Recent ucsd items

In-Vessel Top Launch Mirror on the DIII-D Tokamak

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A prototype “top launch” electron cyclotron (EC) heating system has been developed at the DIII-D tokamak that utilizes an in-vessel mirror to reflect an outside-launched microwave beam into the plasma with a nearly-parallel path along the resonance line. The DIII-D EC system currently has eight steerable mirror systems and one of these has been used to test this prototype system. In 2020 and 2022, two top launch systems were installed on DIII-D using in-vessel waveguides through upper ports on the machine. These systems demonstrated a reactor-relevant technology for driving off-axis current in Advanced Tokamak (AT) scenarios. However, one of the in-vessel waveguides failed and both systems were removed in 2023. This new prototype was designed to replace the previous systems with a reliable alternative at 10% the cost. The prototype in-vessel mirror is made of ATJ graphite to match the material of the DIII-D first wall. The mirror’s surface is canted at a fixed angle to reflect...

3D Modeling of Pulse-Echo Ultrasonic Data and Drilling of Impact-Damaged Composite Laminates for Injection Repair

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

One of the most common types of damage in composite laminates is delamination. This type of damage occurs when the plies within the material separate, reducing the strength and, if ignored, possibly leading to structural failure. The repair of these materials is costly and limited by tool availability, which motivated the adaptation of a repair technique known as injection repair for strength-restoring applications. The goal of this work is twofold: first, to develop a data processing and visualization computational tool that generates three-dimensional maps and delamination density plots from ultrasonic pulse-echo C-scan data, which would be used to assist in identifying percolation pathways within an damaged composite material; and second, to develop a drilling process that produces favorable hole geometry for resin penetration into delaminations while minimizing drilling-induced damage and debris accumulation. The drilling process incorporates carefully selected drilling tools...

3D epigenome of glial cell types in developing human cortex

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The human cortex is complex and heterogeneous, undergoing extensive expansion during development1,2. Our prior study of neurogenesis, including radial glia (RG), intermediate progenitor cells, excitatory neurons and interneurons demonstrated that chromatin looping underlies transcriptional regulation for lineage-specific genes, shedding light on how non-coding genetic variants contribute to neuropsychiatric disorders by means of cell-type-specific gene regulation3. RG have a crucial role in generating cellular diversity through both neurogenesis and gliogenesis and can be further classified into ventricular RG (vRG) and outer RG (oRG)4,5. Given their significance in cortical development, we conducted a comprehensive three-dimensional (3D) epigenomic analysis of four main glial populations, including vRG, oRG, oligodendrocyte precursor cells and microglia, from the mid-gestational human neocortex. By integrating gene expression, chromatin accessibility, DNA methylation and...

Judicial Opinions 133 and 134

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Opinion 133 addresses the unusual situation of two genus names that are homonyms and are also considered heterotypic synonyms. Furthermore, it clarifies the meaning of the term 'homonym' in the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes, as well as the implications of the absence of the term 'isonym' from that code. Isonyms are homotypic synonyms with the same spelling and as such are adequately regulated by the code. The Judicial Commission agrees that the names Methylacidiphilum caldifontis Awala et al. 2023, Methylacidiphilum Awala et al. 2023, Methylacidiphilaceae Awala et al. 2023 and Methylacidiphilales Awala et al. 2023 are illegitimate. The possible actions to resolve this illegitimacy are outlined. The request to conserve Methylacidiphilum Awala et al. 2023 over Methylacidiphilum Ratnadevi et al. 2023 is not granted. However, Methylacidiphilaceae Awala et al. 2023...

Reconceiving merit and devotion at work, with evidence-based illustrations from academic STEM

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This paper draws on research to argue that the cultural schema of work devotion – the cognitive, emotional and moral understanding of work as a calling and an ostensible marker of merit – promises a workplace community and a sense of purpose. These rewards are consistent with the biological propensity for social connections, which can help protect our physical and mental health. However, the benefits of work devotion are not equally available to all socio-demographic groups. Further, the work devotion mandate can feel coercive, justify overwork, deplete engagement with family and community, and lead to moral distress. The paper then considers evidence from the exemplar case of academic STEM to illustrate how small, employee-led changes in the workplace, framed as consistent with professional values of merit and devotion, could allow workers to benefit more equally from the work devotion schema while also mitigating some of its detriments.

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Table of Contents

Biography of Nūshāfarīn Anṣārī

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Biography of Nūshāfarīn Anṣārī

The Impact of Noushafarin Ansari on Increasing Women’s Cultural Participation in Iran

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The present study examines the impact of Noushafarin Ansari on increasing women’s cultural participation in Iran. With more than half a century of sustained professional activity, Ansari has played a significant role in articulating the concept of the social librarian and has left a lasting impact on Iran’s cultural and librarianship landscape. Through her positions as a faculty member and head of the Department of Library and Information Science at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Tehran; secretary and board member of the Children’s Book Council; member of the governing council of the House of Children’s Librarians and Reading Promotion; Iranian representative of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY); and member of the editorial board of the Encyclopedia for Children and Young Adults, she has profoundly influenced reading culture, the community of librarians, and women’s cultural participation in Iran.

The main objective...

Reviews

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Reviews

Nūshāfarīn Anṣārī and the Development of Librarianship and Children’s Literature in Iran

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Nush-Afarin Ansari (born 1944) is a prominent figure in the fields of librarianship, library and information science education, and children’s literature in contemporary Iran. Despite the breadth and diversity of her scholarly, educational, and institutional activities, much of the existing writing on her career has remained descriptive or commemorative, with limited attention to systematic analysis of patterns of influence and impact.

This article seeks to address this gap by analyzing the role of Ansari’s scholarly and educational career in the formation and development of such fields as library and information science education, the social history of libraries, children’s literature, and reading promotion in Iran. Rather than adopting a biographical approach, the study focuses on identifying patterns within her activities and scholarly output. The primary corpus of analysis consists of Ansari’s published articles, translations, research projects, supervised academic...

Editor's note

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Editor's note

Libraries of Care: Nushafarin Ansari and Feminist Democracy in Iranian Librarianship

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Nushafarin Ansari (b. 1939), librarian, educator, and long-standing secretary of the Children's Book Council of Iran, is a central yet largely unexamined figure in the feminist history of librarianship outside Western contexts. This paper argues that her career, spanning outreach to psychiatric patients, rural communities, refugee children, and the visually impaired, constitutes a feminist practice of democratic care that systematically refuses to treat the library’s excluded readers as private problems or institutional afterthoughts. Drawing on Joan Tronto’s framework of “democratic care”, the paper reads Ansari’s institutional practice as a sustained effort to move librarianship in Iran from a profession organized around an imagined normative public toward recognizing and responding to the full range of lives it is meant to serve. The paper traces this movement across three dimensions: her outreach practices as a form of structural critique that translates individual exclusion...

Bibliography of Nūshāfarīn Anṣārī

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Bibliography of Nūshāfarīn Anṣārī

Organizing ES Induced Axonal Regeneration in Peripheral Nerve Injury

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Brief electrical stimulation (ES) following peripheral nerve repair has emerged as a promising strategy to accelerate axonal regeneration; however, ES may reduce regenerative specificity by increasing axonal mistargeting and inappropriate motor neuron reinnervation. Biomimetic multichannel scaffolds that recapitulate peripheral nerve fascicular architecture provide structural guidance for organized axonal regeneration and may improve the efficacy of ES. This study evaluated whether combining brief ES with a biomimetic multichannel scaffold enhances regeneration following peripheral nerve injury. Thirty-six Fischer 344 rats underwent 1-cm sciatic nerve transection and biomimetic multichannel scaffold implantation. Eighteen animals received intraoperative ES of the proximal nerve stump (6 V, 20 Hz, 110 μs pulses for 10 min). Samples were collected at 1, 3, and 5 weeks for histological and functional analyses. Axons within the proximal nerve, scaffold, and distal nerve were quantified,...

Introduction to the Special Issue: Nūshāfarīn Anṣārī: Books, People, and Institutions

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction to the Special Issue: Nūshāfarīn Anṣārī: Books, People, and Institutions

A PKA-selective inhibitor captures an open but more ordered conformation of the PKA catalytic subunit

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The structure of the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA-C), a prototype for the protein kinase superfamily, laid the foundation for the development of targeted kinase inhibitors. Here we describe the structure and biophysical characterization of a PKA-C complex with BLU0588, a small PKA-selective inhibitor. The high-resolution crystal structure not only captures the inhibitor's unusual T-shaped geometry, but also shows how the four rings of BLU0588 serve as surrogates for ATP's adenosine and phosphate-organizing sites. Each site contains two subsites. BLU0588's planar azaindole and pyridine rings, which are buried beneath the glycine-rich loop in a hydrophobic shell at the base of the active site cleft, fill the adenine and ribose subsites. In contrast, BLU0588's indane and pyrrolidine rings fill the phosphate-organizing site. The indane ring occupies the α/β-phosphate organizing site while the pyrrolidine ring fills the Mg/γ-phosphate organizing site. The...

Nūshāfarīn Anṣārī Noush-Afarin Ansari and the Development of Social Librarianship in Iran

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Modern librarianship in Iran emerged relatively late and, from its inception in the 1960s, was largely shaped by an emphasis on technical services such as cataloguing, classification, and resource organization. This orientation, reinforced by key academic and institutional centers, led to the marginalization of public services and the social dimensions of librarianship. Against this dominant trend, a parallel and less visible movement gradually developed, focusing on libraries’ social responsibilities and their role in fostering equity, inclusion, and community engagement. This article examines the emergence of social librarianship in Iran through the life, thought, and professional practice of Nūshāfarīn Anṣārī, widely regarded as the pioneer of this approach. Drawing on historical analysis, professional documents, and testimonies of colleagues and students, the study explores Anṣārī’s commitment to the principle of “Books for All,” her advocacy for public libraries as democratic...

Nush-Afarin Ansari and the Children’s Book Council of Iran: Cultural Institution-Building, Organized Voluntarism, and the Logic of Sustainability

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This article examines the institutional role of Nush-Afarin Ansari in the formation, consolidation, and long-term sustainability of the Children’s Book Council of Iran (CBC) as one of the most enduring civil-society cultural institutions in contemporary Iran. Drawing on an analytical reading of Ansari’s biography, the works of Parichehr Nasrin-Pay, and materials from the Oral History Project of the Children’s Book Council, the article argues that the CBC’s success resulted from the convergence of three key factors: multicultural formative experiences, professional librarianship, and an ethical approach to cultural management. Rather than offering a linear biographical narrative or an event-based institutional history, this study focuses on institutional mechanisms, the model of organized volunteerism, and the logic of “quiet power” in leadership.

The article also addresses the limitations and costs of this model, demonstrating that volunteer-based structures grounded...

Frontmatter

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Frontmatter

Molecular Simulation Frameworks for Mechanistic Investigation of Complex Nanomaterials

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Fully understanding the behavior of functional nanomaterials requires insight into atomic motion, electron delocalization, bond formation, and interparticle interactions. The resolution required to study these phenomena, particularly under experimentally relevant conditions, often exceeds the capabilities of modern nano characterization equipment. Molecular simulation offers a computational microscope with which to investigate these systems at the necessary scale. Yet for many nanomaterial systems of practical interest, the simulation infrastructure needed to gain that insight simply does not exist. This dissertation constructs missing infrastructure across three nanomaterial systems of increasing complexity, enabling mechanistic questions about these systems to be answered with molecular-scale precision for the first time.Chapter two considers the smallest system: a single conjugated polymer chain. A method to quantify the effects of intermonomer improper torsion on electron...

Referral Characteristics of an Ambulatory Integrative Medicine Consultation Service at an Academic Health Center

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Referral Characteristics of an Ambulatory Integrative Medicine Consultation Service at an Academic Health Center

Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment Reduces Length of Stay and Opioid Use After Vestibular Schwannoma Resection

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment Reduces Length of Stay and Opioid Use After Vestibular Schwannoma Resection

Phthalate Transfer and Enrichment in Artificial Sea Spray Aerosols

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Phthalates (Phthalic Acid Esters; PAEs) are widely used toxic plasticizers, and their contamination in oceans and air is widespread due to their leachability. Previous studies have detected PAEs in air and water in remote marine environments worldwide, suggesting their transfer from the ocean to the atmosphere. However, no prior work has quantified PAE enrichment in the ocean surface layer or in marine aerosols. Here, we investigate the transfer characteristics and enrichment factors (EFs) of three common PAEs: dimethyl phthalate (DMP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), from artificial seawater to an artificial (i.e., palmitic acid) sea surface microlayer (SML) and in nascent sea spray aerosols (SSA). The relative extent of enrichment was found to depend on PAE hydrophobicity and volatility. DBP exhibited the highest EFs in both the artificial SML and nascent SSA compared to other phthalates. DBP EFs in the artificial SML from two independently...

Protease Activity Detection from Dried Blood Spot Cards in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Feasibility and Storage Stability of the RAPD Assay Platform

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is among the most lethal malignancies worldwide, with a five-year survival rate of approximately 12–13% due to the absence of reliable early detection tools. Elevated circulating protease activity, including cathepsin S and chymotrypsin, has been demonstrated in PDAC patient blood using the Rapid Assay for Protease Detection (RAPD), a charge-changing peptide (CCP)-based gel electrophoresis platform developed at UC San Diego. Dried blood spot (DBS) cards offer a cold-chain-independent sample blood sample collection from a finger prick that could enable home-based PDAC screening; however, no validated method exists for protease activity detection from DBS matrices.Result: This thesis tests the feasibility and storage stability of CCP-based protease activity detection from PDAC patient whole blood spotted onto blood spot cards (BSCs; Whatman 903 protein saver cards). Whole blood spotted onto BSCs produced significantly higher normalized...

Harmonization and Integration of Pharmacogenomics Screens

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Motivation: Large pharmacogenomics screens have generated a wealth of information cataloguing the responses of more than a thousand tumor cell-line models to FDA-approved and exploratory drugs. Although centralized repositories have consolidated data access, the diversity of experimental platforms and response metrics used in these screens have made it challenging to integrate and compare their measured drug responses. Towards better pharmacogenomic data harmonization, we surveyed a range of data analysis protocols based on different curve-fitting functions (sigmoid, piecewise linear), different response metrics (IC50, EC50, integrated AUC), and different drug concentration windows (full range or truncated).Results: We found that an AUC derived from a sigmoidal curve fitted to a truncated dose range yields the strongest agreement between screening platforms, significantly bettering other protocols surveyed. This harmonization procedure also best aligns drug responses across successive...

Development of an Automated Machine Learning Algorithm for Screening of OSA in Primary Care Settings

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Development of an Automated Machine Learning Algorithm for Screening of OSA in Primary Care Settings

Assessing Inflammatory Risks of Manufactured Polyacrylonitrile Nano- and Microplastics in Monocyte-Derived Systems in vitro

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Plastics are highly inert and environmentally persistent petroleum derivatives employed in commercial, industrial, and residential applications. Disintegration via mechanical and chemical means generates plastic fragments of micro (≤ 1 mm) or nanoscopic (≤ 1 μm) sizes. Such particles are highly heterogeneous in size, morphology, structural chemistry, and surface topography. With a vast and often indiscernible environmental burden, the biochemical and biophysical influences of plastics on mammalian physiology are of concern, especially regarding chronic inflammation. Utilizing three monocyte-derived model systems, a mouse cell line, bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs), and patient-derived, monocyte-enriched PBMCs, morphologically heterogeneous microplastics, such as polystyrene (PS) and polyacrylonitrile (PAN), at low, medium, and high dosages were imaged for topographical variety via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), size characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS),...

Review of Particle Physics*

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Review summarizes much of particle physics and cosmology. Using data from previous editions, plus 3,200 new measurements from 903 papers, we list, evaluate, and average measured properties of gauge bosons and the recently discovered Higgs boson, leptons, quarks, mesons, and baryons. We summarize searches for hypothetical particles such as supersymmetric particles, heavy bosons, axions, dark photons, etc. Particle properties and search limits are listed in Summary Tables. We give numerous tables, figures, formulae, and reviews of topics such as Higgs Boson Physics, Supersymmetry, Grand Unified Theories, Neutrino Mixing, Dark Energy, Dark Matter, Cosmology, Particle Detectors, Colliders, Probability and Statistics. Most of the 118 reviews are updated, including many that are heavily revised. The Review is divided into two volumes. Volume 1 includes the Summary Tables and 96 review articles. Volume 2 consists of the Particle Listings and contains also 22 reviews that address...

Coherence from interference: a solvable model of sub-GeV dark matter-nucleus scattering

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Dark matter interactions with nuclei transition between two regimes: coherent scattering, in which single phonons are produced, and scattering off individual nuclei, which produces nuclear recoils. Understanding this transition requires understanding multiphonon excitations, which are important for interpreting low-threshold direct detection experiments but are computationally prohibitive to calculate. In this thesis, we employ a one-dimensional crystal lattice model in which dark matter scattering can be computed exactly. We show that the only difference between coherent and incoherent scattering is that conservation of crystal momentum is enforced in the coherent case. The momentum conservation constraint becomes less important as more phonons are produced, yielding the transition to incoherent scattering. Using numerical calculations of the one-dimensional structure factor, we also obtain quantitative validation of the incoherent approximation for computing sub-GeV dark matter...

Characterizing VIOLET: The Impact of Biofouling on Optical Performance and Taxonomic Observations in an In-Situ Optical Imaging System

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This thesis aims to determine the capabilities of the G2-MACRO-SPC, also known as “VIOLET”, a minimally invasive optical system capable of identifying and imaging copepods in situ. The primary focus is to determine how the optical performance of the system degrades over time due to biofouling, and how the taxonomic distribution observed by the system changes with optical performance. Image data was continuously collected, with computer vision extracting regions of interest. The system was not cleaned, and the degradation in optical performance was determined by measuring the contrast change over time with a 1951 USAF resolution test chart. The system’s contrast dropped below threshold values between 8 and 17 days. A downward trend was observed in the ROI areas, indicating that the system under samples smaller organisms as the optical degradation worsens. Additionally, with a baseline of 0% misidentified, the neural network misidentified 41% of the copepods after 8 days with the...

Nitrogen-source-specific utilization of biodegradable plastic monomers by heterotrophic marine bacteria

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

In response to the accumulation of plastic waste in the environment, the development of degradable bioplastics as an alternative has been highly sought after, yet should certain bioplastics succeed the non-biodegradable plastics, there may be implications of how the accumulation of this more bioavailable form of plastic impact the carbon cycle, particularly in the marine environment, where nutrient conditions are diverse and play an important biological role in carbon utilization. This Thesis examines the model marine bacterium Alteromonas macleodii ATCC 27126’s ability to utilize 3-Hydroxybutyrate (3HB), a monomer of the bioplastic Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) among glucose, galactose, and maltose, components of natural polysaccharides and certain bioplastics, depending on the provision of reduced nitrogen (NH4) or oxidized (NO3). According to Optical Density (OD600) growth curves, cell counts, and respiration determined by the INT Reduction method, 3HB resulted in peak biomass...

Applications of Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectroscopy for Fish Identification Using Scales and Otoliths

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The ability to accurately identify fish species is crucial for fisheries management and stock assessments. Traditional techniques such as morphological or genetic analysis can be costly, time-consuming, and often destructive to the sample. This study evaluates the utility of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy as a rapid, cost-effective, and non-destructive tool for fish identification. I collected spectral data from both otoliths and scales of several recreationally important fish in California. I standardized the data following quality control and then used principal component analysis (PCA) to reduce dimensionality prior to performing linear discriminant analysis (LDA). The spectral data collected from the scales consistently displayed higher classification accuracy than spectral data from the otoliths. This may be due to stronger organic signatures in the scales that are associated with a greater abundance of organic material, particularly proteins such as collagen,...

Large-Scale Multi-Physics Topology Optimization with the Level Set Method

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

There are two main types of topology optimization techniques: density-based methods (DTO) and boundary-based methods–the most popular of which are level set methods (LSTO). DTO is very straightforward to implement, but can have difficulties with getting rid of grey densities for clear 0-1 results. Level set topology optimization, due to being a boundary-based method, has a clear definition of the boundary, but has a reputation for being slow to converge, inefficient, and difficult to implement. This work seeks to prove that these drawbacks can be resolved with applying appropriate implementations of the level set method and structuring the methodology in such a way that different techniques for sensitivity calculations can be used.This dissertation presents a modular, large-scale, and multi-physics level set topology optimization method. Its five main contributions are: (1) Large-scale efficient level set topology optimization, (2) an exploration on the impact of different objective...

Let That Window Be A Door

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A thesis introducing briefly the diverging image among other conclusions drawn around art and art practice, as it pertains to the work of alexis hithe towards the completion of a master’s degree of fine art. Discussed at length are the compelling forces, strategies, theories and practices that guide and shape the work, which typically consists of experimental moving image, light and conceptual installations. This writing may also serve as a non-linear recollection of a temporal experience of the graduate program in Visual Art at University of California San Diego. Do not think of this document as a graveyard, but perhaps a carving or a whisper.

A Climatology of Cutoff Lows and their Precipitation Contributions in the U.S. West Coast

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A recently developed cutoff low catalog and a long-term precipitation dataset from 1982 to 2024 were analyzed to examine how cutoff lows contribute to annual and seasonal precipitation variability across the U.S. West Coast (USWC) compared to atmospheric rivers (ARs). Assessments were conducted for three regions: Southern California (SoCal), Northern California (NorCal), and the Pacific Northwest (PNW). On average, 5% of the total precipitation was associated with cutoff lows only, while 48% was associated with ARs only across all three regions. While the relative precipitation contributions from cutoff lows were <5% in the PNW and NorCal, the SoCal region received 9% of its total precipitation from cutoff lows, underscoring their greater importance in SoCal. The PNW and NorCal regions had their peak cutoff low precipitation contributions from May to July, while SoCal’s peak was from September to November. Cutoff lows were most frequent in different regions and months, with...

Friction-based Structural Components for Earthquake-Resistant Buildings

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Friction-based structural components have been developed and used in earthquake-resistant buildings for seismic response modification purposes. They can provide high initial stiffness, decoupled strength and stiffness, and energy dissipation, through relatively simple designs. If properly designed, they can be damage-free after earthquakes. However, their broader application requires further understanding at multiple levels. At the material level, the mechanical and tribological properties of composite friction materials remain insufficiently understood for earthquake structural engineering applications. At the component level, conventional friction-based components can be sensitive to machining tolerances, and friction shim inspection and replacement may require removal of external clamping parts, which can be time-consuming. In addition, friction-based components typically have near-zero post-elastic stiffness, which may lead to excessive connection displacement demands in specific...

Associations between baleen whale acoustic occurrence and oceanographic conditions near the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Antarctic Peninsula is undergoing rapid environmental change while several baleen whale species continue to recover from historical exploitation. Understanding how whales respond to this dynamic ecosystem is therefore important for identifying the environmental processes that shape feeding habitat. This study examines the acoustic occurrence of humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae), fin (Balaenoptera physalus), and blue whales (B. musculus) near the South Shetland Islands across three site-year deployments between 2014 and 2016. Passive acoustic recordings were used to quantify humpback whale song and non-song vocalizations, fin whale 20 Hz calls, and blue whale Z- and D-calls. Generalized additive models related acoustic occurrence to environmental variables describing mesoscale circulation, hydrography, primary productivity, and sea ice. Acoustic patterns differed between species, call types, and sites. Fin whale calling showed the clearest seasonality, blue whale Z-calls were...

Deep Circulation, Contaminant Mobility, and Seafloor Observations in San Pedro Basin, CA

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The San Pedro Basin (SPB) is a deep borderland basin in the Southern California Bight containing DDT-contaminated sediments, yet the physical processes governing sediment mobilization, transport, and redistribution remain poorly constrained. This study integrates long-term hydrographic observations from the San Pedro Ocean Time-series (SPOT) with near-bottom mooring measurements to characterize deep-ocean circulation, bottom boundary-layer dynamics, and sediment resuspension potential. Hydrographic observations indicate weak stratification below the 740 m sill and minimal seasonal or interannual variability, consistent with prolonged isolation of deep-basin waters. Relationships between deep-water density, dissolved oxygen, and the Niño 3 index are weak, suggesting limited penetration of ENSO-related variability into the deep basin. Near-bottom Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) measurements show that bottom current variability is dominated by semidiurnal tides, with secondary...

Environmentally Aware Autonomy to Optimize UUV Acoustic Communications

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Reliable underwater acoustic communication is important for Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) operations but is affected by environmental conditions and vehicle geometry. The objective of this research was to identify factors affecting acoustic communication performance for a REMUS 100 UUV and to develop autonomous behaviors that could improve communication reliability during mission execution. Laboratory and field experiments conducted through the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) Coastal Observing Research and Development Center (CORDC) evaluated the effects of vehicle self-noise, vehicle depth, and vehicle orientation on communication performance using a WHOI Micromodem-2 operating at 25 kHz. Communication success was evaluated under varying operating conditions, and BELLHOP acoustic propagation modeling was used to support interpretation of depth-dependent communication performance. Results showed that changes in vehicle propulsion RPM produced minimal...

DEEP ROLES

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

DEEP ROLES is a thesis exhibition that investigates performance as both subject and inheritance. At its center is A Doll's House, a 23-minute documentary film in which I direct my parents, both former actors, as they return to the Henrik Ibsen play they performed together thirty years prior, using the script as a starting point for examining our family dynamic, and the distance between former and currently performed roles. Drawing on psychoanalyst Avgi Saketopoulou's theories of "limit consent" and "exigent sadism," I argue that discomfort and risk are the primary strategies in my practice; notably in the documentary process itself, where the act of filming becomes a form of exigent sadism that imperils all parties in the service of transformation. I situate these works within a broader inquiry into the mechanics of liveness, improvisation, and scripts – both theatrical and behavioral – to think through how they structure our encounters with one another. My training in clown,...

Multimodal Sensor Fusion and Machine Learning for Layer-Wise Monitoring of Laser Powder Bed Fusion

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) enables fabrication of complex metal components, but its coupled multiphysics drives multiple defect-formation mechanisms. Porosity is a critical defect because it forms through transient, spatially localized process events and can degrade mechanical reliability. Localized in-situ pore detection is therefore essential for resolving conditions associated with individual pore formation, advancing understanding of LPBF process–structure relationships, and supporting more reliable process monitoring and qualification.This dissertation develops a Multimodal Sensor Fusion Machine Learning (MSFML) framework for localized LPBF pore prediction by integrating heterogeneous sensor data with process- and physics-informed knowledge. The proposed Parallel Multi-Layer Multimodal Sensor Fusion (PMMSF) method progressively fuses one-dimensional sensor signals, image data, photometric-stereo products, process parameters, physics-derived features, and multi-layer context.The...

Kidiolects: How children perceive child speech

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A longstanding assumption is that children acquire language mainly from adult models, but newer research suggests this cannot be correct. Children experience a great deal of child speech as well, particularly across a broader sample of cultures. They enjoy listening to child speech. They can comprehend and learn from child speech. This chapter discusses acoustic properties unique to child speech; argues for its prevalence and importance as an input source to other children; outlines an account that children recognize speech contingent on the speaker’s age and identity; and discusses some outstanding questions about children’s comprehension of and learning from child speech. The goal is to convince readers that there is an enormous gap in our knowledge of a major component of children’s language input, which shapes both child comprehension and production.

Estimating Treatment Effects with Time-to-Event Outcomes: Methods and Applications in Dementia and Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Treatment effects in biomedical studies are often evaluated using time-to-event outcomes, such as disease onset, treatment failure, infection, or mortality. In many clinical and epidemiologic settings, these effects may vary across patient characteristics, and treatment decisions must also account for risks observed in real-world data. This dissertation develops and applies causal survival analysis methods for estimating treatment effects in precision medicine and clinical decision-making.The first part introduces a martingale R-learner for estimating heterogeneous treatment effects in survival data. We develop a functional score framework that extends estimating equations for survival outcomes to nonparametric heterogeneous treatment effects and generalizes Neyman orthogonality to this setting. The proposed approach decomposes conditional martingale residuals into components involving the risk-set propensity score and marginal martingale, reducing sensitivity to nuisance estimation....

The Impact of Discrimination on Adolescent Adiposity: Individual, Structural, and Intersectional Perspectives from the ABCD Study

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Adolescent obesity remains a significant public health concern in the United States and disproportionately affects youth from socially marginalized populations. Increasing evidence suggests that obesity is shaped by social determinants such as stigma and discrimination. Stigma operates across multiple levels, ranging from individual experiences of discrimination to structural conditions embedded within policies, institutions, and societal norms. This dissertation examined whether stigma at individual and structural levels was associated with adolescent adiposity within the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study.Methods: Three complementary longitudinal analyses were conducted using the ABCD study. Chapter 1 examined the prospective association between perceived racial/ethnic discrimination [BA1.1][ML1.2] and adiposity and evaluated racial centrality as a potential moderator. Chapter 2 investigated whether exposure to state-level structural stigma, measured...

Neighborhood Walkability, Socioeconomic Adversity, and Transportation Policy: Insights into Health Equity from SOL CASAS and Policy Analysis in San Diego County, CA

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Cardiovascular health (CVH) is shaped by upstream determinants, including socioeconomic adversity (adversity) and the built environment. Research on walkability has shown positive associations with CVH, but studies are largely cross-sectional and focus on macro-scale features such as density rather than micro-level pedestrian streetscape features such as sidewalk quality. Key gaps remain in how walkability is operationalized, how it interacts with adversity, and how it operates within Hispanic/Latino communities, a key US demographic. Despite decades of research, the political factors that shape walkability also remain understudied. Objectives: This dissertation aimed to 1) describe the spatial and statistical distributions of adversity, walkability, and pedestrian streetscapes in San Diego, California, 2) estimate longitudinal relationships and effect modification between those variables on six year changes in CVH among Hispanic/Latino adults in San Diego, and 3)...

Predictors and neurophysiological biomarkers of response to neuromodulatory interventions in treatment-resistant depression

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Rationale: Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) poses a significant challenge in psychiatry, characterized by the persistence of symptoms despite multiple treatment attempts. Approximately 30-50% of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) do not achieve adequate response from first-line interventions, leading to TRD. This underscores the urgent need for novel interventions and personalized treatment strategies. Neuromodulatory treatments such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and esketamine have emerged as promising options, yet considerable heterogeneity in treatment outcomes underscores the urgent need for robust, individualized predictive frameworks. This dissertation aimed to enhance understanding of response in TRD by integrating clinical, demographic, and neurophysiological predictors across three complementary studies.Study 1 (published) aimed to identify clinical and demographic predictors of rTMS treatment response in TRD. This retrospective...

Do Early Risk Profiles Predict Short and Long-Term Outcomes of Persons at Clinical High-Risk for Psychosis?

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Risk factors related to short-term (2-year) outcomes among youth at clinical high-risk for psychosis (CHR) include severity of attenuated psychosis symptoms, cannabis use, early life adversity, and functional impairment. Given known interactions between these and other risk factors, distinct “risk-profiles” may be present and may predict longer-term outcomes. Few studies have followed CHR youth beyond 2 years, limiting understanding of the lifetime impact of these collective factors.Latent class analyses (LCA) were employed to isolate risk-profiles from existing data of CHR youth (N = 1846). Two LCA were conducted; one including baseline global cognitive index (GCI) as an indicator variable (LCA-With GCI), and one without GCI (LCA-Without GCI). Risk-profiles were then used as predictors of 2-year outcomes in logistic regressions. Aim 2: Risk-profiles from a subset of these individuals (n = 419) who were reassessed after 5-20 years were employed as predictor variables of clinical...

Mathematicians' Use of Evidence-Based Instructional Practices in Advanced Collegiate Mathematics

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study explored how and why mathematicians use evidence-based instructional practices (EBIPs) in advanced collegiate mathematics (ACM), courses beyond calculus that are often proof-based. In undergraduate mathematics, traditional lecturing remains dominant (Johnson et al., 2018; Stains et al., 2018) despite decades of research indicating that EBIPs such as active learning improve student success (Freeman et al., 2014; Theobald et al., 2020). While much prior research has examined factors that influence faculty adoption of EBIPs, particularly in introductory courses (e.g., Apkarian et al.,2021), less attention has been given to why faculty choose to use EBIPs in ACM, how they persist in using them, and why they use them in the ways they do. This study addresses this gap by examining these three questions. To address these questions, six tenure-track mathematics faculty were recruited from three four-year universities in the Southwestern United States, with two participants...

Simulation and Data-Driven Modeling of Injector-Spacing Effects in Reacting Hydrogen Jets in Crossflow

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This dissertation presents an integrated simulation-to-data-model workflow for analyzing the impact of injector spacing on hydrogen combustion in a micromix turbine-motivated setup. First, a reacting hydrogen jet issuing into a hot air crossflow is simulated employing periodic spanwise boundaries to represent an injector row. Analysis is performed with respect to three turbine performance-oriented metrics: wall heat transfer, downstream unburnt hydrogen throughput and a bulk temperature concentration metric. Second, a hierarchy of data models is used with the sample simulations to efficiently explore the established metrics in the dense inter-jet spacing parameter range. The investigation spans the parameter range of two to ten jet diameters. The simulations show that two diameter spacing introduces blockage, which results in a 15% increase to the crossflow velocity around the jet and subsequently drives faster downstream unburnt hydrogen throughput. They also show that...

Dark Matter and Neutrinos in the Lives and Deaths of Supermassive Stars

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Supermassive stars offer an intriguing solution to a problem compounded by recent observations that there exists objects in the very early universe which are much too massive than would be expected from standard formation channels. This dissertation explores supermassive stars and their basic properties primarily analytically, thereby discovering a means of stabilizing them with dark matter and possible signatures of their demises induced from the complicated interplay of neutrinos with these stars during collapse.

Regulation of Blood–Brain Barrier Stra6 Expression Under Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Exposure

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) regulates the exchange of molecules between the circulation and the central nervous system through specialized endothelial transport systems. One such transporter is Stra6 which mediates retinol uptake and displays regional enrichment at the BBB. It has high expression in the nucleus accumbens shell and ventral cochlear nucleus. While this region-specific expression pattern is well established, little is known about how Stra6 is regulated during neuroinflammatory conditions. Previous work from our laboratory demonstrated that Stra6 expression is increased at the BBB in both Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE), a model of multiple sclerosis, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation - an endotoxin that triggers the innate immune system. Endothelial-specific deletion of Stra6 also reduced EAE disease severity, suggesting that Stra6 may play an active role in neuroinflammatory processes rather than simply being a marker of inflammation....

Free-Moving Gaze-Related Electroencephalography for P300 Detection in Immersive Virtual Reality

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Eye movements provide a useful window into visual attention because they reveal when and where a person engages with objects in the environment. In traditional event-related potential (ERP) studies, electroencephalography (EEG) activity is usually time-locked to the moment a stimulus is presented. However, this approach becomes less precise in natural and dynamic settings, where people move their eyes and head before fully engaging with an object. To address this, I studied alternative time-locking methods that use eye position and movement, and assessed fixation-related potentials (FRPs) under free-head-movement conditions in immersive virtual reality (VR). In the primary study, participants completed a three-dimensional visual oddball task in VR, viewing standard and deviant targets while shifting their eyes toward near-peripheral targets or turning both head and eyes toward far-peripheral targets. Simultaneous EEG, eye-tracking, and head-movement data were collected, along...

Examining Psychosocial Determinants of Antiretroviral Adherence Trajectories among Black Adults with HIV

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Black people with HIV (PWH) experience persistent disparities in antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and HIV-related health outcomes in the United States. These disparities are shaped by interacting psychosocial, community, and structural-level factors. This three-paper dissertation integrated archival longitudinal data and newly collected multi-method data to: 1) examine psychosocial determinants of health (PSDOH) as predictors of ART adherence, 2) examine Health Belief Model (HBM) constructs and related psychosocial predictors of ART adherence, and 3) characterize experiences related to living with HIV, ART adherence, HIV care navigation, resilience, social support, and community cohesion among Black PWH in Southern California. Study 1 (N = 91) examined PSDOH as predictors of longitudinal ART adherence among Black PWH enrolled in the culturally adapted Individual Community Care for HIV/AIDS Now: Getting Engaged (iC-CHANGE) text messaging intervention. ART adherence...

Performing Silence: Reframing Silence in Music through Three Japanese Aesthetic Concepts of Ma, Seijaku, and Chinmoku

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Performing Silence analyzes and explores the multifaceted meaning of silence in music performance and composition, using Japanese terms as a guideline to investigate varying contexts of musical silence. This dissertation uses Ma, Seijaku, and Chinmoku as chapter divisions to examine contextual differences in order to deepen interpretative approaches to silence.The discussion of musical silence has been a significant part of twentieth-century music. Although those discussions offered an opportunity for artists to utilize the intentional absence of sound as a functional component in music, there is potential to further explore the contexts and textures of silence that suggest the connotation of musical silence. The context and background of the absence of sound convey contrasting characteristics and interpretations. I argue that knowing the detailed contexts and backgrounds of silence in music strongly affects performers’ ability to execute music with diverse musical techniques,...

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF STORMWATER AND WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT ALONG THE WEST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES: INSIGHTS INTO URBAN RUNOFF, SEWER OVERFLOWS, AND SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Stormwater management challenges are becoming more complex due to urbanization, aging infrastructure, climate change, and sea-level rise, which exacerbate flooding, pollutant loading, and drainage inefficiencies across systems with diverse designs, climates, and watershed characteristics. This dissertation assesses how distributed stormwater adaptation and future climate stressors impact urban drainage performance in distinct regions of the western United States, addressing three interconnected issues: whether green infrastructure (GI) offers net environmental benefits at the city level; how combined sewer overflow (CSO) volumes respond to compound climate stressors like rainfall intensification, sea-level rise, and groundwater rise; and whether regionally transferable modeling frameworks are feasible. A comparative framework was applied to six West Coast areas, from Mexico to Canada, including San Diego (Imperial Beach), the San Francisco Bay Area (San Francisco, San Leandro),...

Key Factors Controlling Thermal Coupling of Interior Layers Within Parameterized Mantle Convection Models for the Evolution of Rocky Planets

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Planetary histories are poorly understood, as humans have only existed for a fraction of time since Earth’s initial formation. Thermal evolution modeling offers insight into how planets may have evolved over geologic time, and how they arrived at the states we observe them in today. This dissertation aims to analyze key parameters which have strong control over terrestrial planets’ thermal and interior evolutions. Application of parameterized mantle convection via boundary layer theory provides the ability to explore wide ranges of parameter spaces and understand the underlying physical mechanisms which drive thermal evolution. Many existing thermal evolution models consider boundary layers that are symmetric in thickness and incompressible mantles applied to Mars-sized stagnant lid planets. We evaluate the validity of these assumptions on planetary evolution and investigate compressible mantles with asymmetric thickness thermal boundary layers found using locally determined temperature...

A trigeminal-hindbrain circuit initiates a persistent chemosensory state in larval zebrafish

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The ability of an animal to detect and respond to danger is crucial for survival. Cues associated with decay pose a particular threat as they can be indicative of illness or disease. In fish, the odor of dead or decaying conspecifics elicits robust and persistent avoidance behavior. Despite its importance, the perceptual and neural basis of this behavior is poorly understood.This dissertation focuses on a persistent nociceptive alarm state in zebrafish (Danio rerio) evoked by brief exposure to high concentrations of the polyamine, cadaverine. This product of the flesh putrefaction pathway has been well studied in the context of olfaction, with specific receptors identified in the olfactory epithelium. We found that brief exposure to cadaverine evoked a 10-15 minute-long increase in heart rate and suppression of visually-driven motor behavior. Brain-wide imaging identified persistently-active populations of neurons within the hindbrain. Additionally, cell-type specific imaging...

Examining Associations with Intentions to Obtain Surveillance Mammography Utilizing an Integrated Behavioral Model Among Latina Breast Cancer Survivors

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Rationale: Surveillance mammography (SM) plays a critical role in early detection of breast cancer (BC) recurrence or second primary cancers. Disparities in receipt of surveillance mammography exist among Latina breast cancer survivors (BCS). No known studies have used the Integrated Behavioral Model (IBM) to evaluate or predict intentions to obtain SM among Latina BCS. Design: This cross-sectional study used the IBM to examine relationships between constructs in the IBM (attitudes, perceived norms, personal agency), psychosocial variables (fear of cancer recurrence, depressive symptoms), cultural variables (spirituality, familism), and intentions to obtain SM within the next 12 months using correlations and path analytic models (PAMs). Latina BCS (N=127, Mage = 58.7 years, SD = 10.9) were recruited through convenience sampling in the United States. Pearson correlations and PAMs examined the relationship between constructs in the IBM, psychosocial variables, cultural variables,...

Assessing the Language and Cognitive Profiles of Deaf ASL-English Bilinguals Across the Lifespan

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

While much is known about the cognitive and linguistic changes associated with aging in hearing monolinguals and bilinguals, less is known about aging effects in deaf bimodal bilinguals who use American Sign Language (ASL) and English. This population presents unique challenges for neuropsychological testing due to a lack of appropriate assessment material, wide variability in exposure to language, and differences in educational backgrounds. This dissertation investigated aging effects in deaf ASL-English bilinguals by adapting three widely used neuropsychological tests that have shown utility for identifying Alzheimer’s disease in hearing monolinguals.Study 1 examined the effects of aging and testing language on verbal list learning, a common component of cognitive evaluations, in a group of young and older deaf ASL-English bilinguals. Younger participants showed no effect of language on recall and recalled more items than older participants in both languages. Older participants...

An Optimal Grip on Mathematics: An Embodied Critical Inquiry into Problem-Solving

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This dissertation challenges the dominant view of mathematical problem-solving as disembodied and abstract by examining how disabled rock climbers problem-solve across the domains of rock climbing and mathematics. Drawing on enactivism, ecological psychology, and critical disability scholarship, this qualitative study centers six disabled climbers’ experiences in constraint navigation as an epistemic resource for reimagining mathematics education. Through focus groups, semi-structured individual interviews, rock climbing observations, and task-based mathematical interviews, this study addresses three research questions: 1) What are the affordances and constraints designed into the context of the problem space for rock climbing?; 2) What are individuals' perceived similarities and differences concerning problem-solving across the domains of (a) rock climbing; (b) mathematics; and (c) their daily lives?; and 3) What are the observed similarities and differences with regard to the...

Characterizing the Relationship Between Objective Physical Activity and Momentary Pain in Cognitive Behavioral Interventions for Chronic Pain

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Chronic pain, a disabling biopsychosocial condition, is increasingly addressed with cognitive behavioral interventions such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Such interventions seek to maximize physical, social, and occupational functioning by changing how one manages pain via addressing pain-related thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors. The chronic pain literature is dominated by between-subject designs and self-report measures that lack ecological validity and may be subject to bias. Both pain and physical activity, a component of function, can be objectively measured in an ecologically valid way using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and accelerometry, respectively. Prior research has indicated cross-sectionally a dynamic within-person pain-physical activity relationship, but statistical analytic approaches have lacked nuance, and this relationship has not been examined in an intervention context. This dissertation addressed...

Reinforcement learning in eating disorders: Applications of computational modeling to behavioral and neural data

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Rationale: Eating disorders are highly debilitating, and sometimes fatal, psychiatric conditions linked to alterations in reinforcement learning that may maintain illness and interfere with treatment. Computational psychiatry frameworks offer a novel approach for eliciting latent learning and decision-making mechanisms implicated in psychopathology and show promise for optimizing treatments. This dissertation applied computational methodology (e.g., theory-driven mathematical modeling) and neuroimaging to investigate reinforcement learning across eating disorder diagnoses, contexts, and valences to characterize their role in eating disorder phenomenology. Study 1 showed that adolescents with anorexia nervosa restricting type (AN-R; n = 36) displayed augmented habit-based reward learning compared to age-matched adolescent controls (n = 28), with higher goal-directed reward learning associated with greater orbitofrontal cortex-to-nucleus accumbens functional connectivity....

Probing NEMO-dependent mechanism and regulation of gene expression in the canonical NF-κB signaling pathway

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) is an inducible transcription factor involved in many cellular processes, such as inflammation, innate immune responses, and cell survival. The inhibitor of NF-κB Kinase (IKK) complex is central to the induction and nuclear translocation of NF-κB. Activation of IKK catalytic activity in response to TNF-α and other canonical inducers of NF-κB requires formation of non-degradative linear polyubiquitin chains and their association with its NEMO subunit. NEMO, or NF-κB essential modulator, is a component of the IKK complex that is required for canonical activation of NF-κB. Without NEMO, the canonical pathway is disrupted and NF-κB cannot be induced to translocate into the nucleus. Past observations suggested that the IKK NEMO subunit, upon noncovalent association with linear polyubiquitin chains, mediates a second protein-protein interaction with the catalytic IKK2 subunit and “primes” the complex for kinase catalytic activity via activation loop phosphorylation....

Comparing the Mental Health of Collegiate Scholar Athletes and the General College Student Body Population

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study compares mental health help-seeking attitudes, perceived stress, self-esteem,body image, burnout, and overall mental well-being outcomes between scholar athletes and other students. A mixed-methods cross-sectional study collecting data from questionaries and qualitative interviews with a convenience sample of 60 undergraduate and graduate students aged 18-25. Independent samples t-tests, linear regression models, and correlation tests were performed to compare and predict the effect size of psychological scales among groups based on student status, sex, and type of sport. Qualitative interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis of how institutional, cultural, and interpersonal factors influence mental-health help- seeking among participants. Our findings found that team sport athletes were more favorable towards mental health help-seeking than their individual sport counterparts. There were also differences in personal achievement burnout and overall mental well-being...

Structural and Mechanistic Investigations of the N6-threonylcarbamoyladenosine Biosynthesis System in Bacteria

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

N6 -threonylcarbamoyladenosine (t6A) is a universally conserved tRNA modification found at position 37 of ANN-decoding tRNAs (N is A, U, G or C) and is essential for accurate and efficient translation. t6A37 biosynthesis occurs in two steps: synthesis of the pathway intermediate threonylcarbamoyladenylate (TC-AMP) by TsaC/TsaC2 enzymes, followed by transfer of the threonylcarbamoyl moiety onto A37 of substrate tRNAs, catalyzed in bacteria by the threonylcarbamoyl transfer (TCT) complex. Although the enzymes responsible for t6A37 biosynthesis have been identified and characterized biochemically, key mechanistic questions have remained unresolved, including how TsaC2 catalyzes TC-AMP formation and what drives substrate tRNA recognition. In this dissertation, I used X-ray crystallography, SEC-SAXS, cryo-EM, and biochemical assays to investigate t6A biosynthesis in Thermotoga maritima. In Chapter 2, I performed time- and pH-dependent soaking of TmTsaC2 crystals to capture substrate-,...

Muscle as Method

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Muscle as Method

Building bioorthogonal click-release capable artificial receptors on cancer cell surface for imaging, drug targeting and delivery.

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The current targeting drug delivery mainly relies on cancer cell surface receptors. However, in many cases, binding affinities between protein receptors and homing ligands is relatively low and the expression level between cancer and normal cells is not significant. Distinct from conventional targeting strategies, we have developed a general cancer targeting platform by building artificial receptor on cancer cell surface via a chemical remodeling of cell surface glycans. A new tetrazine (Tz) functionalized chemical receptor has been designed and efficiently installed on cancer cell surface as overexpressed biomarker through a metabolic glycan engineering. Different from the reported bioconjugation for drug targeting, the tetrazine labeled cancer cells not only locally activate TCO-caged prodrugs but also release active drugs via the unique bioorthogonal Tz-TCO click-release reaction. The studies have demonstrated that the new drug targeting strategy enables local...

The effects of transcranial random noise stimulation on excitation/inhibition balance in ADHD.

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background

Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often show aberrant neural activity, including excitation/inhibition (E/I) imbalances, atypical event-related potentials (ERPs), and neural network dysfunction. Transcranial Random Noise Stimulation (tRNS) has shown promise in modulating neural activity in ADHD.

Methods

The current study examined differences in behavioral and EEG signals recorded during an inhibitory control task in children with (N = 23) and without (N = 33) ADHD. Changes in these signals were further assessed following a combined tRNS and cognitive training intervention targeting the right inferior frontal gyrus and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in a sham-controlled randomized trial within the ADHD group only (n = 11 and 12 for intervention and sham groups, respectively).

Results

At baseline, children with ADHD showed slower reaction times, and higher commission error rates compared...

What Dose of Methamphetamine Do Regular Consumers Use Daily? Estimating Oral Amphetamine Milligram Equivalents

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

OBJECTIVES: The purity, accessibility, and affordability of illicit methamphetamine have increased in recent decades, which has been linked to rising rates of methamphetamine-involved overdoses, psychosis, cardiovascular events, and other health consequences. Nevertheless, information about the quantity of methamphetamine used by regular consumers has been limited, despite the potential clinical utility of exposure quantification. METHODS: From August 2024 to April 2026, self-reported daily methamphetamine consumption was assessed among n = 94 individuals in Los Angeles County. Methamphetamine samples (n = 256) were analyzed for purity using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Bioavailability by route of administration and stimulant equivalency were obtained from the literature. A simulation model leveraging bootstrapping with 1,000,000 draws was used to estimate oral amphetamine milligram equivalents (AME). RESULTS: The average reported methamphetamine consumption was 1.09...

Efficacy and Safety of Naloxegol in Patients with Chronic Non-Cancer Pain Who Experience Opioid-Induced Constipation: A Pooled Analysis of Two Global, Randomized Controlled Studies

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Objective: This study evaluates the onset, magnitude, and consistency of improvement of opioid-induced constipation (OIC) symptoms with naloxegol treatment. Methods: This was a pooled analysis of two Phase 3, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled studies (KODIAC-04/05, NCT01309841/NCT01323790) in patients with chronic non-cancer pain and OIC treated with naloxegol 25mg or 12.5mg daily. This analysis assessed improvements in response rates, frequency of spontaneous bowel movement (SBM) and complete SBMs (CSBM), OIC constipation symptoms (straining, stool consistency), time to first post-dose SBM and CSBM, and onset of adverse events over the 12-week period. Subjects: The population of 1337 subjects had a mean age of 52 years and mean duration of opioid use of 3.6 years at baseline. Mean SBM frequency was 1.4/week. Results: Naloxegol 25mg and 12.5mg demonstrated significantly higher response rates vs placebo (PBO) [41.9% (P < 0.001), 37.8% (P = 0.008), 29.4% respectively]....

Reproductive Futures in Focus: Contraceptive Choices Among Individuals With Cystic Fibrosis-Patterns, Preferences, and Influencing Factors.

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction

Advancements in the care of people with cystic fibrosis (PwCF) have made discussions about reproductive health increasingly important. Rising rates of both intended and unintended pregnancies highlight the need for effective contraception counseling. Understanding current contraception use patterns and identifying priorities for contraception education amongst PwCF are therefore essential.

Methods

A web-based survey was developed in partnership with Community Voice, a virtual community of PwCF and their family members supported by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The survey was distributed over a 5-week period (June-July 2025) to participants from Community Voice and Elevate. Females with cystic fibrosis aged 18 years and older were eligible to participate.

Results

Ninety-seven PwCF completed the survey, representing 27 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces. Among individuals currently using contraception, the most common methods were intrauterine...

Corrigendum to: Topical analgesics for neuropathic pain: an evidence-informed guide for the practicing clinician

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Corrigendum to: Topical analgesics for neuropathic pain: an evidence-informed guide for the practicing clinician

Update on Treating Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: A Review of Current US Guidelines with a Focus on the Most Recently Approved Management Options

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a highly prevalent and disabling complication of diabetes that is often misdiagnosed and undertreated. The management of painful DPN involves treating its underlying cause via lifestyle modifications and intensive glucose control, targeting its pathogenesis, and providing symptomatic pain relief, thereby improving patient function and health-related quality of life. Four pharmacologic options are currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat painful DPN. These include three oral medications (duloxetine, pregabalin, and tapentadol extended release) and one topical agent (capsaicin 8% topical system). More recently, the FDA approved several spinal cord stimulation (SCS) devices to treat refractory painful DPN. Although not FDA-approved specifically to treat painful DPN, tricyclic antidepressants, serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, gabapentinoids, and sodium channel blockers are common first-line...

S497 Naloxegol Accelerates Time to First Spontaneous Bowel Movement (SBM) and Complete SBM (CSBM) With Predictable Efficacy in Patients With Extreme Opioid-Induced Constipation (OIC): A Pooled Analysis of Two Phase 3 Trials

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

S497 Naloxegol Accelerates Time to First Spontaneous Bowel Movement (SBM) and Complete SBM (CSBM) With Predictable Efficacy in Patients With Extreme Opioid-Induced Constipation (OIC): A Pooled Analysis of Two Phase 3 Trials

Combining photoredox catalysis and hydrogen atom transfer for dearomative functionalization of electron rich heteroarenes.

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Reductive dearomatization has been a broadly explored means for rapid generation of sp³ complexity from simple planar arenes. Breaking the electron rich, stable aromatic systems requires strong reduction conditions. It has been notoriously challenging to dearomatize electron even richer heteroarenes. Herein we report an umpolung strategy enabling dearomatization of such structures under mild conditions. The reversal of the reactivity of these electron rich aromatics via photoredox mediated single electron transfer (SET) oxidation generates electrophilic radical cations, which can react with nucleophiles and break the aromatic structure to form a Birch type radical species. A crucial hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) is successfully engineered into the process to efficiently trap the dearomatic radical and minimize the formation of the overwhelmingly favorable, irreversible aromatization products. Particularly, a non-canonical dearomative ring-cleavage of thiophene/furan...

Frontline Perspectives on Buprenorphine for the Management of Chronic Pain

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Due to the prevalence of chronic pain and high-impact chronic pain in the US, a significant percentage of the population is prescribed opioids for pain management. However, opioid use disorder is associated with reduced quality of life, along with fatal opioid overdoses, and is a significant burden on the US economy. Considering the clinical needs of patients with intractable chronic pain and the potential harms associated with prescribed and illicit opioids in our communities, having a deep understanding of current treatment options, supporting evidence, and clinical practice guidelines is essential for optimizing treatment selections. Buprenorphine is a Schedule III opioid with a unique mechanism of action, allowing effective and long-lasting analgesia at microgram doses with fewer negative side effects and adverse events, including respiratory depression, when compared with other immediate-release, long-acting, and extended-release prescription opioids. Due to its relatively...

Multimodal Therapies for the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain: The Role of Lidocaine Patches in Combination Therapy: A Narrative Review

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Neuropathic pain (NP) has a population presence of up to 10%. Both systemic agents and topical agents are recommended as first-line therapy for the treatment of NP but monotherapy provides adequate pain relief only in < 50% of the cases. This has created the need for multimodal combination therapy, a practice that is becoming more common. Combination therapy with multiple systemic agents has a risk for drug–drug interactions and adverse events (AEs), while add-on therapy with a topical agent such as lidocaine patches minimizes such risks. The focus of this review was to find if there is evidence from trials that combination therapy of the topical lidocaine patches with systemic agents will have better efficacy and/or less risk of AEs than the combination of two systemic agents. Since gabapentinoids are one of the most common systemic agents used in first-line NP therapy, the objective of this review was to summarize the safety and efficacy data and evaluate the benefit–risk...

Genome-wide alignment-free phylogenetic distance estimation under a no strand-bias model.

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

While alignment has been the dominant approach for determining homology prior to phylogenetic inference, alignment-free methods can simplify the analysis, especially when analyzing genome-wide data. Furthermore, alignment-free methods present the only option for emerging forms of data, such as genome skims, which do not permit assembly. Despite the appeal, alignment-free methods have not been competitive with alignment-based methods in terms of accuracy. One limitation of alignment-free methods is their reliance on simplified models of sequence evolution such as Jukes-Cantor. If we can estimate frequencies of base substitutions in an alignment-free setting, we can compute pairwise distances under more complex models. However, since the strand of DNA sequences is unknown for many forms of genome-wide data, which arguably present the best use case for alignment-free methods, the most complex models that one can use are the so-called no strand-bias models. We show how to calculate...

Founding the Pain Medicine Academy of Advanced Practice Providers

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Founding the Pain Medicine Academy of Advanced Practice Providers

Topical analgesics for neuropathic pain: an evidence-informed guide for the practicing clinician

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate available evidence for the efficacy and safety of topical analgesics for neuropathic pain and to offer treatment guidance. METHODS: An expert panel searched PubMed (Medline) and reference lists of published articles for available literature assessing 8 categories of topical analgesics used to treat various neuropathic pain conditions. The panel rated the level of analgesic efficacy evidence for each treatment and considered safety, ease of use, and cost. The degree of consensus on the recommendations among the panelists was measured. RESULTS: There was strong evidence and high consensus that capsaicin 8% is effective for diabetic peripheral neuropathy and postherpetic neuralgia and that lidocaine is effective for postherpetic neuralgia. There was strong evidence and moderate consensus that capsaicin 8% could be effective for HIV-induced neuropathy. There was moderate evidence and high consensus that lidocaine is likely effective for diabetic peripheral neuropathy,...

Naloxegol (Movantik®) Provides Rapid and Sustained Improvement of Opioid-Induced Constipation Symptoms Irrespective of Opioid Dose

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Aim Naloxegol (Movantik), an oral peripherally acting mu-opioid receptor antagonist has demonstrated rapid relief of opioid-induced constipation (OIC) in patients with chronic non-cancer pain in two phase 3 trials (KODIAC 4/5; NCT01309841/NCT01323790). This analysis aims to characterize the OIC symptom burden and evaluate the efficacy of naloxegol in treating symptoms of OIC based on daily opioid dosages. This is the first naloxegol analysis based on a lower opioid dose cutoff of 100 MEU/day. Methods Data were pooled from the KODIAC 4/5 intent-to-treat populations (N=1337). Subjects treated with placebo (PBO) and naloxegol (12.5mg, 25mg) QD were evaluated based on opioid dose ranges (lower dose, ≤100mg; higher dose, >100mg MEU/day). OIC symptoms assessed include number of spontaneous bowel movements (SBM/wk), complete evacuation (CSBM), straining (scale 1=not at all, 5=extreme) and stool consistency (Bristol Stool Scale: 1=hard, 7=watery). Results Baseline OIC symptom burden...

Characterization of Spirometric Response to Standard-of-care Treatment in Lung Allograft Recipients With Bronchiolitis Obliterans and the Utility of Spirometric Criteria for Rescue Therapy: Implications for the Design of Risk-stratified Clinical Trials

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

BACKGROUND: The spirometric response to standard-of-care (SOC) immunosuppressive therapy for the management of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) has been sparsely reported in the literature. Data from a Medicare-approved Registry were analyzed to characterize the effectiveness/durability of a wide range of SOC interventions to manage the decline of lung function and to validate the study spirometric criteria for initiation of rescue therapy. METHODS: Lung transplant recipients with refractory BOS at 21 US collaborating centers were enrolled in the Registry. Data included both nonspirometric (eg, demographic, Immunosuppressive Regimens for management of BOS) and spirometric parameters (ie, forced expiratory volume in 1 s [FEV 1 ] measurements and derived indices). The utility of study FEV 1 criteria for treatment (ie, statistically significant rate of FEV 1 decline >30 mL/mo) was evaluated by comparing the spirometric course between participants who met or did not meet...

Rational Urine Drug Monitoring in Patients Receiving Opioids for Chronic Pain: Consensus Recommendations

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Objective: To develop consensus recommendations on urine drug monitoring (UDM) in patients with chronic pain who are prescribed opioids. Methods: An interdisciplinary group of clinicians with expertise in pain, substance use disorders, and primary care conducted virtual meetings to review relevant literature and existing guidelines and share their clinical experience in UDM before reaching consensus recommendations. Results: Definitive (e.g., chromatography-based) testing is recommended as most clinically appropriate for UDM because of its accuracy; however, institutional or payer policies may require initial use of presumptive testing (i.e., immunoassay). The rational choice of substances to analyze for UDM involves considerations that are specific to each patient and related to illicit drug availability. Appropriate opioid risk stratification is based on patient history (especially psychiatric conditions or history of opioid or substance use disorder), prescription drug monitoring...

Can a public information campaign increase trust in American elections?

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Confidence in the conduct and results of American elections has declined and polarized along party lines in recent years. Can a nonpartisan public information campaign featuring election officials enhance trust in elections when delivered to skeptical voters during a contentious political contest? We analyze a preregistered, randomized field experiment conducted during the 2024 US presidential election in which conservative voters were randomly assigned to a control condition or to receive a multimodal messaging campaign designed by political professionals explaining protections on election integrity. In contrast to the large positive effects of informational messages found in recent survey experiments, we observed primarily null effects with respect to turnout (n = 147,488), general confidence in elections (n = 4740 to 4868), and perceptions of the frequency of fraud (n = 4925). We observed one hypothesized effect: an increase...

Carboxyhemoglobin and depletion of blood oxygen in sleeping elephant seals

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

An exceptionally large blood O2 store underlies the remarkable dive performance of elephant seals. However, elevated carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) concentrations in these seals complicate estimations of blood O2 content and O2 depletion rates, and may also affect monitoring of brain oxygenation in seals with new non-invasive near-infrared (NIR) recorders. Using hemoximetry analyses of blood samples during sleep apneas of juvenile northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris), we constructed in vivo Hill plot equations and O2–Hb dissociation curves (ODCs). We found: (a) COHb and methemoglobin (both of which do not bind O2 and increase hemoglobin (Hb) affinity for O2) comprised 8% of Hb, (b) an in vivo P50 (partial pressure of O2 at 50% Hb saturation, an index of O2 affinity of Hb) of 27.1 mm Hg that was Hg 3.4 mm Hg less than that previously determined with an in vitro laboratory approach, and (c) when the in vivo and in vitro Hill plot equations were applied to arterial,...

Intrathecal pain management: a team-based approach

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

OBJECTIVE: Physician assistants (PAs), nurse practitioners (NPs), and registered nurses (RNs) provide professional services on pain management teams. This review provides an overview of the practical management of chronic pain with intrathecal (IT) therapy using an interprofessional approach (eg, physicians and other health care professionals), with a focus on the contributions of PAs, NPs, and RNs. METHODS: Narrative review based on literature searches of the Medline database and treatment guidelines on the use of IT therapy in the management of patients with chronic pain. RESULTS: The specific roles and responsibilities of PAs, NPs, and RNs in the management of patients receiving IT therapy vary by practice. In many pain treatment centers, PAs, NPs, and RNs are responsible for patient education, postimplant maintenance, and ongoing supportive care of patients receiving IT therapy. Topics that we address include patient selection, patient expectations and goal setting, medication...

A rare case report of decompensated cirrhosis from hereditary hemochromatosis following lung transplant in a person with cystic fibrosis

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A 33-year-old woman with cystic fibrosis following bilateral sequential cadaveric lung transplantation experienced prolonged intermittent liver enzyme elevation. An abdominal ultrasound revealed increased hepatic echogenicity and cirrhotic features, warranting further investigation with iron studies and liver biopsy, which confirmed hereditary hemochromatosis. This rare case underscores the importance of considering hereditary hemochromatosis post lung transplantation irrespective of not receiving multiple blood products or iron replacement.

An overview of abuse-deterrent opioids and recommendations for practical patient care

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Despite advances in the treatment of severe intractable pain, opioids remain a critical and appropriate component of treatment. However, abuse, misuse, and diversion of prescription opioids are significant public health concerns. Opioid abuse-deterrent formulations (ADFs) are one component of an opioid risk management plan to manage patient's pain relief and quality of life while offering some protection against potentially harmful consequences of opioids from misuse and abuse. Opioid ADFs are designed to make manipulation more difficult and administration via non-oral routes less appealing. There are currently nine extended-release and one immediate-release opioid pain medications with US Food and Drug Administration-approved ADF labeling. All use physical/chemical barriers or agonist/antagonist combinations to deter manipulation and abuse. Evidence suggests that opioid ADFs decrease rates of abuse and diversion of opioids in the USA; however, some opioid ADFs are not yet commercially...

Understanding Buprenorphine for Use in Chronic Pain: Expert Opinion

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

OBJECTIVE: An expert panel convened to reach a consensus on common misconceptions surrounding buprenorphine, a Schedule III partial µ-opioid receptor agonist indicated for chronic pain. The panel also provided clinical recommendations on the appropriate use of buprenorphine and conversion strategies for switching to buprenorphine from a full µ-opioid receptor agonist for chronic pain management. METHODS: The consensus panel met on March 25, 2019, to discuss relevant literature and provide recommendations on interpreting buprenorphine as a partial µ-opioid receptor agonist, prescribing buprenorphine before some Schedule II, III, or IV options, perioperative/trauma management of patients taking buprenorphine, and converting patients from a full µ-opioid receptor agonist to buprenorphine. RESULTS: The panel recommended that buprenorphine's classification as a partial µ-opioid receptor agonist not be clinically translated to mean partial analgesic efficacy. The panel also recommended...

Phylogenetic double placement of mixed samples.

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Motivation

Consider a simple computational problem. The inputs are (i) the set of mixed reads generated from a sample that combines two organisms and (ii) separate sets of reads for several reference genomes of known origins. The goal is to find the two organisms that constitute the mixed sample. When constituents are absent from the reference set, we seek to phylogenetically position them with respect to the underlying tree of the reference species. This simple yet fundamental problem (which we call phylogenetic double-placement) has enjoyed surprisingly little attention in the literature. As genome skimming (low-pass sequencing of genomes at low coverage, precluding assembly) becomes more prevalent, this problem finds wide-ranging applications in areas as varied as biodiversity research, food production and provenance, and evolutionary reconstruction.

Results

We introduce a model that relates distances between a mixed sample and reference species to the distances...

MARVELously Dark: the density profile evolution of dwarf halos in velocity-dependent SIDM

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) with a sufficiently large cross section has been shown to naturally produce constant dark matter (DM) cores, as well as core-collapse, at the centers of dwarf halos on cosmic timescales, potentially reducing tensions with observation. Here, we present halos from a new dark matter only (DMO) cosmological (SIDM) simulation: Ms.Marvel DMO with a velocity-dependent self-interaction cross section with σ/m max = 50 cm2/g at v max = 35 km/s. We compare these to the CDM suite of Storm simulations including both DMO and dark matter + hydrodynamics runs, in order to test core-formation (and core-collapse) across different dark matter models. We show that Ms.Marvel DMO can reproduce core slopes consistent with observations of isolated dwarf galaxies and more massive (Mvir ≳ 1010 M ⊙) CDM dwarf halos that include stellar feedback from the matched CDM run (Storm CDM+baryons). We identify nine Ms.Marvel SIDM DMO halos in the core-collapse phase of gravothermal...

S508 Naloxegol Achieved Rapid and Sustained Improvement of Opioid-Induced Constipation (OIC) Symptoms in Patients With Extreme OIC: A Pooled Analysis of Two Pivotal Phase 3 Trials

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

S508 Naloxegol Achieved Rapid and Sustained Improvement of Opioid-Induced Constipation (OIC) Symptoms in Patients With Extreme OIC: A Pooled Analysis of Two Pivotal Phase 3 Trials

Identification of a Novel Small Molecule That Enhances the Release of Extracellular Vesicles with Immunostimulatory Potency via Induction of Calcium Influx

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) transfer antigens and immunomodulatory molecules in immunologic synapses as a part of intracellular communication, and EVs equipped with immunostimulatory functions have been utilized for vaccine formulation. Hence, we sought small-molecule compounds that increase immunostimulatory EVs released by antigen-presenting dendritic cells (DCs) for enhancement of vaccine immunogenicity. We previously performed high-throughput screening on a 28K compound library using three THP-1 reporter cell lines with CD63 Turbo-Luciferase, NF-κB, and interferon-sensitive response element (ISRE) reporter constructs, respectively. Because intracellular Ca²⁺ elevation enhances EV release, we screened 80 hit compounds and identified compound 634 as a Ca²⁺ influx inducer. 634 enhanced EV release in murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (mBMDCs) and increased costimulatory molecule expression on the surface of EVs and the parent cells....

Is it justified to order an upfront cytomegalovirus immunohistochemical stain in patients with severe inflammatory bowel disease and ulceration?

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

BACKGROUND: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is common amongst both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are more prone to suffer from CMV complications. In this study, we investigated the utility of immunohistochemistry to diagnose CMV infection in patients with severe IBD. METHODS: We searched our pathology data system to identify patients with IBD from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2021. We identified 5782 IBD cases, out of which 784 cases had severe activity with ulceration. CMV immunohistochemical stain (IHC) was performed on all 784 cases. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining slides were reviewed to evaluate the presence of characteristic nuclear or cytoplasmic CMV inclusions. H&E and IHC results were categorized as "single" if 1 cell stained positive or had characteristic inclusions, "rare" if 2-5 cells stained positive or had characteristic inclusions and "many" if more than 5 cells stained...

Infants use helping to infer the existence and strength of caring relationships

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Prosocial and antisocial behaviors can reflect the actor's positive or negative feelings toward a specific person and their broader disposition toward others' welfare. Observers' inferences about these motives shape what they learn about the actor's social relationships and moral character, thereby informing expectations about the actor's future behaviors. In four preregistered studies, we used violation-of-expectation looking methods to investigate 14- and 15-mo-old infants' inferences about social motives by first showing them helping and hindering events and then assessing their expectations for those actors' future actions. If infants use helping and hindering to infer disposition-based motives, they should extend expectations about future helping to others. Alternatively, if they infer relationship-based motives, their expectations should be restricted to the initial interactants. In Experiments 1 and 2, infants first observed two actors, one who helped and another who hindered...

Exploration of an intrinsic low-collisionality, high performance, grassy ELM regime in the DIII-D tokamak

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract Recent DIII-D tokamak experiments have demonstrated the integration of intrinsic low-collisionality grassy edge-localized mode (ELM) regime with high-performance hybrid core scenario, possibly offering a core-edge compatible solution for ITER and future fusion reactors. This regime features grassy ELMs (with ELM energy loss over pedestal stored energy <2%) at ITER-relevant pedestal top collisionality (ν_e^*~0.1), ITER similar shape, while maintaining high core confinement (H_98y2~1.5) in non-inductive hybrid scenarios. A small ELM-focused database is constructed to investigate the parametric dependence of the small/grassy ELM regimes. Access and sustainment of this regime appear to be favored by high poloidal beta (β_p>1.5), higher ratio of separatrix-to-pedestal density (n_(e,sep)⁄n_(e,ped) >0.4) and low pedestal top collisionality (υ_(e,ped)^*=0.1-0.4). In this scenario, the pedestal width exceeds the prediction from EPED–KBM scaling, consistent with the expectation...

Immunoaffinity‐Based Protocol to Enrich Nervous System Cell‐, Lung Alveolar Cell‐, and Hepatocyte‐Derived Extracellular Vesicles From Human Plasma

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

By preserving molecular information inherited from the source cell, extracellular vesicles (EVs) can serve as biomarkers for tissue health or disease, paving the way for liquid biopsy applications. The enrichment of tissue-specific EVs (TS-EVs) from human biofluids can be challenging due to technical and methodological limitations. Here, we use single and sequential immunoaffinity capture workflows to enrich antigen-specific EVs circulating in human blood. We demonstrate the specificity, efficiency, and consistency of our approach for enriching blood plasma EV subpopulations from the nervous system, alveolar cells and hepatocytes. The enriched subpopulations are characterized by canonical EV features and markers, as well as co-localization of tissue-specific and general markers on the surface. We provide a validated workflow to derive multiple EV subpopulations from circulation, leveraging their promise as informative biomarkers of tissue status and enabling liquid biopsy and...

Multiplexed oscillations and phase rate coding in the basal forebrain

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Complex behaviors demand temporal coordination among functionally distinct brain regions. The basal forebrain's afferent and efferent structure suggests a capacity for mediating this coordination at a large scale. During performance of a spatial orientation task, synaptic activity in this region was dominated by four amplitude-independent oscillations temporally organized by the phase of the slowest, a theta-frequency rhythm. Oscillation amplitudes were also organized by task epoch and positively correlated to the task-related modulation of individual neuron firing rates. For many neurons, spiking was temporally organized through phase precession against theta band field potential oscillations. Theta phase precession advanced in parallel to task progression, rather than absolute spatial location or time. Together, the findings reveal a process by which associative brain regions can integrate independent oscillatory inputs and transform them into sequence-specific, rate-coded outputs...

Cerebral Cortical Structural Variation and General Cognitive Ability: Evidence From Mendelian Randomization

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Understanding the cortical architecture underlying individual differences in general cognitive ability (GCA) remains a central question in cognitive neuroscience. Prior work has established associations between global brain size and GCA, yet the regional effects and directionality of these relationships remain debated. Using a genetically informed cortical parcellation in 11,289 UK Biobank participants, we examined associations between cortical surface area (SA), cortical thickness (CT), and GCA measured via verbal-numerical reasoning. Total SA showed a robust positive association with GCA. At the regional level, dorsolateral prefrontal and superior temporal SA exhibited the strongest positive associations, which persisted after adjustment for global SA. In contrast, CT showed comparatively modest associations. Using Mendelian randomization (MR) with genome-wide significant genetic instruments, we observed evidence consistent with a bidirectional relationship between total SA...

AI-enabled health communication to address misinformation on social media: a mini review

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Health misinformation on social media is not only a problem of inaccurate content, but also a communication problem shaped by trust, uncertainty, emotion, identity, platform design, and unequal access to credible information. Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly proposed as a tool for addressing this problem, yet much of the literature emphasizes detection accuracy, automated moderation, or technical performance. This mini review reframes AI as part of a broader health communication response cycle for addressing health misinformation on social media. Drawing on recent literature, it examines how AI can support social listening, intervention design and delivery, and how these systems are evaluated. AI-enabled social listening can help identify emerging misinformation narratives, information voids, audience concerns, emotional responses, and diffusion patterns. These insights may inform corrective messages, prebunking content, plain-language explanations, multilingual communication,...