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41. Environmental Influences on Food Addiction and Cardiometabolic Profiles in Law Enforcement Officers

Title Tesim:: Environmental Influences on Food Addiction and Cardiometabolic Profiles in Law Enforcement Officers
Creator:: Wu, Ya-Ke, Shi, Ziyuan, Russell, Grace E., and Qian, Yunzhi
Date of publication:: 2026
Abstract Tesim:: Law enforcement officers experience substantial occupational stressors that increase vulnerability to food addiction and cardiovascular disease (CVD), which may be compounded by adverse local environments. This study examined associations among county-level environmental factors, food addiction, and cardiometabolic profiles among North Carolina law enforcement officers. Participants included 330 officers (mean age = 37.98 years; mean BMI = 30.53 kg/m2) who completed the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 and underwent assessments of anthropometrics, blood pressure, blood lipids, and glucose. County-level Food Environment Index (FEI) scores and counts of fast-food restaurants, recreation and fitness facilities, and crime events were obtained from public data sources. Comparative analyses evaluated differences by county type and region, and BMI- and sex-adjusted regression models assessed associations among environmental factors, food addiction symptoms, and cardiometabolic profiles. Rural counties had significantly poorer FEI scores than suburban and urban counties, and rural officers reported the highest food addiction symptoms. Lower FEI scores were significantly associated with greater food addiction symptoms, which were, in turn, associated with higher adiposity and lower triglyceride levels. The findings support associations between food addiction and CVD risk, while underscoring potential influences of food environments on food addiction, warranting further investigation using more precise and up-to-date measures. and Highlights Public health relevance—How does this work relate to a public health issue? <ul> <li>This study addresses how adverse local food environments may exacerbate food addiction and cardiometabolic risk among law enforcement officers, a high-stress occupational group with elevated vulnerability to cardiovascular disease.</li> </ul> Public health significance—Why is this work of significance to public health? <ul> <li>Findings demonstrate that poorer county-level food environments, particularly in rural areas, are associated with greater food addiction symptoms; these are, in turn, associated with unfavorable cardiometabolic profiles, highlighting potential environmental influences on cardiovascular disease risk beyond individual behaviors.</li> </ul> Public health implications—What are the key implications or messages for practitioners, policy makers and/or researchers in public health? <ul> <li>Although preliminary and non-causal, our findings underscore the complex role of environmental influences on disordered eating in law enforcement and highlight the need for more fine-grained, individual-level assessments of environmental exposure and prospective, longitudinal research to inform effective, context-specific interventions. </li> </ul>
Resource type:: Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:: School of Nursing, Gillings School of Global Public Health, and Department of Nutrition
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/0jyj-ek84
Edition:: Publisher
Identifier:: PMID: 41899688, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23030311, and PMCID: PMC13026730
ISSN:: 1660-4601
Journal Issue:: 3
Journal Title:: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Journal Volume:: 23
Keyword:: crop protection, disease burden, bioeconomy, quantum random number generator, medicare advantage, 5-fluorouracil, finite-state machines, artificial intelligence, CRP, ICTV Report, causal discovery, Cancer epidemiology, preanalytical variables, pig‐to‐human xenotransplantation, ischemic stroke, prior-information, Rift Valley fever virus, precapillary, hypersalivation, xylan, systems biology, post-printing loading, PET/CT, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), Microvascular Invasion, spatial transcriptomics, DBS, low-negative carbon emission reduction, D-lactate, phylogenetic comparative methods, half-field transition, Kidney, FDG, intellectual disabilities, monogenic diabetes, Ginsenoside Rg1, supramolecular elastomer, electronic making (eMaking), insecticide, Burkina Faso, Ultrasound-Contrast, post-transcriptional regulation, crawling, pluronic F127, species identification, creatinine, RT-qPCR assays, soil multifunctionality, TAS1R1/TAS1R3, REPLI-g MDA, remimazolam, private insurance markets, glaucoma, citrus sudden death-associated virus, CMAH locus, prognostic factors, air quality, Caco-2 cells, carbapenemases, Paranosema locustae, schizophrenia, neuroinflammation, bioanalysis, Spinocerebellar ataxia, Fetus-in-Fetu, EPR, Cytokines, Spleen, information-theoretic approach, attention, Fahraeus–Lindqvist effect, post-quantum cryptography, gp63-like, complex trait, transgenic pig, spatial scales, deep learning, bacteria-induced chemoresistance, corn straw, cryptocurrency markets, artistic paintings, bicistronic immunogen, Moll gland, thermal, image post-processing, Htrs−Ttrs function, magnetic resonance imaging, FT-IR, Physiotherapy, technology, Multiple myeloma, desethylamiodarone, hip fracture biomechanics, post-induction hypotension, tick-borne viruses, public health, microbial community, deception, shear stress, multi-task learning, immunodiagnostic, natural products, osteoblast, silver, Diagnosis, molecular, second-order correctors, continuous memoryless sources, genome mining, xenotransplantation, antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST), rate–distortion function, SSU rDNA, Markov substitution model, QRS, MRI, bacterial vaginosis, competitive ELISA, conductivity, kidney xenotransplantation, Ovarian Tumor Classification, pulmonary artery pressure, HIV, Deep Learning, colloidal stability, altruistic guilt, CRISPR/Cas9 system, law enforcement, systemic inflammation, promoter screening, taxonomy, multimer prediction, pulmonary vascular disease, contact processes, West Nile virus (WNV), deontological guilt, Computer-aided Diagnostics, vero cells, platyhelminthes, metagenome, Pectobacterium brasiliense, Fibroblast Activation Protein Inhibitor, EndoClean, magnetic materials, genitalia indices, MHT, clinical translation, Gardnerella biofilm, structure–function, febrile neutropenia, host plant resistance, synthetic microbial mixture, sequencing, implementation science, luminance, age-related macular degeneration, Siberian moth, team identification, therapeutic targeting, biodiversity, real-time PCR, induced plant defense, image analysis, virus–plant interactions, Knockout, bibliometrics, Nerium oleander, humanitarian, gene‐specific promoter, Imaging Modality, team leader narcissism, microRNAs, moral behaviour, meta-analysis, infant, self-supervised, postcapillary, renal replacement therapy, off-target effects prediction, single-cell RNA-seq, echocardiography, species distribution, molecular docking, neural network, neurodevelopment, locomotion, paracetamol, descriptors, virulence, conceptual DFT, land dynamics, fracture stability, ultra reliability, laterality, active nematics, macrophages, antibody response, child growth, Photon-counting CT, cross education, psychological trauma, Cervical Cancer, constructed wetlands, quantum key distribution, Referral, host-immune, zolpidem abuse, self-organizing map portrayal, zoonoses, antimicrobial resistance, Indigenous health, cell-free layer, fibrosis, Vicsek-like models, bioactivity, magnetic field therapy, deoxycholic acid, team member narcissism, Kraft inequality, Blahut–Arimoto algorithm, 16S rRNA, computational modelling, lithium batteries, land ownership, gut–eye axis, wastewater treatment, engineering and Maths (STEM), disability progression, repurposing strategy, spatial omics, Model Visualization, salivary C-reactive protein, surface activity, multi-objective optimization, Shannon entropy, genital morphometry, Animal Studies, carbopol 934, antibiotic resistance, reading, CD47, Segmentation, Computed Tomography, precision medicine, Papillary RCC, Abdomen, Primary health care, dose intensity, diffusion MRI, Tuberculosis, ECG, ivermectin, lineage property, antibody–antigen complexes, cell death, choriocapillaris flow signal deficits, disease-modifying therapy, blood–brain barrier breakdown, ambient temperature, population pharmacokinetics, foundation models, immunomodulation, glioma therapy, Radiology, visual illusions, participation, Respiratory infections, Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, hematocrit, sustainable crop protection, drug-induced liver injury, plant defence responses, detection, nanomedicines, One Health, biopharmaceuticals, Mitochondria, MALDI-TOF MS, fungal diversity, Acanthamoeba keratitis, exocrine protein, Scrippsiella acuminata, Annotation Efficiency, β-cell dysfunction, standardization of preanalytical methods, fluoroscopy, surveillance, quercetin, manifold learning, brain hemispheres, nanostructures, oxidative stress, pediatric, gut microbiome, turkey astroviruses, time of day, Ecuador, viral infection, AO/OTA classification, bipolar pacing, polylactic acid, musculoskeletal simulation, Clinical trials, Nicotiana benthamiana, systematic review, MASLD, phase transition enthalpy, cardiometabolic profiles, broad-spectrum viruses, pan coating, synaptic plasticity, physiologically based pharmacokinetic, Risk factors, Orthoflavivirus diagnosis, breast cancer, cardiometabolic risk, chronic inflammation, acute ischaemic stroke, obsessive–compulsive disorder, boar semen, magnetized, Boswellia sacra, osteoclast, embedding diagnostics, cyclooxygenase inhibitors, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, deep leatning, restoration chronosequence, NHANES, 5XFAD, circulating microRNAs, transformer, amyloid β, Actinobacteria, Boston bowel preparation scale, inflammation, spectral radius, uridine transport, image statistics, small dogs, Kellgren–Lawrence, Algorithm, vibration distortion, mexiletine, probiotics, right ventricular systolic pressure, electronic syringe, jaborandi, fibrosarcoma, Transcription-associated mutagenesis, Drug resistance, prognostic model, Salmonella strains, phylogenomics, Danio rerio, knock‐in strategy, CPE, genetic profiles, Macromolecular Proton Fraction, acute respiratory distress syndrome, motor cortex, precision diabetology, allostery, Breast cancer, soil amendment, Toxoplasma gondii, randomized stepped-wedge intervention trial, Multicenter Trial, integration site (IS), Osteogenesis, developmental toxicity, virus neutralization test, intensive care unit, SOFA score, nucleoside transporter, Oncology, exceptional points, medicare, Lactobacillus crispatus, Mircroevolution, hypertrophy, low power wide area network, age factors, Bayesian networks, quinoline, mortality prediction, protein stabilisation, phylogenomic analysis, heart function, microscale hemodynamics, aggregation, bioinsecticide, Autophagy, size-dependent efficacy, Time-Dependent Diffusion MRI, coalbed gas bioengineering, self-healable binder, computational fluid dynamics, inverse problems, lithiumdendrite, latent diffusion model, Protein aggregates, canine, pilocarpine, directed acyclicity, Gastrointestinal, NV− center, Signal peptide, conservation, RAR, intratumoral bacteria, urban images, CRISPR PCR, spreading phenomena, tRNA, hamsters, colonoscopy, Interferon-gamma release assay, social identity theory, silver nanoparticles, conflict, Sub-Saharan Africa, personalized hemodynamic management, HIV-1, signal interpolation, carriage, cellulase activity, mRNA-seq, Federally Qualified Health Centers, neurofilaments, sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, phylogenetic analysis, molecular mechanisms, substance conversion, Infectious disease, microsampling, EIPH, biosurfactants, science, antibiotics, natural compounds, genetic continuum, General practice, transcriptomics, chloroquine, acute kidney injury, transport, angiogenesis impairing, Liver, biomarkers, bone metastases, liquid biopsy, polyclonal antibodies, aging, cardiac dysfunction, Mechanisms of disease, immunosuppression, substitution rates, red cell distribution width, phospholipids, adverse events, TAS1R2/TAS1R3, bias, plasma, periodic table, valence electron number, pharmacokinetics, bowel preparation, biotherapeutic formulations, intertrochanteric fracture, metabolomics, epitope mapping, GLP-1R, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Contrast Agents-Other, antibacterial activity, phasetransition temperature, ambient-temperature storage, food addiction, neighborhood preservation, plant viral infectious clone, hemicellulose, receptors, biomarker, lateral wall thickness, SARS-CoV-2, voluntary muscle contraction, Calliptamus italicus, Patient privacy protection, metagenomic, weighted Shannon entropy, self-adjustable lens, epidemiology, red blood cell distribution, maximum entropy principle, environmental factors, characterization, global implementation, heart failure, quality of life, Anshenbunao syrup, nonorthogonal multiple access, pulmonary embolism, Epigenetics, seroprevalence, diabetes, colorectal cancer screening, non-negative matrix factorization, antibody and T cell response, Pediatrics, density functional theory, mitochondrial DNA, nutrient sensing, PI3K/AKT, Trypanosoma cruzi, team member task initiative, Algorithm Development, neuromuscular physiology, MR-Imaging, human papillomavirus, clinical trial, blood pressure targets, alternative surfactants, perceived complexity, survey, menopause, Cancer prevention, morphology, Classification, Alzheimer’s disease, hypertension, precision oncology, Lung Cancer, Experimental periodontitis, Clear Cell RCC, hydrogel, electronic stethoscope, hybridization, emergency spine surgery, perimenopause, Acute kidney injury, source coding, rumor propagation, biomethane, diabetes heterogeneity, isometric contraction, neurodegeneration, genetic modifications, fenchel duality, foodborne bacteria, cardiac auscultation, cognitive development, diversification, protumor bacteria, invasive disease, N-depropylpropafenone, color, zebrafish, intestinal microbe, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, Alphafold2, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Abdomen/GI, viral diseases, 5-hydroxypropafenone, disgust, eyelid, mRNA manufacturing, fibroblasts, subretinal drusenoid deposits, East Asian, few-view reconstruction, amiodarone, massive connectivity, radiation dose reduction, pyrimidine antimetabolite, Cereblon, root symbiont, Anelloviridae, norepinephrine, conventional methods, comparative genomics, protocatechuic acid, whole-genome amplification (WGA), multidrug resistance, multiple sclerosis, dipolar frequency, relaxation, RNA aptamer, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), skin, Molecular biology, monoclonal antibody, metabolic syndrome, GLP-1RA, Urinary, violence, chemical basis, dried blood spots, Colorectal cancer, motility, machine learning, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Back pain, Renal Mass, viral RNA polymerase, genome evolution, diagnostics, Tumorigenic characteristics, Thalidomide, DEER, neuroprotection, anaerobic digestion, method of moments, liver xenotransplantation, foal, host-inducement, harmful algae blooms, quarantine diagnostics, wound healing, tumor biomarkers, GLP-1, T7 RNA polymerase, triplet state, risk factors, multiple displacement amplification (MDA), maximum entropy, drinking water quality, multi antenna, DNA binder, AF3-based implementations, eastern Tianshan, medical imaging, Incarcerated populations, dsRNA, epidemic models, leishmanolysin, polychlorinated biphenyls, HTR, aesthetics, metatranscriptomics, fast algorithms, clonazepam, Bayesian inference, fused deposition modeling, SYBR Green, West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND), Th1, calcium, polysorbates, acute primary angle closure, pine-tree lappet, muscle activation reconstruction, salivary biomarkers, Molecular Imaging, unified entropy framework, multi-omics integration, Pluripotency, methane production potential, blood volume, Lipocalin-2, estrogen, TLR2, conserved quantities, NSAIDs, Cinematic Rendering, quantum technologies, reverse vaccinology, physical exertion, detoxification, Tsallis entropy, miRNAs, heme oxygenase‐1(HO1), land tenure, probiotics supplement, walking, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, natural images, Large B cell lymphoma cytology, P‐selectin, external control, clinical trials, inequalities, Head/Neck, sulfide electrolytes film, dioxins, vinblastine, Staphylococcus aureus, team task performance, mono/di-rhamnolipids, Diseases, cultivable bacteria, two-temperature, 2,3,4-tetrahydrobenzophenone, B-cell epitope, convergence analysis, nucleocapsid protein, real-world data, MeVO, segmentation, joint spectral radius, morphological features, Latent tuberculosis, retinal vasculometry alterations, Developmental biology, geological CO2 sequestration, multi-epitope, propafenone, lactate-to-albumin ratio, ancient genome, vector-borne infections, VITEK-2, lateral flow device, Mortality, cost, portfolio optimization, Acanthamoeba castellanii, cataract, sphincter, endovascular therapy, pressure overload, mixed micelles, population migration, collagen, in vivo confocal microscopy, G protein-coupled receptors, CT, cardiac remodeling, pathogenesis, Pain medication, low-temperature degradation, in vitro transcription, acridine, dry active matter, kinetic theory, TCID50, alpine grassland, PBMCs, lightness constancy, muscle synergy, spectrometry, motor control, inoculation, polygenic risk, intravenous thrombolysis, provirus, HERV-R, model confidence scores, rural, Epstein-Barr Virus, generation time, myopia, extract mixture, genomic prediction, reference genome, albumin, Ubiquitin, Chapman-Enskog, autophagy, Comparative Studies, colorectal cancer, HPLC-UV, Ovarian Cancer, optical coherence tomography angiography, quantum as a service, knee osteoarthritis, Lymph Node Metastases, Glycobiology, Chagas disease, anionic vs. non-ionic matrices, T cells, enteric disease, respiratory syncytial virus, anticancer synergism, cardiovascular risk, Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp), imaging biomarker, hydrogenotrophic methanogens, longevity, antiviral, help‐seeking, real-time active suppression, multiphase flow, dimensionality reduction, allelopathic stress, Inflammation, benzodiazepines, Foundation Model, Smithburn vaccine, Fetal brain, multiomics analysis, Metabolic disorders, neural pathways, and immunoinformatics
License Label:: Attribution 4.0 International
ORCID:: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8990-3449, , and https://orcid.org/0009-0005-0222-2066
Other Affiliation:
Person:: Wu, Ya-Ke, Shi, Ziyuan, Russell, Grace E., and Qian, Yunzhi
Publisher:: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

42. Comparing the Relationship Between Social Determinants of Health and Frailty Status of Medicare Beneficiaries in Rural and Urban Areas in the United States.

Title Tesim:: Comparing the Relationship Between Social Determinants of Health and Frailty Status of Medicare Beneficiaries in Rural and Urban Areas in the United States.
Creator:: Vásquez, Elizabeth, Lynch, David H, Batsis, John A, Chen, Haiyi, Daneshvar, Nina, Xie, Wenyi, Lin, Feng-Chang, and Spangler, Hillary B
Date of publication:: 2026
Abstract Tesim:: Frailty is a geriatric syndrome of increased physiological vulnerability, decreasing an older adult's ability to successfully cope with health stressors. Social determinants of health (SDOH), including rural residence, can amplify healthcare disparities for older adults due to less accessibility to resources and lead to worse health outcomes. While the impact of rurality on older adult health is well-established, little is known about how the interaction of SDOH and geographical residence impact frailty status in older adults.Older adults (65+ years) in the National Health and Aging Trend Study (2011-2021) were categorized using Fried's frailty phenotype (robust, pre-frail, frail). Rurality was defined using the 2013 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes. Generalized estimation equations with generalized logit link function determined the relationship between SDOH (healthcare access, community support, income, education) and frailty status.Of n = 6082 participants (56.4% female), the mean age was 75.12 years (SE 0.10), 1133 (18.6%) lived in rural residence, and 2652 (53.0%) had pre-frailty. Although there was no relationship between geographical residence and frailty status (p = 0.73), we did observe lower associated odds of worse frailty status for those with Medigap insurance coverage (0.81, SE 0.08; p = 0.04) and inconsistent frailty status trends for those of divorced (1.12, SE 0.05; p = 0.007) and never married (0.20, SE 0.03; p < 0.001) status in urban areas.Our findings suggest that geographic residence may modify the relationship between SDOH and frailty status in older adults, providing novel insight into the complexity of these interactions. This work is important for identifying modifiable areas where additional support interventions may be important for mitigating frailty development and progression for older adults with efforts at both the individual and system levels.
Resource type:: Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:: School of Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Gillings School of Global Public Health, and Department of Biostatistics
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/31ds-pg22
Edition:: Publisher
Identifier:: PMCID: PMC12889953, PMID: 41675066, and DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jal6010006
ISSN:: 2673-9259
Journal Issue:: 1
Journal Title:: Journal of ageing and longevity
Journal Volume:: 6
Keyword:: social determinants of health, unmet needs, older adults, frailty, and rural
License Label:: Attribution 4.0 International
ORCID:: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1402-9712, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2512-9367, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0845-4416, , https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2216-5605, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2638-1775, and https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4027-4113
Other Affiliation:: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Integrated Health Science, University at Albany, Albany, NY, USA. and
Person:: Vásquez, Elizabeth, Lynch, David H, Batsis, John A, Chen, Haiyi, Daneshvar, Nina, Xie, Wenyi, Lin, Feng-Chang, and Spangler, Hillary B
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

43. Pathway-Centric Comparative Molecular Profiling of Sézary Syndrome and Primary Cutaneous CD8+ Aggressive Epidermotropic Cytotoxic T-Cell Lymphoma via Conversational Artificial Intelligence

Title Tesim:: Pathway-Centric Comparative Molecular Profiling of Sézary Syndrome and Primary Cutaneous CD8+ Aggressive Epidermotropic Cytotoxic T-Cell Lymphoma via Conversational Artificial Intelligence
Creator:: Manjarrez, Sophia, Velazquez-Villarreal, Enrique, Diaz, Fernando C., Carranza, Francisco G., and Waldrup, Brigette
Date of publication:: April 27, 2026
Abstract Tesim:: Background: Sézary syndrome (SS) is an aggressive leukemic variant of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) with distinct clinical and biological features compared to rarer entities such as primary cutaneous CD8+ aggressive epidermotropic cytotoxic T-cell lymphoma (PCAECTCL). Although recurrent genomic alterations in CTCL have been described, comparative analyses at the pathway level across biologically divergent subtypes remain limited. Here, we leveraged a conversational artificial intelligence (AI) platform for precision oncology to enable rapid, integrative, and hypothesis-driven interrogation of publicly available genomic datasets. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of somatic mutation and clinical data from the Columbia University CTCL cohort accessed via cBioPortal. Cases were stratified into SS (n = 26) and PCAECTCL (n = 13). High-confidence coding variants were curated and mapped to biologically relevant signaling pathways and functional gene categories implicated in CTCL pathogenesis. Pathway-level mutation frequencies were compared using Fisher’s exact tests, with effect sizes quantified as odds ratios. Tumor mutational burden (TMB) was compared using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Subtype-specific co-mutation patterns were evaluated using pairwise association analyses and visualized through oncoplots and network heatmaps. A conversational AI agent, AI-HOPE, was used to iteratively refine cohort definitions, prioritize pathway-level signals, and contextualize findings. Results: TMB was comparable between SS and PCAECTCL (p = 0.96), indicating no significant difference in global mutational load. In contrast, pathway-centric analyses revealed marked qualitative differences. SS demonstrated enrichment of alterations in epigenetic regulators, tumor suppressor and cell-cycle control pathways, NFAT signaling, and DNA damage response mechanisms, consistent with transcriptional dysregulation and immune modulation. PCAECTCL exhibited relatively higher frequencies of alterations involving epigenetic regulators and MAPK pathway signaling, suggesting distinct oncogenic dependencies. Co-mutation analysis revealed a more constrained and focused interaction landscape in SS, whereas PCAECTCL displayed broader and more heterogeneous co-mutation networks, indicative of divergent evolutionary trajectories. Notably, ERBB2 mutations were significantly enriched between subtypes (p = 0.031), highlighting a potential subtype-specific therapeutic vulnerability. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that SS is distinguished from PCAECTCL not by increased mutational burden but by distinct pathway-level architectures, particularly involving epigenetic regulation, immune signaling, and transcriptional control. These findings generate biologically grounded, testable hypotheses for subtype-specific therapeutic targeting and underscore the value of conversational AI as a scalable framework for accelerating discovery in translational cancer genomics.
Resource type:: Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:: N.C. Cancer Hospital and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/2m3w-6m75
Edition:: Publisher
Identifier:: DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cancers18091387 and Dimensions ID: pub.1200972596
ISSN:: 2072-6694
Journal Issue:: 9
Journal Title:: Cancers
Journal Volume:: 18
Keyword:: burden, alterations, genomic datasets, control pathways, no significant difference, co-mutation networks, vulnerability, trajectory, landscape, definition, coding variants, regulation, control, effect, tumor mutational burden, qualitative differences, genomic alterations, cohort definitions, interrogation, conversational artificial intelligence, Wilcoxon rank sum test, load, genome, dataset, patterns, target, heatmap, transcriptional dysregulation, transcriptional control, size, tumor, Fisher's exact test, odds, comparative analysis, pairwise association analysis, Fisher, translational cancer genomics, intelligence, ERBB2 mutations, immune modulation, therapeutic vulnerabilities, gene categories, effect size, precision oncology, evolutionary trajectories, rank sum test, AI agents, frequency of alterations, syndrome, mutational burden, dysregulation, significant difference, categories, biological features, subtypes, response mechanisms, somatic mutations, ErbB2, discovery, association analysis, MAPK, co-mutation analysis, test, interaction landscape, Wilcoxon, findings, pathway level, artificial intelligence, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, levels, analysis of somatic mutations, features, lymphoma, mutation frequency, co-mutation patterns, secondary analysis, NFAT, therapeutic target, suppressor, dependence, T-cell lymphoma, tumor suppressor, cancer genomes, architecture, mutation load, network, frequency, rare entity, signal, pathway, damage response mechanisms, epigenetic regulation, oncology, odds ratio, variants, pathogenesis, Sezary syndrome, mechanism, clinical data, analysis, DNA damage response mechanisms, ratio, cohort, modulation, exact test, conversational AI, interaction, DNA, mutations, leukemic variant, data, NFAT signaling, oncogenic dependency, cBioPortal, precision, conversion, cases, study, co-mutations, divergent subtypes, aggressive leukemic variant, MAPK pathway signaling, pairwise, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma pathogenesis, pathway signaling, conversational AI agent, entities, agents, recurrent genomic alterations, functional gene categories, immune signaling, biology, signaling pathway, differences, primary cutaneous CD8+ aggressive epidermotropic cytotoxic T-cell lymphoma, cytotoxic T-cell lymphoma, Columbia, and cell cycle control pathways
License Label:: Attribution 4.0 International
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: Department of Integrative Translational Sciences, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA and
Page Start:: 1387
Person:: Manjarrez, Sophia, Velazquez-Villarreal, Enrique, Diaz, Fernando C., Carranza, Francisco G., and Waldrup, Brigette
Publisher:: MDPI
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

44. Introducing the Edu-GenAI Rubric: A Theory-Informed Tool for Assessing the Educational Value of Large Language Models and AI Media Generators

Title Tesim:: Introducing the Edu-GenAI Rubric: A Theory-Informed Tool for Assessing the Educational Value of Large Language Models and AI Media Generators
Creator:: Donnelly, Mags and Cherner, Todd
Date of publication:: 2026
Abstract Tesim:: The rapid proliferation of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools has created an urgent need for instruments to evaluate their educational value as teachers, faculty, administrators, and instructional designers consider adopting them. While rubrics exist to assess mobile applications and virtual reality tools, no comparable instrument has been developed specifically for large language models (LLMs) and AI media generators. The authors reviewed existing evaluation rubrics for edtech and GenAI tools, with edtech meaning digital tools that support ethical teaching to improve student learning and GenAI referring to neural networks that simulate human interactions by contextualizing relevant content based on learning needs. Grounded in Waks’ framework, the resulting Edu-GenAI Rubric comprises multiple dimensions organized into five domains: the Instrumental, Technical, Hedonic, Use, and Beneficial values. Dimensions include accuracy, productivity, personalization, citation, user interface, user experience, sharing, storage, and ethical dimensions encompassing data privacy, data transparency, guardrails, fair use, and algorithmic discrimination. The Edu-GenAI Rubric offers decision-makers with a preliminary, theory-informed instrument for evaluating GenAI tools in educational contexts that can be applied to institutional adoption decisions, developer benchmarking, and future research.
Resource type:: Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:: School of Education
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/epm2-gt92
Edition:: Publisher
Identifier:: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16050706
ISSN:: 2227-7102
Journal Title:: Education Sciences
Keyword:: artificial intelligence, educational value, evaluation, AI media generators, and large language models
Language Label:: English
License Label:: Attribution 4.0 International
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:
Person:: Donnelly, Mags and Cherner, Todd
Publisher:: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Source:: 6b49c424-d183-4aba-a3d7-9f0bdb73ee18

45. Factors That Shape Stepparent–Adolescent Interaction

Title Tesim:: Factors That Shape Stepparent–Adolescent Interaction
Creator:: Zhao, Yushan and Jensen, Todd M.
Date of publication:: 2026
Abstract Tesim:: Stepfamily formation involving adolescents presents unique challenges and opportunities, yet factors that shape stepparent–adolescent interaction remain under-explored. This study explored factors that facilitate or obstruct stepparent–adolescent interaction of any kind. Using maximum variation purposive sampling, we conducted in-depth interviews with 18 U.S. emerging adults (ages 18–23) who had lived with a stepparent from age 10 onward. Transcripts were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Adapting the COM-B (capability, opportunity, motivation—behavior) model as a framework, 11 themes were developed: under capability—individual traits (with three subthemes), stepparent allegiance or deference to the resident parent, adolescent loyalty binds, relational ambiguity, and assumed roles and imposed expectations; under opportunity—external social facilitation (with three subthemes), stepparent compensatory and value-add functions, physical proximity and household composition, and shared family labor; and under motivation—adolescent interest in relationship development and stepparent proaction. Findings showcase stepparent–adolescent interaction as an emergent systemic property shaped by intrapersonal, dyadic, household, and broader social factors. The COM-B framework offers professionals a structured approach to assess stepparent–adolescent interactional capability, opportunity, and motivation when supporting stepfamilies. Future research should employ prospective, multi-informant designs to further substantiate identified factors and guide the development of measures for practice and research applications.
Resource type:: Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:: School of Education
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/dwb7-jz27
Edition:: Publisher
Identifier:: https://doi.org/10.3390/famsci2020012
ISSN:: 3042-6693
Journal Issue:: 2
Journal Title:: Family Sciences
Journal Volume:: 2
Keyword:: family processes, relationships, interaction, adolescents, stepparent, and stepfamilies
Language Label:: English
License Label:: Attribution 4.0 International
Other Affiliation:
Page Start:: 12
Person:: Zhao, Yushan and Jensen, Todd M.
Publisher:: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: cfb24488-f0a9-4ed9-8ead-96aab61f09b4

46. Evaluation of the Potential of a Fast-Curing Polymer Bioadhesive Hydrogel for Corneal Defect Repair

Title Tesim:: Evaluation of the Potential of a Fast-Curing Polymer Bioadhesive Hydrogel for Corneal Defect Repair
Creator:: Khandaker, Anwar N., Castillo, Miranda, Sojdeh, Soheil, Yaghmour, Amal, Bejandi, Zahra Bibak, Panjipour, Amirhosein, Soleimani, Mohammad, Arabpour, Zohreh, and Djalilian, Ali R.
Date of publication:: 2026
Abstract Tesim:: Corneal defects are a major cause of vision loss and require rapid, biocompatible, and effective sealing methods to restore ocular integrity and prevent infection. Current clinical adhesives, such as cyanoacrylate and fibrin glue, are limited by problems such as poor biocompatibility and inadequate stability. This study presents the design and evaluation of a fast-curable polymer bioadhesive hydrogel, a corneal glue formulated for efficient sealing of corneal defects. Hydrogels were synthesized from natural and synthetic polymers, including polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), sodium alginate (SA), and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), optimized for rapid gelation (~45 s), robust adhesion (~15 kPa), and mechanical strength (tensile strength ~0.35 MPa and storage modulus G′ indicating strong elastic behavior). Physicochemical and rheological properties, including swelling behavior and optical transparency (>90% transmittance across 400–700 nm), were characterized, including gelation time, swelling behavior, and mechanical strength. In vitro biocompatibility was assessed using human corneal epithelial cells to evaluate cytotoxicity and cell adhesion. Ex vivo studies on human cadaveric corneas with full-thickness defects measured adhesive strength and sealing efficacy through burst pressure (~38 mmHg) and leakage tests, with comparisons to commercial fibrin and cyanoacrylate adhesives. The optimized corneal glue exhibited fast curing, robust adhesion, high water retention with minimal swelling, favorable viscoelastic properties, and excellent cytocompatibility effectively sealing corneal defects in ex vivo models. These results highlight its potential as a promising fast-curable bioadhesive for corneal wound repair and ocular surface restoration.
Resource type:: Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:: School of Medicine and Department of Ophthalmology
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/aqk3-pq43
Edition:: Publisher
Identifier:: https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12050357
ISSN:: 2310-2861
Journal Title:: Gels
Keyword:: corneal defect, ionic crosslinking, ex vivo corneal sealing, corneal glue, bioadhesive hydrogel, tissue adhesion, and fast-curable polymer
Language Label:: English
License Label:: Attribution 4.0 International
Other Affiliation:: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL and
Person:: Khandaker, Anwar N., Castillo, Miranda, Sojdeh, Soheil, Yaghmour, Amal, Bejandi, Zahra Bibak, Panjipour, Amirhosein, Soleimani, Mohammad, Arabpour, Zohreh, and Djalilian, Ali R.
Publisher:: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: ab70585b-e85a-458c-9c2c-1ab3434cb8af

47. Advances in Multifunctional Hernia Repair Mesh to Minimize Post-Surgical Complications

Title Tesim:: Advances in Multifunctional Hernia Repair Mesh to Minimize Post-Surgical Complications
Creator:: Chen, Jiahui, King, Martin W., Gluck, Jessica M., Wang, Tiansong, Chen, Ming, Brown, Ashley C., Wang, Ziyu, Perez, Arielle J., and Budhathoki-Uprety, Januka
Date of publication:: 2026
Abstract Tesim:: As one of the most frequently performed surgeries worldwide, hernia repair addresses a pathological condition caused by muscle weakness and defects in the muscle wall. Despite its prevalence, hernia surgery remains challenging due to complications such as organ occlusion, seroma, persistent pain, tissue adhesions, and wound infection. Surgical meshes have become the preferred choice for abdominal wall hernia repair, aiming to restore the physical integrity and functionality of the musculofascial layers. Although various types of hernia mesh are available on the market to mitigate post-reconstruction complications, none have proven to be a perfect solution for reducing hernia recurrence. In this review, we explore the etiology of hernias, the materials and structures used in designing hernia meshes, and the emerging multifunctional trends aimed at addressing not just one aspect of the complications but the overall range of complications following hernia repair. We discuss strategies to mitigate side effects and establish the characteristics of ideal hernia repair meshes. Lastly, this review outlines future research directions for developing successful hernia repair solutions, emphasizing the need for innovative approaches to enhance patient outcomes and minimize recurrence rates.
Resource type:: Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:: School of Medicine and UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/1s4r-re38
Edition:: Publisher
Identifier:: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijmd1010001
ISSN:: 3042-8890
Journal Issue:: 1
Journal Title:: International Journal of Medical Devices
Journal Volume:: 1
Keyword:: foreign body response, hybrid, mesh fixation, antibacterial, durable, textile structure, hernia mesh, anti-adhesive, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and absorbable
Language Label:: English
License Label:: Attribution 4.0 International
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: Wilson College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, , Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, Department of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China, and PeaceHealth Surgical Specialties at Northwest Specialty Clinics, Springfield, OR
Page Start:: 1
Person:: Chen, Jiahui, King, Martin W., Gluck, Jessica M., Wang, Tiansong, Chen, Ming, Brown, Ashley C., Wang, Ziyu, Perez, Arielle J., and Budhathoki-Uprety, Januka
Publisher:: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Source:: 4d702654-a3c7-4108-8250-e79b2558b864

48. Community-Identified Priorities for Improving Safety in Low-Income Urban Communities Experiencing High Rates of Firearm Violence

Title Tesim:: Community-Identified Priorities for Improving Safety in Low-Income Urban Communities Experiencing High Rates of Firearm Violence
Creator:: Walsh, Colleen S., Lazarus, Kimberly, Thomson, Nicholas, Sullivan, Terri N., Leslie, Carine E., Bishop, Diane L., Angulo, Angela, Ross, Katherine M., Radabaugh, Skylar A., and Weihl, Alexys
Date of publication:: 2026
Abstract Tesim:: The present qualitative study explored perspectives from youth, caregivers, and community partners who lived in or worked with organizations that served two low-income, urban communities exposed to disproportionate rates of firearm violence. The purpose of the study was to (a) identify changes that community members and community partners would like to see in terms of safety, (b) compare the similarities and differences in responses across the three participant groups. Youth (n = 11), caregivers (n = 20), and community partners (n = 41) participated in semi-structured interviews as part of a larger study evaluating community strategies to reduce community-levels of youth violence. Perspectives on changes related to safety were represented across four themes: (1) Changes to policing, (2) Increasing safety, (3) More opportunities for youth and family programs and activities, (4) Structural and resource investments in communities. Overall, qualitative findings offered a context-specific picture of desired areas for change to improve community safety. The results contribute to a framework for community mobilization and have implications for the development of comprehensive community violence prevention initiatives.
Resource type:: Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:: School of Social Work
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/qzm9-7t05
Edition:: Publisher
Identifier:: https://doi.org/10.3390/youth6020055
ISSN:: 2673-995X
Journal Issue:: 6
Journal Title:: Youth
Journal Volume:: 6
Keyword:: minority populations, youth and caregivers, violence, and victimization
Language Label:: English
License Label:: Attribution 4.0 International
Other Affiliation:: Department of Psychology and Human Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, Injury & Violence Prevention Program, Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, Department of Epidemiology and Center on Society and Health, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services, Richmond, VA, The Trevor Project, West Hollywood, CA, and
Page Start:: 55
Person:: Walsh, Colleen S., Lazarus, Kimberly, Thomson, Nicholas, Sullivan, Terri N., Leslie, Carine E., Bishop, Diane L., Angulo, Angela, Ross, Katherine M., Radabaugh, Skylar A., and Weihl, Alexys
Publisher:: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright
Source:: 96e0900e-90b3-4141-971a-c745f38fa4b7

49. Cost-Effectiveness of a Lifestyle and Behavioral Care Model Targeting Cardiometabolic Disease Progression

Title Tesim:: Cost-Effectiveness of a Lifestyle and Behavioral Care Model Targeting Cardiometabolic Disease Progression
Creator:: Sauls, Rachel, Alencar, Michelle, and Whetten, Justin
Date of publication:: April 18, 2026
Abstract Tesim:: Chronic diseases drive healthcare costs, and employers seek scalable strategies to improve health outcomes and control expenses. Telehealth behavioral care shows promise for managing chronic conditions, but its long-term economic value in employer populations is still unclear. We assessed the cost-effectiveness and ROI of a behavioral care (LBC) model using a Markov model in a custom analytic tool. The model simulated disease progression, healthcare utilization, and QALYs over five years from the employer perspective. Transition probabilities, costs, and mortality risks were obtained from the InHealth program, national sources, and published literature. Employees in the behavioral care model were compared with a control group receiving usual care. Among 4461 employees aged 40, intervention participants had five-year costs of $41,431, versus $47,834 for controls, saving $6403 per member and $28.6 million overall. Treated members gained 4.7 QALYs compared to 4.6 in controls, equivalent to 36.5 extra days of full health. The program had a ROI of 6.53, showing significant cost savings. Telehealth behavioral care is a cost-effective way to improve health outcomes and provide financial benefits to employers. These results support incorporating behavioral care into value-based benefits and highlight potential long-term savings through prevention and management of lifestyle-related chronic diseases.
Resource type:: Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Gillings School of Global Public Health and Department of Nutrition
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/16k6-ay67
Edition:: Publisher
Identifier:: Dimensions ID: pub.1200713346 and DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23040526
ISSN:: 1660-4601 and 1661-7827
Journal Issue:: 4
Journal Title:: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Journal Volume:: 23
Keyword:: risk, long-term savings, employment, control expenses, management, utilization, prevention, usual care, mortality, probability, source, conditions, cost savings, model, QALY, behavioral care, lifestyle-related chronic diseases, mortality risk, financial benefits, support, savings, extra days, simulate disease progression, healthcare utilization, cardiometabolic disease progression, healthcare, participants, tools, cost-effective way, benefits, Markov model, national sources, literature, disease, employees, employer's perspective, cost-effective, economic value, values, published literature, long-term economic value, treat members, transition, program, employable population, healthcare costs, health outcomes, way, results support, care, group, chronic conditions, intervention, outcomes, lifestyle, transition probabilities, members, full health, potential long-term savings, ROI, Markov, analytical tools, health, cost, intervention participants, years, LBC, progression, management of lifestyle-related chronic diseases, customers, perspective, control, disease progression, telehealth, expense, results, chronic diseases, population, control group, care model, and behavior
License Label:: Attribution 4.0 International
ORCID:: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-2965-5389, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9879-9660, and https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1430-2187
Other Affiliation:: , Department of Kinesiology, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, USA, and Medical Economics, University of New Mexico Health System, Albuquerque, NM, USA
Page Start:: 526
Person:: Sauls, Rachel, Alencar, Michelle, and Whetten, Justin
Publisher:: MDPI
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright

50. Business Resilience Index (BRI): Evaluating Economic Recovery Through Event-Study Heterogeneity

Title Tesim:: Business Resilience Index (BRI): Evaluating Economic Recovery Through Event-Study Heterogeneity
Creator:: Zou, Yue, Liu, Dingyuan, Xiao, Zhiying, Zhang, Tongchen, and Shen, Qiannan
Date of publication:: April 16, 2026
Abstract Tesim:: This paper develops a Business Resilience Index (BRI) that measures county-level resilience to natural disasters at a county-quarter frequency for the United States over 2014–2024. The index integrates high-frequency labor market outcomes from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages with flood insurance policy information from FEMA, disaster damages from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and social and health determinants from County Health Rankings. Starting from a broad candidate set, we apply an interpretable feature-screening pipeline to retain 79 variables and then use principal component analysis to extract four orthogonal structural dimensions of resilience: market scale, socioeconomic resilience, urban density risk, and industrial economy profile. We construct a domain-weighted strategic index and benchmark it against data-driven and equal-weight alternatives, showing that county rankings are highly stable across weighting schemes. To evaluate whether the BRI aligns with recovery behavior under acute shocks, we implement a matched difference-in-differences event study around two major flood episodes—Texas in 2015Q2 and North Carolina in 2018Q3. Conditional on exposure intensity and matched comparability, higher pre-event BRI counties exhibit earlier stabilization and a stronger post-event employment path relative to lower BRI counties, with differences in magnitude and timing across cases. Overall, the BRI provides an interpretable, high-frequency baseline for identifying capacity constraints that may slow recovery and for supporting preparedness targeting and post-disaster monitoring.
Resource type:: Article
Affiliation Label Tesim:: Kenan-Flagler Business School
Type:: http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.17615/9b5r-hg88
Edition:: Publisher
Identifier:: Dimensions ID: pub.1200583642 and DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su18083980
ISSN:: 2071-1050
Journal Issue:: 8
Journal Title:: Sustainability
Journal Volume:: 18
Keyword:: intensity, target, FEMA, health, disaster damage, North, County, preparedness, health determinants, Quarterly Census, pipeline, Health Rankings, scale, employment, constraints, quarter, index, exposure intensity, determination, profile, natural disasters, slow recovery, outcomes, units, risk, cases, acute shock, frequency, recovery behavior, rank, capacity constraints, Storm Events Database, economics, monitoring, shock, resilience index, analysis, capacity, market outcomes, dimensions of resilience, state, exposure, County Health Rankings, resilience, behavior, economic recovery, United States, stability, alternative, Census of Employment, matched comparators, baseline, flood, magnitude, NOAA, heterogeneity, Carolina, data-driven, information, wage, variables, policy information, county rankings, study, market scale, strategic index, post-disaster monitoring, North Carolina, event database, component analysis, market, density risk, damage, business, database, comparator, principal component analysis, structural dimensions, recovery, disaster, benchmarks, labor market outcomes, and socioeconomic resilience
License Label:: Attribution 4.0 International
ORCID:
Other Affiliation:: Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA, , Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, USA, Independent Research, Chicago, IL, USA, and Graduate School of Arts and Science, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
Page Start:: 3980
Person:: Zou, Yue, Liu, Dingyuan, Xiao, Zhiying, Zhang, Tongchen, and Shen, Qiannan
Publisher:: MDPI
Rights Statement Label:: In Copyright