postharvest handling and storage remains a concern. Understanding the factors influencing Listeria survival on pears is crucial for developing effective mitigation strategies to ensure safety. This study examined the survival of L. innocua, a surrogate of L. monocytogenes, on organic and conventional Bartlett and d’Anjou pears stored refrigerated air (RA) and controlled atmosphere (CA) storage for up to 36 weeks. Bartlett and d’Anjou pears were inoculated with ~6.5 log10 CFU/mL of 3-strain L. innocua cocktail and subjected to RA and CA storage for up to 36 weeks. Sampling occurred in weeks 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 for microbial enumeration. L. innocua population on the surface of conventional and organic d’Anjou pears declined by 2.1-2.2 and 2.5-2.6 log10 CFU/pear, respectively, over the storage period. On Bartlett pears, L. innocua declined by ~1.6 and 2.1-2.6 log10 CFU/pear for conventional and organic pears, respectively, after 12 weeks of storage. The levels of aerobic bacteria also decreased by 0.81-1.36 log10 CFU/pear across the varieties. Yeast and molds increased by 0.69-1.42 log10 CFU/pear. This study provides insights into the survival dynamics of Listeria on organic and conventional pears under commercial conditions, highlighting the resilience of L. innocua on pears, regardless of cultivation practice, and underscoring the need for effective interventions to ensure pear safety.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection causes hyper-inflammatory lung diseases like pneumonia, bronchiolitis in infants and neonates. RSV infection elicits strong innate immune inflammatory responses in macrophages by activating inflammasome pathway, which is involved in generating mature form of pro-inflammatory cytokines such interleukin-1b (IL-1b) and IL-18. However, the role of non-protein factors driving this response during infection remain poorly defined. Dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA, C20:3), an w-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid, has recently emerged as an immunomodulatory lipid, but its role during viral infection, particularly RSV infection, has not been investigated.

Human THP-1 macrophages infected with recombinant RSV expressing mKate2 (mKate2-RSV) were treated with DGLA, oleic acid (18:1), and linoleic acid (18:2). RSV infection status was analyzed by measuring mKate2 expression by western blotting. Inflammasome activation was evaluated by measuring IL-1b production and cleavage of pre-IL-1b to mature IL-1b (p17) by inflammasome/caspase-1 pathway.

DGLA treatment significantly reduced RSV infection in macrophages. Simultaneously, DGLA triggered IL-1β release and its mature cleaved p17 form even from uninfected macrophages. Notably, RSV-infected macrophages treated with DGLA showed enhanced IL-1β release compared with untreated infected cells. This effect was specific to DGLA, as no similar increase of IL-1β release was observed following treatment with linoleic acid or oleic acid.

These findings have identified DGLA as a potent regulator of RSV infectivity and inflammasome activation during RSV infection. DGLA-mediated enhancement of IL-1β maturation and release along with DGLA’s effect in reducing RSV infection highlights a previously unrecognized role for ω-6 fatty acid signaling in innate immune response against RSV.

Many children struggle with mathematics as early as elementary school. Previous research suggests that playing games, like cards, are one effective method of supporting early number skills. However, the features of playful experiences that promote children’s learning remain unclear. Theories suggest that social interactions – involving collaboration with other people – are key to supporting children’s learning from play. Yet there are many active, engaging, and effective mathematical games that are not socially interactive, such as games that children play independently using tablets. These types of playful mathematics experiences may also be more accessible and realistic resources for educators and families of young children.

The goal of the present study is to address the effects of a socially interactive mathematics game for preschool-aged children. Three- to 5-year-old children were recruited from local preschools (n=31, data collection ongoing). Children were randomly assigned to play either a socially interactive number card game (played with a researcher on a tablet computer), or a non-socially interactive number card game (played with a cartoon character on a tablet computer). Children completed six 15-minute sessions; a pretest and posttest session assessing their numerical skills and four intervention sessions playing the tablet card game. Interim results suggest there are minimal differences in whether children learned more and were more engaged during the socially interactive versus non-socially interactive game. However, there were significant differences in the amount of math-related talk children heard from the researcher. Overall, the interim findings suggest minor benefits to playing socially interactive early math games.

Rising labor costs and ongoing labor shortages have placed growing economic strain on Washington State’s apple industry, leading producers to explore mechanical harvesting as an alternative to traditional hand labor. This paper develops a two-stage Cournot competition model to analyze how growers decide whether to adopt new harvesting technologies and how those decisions affect market outcomes and welfare. In the first stage, firms choose between manual harvesting and a labor-saving technology that requires higher upfront investment but offers lower operating costs. In the second stage, firms compete in output quantities, which determines market prices, profits, and overall welfare. The model provides closed-form solutions that show how adoption responds to changes in labor costs, technology efficiency, and capital requirements. The results indicate that improvements in harvesting efficiency and higher labor expenses make technology adoption more attractive, increasing market supply and lowering prices, which benefits consumers. At the same time, greater adoption intensifies competition among producers, which can reduce producer profits even when costs fall. High fixed costs discourage adoption and reduce total welfare, while larger industry size encourages technology diffusion but further erodes per-firm returns. Simulations calibrated to data from Washington’s apple sector illustrate the economic importance of these effects and support the model’s predictions.

Goal: Using a variety of visual and auditory strategies (e.g., mouth-sound pictures, articulator’s, vowel shapes, etc.), we aimed to increase pre-service teachers’ knowledge of phonological and phonemic awareness, and phonics (PAx2P) while also teaching them explicit strategies they can use to teach future students.

Background: Research demonstrates that phonological awareness and phonics support students’ early reading skills (Hogan et al., 2005). However, many elementary educators lack PAx2P skills themselves and thus struggle to teach these skills to their students (Puliatte & Ehri, 2018; Stark et al., 2016). Therefore, it is imperative to help pre-service teachers develop their PAx2P skills and prepare them to effectively teach these skills to early readers (Moats, 1994).

Methods: Pre-, mid-, and post-assessments were administered throughout the semester to assess pre-service educators’ PAx2P skills and determine areas that require further attention. Surveys were administered to gauge student’s perceptions of their ability to teach PAx2P and the effectiveness of course activities and resources.

Results: Pre-service educators’ understanding of overall and individual PAx2P skills increased at both study locations during a single semester period. Additionally, after participating in PAx2P instruction, pre-service educators' perspectives on their abilities to teach PAx2P increased.

Significance and Conclusion: Pre-service educators that received explicit and systematic instruction on PAx2P skills demonstrated a high level of mastery of and confidence in teaching those skills to K-2 students. Additionally, pre-service educators benefit from having an entire semester with continued practice on PAx2P skills, highlighting the value of this direct instruction in pre-service programs.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder marked by impaired chloride transport, with elevated sweat chloride concentration as the primary diagnostic biomarker. This study introduces the first 3D-printed chloride ion-selective electrode (3Dp-Cl⁻-ISE) and the first inorganic anion-selective 3D-printed ISE. The sensor integrates a stereolithography-printed chloride-selective membrane with a commercially available carbon cloth solid-contact transducer. The porous, hydrophobic carbon cloth enables efficient ion-to-electron transduction, suppresses water-layer formation, and ensures excellent potential stability.

In this work, we report the first fully integrated 3D-printed chloride ion-selective electrode (3Dp-Cl⁻-ISE) employing carbon cloth as a solid-contact transducer. The carbon-cloth interface operates as a purely capacitive and hydrophobic electron reservoir, yielding enhanced interfacial capacitance, suppressed water-layer formation, and exceptional potential stability, provided and confirmed by delivering a near-theoretical Nernstian response (-55.3 mV dec⁻¹) across a broad physiologically relevant chloride range (15.625-250 mM) with excellent selectivity. Collectively, the integration of carbon-cloth solid-contact transduction transforms prior carbon-based approaches into a scalable, environmentally sustainable, and application-ready sensing platform, significantly advancing the stability, manufacturability, and translational readiness of chloride sensors for continuous and non-invasive cystic fibrosis diagnostics.

Municipal solid waste (MSW) generation continues to rise in rapidly growing cities, placing pressure on landfill capacity and intensifying environmental impacts. Opportunities to redirect MSW toward low-carbon energy pathways offer a potential alternative, particularly through technologies capable of producing methane, methanol, or Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). This study develops a system dynamics model in STELLA to explore the long-term behavior of MSW conversion systems and evaluate their feasibility under multiple technological and policy scenarios. The model represents Bogota's landfill, used as a case study, as a sorting facility that separates recyclable materials, organic fraction for anaerobic digestion, and refuse-derived fuel (RDF) for thermochemical conversion. Baseline results show modest production of methane and low SAF output, with the minimum selling price (MSP) stabilizing near 1.23 USD/L and only one facility becoming economically viable under existing conditions. Introducing a large feedstock supply and a 0.9 USD/L incentive, while keeping SAF priced at conventional Jet Fuel levels, substantially alters system behavior. SAF production increases by several orders of magnitude, and up to three facilities become feasible as MSP approaches the Jet Fuel benchmark. An alternative scenario in which syngas is directed to methanol instead of SAF demonstrates a stable MSP near 0.54 USD/L and a positive net present value over time, suggesting higher economic resilience. Overall, the model highlights the sensitivity of MSW-to-fuel pathways to policy incentives, facility scale, and feedstock availability. These findings underscore the potential of integrated MSW conversion systems to support waste reduction and low-carbon fuel production in urban contexts.

Principal TopicThis non-thesis project explores how incorporating the history and narratives of historic hotels influences the character and the experiences within. Grounded in theories of authenticity, nostalgia, and sense of place, this research views the built environment as an active storyteller. Rather than treating history as decoration, this project examines how design can translate the past into space. As heritage tourism continues to grow, it is essential for designers to understand how stories can be embedded in interiors in ways that feel intentional and true to place.MethodThis study asks: How does incorporating history and storytelling within historic hotels shape their character? Using a qualitative approach, the project examines a series of historic hotels through comparative case studies. Initial phases include a comprehensive literature review and development of methodological framework. Forthcoming work includes archival and newspaper research, identification and analysis of additional era-aligned historic hotel case studies, and interviews with designers or stakeholders involved in historic hotel projects.Results / ImplicationsWhile research is still ongoing and results are yet to be found, the findings will be analyzed through authenticity, nostalgia, and sense of place theories to identify recurring patterns to how history and narrative are supported through the built environment. Findings will be synthesized in a written monograph documenting the research process and outcomes. In parallel, the study includes a design project proposing the renovation of a historic hotel, which serves as a research-informed application translating historical narratives and thematic findings into a variety of design strategies.

The performance of non-enzymatic electrochemical sensors is strongly influenced by how electrode surfaces are formed, as surface structure and interfacial charge transfer determine the magnitude and reliability of the measured signal. While many material- and surface-engineering strategies have been used to improve urea sensing, fewer approaches directly translate electrode fabrication into enhanced electrochemical signals.Here, magnetic-field-assisted electrodeposition is applied to modulate nickel growth during sensor fabrication producing nickel-modified glassy carbon electrodes (Mag-Ni-GCE) for urea detection in alkaline media. The interaction between the applied current and magnetic field generates Lorentz-force-driven magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow, altering ion transport, nucleation behavior, and yielding a nickel surface with enhanced electrochemical accessibility and improved interfacial electron-transfer characteristics. Notably, this enhancement is achieved using a static magnetic field, requiring no additional energy input, enabling improved sensing performance without increasing sensor cost.The Mag-Ni-GCE exhibits a 4.7-fold increase in sensitivity (489.98 µA mM-1 cm-2) compared to electrodes deposited without a magnetic field (103.68 µA mM-1 cm-2), with corresponding limits of detection of 0.57 mM and 1.15 mM over a linear range of 0.1-25 mM (R² 0.996). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy shows an approximately 53% reduction in charge-transfer resistance following magnetic-field-assisted deposition, indicating more efficient electron transfer. High sensitivity toward urea is observed, with strong selectivity against common physiological interferents found in human serum.Together, these results establish magnetic-field-assisted electrodeposition as a scalable and sustainable fabrication strategy for advancing electrochemical sensing, with particular relevance to non-enzymatic nickel-based urea sensors in complex biological and environmental systems.

Geographic variation in academic performance presents a persistent challenge for educational research and policy, yet the spatial dynamics underlying this variation remain insufficiently understood. This study applies advanced spatial analytic methods to examine county-level differences in 10th-grade mathematics proficiency across Washington State and their associations with youth risk and protective factors and community opportunity indicators. Traditional linear modeling approaches assume independence and constant variance, assumptions that may be violated when data exhibit spatial dependence or heterogeneity. Such violations can yield biased estimates and misleading inferences. To address these limitations, this study integrates spatial autocorrelation diagnostics, global linear regression, and multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) to model how contextual factors operate across geographic space. Findings reveal significant spatial clustering in mathematics proficiency and in several community opportunity measures, indicating that county outcomes and opportunity-related conditions are not randomly distributed across the state. In the global linear regression, residual spatial autocorrelation indicated the need for spatial modeling. MGWR improved model fit and uncovered spatially varying relationships, indicating that predictor associations differed across counties and operated at different spatial scales. Notably, health and environmental opportunity, not significant in the global model, exhibited meaningful local associations in MGWR, consistent with spatial heterogeneity in how community conditions relate to academic outcomes. This study demonstrates the value of spatial analytic approaches for educational research. By modeling local variability in contextual influences, MGWR provides deeper insight into how community conditions shape academic outcomes. Results highlight the importance of place-based considerations in understanding disparities in educational achievement.

Agriculture remains a cornerstone of global health and economic sustainability, yet labor-intensive tasks such as harvesting high-value crops continue to face growing workforce shortages. Robotic harvesting systems offer a promising solution; however, their deployment in unstructured orchard environments is constrained by inefficient perception-to-action pipelines. In particular, existing approaches often rely on exhaustive inverse kinematics or motion planning to determine whether a target fruit is reachable, leading to unnecessary computation and delayed decision-making. In this work, we introduce a learning-driven reachability estimation framework that enables robotic harvesters to rapidly determine whether a fruit is physically reachable prior to joint-level planning. Our approach combines RGB-D–based fruit segmentation with a task-aware active learning paradigm that directly learns reachability as a binary decision problem, rather than inferring it implicitly through kinematic solvers. Fruits are first detected and segmented using a YOLO-based model operating on aligned RGB-D inputs. We then leverage active learning to selectively query the most informative samples for reachability labeling, significantly reducing annotation effort while maintaining high predictive accuracy. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed framework achieves accurate reachability prediction with substantially fewer labeled samples, yielding approximately 6–8% higher accuracy than random sampling and enabling efficient adaptation to new orchard configurations. Among the evaluated strategies, entropy- and margin-based sampling consistently outperform Query-by-Committee and standard uncertainty sampling, particularly in low- and moderate-label regimes. These results highlight the effectiveness of active learning for task-level perception in agricultural robotics and position our approach as a scalable alternative to computation-heavy kinematic reachability analysis.

Principal topic: Understanding how and when genes are turned on is fundamental in unraveling diverse biological processes, from health to development. Gene regulation begins at the level of transcription, the process driven by RNA polymerase II where DNA is converted to RNA. Although proteins called transcription factors that bind DNA are known to be the master regulators of gene expression, it remains unclear whether they can initiate transcription independently. Defining this autonomous function is essential to decoding gene regulation and identifying the key players in these networks.

Method: To determine the autonomous function of transcription factors, we used a specialized screening technique that allows us to test thousands of DNA sequences simultaneously, termed TSS-MPRA. We systematically analyzed 80 transcription factor binding sites, bound by approximately 500 different transcription factors, across 35 distinct human cell lines, allowing us to survey one-third of human transcription factors across different cell types. This approach enabled us to define which transcription factors are capable of independently recruiting the machinery needed to transcribe a gene.

Results/implications: This study defines the ability of human transcription factors to start transcription. Despite the central importance of this question, prior methodological constraints hindered answering it. We now show that only a small subset of transcription factors are strong autonomous recruiters. Collectively, these findings offer insights into the autonomous capacity of transcription factors and their binding sites to recruit RNA polymerase II and provide a foundation for decoding how gene regulatory information is encoded in DNA.

In 2012, a twelve-year-old female lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) housed at a public aquarium suffered from a rapidly progressing skin disease for approximately one month before death and was submitted to the Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for post-mortem examination. The gross lesions were consistent with a widespread, ulcerative dermatitis. Histopathological examination confirmed the presence of ulcerative and proliferative epidermitis and revealed epithelial hyperplasia of the gills. A conventional PCR targeting the gene encoding the ATPase subunit of terminase generated an amplicon of the anticipated size from a skin sample. The sequence of the amplicon confirmed the presence of a novel lake sturgeon herpesvirus (LSHV) related to white sturgeon herpesvirus 2 (WSHV2; Ictavirus acipenseridallo2). The complete genome (167,405 bp) of the LSHV was sequenced using an Illumina MiSeq sequencer, and phylogenetic analyses substantiated its close relationship to WSHV2. RNAscope analysis of preserved tissue revealed labeling of viral nucleic acid in the hyperplastic region of the gills, documenting the colocalization of the virus and lesions. Previously described lake sturgeon herpesvirus 1 and 2 (LSHV1 & LSHV2) are more closely related to white sturgeon herpesvirus 1 (WSHV1) in a separate, and as yet, unnamed genus. The results presented here indicate this LSHV, hereafter referred to as lake sturgeon herpesvirus 3 (LSHV3), is a member of the genus Ictavirus and is only distantly related to LSHV1 and LSHV2. Future efforts to isolate LSHV3 in cell culture would facilitate subsequent challenge studies to determine the disease potential of the virus.

Principal TopicStarch granule size, shape, and internal organization strongly influence potato processing quality, particularly traits relevant to French fry production such as texture, gelatinization behavior, and moisture migration during frying. While breeding programs routinely select for dry matter content and specific gravity, these metrics serve as coarse proxies for starch functionality and fail to capture granule-level structural attributes that directly affect processing behavior. As a result, cultivars with similar dry matter content can exhibit markedly different processing performance. Despite evidence that granule traits are genetically determined and functionally relevant, they have rarely been treated as selectable or genetically mappable traits in tetraploid potato, particularly within russet processing germplasm. We test the hypothesis that starch granule morphology is genetically controlled and contributes to variation in French fry-relevant processing traits.MethodologyStarch was isolated from 160 potato genotypes grown in Oregon and sampled at early- and late-season developmental stages. Forty starch granules per clone were imaged and classified as elliptic, polygonal, or spheroid. Variation in granule size distributions, shape frequencies, and seasonal shifts was quantified and paired with genome-wide SNP data to conduct a polyploid-aware GWAS.ImplicationsBy integrating high-resolution microscopy, quantitative phenotyping, and GWAS in a tetraploid crop, this work advances understanding of starch granule morphology as a genetically controlled, polygenic trait. The project addresses a critical disconnect between starch structural attributes and processing-relevant outcomes, providing a framework for linking genotype to functional quality in complex crop systems and supporting more predictive breeding strategies for processing potatoes.

Heatwaves are one of the most deadly and disruptive weather-based phenomena, attributed to an increase in hospitalizations, suicide attempts, interpersonal violence, physical health issues, and worsening emotional states. There is extensive work documenting the physical and structural vulnerabilities to heat, but not psychological ones. The current dearth of research examining psychological vulnerabilities to heat limits our ability to understand why some individuals may have more severe emotional responses to heat. Personality traits, in particular the Big Five trait Neuroticism, show promise as indicators of who is more likely to experience a decline in affective states during heat. To test this, participants (N = 78) were exposed to 72°F (control) and 110°F (hot) temperatures for up to 50 minutes in an infrared sauna. Affect and comfort were measured multiple times between cognitive tasks. Results from mixed-effects regressions indicate that participants with high neuroticism were more likely to report a significant decrease in positive affect compared to individuals at mean levels of neuroticism. Individuals who were low in this neuroticism did not show a significant change in their positive affect over time. It is suggested that individuals lower in neuroticism may be less emotionally affected by the heat. Additionally, Neuroticism was a predictor of negative affect overall, but not over time in the hot condition. These findings highlight that individuals with medium to high levels of neuroticism may benefit from an intervention designed to boost positive affect in hotter environments and promote personality as a possible indicator of emotional sensitivity in heat.

Social functioning impairments are common among youth with externalizing psychopathology. Yet, questions remain regarding which symptoms drive poorer social and behavioral outcomes. Baseline parent and caregiver ratings from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (ABCD) were used to examine interconnections among social problems, attention problems, and externalizing problems (i.e., rule-breaking and aggression) using network modeling. Baseline ABCD data were collected in 2017 when youth were 9-10 years and includes a diverse sample (48% female; 52% male; 52.4% White, 13.4% Black, 24.0% Hispanic, and 5.5% Other) of n = 11,878 youth at 21 research sites across the United States. Cross-sectional findings identified four bridge symptoms, individual symptoms that connect or link different symptom clusters (or communities) within a network, of social problems with strong links to youth externalizing behaviors that were robust across sex and to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) clinical diagnoses. Longitudinally, these bridge symptoms were more predictive of externalizing problems rather than attention problems at year 1 follow-up. Findings indicated that social problems in those with attention problems are more likely due to comorbid externalizing behaviors than to the attentional symptoms. By contrast, attention-related social challenges may be more reflective of slower social maturity owing to close links with other neurodevelopmental disorders. Findings highlight the utility of a network model for conceptualization of social functioning and child behavior within a network system to examine bidirectional symptom influences and point toward potential intervention targets for youth.

Principal Topic: Gene activity begins at specific locations in the DNA called transcription start sites. While genes are often depicted as starting from a single position, most human genes actually initiate transcription from multiple sites, a pattern known as dispersed initiation. This includes genes with major roles in human health, including those linked to cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes. Until now, a major controversy has remained: is dispersed initiation a genuine phenomenon, or is it just a visual blur caused by analyzing millions of cells together? Resolving this controversy is critical for understanding how genes associated with these major diseases are actually regulated.Method: To solve this puzzle, we analyzed the start sites of genes at the single-cell level using eHAP cells, which are special human cells that have only one copy of each gene. This allows start site patterns to be examined without ambiguity from multiple gene copies. We then combined this single-cell analysis with advanced sequencing techniques that capture all active start sites to map exactly where gene activity begins.Results/implications: Our analysis reveals that "dispersed initiation" is not a visual blur or an artifact of group data. Instead, we found that even within a single cell, gene activity begins from multiple different start sites simultaneously. This confirms that dispersed initiation is an intrinsic, fundamental feature of human gene regulation. This finding rewrites the current understanding of transcription initiation and establishes a new framework for studying how irregular start-site patterns contributes to complex diseases like cancer.

Apple sunburn describes a group of physiological fruit disorders caused by excessive exposure to intense sunlight, high temperatures, or both, in orchards. The increasing frequency of extreme summer temperature events (heat domes) has become a major challenge for apple cultivation in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. Sunburn symptoms range from white or yellow discoloration on the fruit surface to black or brown necrotic lesions. Sunburn also increases susceptibility to other abnormalities, including lenticel marking, internal browning, and postharvest disorders, making it the leading cause of fruit loss in Washington State, USA. While the environmental drivers of sunburn are well understood, the genetic basis underlying variation in cultivar susceptibility remains unclear.

To address this knowledge gap, two segregating populations from the Washington State University Pome Fruit Breeding Program - Honeycrisp (sunburn-susceptible) × Cripps Pink (sunburn-tolerant) and its reciprocal (Cripps Pink × Honeycrisp) - were evaluated for sunburn severity during the 2025 season. Previous research indicates that fruit surface temperature (FST) exceeding critical thresholds is directly correlated with sunburn severity; therefore, FST was measured during high-risk intervals using infrared thermal imaging to identify fruit surface hot spots. Phenotypic data from these experiments will be integrated with a previously developed genetic map to identify genetic markers or loci associated with sunburn severity and FST. Candidate genes linked to sunburn tolerance will be identified, and their interactions explored through gene expression network analyses. This research aims to provide genetic tools for breeding sunburn-tolerant apple cultivars, supporting the long-term sustainability and resilience of the apple industry.

Plant breeders and weed scientists address weed management collaboratively by selecting for herbicide tolerance in breeding programs. Metribuzin, a Group 5 PSII-inhibiting herbicide, is labeled for use in wheat (Triticum aestivum). However, application to currently available lines results in frequent, variable, and unpredictable crop injury. Breeding for enhanced metribuzin tolerance would allow growers to utilize this herbicide effectively while minimizing the risk of crop injury. Incorporating an additional herbicide mode of action in winter wheat production would enhance rotational flexibility and weed resistance management. Selection for improved herbicide tolerance in crops has traditionally relied on visual estimation, yet assessments can be variable. The objective of this study was to improve the accuracy and efficiency of selecting for herbicide tolerance in a breeding program by utilizing a drone-mounted multispectral sensor. Multispectral data were collected on paired rows of an diversity panel and advanced generation lines grown in paired plot yield trials. Vegetation indices calculated include NDVI, NDRE, TCARI, NWI, and MTVI. Visual assessments of injury, plant height, and grain yield were also recorded. Correlations between reflectance indices and grain yield were stronger than those between visual injury assessments and grain yield. The top ten lines overlapped 45 to 53% when selected by highest yield and highest NDVI or NDRE, respectively, in treated plots. The relationship between yield and index differences in treated and non-treated plots showed that the difference in indices (multiple R² = 0.0802 to 0.5434) explained more yield variation than visual assessments (multiple R² = 0.0003 to 0.1915). These results suggest that multispectral analysis at the plot level is a more accurate and efficient indicator of herbicide injury in winter wheat than traditional visual assessments.

Timber-concrete composite (TCC) floor systems combine the high stiffness and compressive capacity of concrete with the lightweight and renewable advantages of timber, offering a promising solution for hybrid buildings. While prior research has focused primarily on simply supported TCC members under positive bending, the structural behavior of continuous multi-span TCC floor systems governed by negative bending moments, such as those occurring over interior supports and at interfaces with reinforced-concrete core walls, has not been previously investigated or experimentally validated. Negative bending reverses stress distribution, places the concrete layer in tension, and requires reliable reinforcement and shear transfer to maintain composite action between concrete and timber element.

This study presents the structural design and full-scale experimental validation of continuous cross-laminated timber (CLT)-concrete floor systems subjected to negative bending. Four full-scale 4-ft x 20-ft composite slabs were tested at the PACCAR structural laboratory to evaluate structural performance and failure mechanisms. Results show that conventional method overestimates effective stiffness, leading to unconservative designs; whereas the proposed modified elastoplastic method accurately captured strength, stiffness degradation, and failure mechanisms.

The TCC systems achieved more than two times the effective flexural stiffness and nearly three times the ultimate moment capacity of comparable CLT-only slabs. The specimens exhibited stable post-yield response, significant energy dissipation, and reliable load redistribution beyond peak load, leading to enhanced safety and increased collapse margin. These findings validate the structural integrity of continuous TCC floors and provide critical data for refining analytical design methods and advancing U.S. design code for hybrid mass-timber structures.

Thermal ablation modeling is critical for the design and evaluation of thermal protection systems (TPS) used in aerospace applications. This work addresses the inverse heat-transfer problem in non-charring thermal ablation, where unknown surface heat flux is reconstructed from limited in-depth temperature measurements.A hybrid inverse modeling framework is developed by coupling an artificial neural network (ANN) with a physics-based numerical solver (PNS). The computational domain is divided into an accessible zone, where sparse temperature measurements are available and the ANN efficiently captures the thermal response, and a non-accessible zone, where the governing transient heat-conduction equations are enforced using the numerical solver. This hybrid ANN-PNS strategy preserves physical consistency while reducing reliance on dense sensor data.Quantitative results show that the hybrid model achieves heat-flux reconstruction errors below 5%, even in the presence of Gaussian noise up to 7.5% in the temperature measurements. Accurate inverse solutions are obtained for a varying number of in-depth sensors, including sparse sensor configurations, and the method remains stable when the initial heat-flux guess is significantly far from the true value. In contrast, conventional physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) exhibited poor convergence and unstable predictions under sparse sensing, noisy data, and unfavorable initial guesses, limiting their effectiveness for this inverse problem.Overall, this study demonstrates that hybrid ANN-physics approaches provide a robust and accurate alternative to standalone PINNs for inverse thermal ablation modeling in non-charring materials, particularly under practical measurement constraints.

Background: We examined whether a single-session technology-based cannabis misuse prevention intervention improved college students’ efficacy for protective behavioral strategies and analyzed whether the intervention impacted cannabis use disorder. Additionally, we were interested in how experience with cannabis use disorder (CUD) impacted key takeaways from engaging with the intervention.

Methods: A pre-test, post-test, delayed post-test within-person experiment consisting of open-ended questions gathered feedback from college students regarding the pilot intervention.

Results: Directly after viewing the intervention, students experienced increased efficacy in their ability to choose protective contexts in which to use cannabis, but no differences in efficacy emerged surrounding the quantity of cannabis used. Four weeks after the intervention, participants had significantly lower scores on the CUDIT-R, a screening tool that assesses cannabis use disorder (CUD). Through qualitative data, we noted that participants with CUD interpret harm reduction messaging differently from individuals who do not experience CUD.

Conclusions: A cannabis misuse intervention can positively impact college students, including those who have previously used cannabis. Past experiences with CUD may impact individual interpretations of cannabis misuse interventions, highlighting the importance of creating interventions that do not stigmatize current users while also promoting harm reduction.

Keywords: Cannabis misuse, intervention, harm reduction, cannabis use disorder, college students

Wound healing in potatoes is a critical physiological process for the potato industry, particularly during seed cutting prior to planting and following harvest before storage. Current recommended wound healing practices rely primarily on environmental conditions and time, which can be challenging for growers due to added costs, unfavorable weather, and limited time during the busy planting season. The objective of this project is to evaluate whether physical and chemical treatments can accelerate wound healing to improve operational efficiency. Treatments include hot water, chitosan-based products, bark, and sodium silicate. Following application, wound healing efficiency will be assessed using a forced-air desiccation assay at 0, 24, 48, and 96 hours post-treatment. Healing response will be quantified through relative tuber weight loss and the activity of two key enzymes involved in the wound-healing pathway, superoxide dismutase and feruloyl transferase. It is expected that select treatments will enhance the rate of wound healing in potatoes. These findings may provide the industry with practical tools to improve seed quality, promote more robust stand establishment, and reduce economic losses associated with poor wound healing.

Wheat grain yield improvement is constrained by trade-offs among yield components, as increases in one trait often result in compensatory decreases in others. We evaluated a quadruple QTL pyramiding approach combining loci influencing yield components. Near-isogenic lines were developed in two recurrent parents (Kelse and Scarlet) using Kingbird and PI683503 as donor parents. Target loci included QTn.mst-6B (productive tiller number), TaGW2-A1 (thousand-grain weight and grain size), elf-AM3 (heading date), and a 4AL QTL, where the Kelse allele increases grain number and the Scarlet allele increases grain weight. In 2025, 48 near-isogenic lines were evaluated at Pullman, Othello, and Almota, Washington, using a randomized complete block design; traits were analyzed via factorial ANOVA and mixed models. Grain yield response depended on the 4AL QTL allele and varied across environments. Across Othello and Pullman, pyramided loci were more consistently associated with non-significant increases in grain yield when combined with the 4AL allele associated with increased grain number. QTn.mst-6B contributed to higher grain yield only when increased productive tillers were accompanied by maintained grain number, indicating fertile stems alone were insufficient to increase yield. Kelse-Kingbird showed consistent yield responses across locations, reflecting increased productive tillers and stable grain number without penalties in thousand-grain weight. Kelse-PI683503 demonstrated the strongest yield response in Pullman but expressed a trade-off through reduced grain dimensions. Scarlet-PI683503 was associated with reduced yield across environments, indicating that increased kernel traits did not compensate for reduced kernel and fertile stem production.

In many teacher-centered environments, such as Libyan university classrooms, mobile phones are often seen as a waste of time; therefore, students usually keep them hidden in pockets, on desks, or in backpacks. These devices are always present; however, they are kept out of formal learning activities due to exam-focused instruction and traditional teacher-centered practices. This qualitative study investigated Libyan university EFL students` engagement experiences, perceived benefits, and challenges when implementing Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) and Digital Storytelling (DST) in their traditional classroom settings. The study examined how MALL and DST transformed the classroom environment and the teacher's role within a limited technological context through the perspectives of Engagement Theory and Activity Theory.

I gathered data through classroom observation, semi-structured interviews with students and their teacher, students' exit reflection tickets, digital stories, and artifacts. The finding revealed that students' emotional responses gradually shifted from hesitation to confidence. Students also showed sustained engagement by investing more effort and time than the project required. Additionally, students considered MALL and DST valuable for collaboration, boosting confidence in using English, and helping create a positive classroom environment. Still, challenges such as noise, cultural norms, group dynamics, and technical issues were reported. However, students consistently viewed them as manageable and not discouraging. Finally, the teacher's role shifted from a traditional lecturer to an assistant. Findings suggest that technology implementation should be intentionally designed as engagement does not come from technology alone. Nevertheless, it results from students' emotional adjustment, social interaction, and their participation in meaningful activities.

Parental support is widely recognized as a critical resource for children’s health , yet far less is known about whether and for whom parental emotional support continues to shape health in adulthood. Drawing on 7,302 person-wave observations from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 Children and Young Adults (NLSY79-CYA), this study examines how emotional support from mothers and fathers predicts self-reported health among young adults and assesses whether these associations vary across racial groups. Using multilevel mixed-effects longitudinal logistic regression models with random intercepts at both the individual and mother levels, the analysis accounts for repeated measures and shared family environments. Results indicate that, relative to respondents who receive emotional support from both parents, young adults relying solely on their mother—or on neither parent—report significantly worse health. Adjusting for sociodemographic controls attenuates the effect of mother-only support but the health disadvantage of receiving no parental support remains statistically significant. Interaction analyses using predicted probabilities, first differences, and second differences reveal patterned racial variation: the health penalty associated with lacking paternal involvement is significantly larger for Black than for Hispanics or respondents classified as “Other,” whereas the protective effect of having at least one supportive parent is stronger for Hispanics than for the “Other” group. These findings suggest that parental emotional support functions as a racialized form of intergenerational capital, with unequal health returns across social contexts. The study highlights the importance of intergenerational emotional resources not merely as individual supports but as relational and structurally determinants of health inequality.

Background: We present a case of a seven-month-old infant (7.4 kg) with a symptomatic vascular ring right comprised of right aortic arch, aberrant left subclavian artery (LSCA) originating from the descending thoracic aorta, and a diverticulum of Kommerell (6 mm x 7 mm) (Image 1). Severe stenosis of the proximal LSCA was noted on cardiac CT as was a significant blood pressure differential between the left upper and lower extremities. Arterial duplex was performed, which confirmed vertebral steal. The decision was made to proceed with vascular ring division (ligamentum) and reimplantation of the left subclavian artery onto the ascending aorta via sternotomy, as an alternative to carotid reimplantation.

Methods: The aortic arch was approached via median sternotomy. The ligamentum was divided, heparin was administered (100 units/kg), and the Kommerell’s diverticulum was oversewn. The LSCA was divided and mobilized from its posterior location to bring it anteriorly. The stenotic segment was resected, and the LSCA was spatulated. A 6 mm cryopreserved saphenous vein graft (SVG) interposition was used to reimplant the LSCA onto the ascending aorta via partial occlusion.

Results: Postoperatively, the patient did well, and a repeat CTA on postoperative day (POD) 4 confirmed patency of the LSCA reimplantation (Images 2 and 3). The patient was discharged home on POD #5 on antiplatelet therapy with no residual BP gradient and continues to be asymptomatic.

Conclusions: Vascular rings consisting of right aortic arch and aberrant origin of a stenotic LSCA may present with vertebral steal. Cryopreserved SVG interposition is a viable option for cases that warrant aortic LSCA reimplantation, thereby avoiding cerebral steal and other potential morbidities associated with carotid reimplantation.

The Pregnancy Risk Assessment Tracking System (PRATS) administers an annual maternity survey to 4,200 Idaho mothers who had a live birth in the previous year. Since 2024, all survey contacts have been conducted exclusively via postal mail; however, elevated “returned to sender” (RTS) rates have posed ongoing challenges to reach postpartum populations. Prior research suggests that initiating survey contact earlier in the postpartum period may improve response rates and data quality. In the 2025 survey cycle, we shortened the interval between childbirth and initial contact to assess the effectiveness of earlier outreach.

Using administrative birth records, the sample was divided into two waves based on childbirth timing. Wave 1 included 2,100 mothers who gave birth between July and December 2024 and received delayed initial contact, while Wave 2 included 2,100 mothers who gave birth between January and June 2025 and received earlier contact. The average interval between childbirth and initial contact was 257 days for Wave 1 and 160 days for Wave 2.

Preliminary findings indicate substantially lower RTS rates among mothers contacted earlier postpartum (Wave 2: 5.5%) compared with those contacted later (Wave 1: 10.7%). Comparative analyses of overall response rates, RTS rates, and item nonresponse are ongoing to further assess the impact of contact timing.

These findings suggest that shortening the childbirth-to-contact interval may improve survey deliverability and engagement, with implications for enhancing data quality in mail-based maternity surveys.

Principal TopicWhen optical materials are exposed to light, their transparency can change over time, potentially limiting their performance in lasers and photonic devices. This phenomenon, known as photodarkening, is significant for nonlinear optical crystals, where light-matter interactions are strongly affected by crystal structure. In this project, we studied photodarkening in barium gallium selenide (BaGa₄Se₇, or BGSe), a nonlinear crystal of interest for visible and infrared optical applications, to understand how crystal orientation and composition influence its response to light.MethodWe compared the photodarkening and recovery behavior of BGSe crystals with different crystallographic orientations and chemical compositions. The samples included stoichiometric crystals cut along the (010), (001), and (−101) planes, as well as randomly oriented stoichiometric and barium-deficient crystals. Each sample was illuminated using light-emitting diodes with wavelengths ranging from the visible to the near-ultraviolet region. Changes in optical transmission were monitored using UV-Vis spectroscopy during and after illumination.Results/ImplicationsAll samples showed the largest decrease in transmission near 475 nm, which is close to the optical band edge of BGSe. However, crystals with random orientations exhibited nearly four times stronger photodarkening than crystals with well-defined orientation planes, irrespective of their stoichiometry. This observation indicates that crystal orientation plays a dominant role in light-induced absorption changes in BGSe. These results emphasize the importance of crystallographic control when using BGSe in optical systems and provide guidance for improving the stability of nonlinear crystals under ultraviolet and visible illumination.

Lighting plays a critical role in shaping how museum visitors perceive and emotionally engage with cultural artifacts. While color temperature, the perceived color of light ranging from warm to cool, is often emphasized in exhibition design, less attention has been given to how the direction and distribution of light influence visitor experience, particularly within virtual environments. This project investigates how different lighting strategies may affect emotional perception in museum exhibitions using virtual reality (VR).A three-zone virtual museum environment is currently being designed as part of this study. Each zone will feature an original Egyptian-inspired wall relief panel created for the project and arranged sequentially to reflect the narrative structure commonly used in physical museum exhibitions. The relief panels are being designed as original works to maintain consistency across the exhibition. The VR environment is being configured with three lighting conditions that vary light direction and distribution while maintaining a consistent color temperature.Emotional response and engagement will be assessed using the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM; Bradley & Lang), a visual survey instrument measuring pleasure, arousal, and dominance on a 5-point Likert scale. Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval has been obtained for all study procedures.This study is expected to reveal how lighting distribution and direction influence perceived clarity, mood, and emotional emphasis within exhibition spaces, even when artwork and spatial layout remain constant. The anticipated findings aim to inform museum and exhibition lighting guidelines, particularly for the use of virtual environments in design research and experiential evaluation.

Sorghum bicolor is a versatile grass species cultivated for food, animal feed, and renewable biofuel applications. Many of its beneficial traits come from natural plant compounds called flavonoids, which help the plant tolerate stress and defend against disease. Flavonoid biosynthesis occurs through a coordinated sequence of enzymatic reactions. Three early enzymes in this pathway, Chalcone Synthase (CHS), Chalcone Isomerase (CHI), and CHI-like protein (CHIL), are hypothesized to function cooperatively as a multi-enzyme assembly, but their interactions have not been fully characterized.The objective of this study was to elucidate how CHS, CHI, and CHIL interact to facilitate flavonoid biosynthesis. Using the obtained X-ray crystal structures of CHS and CHI-like protein (CHIL), protein-protein interactions were examined with complementary biophysical techniques, including Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET), Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC), and Multi-Angle Light Scattering (MALS). These analyses revealed close spatial associations, stable complex formation, and provided insights into binding thermodynamics and oligomeric stoichiometry.Integrating structural, kinetic, and biophysical data, we propose a model in which CHS, CHI, and CHIL assemble into a cooperative multi-enzyme complex. These findings support the hypothesis that these proteins act in concert rather than independently, offering insights into the organization of flavonoid biosynthesis in sorghum. Understanding such multi-enzyme assemblies may inform strategies to enhance stress resilience and improve the value of sorghum for sustainable agriculture and bioenergy applications.

Purpose: We conducted interviews with U.S. adults experiencing pain who had a medical authorization for cannabis to investigate symptom management, perceived effects, and attitudes towards cannabis.

Methods: A convenience sample was recruited from a longitudinal cohort study between June 2023 and September 2024. Adults who reported pain as a reason for seeking medical treatment were purposely recruited. Researchers used videoconference to conduct individual interviews focusing on participants’ experiences of physical and emotional pain, perspectives on pain management, and effects of cannabis on their pain, health, values, and engagement with community. A thematic analysis used visual matrices to identify and describe prominent themes which were synthesized using a qualitative descriptive approach.

Results: Participants (N=15) had a mean age of 57.7 years (SD: 15.3), were primarily female (53.3%), White (86.7%), non-Hispanic/Latino/a (93.3%), and reported experiencing three or more painful medical conditions (66.7%). Four prominent themes emerged: (1) seeking holistic and natural pain relief, (2) disconnection from conventional healthcare systems, (3) multi-dimensional experience of pain, and (4) cannabis as a tool for reconnection and function.

Conclusion: Despite variable incorporation into conventional medicine, our findings illustrate perceived benefit from cannabis as an adjunct or alternative therapy for pain, specifically when addressing symptom management holistically. Participants note the potential for cannabis to relieve spiritual and emotional pain, improving individuals’ quality of life.

Clinical Implications: These findings underscore the need for more robust clinical research to evaluate cannabis, which should incorporate outcomes for both physical and emotional pain, as well as individual preferences and functional goals.

Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is a major public health crisis with high rates of relapse, overdose, and premature death. Methadone is an effective treatment, but patient response varies in part due to genetic differences in drug metabolism. Pharmacogenetic testing could personalize dosing and improve safety, yet its clinical use in OUD care remains limited.

This study examined barriers and facilitators to implementing pharmacogenetic testing in OUD treatment clinics. A total of 46 participants, including adults receiving OUD treatment (72%) and healthcare team members (28%), completed surveys assessing knowledge, attitudes, concerns, cost perceptions, and organizational readiness for implementation. Participants were recruited from treatment clinics across four U.S. states.

Most participants expressed interest in learning more about pharmacogenetic testing (89%) and believed it could help providers choose safer and more effective medications. Concerns included cost, uncertainty about clinical benefit, and fear that results might indicate disease risk. Nearly two-thirds of participants were unwilling to pay for testing, and the sample estimated current costs to be between $400-$599. Healthcare staff reported moderate organizational readiness to implement evidence-based practices but limited financial incentives and infrastructure.

These findings suggest strong interest in pharmacogenetic testing among patients and providers alongside significant financial, educational, and structural barriers. Improving access to and understanding of pharmacogenetic testing may help clinicians tailor methadone treatment more safely and effectively for individuals with OUD. Addressing the noted challenges through targeted education, policy development, and cost-reduction strategies may improve adoption of precision medicine approaches in OUD treatment and support safer, more individualized care.

Self-trapping is a hallmark phenomenon of nonlinear dynamics. It has significant applications in modern physics, including band structure engineering, phase transition dynamics, quantum metrology, and more. Dilute-gas Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs), in which self-trapping can arise from interatomic interactions, are a prime testbed for probing nonlinear dynamics. We report the observation of self-trapping in a spin-orbit coupled BEC subjected to a stationary optical lattice. We employ Raman-induced spin-orbit coupling, complemented by a matching optical lattice that facilitates coupling between momentum eigenstates of the spin-orbit coupled system. By ramping the Raman detuning, we probe atomic current flow between these eigenstates and identify a clear distinction between a delocalized mixed state and a self-trapped regime. Following a quench of the Raman detuning, the time-averaged atomic current exhibits non-analytic behavior across the transition between these two regimes in certain parameter ranges, signaling a dynamical phase transition in the system.

Oscillating hydrofoils have emerged as a bioinspired solution for sustainable hydrokinetic energy harvesting from river and tidal flows. Unlike traditional rotational mechanisms, oscillating hydrofoils offer several advantages, including reduced structural demands, suitability for shallow waters, and lower impacts on aquatic ecosystems. This study investigates the energy harvesting performance of an oscillating hydrofoil using a semi-passive model strategy. The pitching motion is prescribed while the heaving response is driven by hydrodynamic forces. Simulations are performed using a 2D unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes (URANS) framework implemented via overset mesh around a NACA0012 hydrofoil in ANSYS Fluent. The numerical model is set at a Reynolds number of 3.6×105 , representative of practical deployment in riverine environments. A reduced frequency f*= 0.1443 and pitching amplitude of 70o were found to deliver the highest energy efficiency. These parameters are subsequently applied to the semi-passive configuration. Results reveal that the system achieves a maximum efficiency of 38.6%, with heaving efficiency of 57.55% and a total average power output of 139.53 W. These results indicate that passive vertical motion in oscillating hydrofoils can induce larger displacements, thus having the potential to extract more power than a fully prescribed system. The study highlights the importance of semi-passive strategies that can extract energy from unsteady flow conditions.

Biofouling and biofilm formation on diverse surfaces cause persistent problems in food, biomedical, and industrial settings. Significant effort has been devoted to developing antimicrobial materials to kill fouling organisms and prevent settlement; however, many existing approaches rely on toxic biocides, raising concerns about environmental persistence and potential health risks. In this study, we developed a facile and adaptable surface modification strategy to impart antifouling functionality through a micrometer-thick, interface-grown hydrogel coating derived from food-processing byproducts. Using interfacial radical polymerization, the hydrogel coating can be rapidly formed on a wide range of substrates with strong substrate independence. The coating thickness increased consistently with reaction time (0-300 s), reaching approximately 230 μm. A series of experiments was conducted to characterize key mechanical properties of the hydrogel coatings, including surface topography, lubricity, and interfacial adhesion strength. Antifouling performance was evaluated against both bacterial and fungal contamination, demonstrating a consistent reduction in microbial surface coverage from ~30% to ~0.3%, corresponding to nearly a 100-fold decrease. Furthermore, the modular and highly tunable hydrogel network enables seamless incorporation of additional functionalities, providing a versatile platform for multifunctional surface design. Overall, this work offers a sustainable, scalable, and biocide-free antifouling strategy, with strong potential for widespread adoption in food-contact materials, healthcare-related surfaces, and industrial systems where microbial contamination and fouling remain major challenges.

Objective: Autografts are considered the gold standard for graft comparison; however they carry risk for donor site morbidity and complications. The aim of the study was to determine if the Adaptos®Vet synthetic bone graft (Biomendex Ltd.) is comparable to other current allografts. It was hypothesized that Adaptos®Vet would be non-inferior, with similar fracture healing times and complication rates.

Study Design: Medical records of 12 dogs that received the Adaptos®Vet Granules in their surgical treatment between 2020-2025 were reviewed for anesthetic and surgical time, complications, and time to radiographic union.

Results: Twelve dogs were included and received either 0.5 cc (9) or 1.0 cc (3) of Adaptos®Vet Granules. Procedures performed included fracture repair (radius (3), calcaneus (1), phalanx (1)), arthrodesis (tarsal (3), carpal (1)) and treatment of osteitis after radial plate explantation (1), and revision surgery after radial implant failure (1). No graft-related complications occurred.

Conclusion: We accept the hypothesis that Adaptos®Vet synthetic bone graft is non-inferior to other currently used allografts. All patients achieved radiographic union within 12 weeks postoperatively, with no evident graft-related complications. Sample size was also identified as a major limiting factor for the study, with ideally, patient-matched controls and a larger sample size used for a more comprehensive comparison. In conclusion, Adaptos®Vet synthetic bone graft may be considered an acceptable bone graft for procedures that benefit from the use of a bone graft.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer related mortality in the United States, largely due to diagnosis at advanced stages. Although smoking rates have declined over recent decades, a substantial population remains at elevated risk due to cumulative tobacco exposure. CT lung cancer screening is effective at reducing lung cancer specific mortality, yet disparities in access and engagement persist.

We conducted a retrospective chart review of approximately 5000 adult patients within the Vancouver Clinic health system to evaluate lung cancer screening participation and associated factors. Eligibility was assessed based on age and smoking history. Variables analyzed included demographic characteristics, smoking history, insurance status including private insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare, and residential distance from two LCS locations in the Vancouver area. Screening activity was defined as enrollment in or completion of lung cancer screening program.

We identified a positive association between proximity to a screening site and active engagement in lung cancer screening, with individuals living closer to clinic locations more likely to participate. Insurance status was also significantly associated with screening engagement, with higher participation among privately insured patients compared to those with public insurance. Incomplete documentation of smoking history remained a barrier to identifying eligible patients and facilitating screening participation.

These findings highlight ongoing geographic and insurance related disparities in lung cancer screening engagement. System level interventions that improve identification of eligible patients, strengthen documentation practices, and expand access to screening services may improve participation and support earlier detection of lung cancer.

Most crop phenotypic variation arises from differences in environmental conditions. Enviromic prediction seeks to leverage historical relationships between environment and crop phenotypes to forecast future performance. Here, we applied deep learning to enhance enviromic prediction. Deep neural networks (DNNs) were trained on hundreds of environment–phenotype observations from a multi-environment spring wheat trial spanning more than two decades and 20 locations. The trained models accurately predicted performance in both cross-validation and forecast scenarios. To interpret how the models worked, we conducted a bulk-feature sensitivity analysis, revealing that DNNs autonomously learned and prioritized a critical set of environmental conditions associated with crop performance. To overcome the limited availability of variety-specific training data, we integrated DNN-derived predictions with Finlay–Wilkinson regression models. This tandem approach enabled forecasting of variety-level performance in novel environments. Collectively, our results demonstrate that artificial intelligence can deliver accurate and interpretable performance predictions, providing guidance for agricultural decision-making under changing environmental conditions.

This study examined how bean type and extrusion conditions influence process behavior and quality attributes of expanded extrudates produced from pre-cooked pinto, navy, and black bean flours. Blends were extruded at three feed moisture levels and three screw speeds. Product properties were strongly dependent on processing conditions and bean type. Navy beans produced more expanded and softer extrudates than pinto and black beans under similar processing conditions, whereas pinto beans tended to form denser and harder structures. Color change increased with more severe processing conditions. WSI responded strongly, and it closely tracked SME across the different beans. SEM images supported these findings, showing condition- and bean-dependent cellular structures ranging from more uniform foams to coalesced pores and locally compact regions. K-means clustering revealed three distinct extrusion product groups driven by bean type and processing intensity, distinguishing low-energy, low-expansion black and pinto bean extrudates from high-viscosity, and high-SME navy bean formulations. Overall, the results show that bean type significantly affects structure development and energy demand during extrusion processing, requiring bean-specific process optimization.

An Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) results from a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or a non-TBI, such as a stroke. Over half of inpatients with ABI experience poor sleep quality, often due to disturbances from other patients or medical staff providing necessary care. To address this, hospitals have increasingly implemented clustered care (CC), in which multiple interventions such as medication administration, vital sign monitoring, and blood draws, are delivered together. This approach aims to minimize nighttime interruptions and improve sleep quality. However, there is a paucity of research exploring staff members’ perceptions on the feasibility, benefits, and challenges of CC.

As part of a larger qualitative study, ten staff members caring for patients with ABI were recruited from a large rehabilitation hospital in Washington, USA. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to examine staff members’ views on current strategies for addressing inpatient sleep disturbances.

Reflexive thematic analysis revealed that staff feel CC positively impacts patient recovery by reducing interruptions and supporting rest. However, staff members identified significant barriers to implementing CC, including inconsistent approaches across day and night shifts, sub-optimal staff-to-staff communication, and particular difficulty when coordinating care for patients with roommates.

These findings highlight that while clustered care can enhance patient outcomes, practical challenges must be addressed to ensure its effectiveness. Understanding these perspectives is a core first step toward developing integrated care approaches that support both patient needs and feasibility, thus improving recovery outcomes for ABI patients.

Large Vision--Language Models (LVLMs) enable autonomous robots to perform complex perception and decision-making, but remain vulnerable to adversarial visual attacks such as jailbreaks, typographic triggers, and visual backdoors. Existing defenses often require white-box access, large labeled datasets, or costly retraining, limiting their practicality for real-time robotic systems. We propose VLMPurifier, a black-box, inference-time defense that protects LVLM-driven robots without model access or additional training. VLMPurifier uses a single-query strategy to analyze model responses, localizes suspicious image regions via segmentation, applies semantic counterfactual inpainting to minimally modify compromised areas, and employs multi-anchor contrastive scoring to detect adversarial triggers before final purification. Evaluated on MM-SafetyBench, FigStep, JailBreakV-28K, and SCAM in real-robot settings, VLMPurifier achieves AUROC up to 0.95 while adding less than 2 s end-to-end latency, offering an effective and deployable defense for resource-constrained robotic systems.

Background: Many longitudinal programs are dedicated to helping underprivileged applicants (including low-income, under-represented in medicine, and first-generation college gain acceptance to medical school. However, these programs prioritize medical school acceptance rather than focus on applicant preparedness for medical school success. Despite acceptance, students often face additional challenges when school begins, such as lacking community. To bridge this gap at the Elson S Floyd College of Medicine (ESFCOM), The CougDoc Accepted Applicant Resource Board (CAARB) was created to better prepare underprivileged applicants prior to matriculation by connecting them with ESFCOM students. The CAARB program facilitated this connection through an online forum accessible eight months prior to matriculation. While all accepted applicants had access to CAARB, the aim was to ensure underprivileged accepted applicants were able to build community prior to starting medical school. This study assessed the effectiveness of CAARB to help underprivileged accepted applicants prepare for medical school via a post-program satisfaction survey.

Methods: Among 80 matriculated students who participated in CAARB between January to August 2025, 13 students completed satisfaction surveys but only 5 consented to the study. The survey assessed CAARB outcomes, from alleviating medical school concerns to connecting accepted applicants with students from similar backgrounds.

Results: Preliminary results indicated that CAARB was most successful in helping applicants identify ESFCOM resources and feel more comfortable about starting medical school.

Conclusion: CAARB has achieved initial success, with implications of better preparing underprivileged accepted applicants to begin medical school. As CAARB progresses, increased survey responses will ascertain future program usefulness.

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is critical for aviation decarbonization, yet its deployment depends on complex, interrelated socio-economic, political, and technical dynamics across the fuel supply chain. This study applies system dynamics to analyze national-scale sugarcane-based alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) scale-up and its key leverage points to overcome the high costs and feedstock competition currently stalling SAF industry growth.

We developed a stock-and-flow model with four subsystems: upstream (land use; sugar and ethanol production), midstream (ATJ conversion), downstream (SAF blending with fossil jet fuel), and finance (production cost). While parametrized using Ecuador as a reference base case, the framework was designed general enough to be adaptable to any national context with similar feedstock profiles.

The model evaluates the impacts of land use adoption, ethanol allocation, and economic incentives on industry viability. Simulations show SAF output is constrained by ethanol availability, ATJ processing capacity, and the presence of a blending mandate. With 50% farmer adoption on eligible land, the system supports one 50-million-liter SAF plant, achieving a 9.6% blend at a minimum selling price of 1.05 USD/L. Sensitivity analysis identifies high-impact levers in sugarcane yield, ethanol allocation to ATJ, ethanol price, and SAF price support. Yield gains expand supply; prioritizing ethanol for ATJ increases ATJ output; and incentives that narrow the SAF–fossil price gap increase viable plants and shorten time to positive NPV. Co-location or retrofits reduce MSP further. The model provides a “what-if” tool for designing mandates and incentives within national constraints.

Polypropylene (PP) is one of the most widespread plastics. However, its recycling rate is among the lowest compared to other plastics. Recycled PP has the potential to be beneficially utilized as an asphalt binder modifier, thereby contributing to sustainability. However, due to the high melting point of polypropylene (e.g., 180°C), achieving a homogeneous blend with asphalt binder is challenging. Significantly elevated blending temperatures may be required, which can result in increased aging, energy consumption and environmental pollution. To address this issue, an innovative approach was employed in the present study to reduce the blending temperature of PP, resulting in a PP with a blending temperature of below 120°C through pyrolysis and oxidation. High application rates of 10% and 20% PP were included in two binders to evaluate the effects of PP on the binders’ properties. The rheological characteristics of PP-modified asphalt binders were assessed for performance at high, intermediate, and low temperatures. Results revealed that the incorporation of PP in the binders slightly decreased rutting resistance at high temperatures, but enhanced fatigue resistance at intermediate temperatures. At low temperatures, stiffness increased slightly due to the modification by PP. However, the “m” values remained unchanged or increased. Overall, the proposed approach in lowering the blending temperature of PP without significantly affecting the properties of virgin binders seems to be effective.

Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors are widely used to treat organic wastewater while producing methane as a renewable energy source. A major limitation of these reactors is their long start-up time, often requiring several weeks before stable operation is achieved. This delay occurs because performance depends on the formation of dense granular biofilms that allow microorganisms to efficiently break down organic matter and exchange electrons.Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) are bioelectrochemical systems that encourage similar electron-exchange behavior, but on electrically charged surfaces. Because of this similarity, we investigated whether biofilms grown in MECs could be used to accelerate granule formation and improve UASB start-up.In this study, microbial biofilms were first grown in MECs operated under controlled electrical conditions to enrich microorganisms capable of extracellular electron transfer. These harvested biofilms were then introduced into a UASB reactor and compared with a control UASB reactor that did not receive MEC-grown biofilms. Reactor performance was evaluated by measuring organic matter removal, methane production, and microbial community development.The UASB reactor supplemented with MEC-grown biofilms achieved 80% organic matter removal and methane yields of 200 mL per gram of organic material treated, reaching stable performance 14 days faster than the control reactor. Microbial analysis showed increased diversity of organic-degrading and methane-producing microorganisms, along with higher levels of structural biofilm material within the granules.This study is the first to demonstrate that MEC-enriched biofilms can accelerate UASB start-up and improve wastewater treatment efficiency, providing a practical strategy for enhancing anaerobic digestion systems.

Rapid epiphytic growth of Erwinia amylovora (EA) on stigmas and subsequent entry into the hypanthium create an exceptionally narrow window for blossom blight intervention. Missing this brief window can trigger severe fire blight epidemics, as protective sprays must be applied prior to hypanthium entry. Hence, effective management depends on accurate prediction of infection risk shaped by interactions among environmental factors, host, and pathogen. This study quantified the interactive effects of temperature, relative humidity (RH), cultivar, and inoculum level on EA population dynamics using a detached flower assay under controlled and field conditions. Results showed that EA populations increased with temperature, peaking at 7.0 and 6.8 log CFU/flower in Gala and Snow Drift at 26.5 °C, while maintaining initial levels at 5 °C across all cultivars and RH. RH acted as a cultivar-specific amplifier of temperature-driven growth, increasing EA populations by 2.2 log CFU/flower in Gala and by <2 log CFU/flower in Pink Lady when RH increased from 55% to 85% at 26.5 °C. Cultivar effects were most pronounced at low inoculum (101 CFU/flower), where Mt. Evereste and Pink Lady supported significantly lower populations (7 log CFU/flower). Further, AUDPC analysis revealed strong cultivar-dependent differences, with the highest cumulative bacterial load observed in Gala and the lowest in Pink Lady under both laboratory and field conditions. A significant temperature × RH × cultivar interaction shows that temperature alone cannot predict risk, supporting refinement of the Cougar Blight Model to include host and RH effects.

White-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus townsendii) and black-tailed jackrabbits ((Lepus californicus) were historically the most widely distributed lagomorphs in the United States. However, populations of both jackrabbit species have declined over the last half-century in the American West, including eastern Washington. Few studies have examined jackrabbit ecology in Washington, limiting the information available to make appropriate management decisions.We investigated seasonal and diurnal movements and habitat selection of white-tailed jackrabbits in Douglas County and black-tailed jackrabbits at the Yakima Training Center and Hanford Reach. We trapped and GPS-collared 37 black-tailed jackrabbits and 25 white-tailed jackrabbits from January 2024 through July 2025 and used integrated step selection models to examine how vegetation and terrain influenced movement and habitat selection.Across study sites, jackrabbits exhibited low directional persistence, consistent with localized habitat use. In sagebrush dominated landscapes, both jackrabbit species selected for grassland, followed by shrubland, and fallow fields, while areas with human infrastructure, and restored grasslands were least selected. Jackrabbits had shorter step lengths (distance between successive relocations) in shrubland and longer steps in grassland, roads, and fallow. Across study areas, jackrabbits selected for annual forbs and grasses and shrub cover with small canopy gaps emphasizing the importance for fine-scale structural heterogeneity. Selection differed between species with white-tailed jackrabbits selecting flatter terrain and higher elevations near shrub edges, whereas black-tailed jackrabbits selected steeper slopes, and avoided dense litter. These results provide information necessary for state wildlife biologists to identify important habitat features and create effective surveys to map distributions and assess population abundance.

The collagen-derived tripeptide proline-glycine-proline (PGP) functions as a bioactive matrikine in mammals, where it acts as a neutrophil chemoattractant and is elevated in inflammatory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. PGP is generated through collagen degradation by matrix metalloproteinases and prolyl endopeptidases, yet its physiological roles outside mammalian systems remain poorly understood. Notably, no method has previously been available to measure endogenous PGP in the genetically tractable model organism Caenorhabditis elegans.

Here, we report the development of a sensitive and robust LC-MS/MS method to detect and quantify PGP in C. elegans. Using this approach, we demonstrate that PGP is endogenously present in worms and is dynamically regulated during pathogen infection. Following acute exposure to Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14, PGP levels decrease significantly in both wild-type animals and mutants lacking the neuronal G protein–coupled receptor NPR-8, a previously identified PGP receptor involved in neuroimmune regulation. These findings provide the direct biochemical evidence that pathogen infection modulates collagen-derived peptide signaling in vivo.

Because C. elegans encodes multiple matrix metalloproteinases homologous to their mammalian counterparts, future studies will examine how collagen degradation contributes to PGP production and how this pathway interfaces with NPR-8-dependent neural circuits to regulate innate immunity. Together, this work establishes a new analytical framework for studying matrikine signaling and reveals PGP as a dynamically regulated neuroimmune signal in C. elegans.

Local communities living in disaster-prone areas have long been using unique adaptation strategies (traditional and local knowledge) based on socio-cultural systems, local context and environmental resources at their disposal. Such an ecosystem-based approach (EbA) integrates the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services to adapt to different disasters. Here, we examined how local communities in SriLanka Tappu and Gobargada of the Koshi river, Nepal, have been using environmental resources to cope with recurrent floods and river channel meandering. Based on ethnographic methods, we found that abundant and productive lands, suitable for animal husbandry and agricultural production, provided critical livelihood support, where self-directed rapid resettlement in response to changes in the river channel was an effective coping strategy. Almost all of the construction materials of houses and livestock sheds for water buffalo (98%), including mats and baskets, are made of different plant species, which are abundant in the surrounding area. Houses are made in such a way that they can be disassembled into several pieces, making them easier to transport and assemble in response to riverbank erosion. The movement and reestablishment of households in the last 50 years occurred at an interval of 8-10 years. We suggest that these strategies are critical for local adaptation to disasters and should be given full consideration in future disaster risk reduction strategies in such areas.

This case study explores how English language teacher educators in higher education understand and enact differentiated instruction. Grounded in Tomlinson’s (2017) framework, the study examines educators’ beliefs and classroom practices regarding content, process, product and learning environment. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews and online classroom observations with two EFL teacher educators at a public university in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. Using ATLAS.ti, thematic analysis identified five key themes: conceptualizing differentiated instruction, designing and implementing differentiated instruction, recognizing learner diversity, challenges in implementation, and professional learning and reflection. The findings reveal both a strong commitment to addressing learner differences and persistent constraints such as limited time and heavy workload, offering implications for targeted professional development and stronger, meaningful institutional support for sustainable differentiated instruction in higher education.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is one of the strongest stimulators of food intake in the brain. Recently, activation of NPY neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) has been shown to stimulate food intake, unlike most populations in the NTS. Thus, inhibition of this population could be a target for weight-loss interventions. However, little is known about how their activity is regulated.Here, we label NTS-NPY neurons by crossing NPY-Cre with floxed-TDTomato mice, then prepare quasi-horizontal brain slices containing the NTS and incoming sensory vagal fibers from the solitary tract (ST). We perform whole-cell electrical recordings of NTS-NPY neurons to measure their connectivity to the ST and examine changes in spontaneous neuronal activity in response to satiety signals ex vivo.Stimulation of the ST activates NTS-NPY neurons, suggesting that they receive gut-derived input via vagal afferents. Application of the satiety peptide cholecystokinin (CCK) increased spontaneous activity in NTS-NPY neurons, whereas serotonin or oxytocin had no effect. Similarly, systemic injection of CCK increased c-fos expression in these neurons. Our findings indicate that NTS-NPY neurons are downstream of CCK-mediated signaling. As activation of these neurons promotes food intake, this suggests that CCK, which is released by fat (a highly valued resource), may initially stimulate food intake through activation of these neurons, before activation of other NTS neurons then terminates the meal. These findings identify a previously unknown vagal circuit that activates NTS-NPY neurons, providing new insight into the neural circuits regulating appetite and food intake.

Electronic waste (henceforth E-waste) is one of the fastest-growing and least managed waste globally, mostly processed through informal recycling units in the Global South, causing significant risks to health and the environment. In India, e-waste is primarily managed by the informal sector, which provides livelihoods for thousands of workers, exposing them to precarious labor and poor working conditions. The e-waste labor and its impact on workers’ health and livelihoods have received limited attention in social science research.This research will examine e-waste labor in Delhi and explore the intersections of occupational health, livelihood insecurity, and informality among e-waste workers, as well as how histories of displacement and migration influence this work in Delhi. It will also investigate how the informal e-waste workers understand and negotiate their daily health risks, access to health services, the associated factors such as religion, caste, the gendered division of labor, housing, and access to state welfare.Using ethnographic fieldwork, in-depth interviews, and household surveys, it aims to document the lives of e-waste workers engaged in dismantling, sorting, recovery, and resale activities, their perceptions of health and well-being, their everyday experiences of bodily strain and illness, and the gendered division of labor, where women are engaged in the most dangerous and least paid roles.By documenting workers’ lived experiences, this research aims to contribute to the literature on informal economies, environmental justice, and social determinants of health. The findings will help create more inclusive e-waste governance and occupational health policy.

Background: People with disabilities experience significant health disparities compared to those without disabilities. However, analysts disagree on which measures should be used to identify the disabled population. Differences in disability measurement hamper efforts to accurately estimate health risks experienced by people with disabilities. This study investigates how different ways of measuring disability impact what we know about the health of disabled people.Methods: I used data from the 2011 and 2012 National Health Interview Survey to examine the health status of disabled people based on their responses to two disability measures, the ACS-6 and the WG-SS. Specifically, I created four mutually exclusive groups, those with only an ACS-6 disability, those with only a WG-SS disability, those identified as disabled by both measures, and no disability. I conducted pairwise comparisons to examine ratings of self-reported health, logistic regression to adjust for control variables, and computed predicated probabilities.Results: People identified as disabled by both the ACS-6 and the WG-SS reported the worst health status overall. This group had over 12 times higher odds of reporting poor or fair health compared to the non-disabled group. People in the ACS-6 only group reported worse health than those in the WG-SS only group.Conclusion: These findings show that the ACS-6 captures a majority of those identified by the WG-SS. Further, the ACS-6 captures a broader group of disabled people with poor or fair health, including many who are not identified by the more restrictive WG-SS.

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a pattern of unhealthy alcohol intake with broad physical and mental health impacts. Chronic alcohol use dysregulates neural systems associated with stress, interoception, motivation, and reinforcement. Current treatment options for AUD are limited; however, physical activity (PA) may ameliorate harmful alcohol intake through engaging reinforcement-related neural circuitry. This study evaluated differential neural engagement (using whole brain c-Fos immunolabeling) in response to chronic binge-like drinking and voluntary wheel-running in the High-Drinking-in-the-Dark (HDID-1) mice – a genetic risk model for drinking to intoxication. Here, female and male HDID-1 mice were given 4-weeks of limited ethanol or water access using the “Drinking in the Dark” (DID) task, followed by a week of voluntary wheel-running (or wheel-lock) in combination with DID. Fluid intake and running distance, time, and speed, were measured. Whole brains were collected, stained for c-Fos, and imaged using methodologies from LifeCanvas Technologies. Regional c-Fos cell density (# of c-Fos cells/mm3) was quantified using the open-source “QUINT” workflow. Statistical analysis, including principal component analysis, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and hierarchical clustering were performed to identify major contributors to variability and brain regions differentially engaged by fluid, wheel, and sex. Preliminary results indicate significant contributions from sex, fluid, and wheel condition, wherein regions such as the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, Edinger-Westphal nucleus, and subiculum appear to be important regulators. These findings help elucidate the neural networks engaged in the context of harmful drinking and PA, which may help guide the use of PA as an adjunctive AUD treatment option.

This study integrates sedimentological and geomorphological analyses to evaluate coastal vulnerability to erosion and storm surge-induced flooding on Bhola Island, Bangladesh. The island, located within the dynamic Meghna estuarine system, features tidal flats, deltaic plains, and active erosional zones. Its geology comprises unconsolidated Holocene deltaic deposits, including interbedded fluvial sands, tidal silts, and estuarine clays. Sediment core and stratigraphic analyses reveal contrasting coastal characteristics of the island: the eastern margin is dominated by shallow, permeable, poorly consolidated alluvial sands that promote intense erosion under strong wave action. In contrast, the western part consists of thicker, cohesive clay-silt sequences deposited by tidal processes, providing greater bank stability, though these are susceptible to subsidence due to compaction of underlying organic-rich, waterlogged sediments. A GIS-based Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) was employed, incorporating parameters such as elevation, hydrodynamic forcing, sediment permeability, and geomorphic resilience. Results indicate significant spatial variability: approximately 25% of the coastline, mainly in the western regions, exhibits moderate resilience, while 35% displays high to very high vulnerability, predominantly along the eastern and central sectors. The vulnerability in the east is driven by rapid erosion of loose sandy sediments under intense wave energy, whereas the western areas benefit from cohesive clay-rich deposits and remnant mangrove vegetation, conferring relative stability. These findings highlight the critical influence of sediment composition and geomorphic setting on coastal response to erosional and hydrodynamic stresses, offering valuable insights for targeted risk mitigation and adaptive management in this highly vulnerable deltaic environment.

Fresh apples are widely consumed as ready-to-eat products, making their microbiological safety a critical concern for the food industry. UV-C light and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) are two promising non-thermal technologies that can be applied within commercial packinghouse systems for microbial control.This project evaluated the efficacy of H2O2 and UV-C light (254 nm) in reducing Listeria innocua and generic E. coli on apple surfaces during pilot scale brush-bed spray bar interventions.Apples were either inoculated (6 log CFU/apple) with a three-strain cocktail of Listeria innocua or generic E. coli. Two trials were conducted using two dosages of UV-C light (150 and 300 J/m2) each including 10 apples per treatment combination: (1) UV-C treatment followed by H2O2, (2) H2O2 treatment followed by UV-C exposure and (3) UV-C and H2O2 simultaneously. A pilot scale brush-bed moving at 18.5 hz, equipped with a 6 nozzle spray bar delivering 3% H2O2 (w/v) at a total flow rate of 30 mL/s (1.8 L/min) and equipped with two UV-C lights (254 nm) was utilized. Bacterial reductions were compared to non-treated samples.All treatments were effective at reducing both bacterial populations on apples, relative to controls (5.5-6.0 log CFU/apple). L. innocua populations were reduced by approximately 3.4-3.6 log CFU/apple across treatments, while E. coli reductions ranged from 2.4-3.1 log CFU/apple, with many treated samples reaching the limit of detection (2.3 log CFU/apple). Across treatments, the 300 J/m2 dosages generally produced greater log reductions than 150 J/m2, with simultaneous H2O2 and UVC application yielding the largest reductions overall.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are hazardous air pollutants with well-established health risks. Wildfires are a major natural source of atmospheric PAHs. However, the detailed spatial and temporal contribution of wildfire emissions to regional PAH concentrations remains underexplored, especially in comparison with anthropogenic sources. To address this gap, this study investigates the spatial distribution and decadal trend of EPA 16 PAH concentrations over North America using the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model. We developed a new wildfire PAH emission inventory that incorporates improved representation of land cover-specific emissions and updated burned area data using the upgraded Global Fire Emissions Database (GFED5). We ran the model over North America for the last two decades, the 2000s and 2010s, capturing seasonal, decadal, and spatial variability in PAH concentrations. Model validation against observational data from USA and Canada demonstrates that the simulation can well capture the magnitude of PAH levels. However, the model struggles in point-to-point comparison due to resolution limitations and limited observations. Model simulations reveal that PAH concentrations from wildfires peak in summer, with the highest levels observed over wildfire-prone regions in Canada, Mexico, and the western United States. The overall findings highlight that the contribution of wildfires to ambient PAH levels across North America has increased over the past decades. The study emphasizes that the detailed land cover-based emission factor data, high-resolution modeling, and expanded observational networks are essential for accurate estimates of regional PAH pollution. The results provide critical insights and strategies aimed at protecting public health.

Biomass upgrading is an important field in catalysis, as the catalytic production of valuable chemicals from abundant biological feedstocks is a critical technology for sustainable society and industry. Acetone is a common product of either direct biomass fermentation, or the transformation of other primary feedstocks. In our research, we have demonstrated the ability of single-atom Lewis acidic metal centers to selectively transform acetone into carbon dioxide and isobutylene. Isobutylene is a critical industrial chemical as a precursor for more complex molecules, or for the synthesis of butyl rubber. Highly pure carbon dioxide is also of industrial relevance, as with high purity it can be used as a solvent for extraction, or for the carbonization of consumer beverages, or it can undergo catalytic hydrogenation to other useful products. We have found that Brønsted acid sites will promote undesired side reactions, which motivated us to first dealuminate the zeolite Beta. After dealumination, we screened a plethora of individual metals to see which ones were most conducive to high conversion and close-to-maximum selectivity; zeolites are essential for the reaction, as they confine both single-atom sites and reactants. After identifying the most promising candidates (Ce, Sc and Ga), we then began forming dual-metal systems comprised of these metals in combination, whereby synergistic effects could be observed. Overall, we have observed enhancements in stability and activity for these dual-metal systems over their monatomic counterparts. These findings highlight the potential of biomass upgrading to transform industry into a more sustainable future.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a pair of chronic inflammatory pathologies that are characterized by disruption of the intestinal epithelial barrier, chronic inflammation of the intestinal mucosa, and intestinal remodeling/fibrosis. Two members of the tumor necrosis factor super family, TNF-α and TWEAK and their receptors, TNFR1/2 and Fn14, show notable synergy in the induction of IBD. While multiple possibilities have been proposed, a comprehensive understanding of mechanisms underlying this synergism remains unknown. Due to the cooperation between TNF-α and TWEAK/Fn14 we anticipated that inhibition of Fn14 will help in reducing inflammatory cytokines, and pathological expression of adhesion molecules and enzymes and alleviate symptoms in IBD.

To test this hypothesis, we examined the ability of an Fn14 antagonist to reduce TNF-α mediated induction of adhesion, immune recruitment, and inflammation mediating molecules in vitro using the colon derived Caco2 cell line. We found that Fn14 antagonism significantly reduced TNF-α-induced expression of multiple cell adhesion molecules that have been implicated in the progression of IBD in humans. Additionally, there was significant reduction in immune recruitment molecules and extracellular matrix remodeling enzymes without a decrease in cell viability.

Based upon these in vitro findings, we performed a pilot study utilizing a mouse model of colitis to assess the ability of Fn14 antagonism to reduce colitis severity in vivo. We will assess the ability of Fn14 antagonism using disease activity scoring, histology, and protein quantification in colon homogenates. Together, this information will be useful in highlighting the therapeutic potential of Fn14 inhibition in IBD and possibly other TNF-α governed diseases.

Pediatric distress during minor medical procedures such as venipuncture and immunizations is common and carries consequences beyond the immediate encounter, including reduced cooperation, increased procedural time, negative memory formation, and long-term avoidance of healthcare. Although numerous pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions exist, and recent innovations have introduced increasingly sophisticated technologies, it remains unclear which approaches are most effective and whether newer, high-tech solutions meaningfully outperform more accessible methods. The goal of this literature review was to compare the effectiveness and accessibility of evidence-based interventions for reducing pediatric procedural distress. A structured review of randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews was conducted, examining behavioral, educational, technological, and family-centered interventions. Outcomes included child-reported pain and anxiety, observed distress behaviors, procedural efficiency, cooperation, and caregiver and staff satisfaction. Interventions were evaluated individually and in combination across clinical settings and developmental stages. Results showed that no single intervention consistently outperformed others. However, the strongest and most reproducible finding was that multimodal interventions, combining preparation, active distraction, child choice, parent coaching, and Child Life Specialist facilitation, produced the greatest reductions in pain, anxiety, and fear. These approaches were also associated with improved cooperation, shorter procedure times, and higher patient and family satisfaction. Multimodal strategies address both anticipatory fear and procedural pain, supporting immediate clinical efficiency while potentially mitigating long-term healthcare avoidance. These findings support a shift away from isolated, one-size-fits-all interventions towards flexible, developmentally tailored toolkits that integrate family engagement and psychosocial support, enabling more effective and equitable pediatric procedural care across diverse clinical settings.

Introduction: Multilevel posterior lumbar spinal fusion poses significant perioperative anesthetic challenges, including substantial blood loss, prolonged operative duration, and coagulation abnormalities that complicate intraoperative decision-making and transfusion strategies. Data linking the timing of intraoperative coagulation assessment to perioperative outcomes remain limited. This study characterized coagulation testing timing and anesthetic management during multilevel posterior lumbar fusion and explored associations with clinical outcomes.

Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort study included adults undergoing elective or urgent posterior lumbar fusion involving four or more levels. Anterior, revision, and trauma-related procedures were excluded. Collected variables included patient characteristics, operative details, estimated blood loss, timing and frequency of coagulation testing, transfusion and coagulation factor use, intraoperative fluid administration, and vasopressor support. Primary outcomes included postoperative laboratory abnormalities, complications, and hospital length of stay. Analyses accounting for operative complexity and potential confounding are ongoing.

Results: Sixteen patients met inclusion criteria, with a mean of 6.2 fusion levels and a mean operative duration of 12 hours. Mean estimated blood loss was 1,843 mL, and mean hospital stay was 7.8 days. Coagulation assessment timing and intraoperative management varied widely across cases. Later coagulation testing appeared associated with greater blood loss, increased intraoperative interventions, and longer hospital stays, though formal comparative analyses remain pending.

Conclusion: Coagulation testing practices varied substantially during multilevel posterior lumbar fusion. Earlier assessment relative to operative progression may influence perioperative management decisions, transfusion practices, and postoperative outcomes.

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is widely used for biological sample analysis due to its capability to provide spectral information of whole surface. However, its application to translucent biological samples remains challenging due to confounding optical effects. To understand these effects, we investigated the influence of background color, media set, and microbial concentration levels on hyperspectral reflectance spectra (550-1700 nm) of Listeria innocua dispersed on translucent petri‑dish. Six different media sets (PBS, PBS‑TSA, TSB, TSB‑TSA, DW, DW-TSA) were evaluated across four background colors (black, blue, green, white) with three concentration levels (0, 103, and 106 CFU/mL). The spectral variation was evaluated using multivariate comparison analysis using PERMANOVA, SAM, and Mahalanobis distance. Results demonstrated that background color was the dominant source of spectral variability in translucent samples with the highest significant differences of white color across all background colors. Media composition also contributed substantially to spectral variation after background color, particularly through TSA supplementation. In contrast, microbial concentration effects were detectable only under tightly controlled experimental conditions, with significant discrimination of 106 CFU/mL with 0 CFU/mL achieved when both media and background color were standardized. These findings establish that translucent samples introduce substantial optical interference in HSI measurements with background reflected light. The study demonstrates that accurate microbial quantification using HSI in translucent systems requires both media and background conditions, and that failure to control these factors can be misinterpreted as biological signals. The work highlights the confounding factors in hyperspectral microbial imaging for practical applications where translucent samples are unavoidable.

Discrete Choice Experiments (DCE) are widely used to assess stated preference (SP) in environmental contingent valuation, offering insights into decision-making processes that some researchers consider more detailed than other SP methods. However, DCE surveys often involve complex psychological and cognitive factors that can introduce bias. For instance, prior experience with property damage from natural disasters may create a “priming effect,” leading respondents to favor safer options.

In this study, we surveyed 11,744 Puget Sound shoreline property owners to evaluate potential effects and question-order bias in DCE responses. Participants chose among shoreline management strategies—hard armor, engineered soft-shore, and natural shoreline with reinforced vegetation—under varying cost levels and financing options (grants, low-interest loans). The DCE included six choice sets, each with three alternatives plus a “no change” option, and five attributes presented in random order. Respondents were randomly assigned to one of four groups: (1) control (no prior experience questions), (2) damage (asked about prior property damage), (3) cost (asked about repair costs), and (4) both (asked about damage and cost).

This paper examines how question order influences response rates, response quality, and potential biases in DCE outcomes, contributing to a better understanding of cognitive effects in environmental valuation surveys.

Music education majors face demanding programs that combine coursework, ensembles, applied lessons, practice hours, and other degree requirements. Prior research suggests that hidden and under-credited work may contribute to stress and burnout, but less is known about how the total workload relates to students’ wellness experiences. This study examined the connection between credited and hidden workload and well-being among undergraduate music education majors.

Undergraduate music education majors in NASM-accredited programs across the U.S. were invited to complete an online questionnaire distributed through program coordinators. From the responses, 505 respondents met the criteria for analysis. The survey assessed credit load, weekly time commitments for academic, musical, and work activities, perceptions of time adequacy and strain, progress toward graduation, and the mental health effects of workload.

Respondents reported an average total workload of about 55 hours per week, with significant time spent on coursework, practice, rehearsals, and paid work. However, objective measures such as total hours and credit load were weak predictors of mental health. Perceptions of time adequacy, strain, and balance were strongly linked to reports of negative mental health impacts, especially among students in later years.

These findings indicate that credit hours are a limited measure of actual workload and wellness in music education. Improving crediting practices and focusing on time use, evaluative environments, and wellness support may help programs maintain rigorous training while minimizing unnecessary stress for future music educators. Greater transparency about expected time commitments may also allow students to plan more effectively and reduce unexpected stress.

Bovine anaplasmosis is a significant global disease of food-producing cattle, primarily caused by Anaplasma marginale. To date, there is no globally standardized or universally effective vaccine due to the pathogen’s complex immune evasion mechanisms. Current efforts aim to identify conserved genes/proteins as potential vaccine candidates, i.e., those with over 95% sequence similarity across strains from geographically dispersed countries. This study aims to characterise the molecular epidemiology of bovine anaplasmosis in indigenous Nigerian cattle, assess multi-strain infections, and map the geographical distribution of the predominant A. marginale strains across six geopolitical zones. A total of 200 cattle sourced from farms, abattoirs, and slaughterhouses nationwide were sampled, with a 76.9% prevalence of A. marinale detected by PCR targeting the conserved msp5 gene. Infected cattle were graded using amplicon intensity as a proxy for DNA quantity and pathogen load: Grade 1 correlating with the strongest band intensity, Grade 2 (moderate), and Grade 3 indicating weaker band intensity, suggestive of lower pathogen load or DNA quality. Sixty-two Grade 1 samples were used for downstream analysis. Three novel A. marginale strains were identified, characterized by unique msp1a repeat structures, sequence variants, and distinct phylogenetic clustering. Further work focuses on sequencing vaccine candidate genes/proteins, mostly surface proteins, and analyzing their similarity to other known global strains to evaluate them as a vaccine component. These findings underscore the importance of region-specific surveillance to inform the development of a globally effective bovine anaplasmosis vaccine, reduce economic losses for farmers, and curb the inappropriate use of antibiotics—thereby mitigating antimicrobial resistance.

Catheters are essential medical devices, but they can cause serious infections when bacteria grow inside them. These infections are difficult to treat because bacteria form protective layers that resist antibiotics. Most current prevention methods rely on antibiotics or antimicrobial coatings that lose effectiveness over time. This project investigates a new approach that actively prevents infection by generating a natural disinfectant directly inside the catheter.We designed and built a biocompatible catheter hub using medical-grade 3D printing and connected it to a small, wearable electronic controller. When operated in saline, the device produces hypochlorous acid (HOCl), a disinfectant also produced by the human immune system. The catheter was operated for 24 hours each day over six consecutive days. To test its effectiveness, we introduced large numbers of clinically relevant bacteria into the catheter to simulate severe infection conditions.During each day of operation, the catheter generated stable disinfectant levels that remained effective throughout the six-day study. After six days, treated catheters showed no detectable bacteria, while untreated catheters remained heavily contaminated. Overall, the system reduced bacterial levels by more than seven orders of magnitude compared to controls. These findings demonstrate that sustained, electrically controlled disinfectant generation inside a catheter can reliably eliminate bacteria without antibiotics, offering a promising strategy to improve catheter safety and reduce antibiotic resistance.

Upland hardwood forests (UHFs) characterized by oаk-hickory and pine-mixed hardwoods are environmentally, culturаlly, and commercially significant. UHFs require successful oak regeneration to support biodiversity and ecosystem functions. However, these forests encounter major challenges in oak recruitment due to historical fire suppression, land-use changes, increased competition from shade-tolerant species, and deer browsing. Our study applied system dynamics modeling to evaluate effects of silvicultural treatments on oak regeneration and carbon sequestration in Mississippi's UHF. Using STELLA Architect software, we simulated three management scenarios over an interval of 20 years. The managements are; control (no intervention), moderate thinning (30% basal area reduction), and intensive thinning (50% basal area reduction). The results showed distinct trade-offs between oak recruitment and carbon storage. Moderate thinning increased oak recruitment by ~15% compared to control, and it also maintained carbon storage recovery at baseline level (level before the disturbance) within 10 years. Intensive thinning has the highest recruitment response (30% above control), but incurred large short-term carbon loss (~25%) with extended recovery period. We ran a sensitivity analysis for three growth scenarios: low (5%/yr), moderate (10%/yr), and high (15%/yr) as well as three mortality scenarios: high (2%/yr), moderate (1%/yr), low (0.5%/yr). The sensitivity analysis signifies that consistent treatment response patterns exist across diverse ecological contexts, which also confirmed our model robustness. The overall findings suggest that moderate thinning provides more balance for multi-objective forest management, while supporting biodiversity and carbon sequestration goals. Thus system dynamics approach offers valuable decision-support tool for sustainable forest management under changing environmental conditions.

Vector-borne pathogens pose an increasing threat to agricultural production and sustainability. Many studies tackle this by focusing on affected hosts and vectors; however, they often overlook the role of alternative hosts that can facilitate pathogen persistence and spread across agricultural landscapes. Heterogeneous landscapes containing multiple susceptible hosts allow the survival of generalist vectors and increases the risk of pathogen transmission. This is the case of the wheat curl mite (WCM, Aceria tosichella Keifer), which can transmit High Plains wheat mosaic virus (HPWMoV) and Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) between crops causing significant yield losses. Here, we conducted a regional survey across the Columbia Basin in Washington to characterize the spatial-temporal distribution of WCM, HPWMoV and WSMV in sweet corn during the summer of 2025. WCM samples were collected weekly at 20 sites using sentinel wheat plants deployed in commercial agricultural landscapes selected based on proximity to wheat and corn fields. WCM were detected at multiple sites, with occurrence increasing over the sampling period. In parallel, leaf tissue was collected from 161 plants exhibiting virus-like symptoms and from 1,101 asymptomatic plants and tested for virus presence using RT-PCR and serological assays. Virus incidence was high among symptomatic plants (95.65%), with single infections of HPWMoV being most common. In contrast, WSMV infections and coinfections with HPWMoV and WSMV were rare. Together, these results underscore the importance of alternative hosts in sustaining WCM-transmitted viruses and highlight the need for landscape-level surveillance and management approaches in multi-crop agricultural systems.

Aim: Crack use in Brazil became most prevalent in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. In response, Brazil saw a rise in therapeutic communities (TCs), residential facilities for people with substance use disorders. This study compared the services received and treatment outcomes of crack versus non-crack users in Brazilian TCs, to assess differences in retention, reintegration, and effectiveness.

Methods: Intake data from 10,995 individuals (2017–2019) across 48 centers were analyzed using Stata 15.1. Continuous outcomes were assessed with unstandardized beta (B) coefficients and dichotomous outcomes with adjusted odds ratios (aORs).

Results: Participation in core TC services was high across groups (>98% counseling, >94% coping skills). Crack users were less likely to engage in family reintegration (74.6% vs. 79.2%, p=0.001) and mutual support groups (95.3% vs. 96.5%, p=0.005), but more likely to receive ID issuance (57.8% vs. 54.2%, p=0.018) and prenatal care (6.9% vs. 3.7%, p=0.012). They had shorter treatment duration (85.5 vs. 99.1 days, p=0.001), lower completion (37.1% vs. 46.0%, p=0.001), and higher voluntary discharge (43.2% vs. 37.7%, p=0.001) and evasion (5.5% vs. 3.8%, p=0.006). Reintegration outcomes were poorer, including lower family contact (89.8% vs. 92.9%, p=0.001) and employment (21.2% vs. 26.8%, p=0.001). Treatment effectiveness scores were consistently lower for crack users across domains (all p=0.001).

Conclusion: TCs provide comprehensive services that extend beyond SUD treatment, addressing health, legal, and social needs. Crack users exhibit poorer retention and reintegration rates compared to non-crack users, underscoring the need for tailored strategies to improve outcomes in this population.

Statewide education averages can hide meaningful differences in students’ access to resources and supports. This project developed and tested a framework to measure educational opportunity gaps for Hispanic and Latinx students in Washington State in a way that better reflects local conditions and lived experiences. Our goal was to produce more precise, locally relevant estimates that can inform equity planning at the region and district level.

We first worked with subject matter experts to define a set of opportunity indicators that go beyond a single test score. We then analyzed Washington State education records from OSPI and ERDC covering 2013 to 2023, focusing on indicators such as attendance, discipline, and access to advanced coursework. To understand why patterns differ across communities, we also conducted multilingual focus groups with parents and interviews with secondary students.

Results show that opportunity gaps vary substantially by location, school context, language background, and grade level. In several indicators, differences that are clear at the local level are muted or invisible when reported only as statewide averages. Qualitative findings help explain these patterns, highlighting barriers such as limited language access in school communication, mismatches between home and school expectations, and safety-related concerns that influence engagement.

Overall, the study demonstrates that combining local-area statistical methods with community-grounded evidence produces more actionable measures of educational equity for Washington State decision makers.

This study aimed to examine within and between effects of the relationship between depression, using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and cocaine craving, using the visual analog craving scale (VAS), over time. Data from the NIDA Clinical Trial Network Study Cocaine Use Reduction with Buprenorphine (CTN-0048) were used in a secondary analysis (CTN-0148). In this trial, participants were administered long-acting injectable naltrexone in a double-blind, randomized study that assessed comparatively daily sublingual buprenorphine/naloxone 16/4 mg, 4/1mg, or placebo. Random-effects regression modelling was used to examine relationships between participants’ depressive symptoms at baseline and their cocaine craving over time. A total of 301 participants were analyzed (21.6% female, 10.3% Hispanic, 66.4% Black) that met DSM-IV criteria for a cocaine dependency and had a history of opioid use. Depression score emerged as a significant within-person predictor of craving over time (B = 0.71, 95% CI [0.54, 0.87], p < 0.001), indicating that when a person’s BDI score increased by one point from their own mean, their craving increased by 0.71 units. Between-person differences in average BDI did not have significant linear (p = 0.15) or quadratic (p = 0.41) effects, indicating that depression scores across participants did not significantly predict differences in craving. Understanding a patient’s craving for a drug is crucial to treating a substance use disorder. A patient’s depression score can impact their cocaine craving, but there are important nuances we must understand to appropriately use this information clinically, such as the importance of within-person change over effects across people.

Many people who use drugs (PWUD) have shifted from injecting to smoking drugs. However, syringe service programs (SSPs) have not universally adapted their services and often offer supplies only for injection. Although safer smoking supplies (SSS) are supported by evidence as a harm reduction strategy, the local health department SSP (LHD-SSP) in Spokane, Washington does not provide them. Student leaders at the WSU College of Medicine sought to address this gap. We hypothesized that providing SSS would increase engagement with PWUD who do not access injection-focused services.

Since February 2025, we have operated a biweekly, low-barrier harm reduction distribution event offering SSS, naloxone, and more. In May 2025, the program relocated to a private psychiatry clinic and added same-day initiation of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD). To maintain accessibility, no demographic information was collected. Participants were asked whether they were new to our services and whether they used the LHD-SSP. We recorded distribution totals, overdose reversals, and engagement with MOUD.

Over 11 months, we conducted 2,875 participant encounters, distributed 2,779 SSS, and 9,389 doses of naloxone, and participants self-reported 1,759 overdose reversals. Per event, on average, 52% of participants did not use the LHD-SSP, 26% were new to our services, and 16% were new and not served elsewhere. Since May 2025, 32 individuals have started MOUD, with 19 receiving follow-up care.

These findings demonstrate that SSS distribution increases engagement with PWUD and supports connection to MOUD, highlighting SSS as an effective public health strategy.

This poster will provide a summary of a mixed methods pilot project that evaluated the impact of My Dream: a career development and self-advocacy/self-determination curriculum for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). During Spring 2025, My Dream was facilitated with 89 young adults with IDD enrolled in an inclusive postsecondary education( IPSE) program. Eleven IPSEs and one dual enrollment program across the United States participated in My Dream. The results of the pilot project indicate that My Dream has a positive impact on participants' understanding and use of self-advocacy, self-determination, and understanding of career-related strengths, skills, goals and actions.

This case highlights a rare presentation of a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) arising in the pancreatic uncinate process with central calcification, which can be hard to diagnose when they have unusual calcification patterns that mimic other pancreatic lesions. A 75-year-old woman’s chronic low back pain led to imaging that found a calcified pancreatic mass. Biopsy confirmed it was a low-grade GIST. She had successful Whipple surgery but developed pancreatic insufficiency requiring enzyme supplements. Even rare tumors like pancreatic GIST should be considered for calcified pancreatic masses, and proper biopsy is essential for correct diagnosis and treatment planning.

Despite successful air pollution control in the USA for the past few decades, PM2.5 impacts persist, contributing to disease burden even at lower concentrations. This is especially critical in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) region, where recurring wildfire events create complex spatiotemporal pollution patterns that challenge sparse ground monitoring networks. While Chemical Transport Models (CTM) offer spatial insights, their computational cost and limited robustness during extreme wildfire events necessitate alternative approaches. Machine learning offers strong potential for parallel estimation of air pollutants; however, few studies have focused on fine-resolution PM2.5 estimation and forecasting in the PNW.

This study explores machine learning algorithms including deep-learning and ensemble methods, leveraging multi-source satellite products (MODIS aerosol optical depth, MERRA-2 reanalysis, TEMPO observations), high resolution meteorology, regional air quality forecasting models, and ground monitoring data to provide spatially explicit fine resolution PM2.5 gridded estimation across the Pacific Northwest. We developed a comprehensive feature engineering combining downscaled atmospheric parameters with physics-informed atmospheric chemical components (organic carbon, black carbon, dust, sulfates), spatial statistics, and geographic clustering effects for continuous spatio-temporal prediction. The optimization pipeline systematically evaluates feature combinations across multiple algorithms (CNN, Random Forest, Gradient Boosting) using cross-validation to maximize predictive performance.

Applied to a decade of PNW operational data, our approach shows potential performance improvements over baseline methods, enabling improved gridded PM2.5 estimation and short-term forecasting with enhanced spatial detail. We also address non-linear atmospheric processes during wildfire events through ensemble modeling and real-time bias correction using ground monitoring data, ensuring robust performance for wildfire impact assessment and public health protection.

Our findings demonstrate that this framework will provide potentially improved pollutant estimation and forecasting for previously underserved remote and wildfire-prone areas, enabling more equitable air quality management across the Pacific Northwest region.

Inverse heat conduction problems (IHCPs) are fundamental to thermal engineering for the estimation of unknown boundary conditions, such as surface heat flux, from localized temperature measurements. However, traditional numerical solutions to IHCPs are often computationally prohibitive due to the iterative nature of physics-based forward solvers within an optimization or sampling loop. This study presents a high-efficiency computational framework that integrates Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) with Bayesian inference to accelerate parameter estimation while maintaining statistical rigor. The methodology is demonstrated on a two-dimensional steady-state heat conduction problem where an analytical solution is first utilized to generate a comprehensive dataset of temperature fields under various thermal loads. These data are used to train an ANN surrogate model, which serves as a high-speed proxy for the forward heat equation. The trained surrogate is subsequently embedded within a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm, utilizing the Metropolis-Hastings sampler to perform Bayesian inference. This approach enables the recovery of unknown heat flux values and the quantification of associated uncertainties from noisy experimental temperature data in real-time. Results indicate that the ANN surrogate accurately captures the non-linear mapping of the thermal system, allowing the Bayesian model to converge on precise posterior probability distributions with significantly reduced computational overhead. This research validates a scalable, data-driven approach for real-time monitoring and diagnostic analysis of complex thermal systems.

The Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System (CPRAS) is a heterogeneous, multi-layered aquifer that supports irrigated agriculture in Eastern Washington, Oregon, and Idaho and provides water for more than 90,000 residents. Without the groundwater supply, it would not have been possible to meet the domestic, agriculture, and industrial demands. However, seasonal declines in groundwater availability have become evident, particularly during the summer months, leading to drying wells and water stress. Studies on groundwater highlighted the methods of modeling groundwater that can simulate the groundwater decline that could help to understand its impact the health of socio-ecological systems. This research aims to assess groundwater decline in the CPRAS model boundary and will give an understanding on the areas that are critically affected by groundwater decline and will have issues regarding irrigation demand and water supply for domestic and industrial purpose. This study uses MODFLOW-NWT to model the groundwater change in the CPRAS by changing the temporal resolution provided good performance analysis and highlighting the groundwater level changes seasonally. Therefore, such analysis could reinforce the idea of running the CPRAS model on a monthly time step instead of the annual time step which will give more detailed understanding of groundwater declines and supporting better-informed water management decisions, particularly beneficial for assessing municipal water systems in areas prone to water shortages.

Keywords: Irrigation Demand, Groundwater Drawdown, Monthly-Timestep, Seasonal Groundwater, Water Management.

Principle Topic: We present a multimodal learning framework to predict melt pool geometry in laser powder bed fusion by integrating high-fidelity X-ray imaging with low-cost photodiode absorptivity signals for in-situ process monitoring.

Method: A convolutional neural network (CNN) extracts the spatial features from X-ray images, while a recurrent neural network (RNN) with attention captures the temporal patterns in absorptivity data. These features are combined using an early-fusion CNN-RNN multimodal architecture to predict melt pool geometry ratios for spot and scan laser cases. This fusion strategy enables the model to learn complementary spatial–temporal representations. A transfer learning approach, specifically knowledge distillation, is then applied to train an absorptivity-only RNN model for melt pool geometry prediction without X-ray data.

Implications: The proposed framework enables real-time melt pool monitoring using low-cost sensing data while leveraging limited X-ray data during training. This capability significantly enhances the deployability of the approach for real-time monitoring in manufacturing environments. It reduces dependence on expensive imaging systems while preserving high prediction accuracy for practical applications.

Results: The multimodal model achieves high predictive accuracy with R2 scores of 0.989 for spot cases and 0.998 for scan cases. The absorptivity only RNN model maintains strong performance without X-ray inputs, achieving R2 scores of 0.789 for spot and 0.923 for scan cases.

Fire blight, a destructive disease of rosaceous plants such as apples and pears caused by Erwinia amylovora, remains a major challenge in sustainable crop protection. Conventional antibiotic-based control measures, though effective, raise concerns about antibiotic resistance and environmental safety. Plant-derived essential oils show strong biocidal activity but suffer from poor stability and high volatility under field conditions, often requiring higher doses that can cause phytotoxicity above 1%.This study developed a biocompatible delivery system using Lycopodium clavatum-derived sporopollenin exine capsules (SECs) to enhance the delivery and efficacy of thyme essential oil (TEO), a natural biocide with high antimicrobial activity but limited stability. SECs were extracted through sequential defatting and phosphoric acid treatment, yielding hollow, intact shells with tunable apertures. A modified vacuum infusion method was applied to encapsulate TEO, followed by evaluation of encapsulation efficiency, stability, and antibacterial activity.Encapsulated TEO showed improved stability under thermal (50 °C, 90 min) and UVA (368 nm, 60 min) stresses, retaining 65% and 74% of its initial content, respectively, versus 52% and 19% for free TEO. Release kinetics followed zero-order behavior (R² = 0.99999). Under open-air conditions, SECs retained ~70% of encapsulated TEO after 24 h, while free TEO nearly dissipated within 4 h. Moreover, SECs@TEO maintained strong antibacterial activity against E. amylovora after extended air or UVA exposure. These findings demonstrate that SECs effectively enhance the stability and sustained antimicrobial performance of essential oils, offering a promising, environmentally friendly alternative for plant disease management and postharvest protection.

Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) is increasingly used in critical infrastructure due to its high strength and durability; however, cracking and subsequent water transport remain key concerns affecting long-term performance. Conventional water permeability tests based on Darcy’s law often neglect inertial effects, leading to biased evaluation of crack transport behavior and self-healing efficiency under realistic flow conditions.

This study investigates the water transport behavior and self-healing performance of cracked UHPC with varying steel fiber contents using a nonlinear water permeability framework based on Forchheimer’s law. Controlled single cohesive cracks were introduced in UHPC specimens containing different fiber dosages, followed by wet–dry curing cycles to promote natural self-healing. Pressure–flow relationships were measured to decouple viscous and inertial energy dissipation, while X-ray computed tomography–based digital crack models were used to quantify hydraulic tortuosity.

Results show that increasing steel fiber content significantly enhances crack water resistance by increasing both in-plane and out-of-plane tortuosity. Self-healing markedly reduces intrinsic crack transmissivity, primarily by altering interconnected flow pathways rather than simply narrowing surface crack widths. Importantly, the study demonstrates that inertial effects strongly influence apparent healing efficiency, highlighting the limitations of traditional linear permeability assessments.

The findings provide a physically grounded framework for evaluating crack transport and self-healing in UHPC, offering improved insight for durability-oriented material design and more reliable assessment of concrete performance under realistic hydraulic conditions.

Federated learning (FL) enables collaborative training across organizational silos without sharing raw data, making it attractive for privacy-sensitive applications. With the rapid adoption of large language models (LLMs), federated fine-tuning of generative LLMs has gained attention as a way to leverage distributed data while preserving confidentiality. However, this setting introduces fundamental challenges: (i) privacy leakage of personally identifiable information (PII) due to LLM memorization, and (ii) a persistent tension between global generalization and local utility under heterogeneous data. Existing defenses, such as data sanitization and differential privacy, reduce leakage but often degrade downstream performance. We propose SecureGate, a privacy-aware federated fine-tuning framework for LLMs that provides fine-grained privacy control without sacrificing utility. SecureGate employs a dual-adapter LoRA architecture: a secure adapter that learns sanitized, globally shareable representations, and a revealing adapter that captures sensitive, organization-specific knowledge. A token-controlled gating module selectively activates these adapters at inference time, enabling controlled information disclosure without retraining. Extensive experiments across multiple LLMs and real-world datasets show that SecureGate improves task utility while substantially reducing PII leakage, achieving up to a 31.66x reduction in inference attack accuracy and a 17.07x reduction in extraction recall for unauthorized requests. Additionally, it maintains 100% routing reliability to the correct adapter and incurs only minimal computational and communication overhead.

Despite decades of research, the construct of “face” has remained conceptually diffuse. Inconsistent descriptions have limited theoretical development and prevented comprehensive empirical testing. “Face,” often treated as a singular phenomenon, has broad implications across clinical, social, and behavioral domains. The cultural implications of face work, saving, and protecting can be used to understand mental health stigma and help-seeking behaviors.A systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Peer-reviewed articles (n=129), published between 1954 and 2025, were identified across major databases. Using qualitative coding and reflexive thematic analysis, we synthesized patterns in definitions and conceptualizations for face and related constructs.Findings revealed substantial inconsistency in how “face” and related constructs are defined across individualistic and collectivistic societies. For example, Goffman (1955), who is widely credited with introducing “face,” makes no mention of Chinese culture, where face and related concepts like "mianzi" and "renqing" are pivotal to interpersonal interaction and social standing. This points to a significant gap in the original theory. Our thematic analysis evidenced that the same terms are frequently used to refer to divergent phenomena, while different terms are used interchangeably to describe overlapping processes. This fragmentation has impeded the development of a unified face model and contributed to a lack of empirical measurement tools.This review highlights critical gaps in face-related definitions and concepts that have constrained progress in the cultural psychology field. The present synthesized findings provide potential pathways toward a more cohesive model of “face” that is capable of guiding both theoretical and empirical advancement.

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among pre-weaned dairy calves, resulting in large economic losses during the first 120 days of life in the North American dairy industry. Beyond acute impacts, BRD contributes to long-term reductions in growth, productivity, and longevity, highlighting the need for quantitative measures of overall health burden.Current approaches to evaluating disease impact rely on group-level assessments or expert opinion, limiting objectivity and consistency across studies. Inspired by plant phenomics, we developed a machine learning model that integrates pathophysiological indicators (blood chemistry) and behavioral observations (mobility, cough, etc.) associated with BRD severity, confirmed using thoracic ultrasound, to provide an objective, data-driven estimate of disease burden analogous to disability weights used in human health metrics.A total of 182 calves provided repeated measurements through the preweaning phase. Data were preprocessed by cleaning missing values, matching identifiers/dates, and applying feature selection to identify informative predictors. Supervised machine learning algorithms, such as Lasso, were used to evaluate classification accuracy, precision, recall, and AUC score to capture overall and class-specific performance.Preliminary models achieved up to 72% accuracy in classifying calf pneumonia status, indicating that the derived cumulative health metric captured continuous variation in disease burden across calves. Ongoing analysis focuses on refining feature selection, improving model discrimination, and validating the cumulative health measure for longitudinal applications. This approach demonstrates the value of machine learning linking physiological data without requiring ultrasonography, and quantifying BRD disease burden, offering a foundation for precision livestock health monitoring.

Psychosis disproportionately affects individuals from ethnoracially minoritized backgrounds and those residing in underserved neighborhoods. Despite advances in early intervention and treatment, disparities in diagnosis, service access, and outcomes persist. Research has traditionally focused on individual-level risk factors, yet growing evidence highlights the importance of spatial and structural contexts, such as neighborhood deprivation, urbanicity, and ethnic density, in shaping these inequities. This systematic review synthesizes how neighborhood-level indicators have been used to investigate ethnoracial disparities in psychosis and evaluates the spatial methodologies employed across studies. Following PRISMA guidelines, five databases were systematically searched without restrictions on publication year or geography. Studies were included if they examined affective or non-affective psychosis, incorporated spatial methods, and assessed racial or ethnic disparities. Study quality was appraised using the Spatial Methodology Appraisal of Research Tool (SMART). Thirty-five studies met inclusion criteria. Most were conducted in North America and Europe, applying multilevel, spatial regression, or Bayesian approaches. Commonly used neighborhood indicators included area-level deprivation, ethnic density, and urbanicity. Across studies, higher neighborhood deprivation and lower ethnic density were associated with increased psychosis risk among Black, Latino, Asian, and migrant populations. Variation in geographic scale and data availability affected the strength and direction of observed associations. Overall, this review underscores the critical role of geography in understanding and addressing ethnoracial disparities in psychosis. Integrating spatial and intersectional approaches can deepen understanding of how place, structure, and identity interact to produce uneven geographies of mental health.

Background: Breast MRI is an important tool for assessing tumor response following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), which is chemotherapy given to shrink tumors prior to surgery. Occasionally, new or unexpected MRI findings appear after treatment. These new findings may represent either residual malignancy or benign changes due to treatment. This study aimed to determine how often new suspicious findings occur after NAC and how frequently they represent malignancy.

Methods: In this retrospective review, breast cancer patients treated with NAC between 2010 and 2025 who had both pre- and post-treatment breast MRIs were identified. Among 670 post-NAC MRI findings, those that were newly appearing and classified as suspicious were analyzed. Surgical pathology outcomes were reviewed to determine the rate of malignancy. Clinical management and time to surgery were also reviewed to evaluate the impact that additional workups, such as imaging or biopsy, had on the clinical outcome.

Results: Twenty-three new suspicious patient case findings were identified (3.4% incidence). Of these, 19 (83%) were benign on surgical pathology. The patient case findings requiring additional imaging or biopsy did not result in substantial delays to surgery compared with those proceeding directly to surgery.

Conclusions: New suspicious breast MRI findings after NAC are uncommon and most often benign. Recognizing this pattern can help clinicians reduce unnecessary interventions while maintaining safe cancer care. Future studies may refine management guidelines to support evidence-based decision-making between the patient and the healthcare team.

Transportation systems are increasingly shared by heterogeneous driving agents, such as human-driven vehicles and autonomous vehicles, or passenger cars and heavy trucks. Modeling the interactions among these agents is therefore central to understanding, managing, and operating mixed traffic systems. Although a wide range of mixed traffic flow models has been proposed, their underlying assumptions, interaction mechanisms, and physical interpretations vary substantially across studies. To date, a unified and coherent framework for interpreting these models is still lacking, which hampers both a systematic comparison of existing models and development of a generalized and unified theory towards describing mixed traffic. This paper proposes a unified framework for interpreting interaction mechanisms in mixed traffic flow models. Central to this framework is the new concept of perceived density. By decomposing perceived density into physically interpretable interaction terms, the framework establishes an explicit analytical link between microscopic agent-level behaviors, including longitudinal and lateral driving characteristics, and macroscopic class-level speed–density relationships. Using this framework, a set of qualitative properties are formulated to define physically meaningful inter-class interaction behaviors. Major existing mixed traffic models in literature are then systematically analyzed, revealing their implicit behavior assumptions and clarifying their underlying interaction mechanisms. The proposed framework unveils the connections among existing mixed traffic models at microscopic and macroscopic levels and highlights the role of agents cooperativeness in shaping the interactions and mixed traffic dynamics. This framework can be leveraged in the multi-agent learning and control of mixed autonomy traffic systems.

This project examines a universal, nurse-led postpartum home-visiting program designed to support families during the early weeks after birth. Many new caregivers experience uncertainty, stress, and difficulty accessing resources during this period, which can impact both the well-being of the parent and the infant. The program offers a standardized home visit by a registered nurse, who assesses maternal and infant health, provides education tailored to family needs, and connects caregivers with community resources.

The purpose of this evaluation is to understand how well the program strengthens caregiver confidence and how effectively it is being implemented in Pierce County, Washington. Using surveys completed before and after the home visit, the project measures changes in caregivers’ sense of confidence in caring for their newborn. Additional data describe families’ satisfaction with the visit, the types of support and referrals provided, and common needs identified by nurses. To better understand how the program functions in real-world settings, staff perspectives on feasibility, challenges, and sustainability are also collected through questionnaires and group discussions.

Early findings show that families value the home visit and report feeling more supported and connected to resources. Nurses note that the program helps identify concerns early and offers an opportunity for meaningful education and reassurance.

This evaluation will inform improvements to the program and help guide future implementation efforts across the county. By strengthening caregiver confidence and linking families to timely support, this model offers a promising approach to improving postpartum health and promoting long-term family well-being.

Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) require strict real-time guarantees to ensure stability, safety, and performance, as delayed control decisions can lead to degraded accuracy or catastrophic failures. Reinforcement Learning (RL) has shown great potential in enabling adaptive control under uncertainty, but its deployment in CPS remains challenging due to unpredictable inference latency and stringent timing constraints. Existing model compression techniques, such as pruning, quantization, and distillation, can reduce inference overhead but rely on static, pre-deployment optimization. Once compressed, these models cannot adapt to varying computational resources or dynamic timing requirements during operation. To overcome this limitation, we propose dynamic time reinforcement learning (DTRL), a novel RL framework that integrates early-exit neural networks into the control loop to achieve adaptive inference under dynamic time constraints. DTRL enables the RL controller to dynamically select intermediate exits for policy inference based on the deadline, achieving a balance between accuracy and latency. Experimental results across multiple benchmarks demonstrate that DTRL achieves comparable performance to full-depth networks while reducing the number of parameters, validating its potential for resource-aware, time-predictable control in CPS.

Femur fractures are debilitating injuries in older adults, commonly due to low-energy trauma (e.g.,falls) and less often from pathologic processes like malignancy. These injuries are known to increase debility and risk of all-cause mortality. Early intervention is essential for improved outcomes, especially in patients with comorbidities.

A 62-year-old woman presented to the emergency department for acute pain in the left hip. She reported she was standing at home when she experienced a sudden onset of sharp pain in the left hip. Radiographs demonstrated a displaced subtrochanteric femur fracture with cortical destruction and radiolucency, suggesting pathologic fracture. Further evaluation showed a large infiltrative right ventricular mass confirmed by biopsy as metastatic high-grade endometrial carcinoma. Refractory hip pain caused significant distress and functional impairment despite high-dose patient-controlled analgesia.

Given her advanced metastatic disease, cardiac involvement, and poor prognosis, a multidisciplinary tumor board reviewed her case. Although cardiac metastasis posed substantial perioperative risk, the fracture was identified as the primary source of affliction. Consensus favored orthopedic intervention to improve pain control, mobility, and quality of life prior to starting chemotherapy. Fixation was performed with a long cephalomedullary intramedullary nail, with cardiothoracic surgery on standby for emergent extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support.

This case illustrates the importance of multidisciplinary teams and prioritizing symptom-driven orthopedic care in complex oncologic patients, as pain control and palliative care were the main barriers in this patient’s care. Fracture fixation was determined to be the most beneficial course of action, providing necessary symptom alleviation prior to oncologic treatment.

Gender-based violence (GBV) encompasses physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, and psychological harm, as well as coercion and the restriction of economic or educational opportunities. Although common, GBV is substantially underreported, especially in rural communities where survivors face unique barriers such as geographic isolation, limited service options, and heightened concerns about privacy and stigma. This study applies a cultural lens to examine how GBV services in rural Western Kansas align with local values and the lived experiences of survivors.

Using a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach, we conducted eight sessions—six multi-sector listening groups and two survivor panels—engaging more than 50 participants, including service providers, faith leaders, housing authorities, HR staff, local officials, and survivors. Guided by trauma-informed care and cultural humility frameworks, sessions were facilitated in both in-person and virtual formats, emphasizing safety, relational trust, and participant autonomy. Data were transcribed and thematically analyzed using open coding in Atlas.ti.

Findings reveal a dual landscape of service “fits” and “mismatches.” Strengths included flexible no-turnaway service philosophies, survivor-centered advocacy, relational trust-building, and prioritization of housing as a stabilizing pathway. However, significant systemic mismatches emerged, including insufficient housing and employment options, legal barriers, cultural and relational isolation, gatekeeping within institutions, and the invisibility of certain survivor groups, particularly men. These barriers often prevented survivors from accessing support when ready, further compounding trauma.

Implications highlight the need for flexible, culturally responsive, and survivor-guided service systems. Rural organizations should invest in trauma-informed and cultural humility training, reduce procedural gatekeeping, and incorporate survivor advisory structures to ensure accountability and relevance to community needs.

Critical infrastructure systems, including power grids, transportation networks, and defense mechanisms, rely on highly latency-sensitive computing architectures known as real-time cyber-physical systems (RT-CPS). In these systems, cybersecurity is predominantly enforced through design-time parameters linked to security tasks. This approach typically focuses on worst-case scenarios, resulting in security checks that are often treated as secondary operations, with some bypassed altogether. An alternative methodology explored in prior research involves integrating security mechanisms into every task within the system, which incurs a significant performance impact. Consequently, the security paradigm for RT-CPS has shifted towards an all-or-nothing approach, spurring extensive investigations into the safety-security trade-off in these environments. In this study, we present REPOSE (real-time systems' price of security), an analytical framework for assessing the security feasibility of real-time control systems at runtime. REPOSE is specifically tailored to allow for a "bounded trade-off" between safety and security. Instead of imposing additional pessimistic overhead during the design phase, REPOSE executes security operations based on the system's runtime behavior. Our evaluations indicate that REPOSE can effectively incorporate security measures into RT-CPS with a negligible performance overhead of 0.06% at 80% system utilization, in stark contrast to the 29% overhead observed in state-of-the-art approaches.

Lactate is a measure of how well a child is supported on Extracorporeal Support and clinically informs when to: Give Blood, Increase Blood Flow Rate, Increase Oxygen Content. If Liver Dysfunction, Metabolic Disorders, Infection and Sepsis (Abscess, Osteomyelitis) exist, metabolism of lactate is less clear. With these variables in mind, it is valuable to find sources of lactate accumulation and understand available clinically driven modifiable factors to ensure adequacy of perfusion and reduce postoperative circulatory collapse.

Elevated lactate production is due to circulatory dysfunction and reduced oxygen delivery. Liver and kidneys, to some extent, convert excess lactate to glucose. Persistent lactic acidosis occurs when production exceeds liver’s ability to metabolize. Common consequences of cardiopulmonary bypass are hypotension, hemodilution and hypothermia which cloud the interpretation of intra (type A) and postoperative (type B) lactate values and corrective actions.

Modifiable perfusion factors discussed and substantiated by literature review, relative to perfusion practice and lactate accumulation are circuitry (artificial surface), prime components, desired surgical temperature, blood flow rate, red blood cell administration, quality of blood products utilized, clearance and team communication.

Institutional data suggests post bypass peak lactate values by modified STAT (STS-EACTS) categories and age is a predictor of mortality. We hypothesize recognizing a critical lactate value as a tool within our larger data set can predict when to escalate care prior to cardiovascular collapse and subsequent resuscitation.

Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is a well-established nematode model widely used to study development, neuroimmunology, reproduction, and aging at both cellular and organismal levels. Most wild-type C. elegans (N2) are self-fertilizing hermaphrodites that sequentially produce spermatocytes and then oocytes. During gonadal development, hermaphrodites generate a finite number of sperm before undergoing a tightly regulated switch to oogenesis; the resulting oocytes are fertilized by stored sperm and laid as embryos. We demonstrate that RNAi-mediated knockdown of the ribosomal protein gene rps-29 causes infertility in hermaphrodites by selectively inhibiting oocyte production while leaving spermatogenesis intact. Consistent with this finding, rps-29 knockdown in males does not impair sperm production or fertility, indicating that rps-29 is dispensable for sperm development and function. Notably, rps-29 knockdown in the gonad-restricted RNAi strain DCL569 does not inhibit oocyte development, suggesting that non-gonadal tissues are required to mediate this effect. RNA sequencing of rps-29 RNAi-treated animals reveals a striking upregulation of genes associated with male reproductive programs and a concomitant downregulation of transcripts expressed in sensory neurons, pointing to a functional interaction between the nervous and reproductive systems. Together, these findings indicate that the ribosomal protein RPS-29 plays a critical role in regulating gene expression necessary for the transition from spermatogenesis to oogenesis in C. elegans.

In museum environments, the effective presentation of emotionally sensitive content can be an enormous challenge for curators and exhibition designers. How does one represent stories of atrocities that offer profound and powerful experiences, without traumatizing visitors and/or triggering any direct victims? Are there basic strategies museums can use to balance establishing meaningful content connections while still emotionally safeguarding visitors?

“Away From Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories” is the most thematically powerful exhibition at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona. Beginning in the 1870s, the U.S. government forced American Indian children into “civilized” society by taking them from their families, placing them in government-operated boarding schools where all signs of “Indian-ness” were stripped away. The significant physical and psychological damage to many of these children continues to impact Native communities today.

This investigation examines the “how” behind the storytelling of these tragic histories. The goal is to identify what specific display strategies successfully foster a visitor’s ability to deeply, but safely, absorb these emotional stories. Methodology includes observational analysis and reflection from several site visits, together with in-person interviews with the Chief Curator Janet Cantley and the Director of Exhibitions Joseph Kolasinski. Conclusions will offer qualitative analysis of the efficacy of overall space planning, circulation, artifact distribution, coloration, lighting, and several opt-in interactive elements of this remarkable exhibition.

The developmental gradient of elongating grass stems, known as internodes, provides a simple yet elegant system for examining how plant cell walls are synthesized and regulated over time. In this study, we analyzed gene expression, protein abundance, and protein phosphorylation, a post-translational modification that can influence protein function, stability, or localization across multiple developmental stages of the rice stem to investigate regulatory processes associated with cell wall biosynthesis. Major plant cell wall components, including lignin, xylan, and hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs), simple phenolic molecules that modify grass cell walls, vary systematically from the stem base through elongating and mature tissues. Patterns in gene and protein expression distinguish stages associated with cell division, cell elongation, and progressive tissue maturation, indicating distinct molecular programs along the developmental gradient.Overall, protein and transcript abundances show moderate positive correlations; however, several cell wall-related proteins exhibit weak or negative correlations, suggesting regulatory layers beyond transcription. Phosphoproteomic analysis identifies phosphorylation events on enzymes involved in lignin biosynthesis and BAHD acyl-CoA acyltransferases, which mediate the incorporation of HCAs into xylan and lignin. We hypothesize that phosphorylation of enzymes with low transcript-protein correlations reflects post-translational regulation of protein abundance, whereas phosphorylation of well-correlated proteins may regulate enzymatic activity. Integrative analyses further identify kinases associated with these phosphorylation events.Together, these findings highlight potential regulatory events during cell wall biosynthesis and contribute to a broader understanding of grass biomass composition, with relevance to agricultural and bioenergy applications.

Patellofemoral pain is one of the most common knee problems in physically active individuals, yet it remains difficult to diagnose and treat effectively. Many people show similar joint alignment or movement patterns but experience very different levels of pain and disability. This suggests that factors beyond joint mechanics alone may influence how stress develops at the knee.

This project examines how the nervous system contributes to patellofemoral joint stress by coordinating the muscles that act across the knee. Rather than focusing only on joint motion or external forces, the study integrates measurements of muscle activation and mechanical output during controlled tasks relevant to sport and rehabilitation. This multimodal approach allows joint stress to be viewed as the combined outcome of neural control and mechanical loading.

Work completed so far includes the collection and analysis of synchronized muscle and biomechanical data in individuals with and without patellofemoral pain. Early results indicate that people with knee pain may use different muscle coordination strategies that are not apparent from movement measurements alone. These coordination differences may help explain why traditional assessments sometimes fail to capture injury risk or treatment response.

Overall, this work highlights the importance of considering neuromuscular control when studying knee stress and injury. By linking how muscles are coordinated to how stress is distributed at the joint, this research aims to support more informative assessment tools and more targeted rehabilitation strategies for knee pain in physically active populations.

Titanium alloys are widely used in aircraft, medical devices, and high performance structures because they are strong, lightweight, and corrosion resistant. However, forming titanium sheets into complex shapes is challenging, as failure can occur suddenly during manufacturing. Improving the ability to predict when and how titanium fail is critical for safer, lighter and more efficient designs. This work investigates the relationship between the microscopic crystal structure of Ti-6Al-4V sheet metal and its macroscopic forming limits. Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) was used to characterize the crystallographic texture and deformation mechanisms present before and after mechanical testing. Experimental forming limits diagrams (FLDS) were obtained using Laboratory dome testing to replicate industrial sheet-forming conditions. These experimental results were paired with Visco-Plastic Self-consistent (VPSC) crystal plasticity modeling to simulate deformation behavior under complex strain paths. This combined experimental-computational approach reveals how crystallographic texture, slip activity, and deformation twinning influence strain localization and failure. Model predictions show good agreement with experimentally measured forming limits when appropriate deformation mechanism are included, highlighting the importance of microstructure-based modelling for titanium sheet forming. This study demonstrates that integrating microstructural characterization with physics based modelling provides a powerful framework for predicting forming limits, offering practical insights for manufacturing processes used in aerospace, biomedical, and advanced structural applications.