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Lead Bioaccessibility and Commonly Measured Soil Characteristics (Detroit, MI, USA) PHASE II
No full textUrban soil contaminated with anthropogenic sources of Pb is a major contributor to child Pb exposure. To assess the Pb risk in urban areas, composite samples were collected from 142 voluntary privately owned 142 residential parcels in Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park, Michigan. Samples were collected at two time periods, before and after treatment applied for those denoted as treatment sites. Samples were collected from areas covered with turf grass on the parcels from the front, middle and rear sections. Soils were collected with a bulb planter at approximately 10cm depth and were cleaned with a tap water-Liquinox detergent solution and then rinsed with ultrapure water (\u3e18.2 MΩ/cm) between sampling sites. Soils were mixed by hand in the field in one-gallon freezer bags before being transported to the laboratory at Wayne State University. Bagged soil samples were then air dried in a fume hood for at least two weeks and sifted. After sampling, for soils that were randomly determined to receive treatment, either received a liquid or a granular bonemeal treatment and were collected about one year after application in the same manner as the pretreated samples.
Total soil Pb was assessed according to EPA Method 3051a.1 In short, 0.5g of sieved (2, using the same µm size fraction. Since the standard PBET procedure utilizes a pH of 1.5, which underestimates changes in bioavailability following phosphate amendments3, a pH of two was used in this study, consistent with Hettiarachchi et al.4 The percentage (%) of IVBA lead was determined based on the ratio of IVBA to total Pb ((IVBA Pb)/(Total Pb)∙100). Total As was assessed using determined using the same methods as Total soil Pb (EPA Method 3051a). A Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure was utilized to assess the mobility of As and P from samples to determine if eutrophication of these two elements occurred because of the amendments. This method combined the use of EPA Method 13125 and the filtration method outlined by Qi and Donahoe.6
Soil pH, CEC (cmol+/kg), organic matter content (%), and elemental concentrations (mg/kg), were measured by Dairyland Laboratories (Arcadia, WI). The soil pH was measured in a 1:1 soil: water slurry.7 The percent OM content was determined by loss on ignition.8 Soil (5g) was transferred to a pre-weighed crucible and dried 2 or more hours at 105 °C in one of two ovens (ThermoScientific HeraTherm Oven OGS180 or Fisher Scientific Isotemp Oven Model 655G). Once dried, the mass was recorded and the sample was transferred to a Thermolyne Furnace where it was kept at 360 °C for 2 hr ± 1 min. Samples were left to cool for ten minutes, at which point the ash weight was determined. Samples were treated with the Mehlich 3 extracting solution to measure extractable phosphorus.9 Calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), sulfur (S), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) concentrations were quantified using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The Bray P1 equivalent was used to report the concentration of phosphorus (mg/kg) (Pppm) for soils with a pH less than 7.3 (Mehlich 1984). The CEC was based on the sum of Ca, Mg, K and acidity of the soil.10
Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure was utilized to assess the mobility of P from samples to determine eutrophication because of the amendments, this method combined the use of EPA Method 131244 and the filtration method outlined by Qi and Donahoe45, and was quantified by spectrophotometer.
Soil texture was based on the USDA soil texture triangle and was determined via particle size analysis and using the NRCS Soil Texture by Feel method. Dairyland Laboratories (Arcadia, WI) performed particle size analysis via gravimetric hydration (Burt 2014) to identify the proportion of clay, sand, and silt.
References US EPA, O. U.S. EPA Method 3051A: Microwave Assisted Acid Digestion of Sediments, Sludges, and Oils. (2019). Ruby, M. V., Davis, A., Schoof, R., Eberle, S. & Sellstone, C. M. Estimation of Lead and Arsenic Bioavailability Using a Physiologically Based Extraction Test. Environ. Sci. Technol. 30, 422–430 (1996). Zia, M. H., Codling, E. E., Scheckel, K. G. & Chaney, R. L. In vitro and in vivo approaches for the measurement of oral bioavailability of lead (Pb) in contaminated soils: A review. Environmental Pollution 159, 2320–2327 (2011). Hettiarachchi, G. M., Pierzynski, G. M., Oehme, F. W., Sonmez, O. & Ryan, J. A. Treatment of Contaminated Soil with Phosphorus and Manganese Oxide Reduces Lead Absorption by Sprague–Dawley Rats. Journal of Environmental Quality 32, 1335–1345 (2003). US EPA. US EPA Method 1312 - Synthetic Preciptitation Leaching Procedure. (1994). Qi, Y. & Donahoe, R. J. The environmental fate of arsenic in surface soil contaminated by historical herbicide application. Sci Total Environ 405, 246–254 (2008). Sikoral, F. & Kissel, D. Soil pH (Chapter 3.2), Soil Test Methods From the Southeastern United States. Soil Etension and Research Activity Information Exchange Group 48–61 (2014). Davies, B. E. Loss-on-Ignition as an Estimate of Soil Organic Matter. Soil Science Society of America Journal 38, 150–151 (1974). Mehlich, A. Mehlich 3 soil test extractant: A modification of Mehlich 2 extractant. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 15, 1409–1416 (1984). Ross, D. S. & Ketterings, Q. Recommended Methods for Determining Soil Cation Exchange Capacity. Reommended Soil Testing Procedures for the Northeastern United States 75–86 (2011).
Liquid_Treatment_Dataset.csv
284 record dataset, soil samples
Data dictionary:
Variable: Variable Description
SampleID: Anonymous Sample Identifier (Each Sample ID represents a soil sample from a unique residential property in Detroit metropolitan area; Pre_Post: binary sampling identifier, samples collected before treatment are equal to 0, samples collected after treatment are equal to 1; TotalPb: Total soil lead concentration (mg/kg); IVBAperc: Percentage (%) of IVBA lead; IVBAmgkg: Concentration (mg/kg) of In vitro bioaccessible lead; Pppm: Concentration of phosphorus (mg/kg); pH: Soil pH; OM: Soil organic matter content (%); CEC: Cation exhange capacity (cmol+/kg); Group: Treatment or control group identifier, samples that were randomly selected for no treatment are labeled as control, samples that were selected for treatment are labeled as intervention; Control_Intrvnt: Binary treatment or control group identifier, samples that were randomly selected for no treatment are equal to 0, samples that were selected for treatment are equal to 1; DaysAged: The amount of time that has passed from initial sampling to final sampling in days; SoilTexture: Soil texture classification determined by feel; DLsand: Percentage (%) sand; DLsilt: Percentage (%) silt; DLclay: Percentage (%) clay; DLtexture: Soil texture classification based on USDA soil texture triangle.
Granualar_Treatment_Dataset.csv
278 record dataset, soil samples
Data dictionary:
Variable: Variable Description
Sample_Name: Anonymous sample identifier, each sample name represents a unique soil sample from a residential property in Detroit metropolitan area; Sample_Group: Anonymous parcel identifier for which samples were harvested from specific volunteer properties in the Detroit metropolitan area; F_M_R: Sample collection location on property, sampling locations had individual samples collected from the front (F), middle (M), and rear (R) sections of the property; Pre_Post: binary sampling identifier, samples collected before treatment are equal to 0, samples collected after treatment are equal to 1; Treatment_days: The amount of time that has passed from initial sampling to final sampling in days; Treated_area_sf: The total area of the properties (in square footage) where the samples were collected from; Intervention_or_control: Sampling identifier, samples that were randomly selected for no treatment are labeled as control, samples that were selected for treatment are labeled as intervention; Control_intervention: Binary sampling identifier, samples that were randomly selected for no treatment are equal to 0, samples that were selected for treatment are equal to 1; Total_BM_Applied_ppm: The amount of bonemeal applied (mg/kg) to each sampling site, amount added was determined by the amount of natural amount of phosphorus in the soil; Fill_native_unknown: Samples were visually identified to determine if they were native soils, some form of fill that was not native, or unidentifiable (unknown); OM_perc: Soil organic matter content (%); CEC_meq: Cation exchange capacity (cmol+/kg); pH: Soil pH measured; Mehlich3_P: Phosphorus as P (mg/kg); P1Bray_ppm: Phosphorus as P (mg/kg); Total_P_ppm: Concentration of phosphorus (mg/kg). For soils with a pH less than 7.3, the Bray 1 equivalent P concentration is reported; Leach_P_ppm: leached P concentration from soils (mg/kg); Kppm: Concentration of potassium (mg/kg); Cappm: Concentration of calcium (mg/kg); Mgppm: Concentration of magnesium (mg/kg); Sppm: Concentration of sulfur (mg/kg); Nappm: Concentration of sodium (mg/kg); perc_Sand: Percentage (%) sand; perc_Silt: Percentage (%) silt; perc_Clay: Percentage (%) clay; SoilTexture: Soil texture classification determined by feel; Total_Pb_ppm: Total soil lead concentration (mg/kg); Total_As_ppm: Total soil As concentration (mg/kg); IVBA_ppm: Concentration (mg/kg) of In vitro bioaccessible lead; IVBA_perc: Percentage (%) of IVBA lead
Advancing Neural Implicit Representations For Efficient 3d Scene Reconstruction And Mapping
No full textNeural implicit representations have become a foundational tool in computer vision and graphics, enabling compact, high-fidelity modeling of 3D geometry from partial or sparse observations. However, challenges such as unstable optimization, lack of geometric precision, and inefficiency in real-time scenarios continue to hinder their broader applicability. In this dissertation, we present a unified framework that introduces quantization and surface-aware modeling to overcome these barriers, advancing the capabilities of neural implicit representations across multi-view reconstruction, signed distance field (SDF) inference, and neural simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM).
Our contributions are threefold:
1. Multi-view 3D Reconstruction via Coordinate QuantizationWe propose a novel method to discretize continuous spatial coordinates into high-resolution quantized grids, stabilizing the optimization of coordinate-based neural implicit functions. By reducing input variation and promoting sample reuse across views, our quantization strategy enhances multi-view consistency and improves surface fidelity without additional computational cost. Experimental results on benchmarks such as DTU and BlendedMVS demonstrate superior performance over state-of-the-art methods like NeuS, UNISURF, and NeuralWarp, offering a plug-and-play solution for existing frameworks.
2. SDF Inference with Surface Patch SensingTo improve geometric accuracy in implicit surface reconstruction, we introduce a surface-aware approach that senses local surface patches from ray-surface intersections during volume rendering. By imposing explicit geometric constraints—such as normals, consistency losses, and photo-consistency—on these inferred patches, our method produces more accurate, artifact-free reconstructions. Extensive evaluations on Replica, ScanNet, and NeuralRGBD validate its effectiveness, setting new benchmarks for implicit surface inference from sparse views.
3. Neural SLAM with Query QuantizationAddressing real-time SLAM challenges, we develop a query quantization mechanism that discretizes input queries using a learnable codebook. This approach accelerates convergence by making neural networks increasingly familiar with repeated inputs, enabling robust camera tracking and mapping in dynamic environments. Our method achieves state-of-the-art accuracy and efficiency on datasets like TUM RGB-D, ScanNet, and SyntheticRGBD, outperforming systems such as iMAP, NICE-SLAM, and Co-SLAM.
Each of these contributions is supported by open-source implementations—CQ-NIR, Surface-Sensing-SDF, and QQ-SLAM—which not only ensure reproducibility but also provide a foundation for future research in 3D vision, robotics, and graphics.
By unifying quantization techniques with geometric awareness, this dissertation paves the way toward scalable, stable, and accurate 3D scene understanding. The generalizability of the proposed framework suggests promising applications in areas such as AR/VR, autonomous navigation, and generative 3D modeling. Looking forward, we envision further extensions to dynamic scene reconstruction, multi-modal data integration, and adaptive real-time systems, driving the next generation of 3D perception and interaction
Tiles of Time and Faith: Pewabic Pottery, Sacred Symbolism, and Gothic Imagery in Religious Architecture
No full textThis research explores the presence and significance of Pewabic tiles in sacred spaces in historic churches. It examines the architects, artistic influences behind the tiles, and thematic connections to religious iconography, including Gothic and astrological symbolism. It emphasizes zodiac symbolism in ecclesiastical settings, linking these designs to historical and cultural traditions across Europe and the United States. Additionally, the study highlights Mary Chase Perry Stratton and her research on religious art, which informed her ceramic works. By analyzing archival materials, site visits, and historical sources, this research deepens understanding of the intersection between Pewabic Pottery, religious architecture, and astronomical symbolism
Fashioning Spectacular Bodies: The Affordances of Dress in the 1804 Pantomime of Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper
No full textSartorial goods figure prominently in the culture-text known as “Cinderella,” with signifying potential that is complex and polyvalent. Drawing on Caroline Levine’s use of “affordances” to “describe the potential uses or actions latent in materials and designs,” I focus on examples from Perrault’s French tale (1697) and the first British pantomime of the story (1804) to reassess the subtle agency of clothing. I look at costumed bodies that were situated at the interface of fashion, politics, performance, and fairy tale
Trans-Species Fairy-Tale Femininities: The Criticality and Performativity of Human-Nonhuman Costuming in Antonín Dvořák’s Opera Rusalka
No full textStaged interpretations of Antonín Dvořák’s Rusalka, kin to other aquatic fairy-tale characters such as Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” can situate the opera in trans-species, postcolonial, and new materialist approaches by positioning costume not simply as representational, but as matter actively performing moments, worlds, and transformations. Through distributed agency, the costuming of human-nonhumanity intersects multiple other power imbalances, particularly when engaging the pre-Christian rusalki, mythical antecedents that regulated elemental forces in Slavic folklore, illuminating ecofeminist readings pertinent in addressing climate change. Through costume, this fairy-tale opera raises consciousness on entangled social and environmental concerns, affecting performance and consequently the audience
ずきん倶楽部 The Riding Hood Club: From Fairy Tales Lost and Found, written by Ogawa Yōko, illustrated by Higami Kumiko (Tokyo: Hōmusha 2006; Poplar 2012)
No full textThis is the first publication of Lucy Fraser’s translation of Ogawa Yōko’s short story “Zukin kurabu” (The Riding Hood Club) from Japanese into English. Ogawa’s tale, from the 2006 collection Fairy Tales Lost and Found, responds creatively to the story of “Little Red Riding Hood” with a focus on the history and significance of the hood as a piece of clothing
Characterizing KMT2D in Endometrial Cancer
Get PDFEndometrial cancer is rising in incidence in the United States, notably among premenopausal women. This increase and the trend of delayed childbearing warrant the need for further advancement in fertility-sparing treatment for endometrial cancer. A gene left widely unexplored in its possible clinical utility as a target for fertility-sparing treatment is KMT2D, a lysine-specific methyltransferase and tumor suppressor. Preliminary gene set enrichment analysis on a 12Z endometriotic epithelial cell line identified TIMP3 as a gene that is possibly regulated by KMT2D expression. TIMP3 encodes an irreversible inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a well-recognized class of proteins as contributing to the progression of cancer. A homozygous KMT2D knockout mouse model was used to evaluate the relationship between KMT2D and TIMP3. Uteri from these mouse models underwent immunohistochemistry to determine the relative quantity of TIMP3 protein present. The results indicated that TIMP3 was present at higher levels with functional KMT2D compared to absent KMT2D, suggesting that KMT2D is responsible for regulating TIMP3 expression. These results provide insight into how KMT2D mutations mechanistically can drive the progression of endometrial cancer, and offer a potential novel target for fertility-sparing therapeutics
Barriers to Substance Use Treatment in Pregnant Populations: A Literature Review and Patient Perspectives in Detroit
Get PDFIntroduction:
Substance use during pregnancy is one of the leading preventable causes of pregnancy-associated mortality in Michigan, yet pregnant individuals who use substances are less likely to access prenatal care or substance use disorder (SUD) treatment relative to other pregnant people, leading to worse outcomes for the parent and fetus. Understanding the barriers to treatment that pregnant people with SUD face is essential to improving health outcomes and access to care. The aim of this project is to identify accessibility barriers to substance use treatment in pregnant populations through a literature review and key informant interviews with individuals who misused substances during pregnancy in the Detroit area.
Methods:
A comprehensive literature review will be performed using PubMed. Studies will be included if they (1) explore barriers to substance use treatment during pregnancy and (2) were published within the last 15 years. Findings will be used to develop a model of barriers to treatment. The model will additionally be evaluated by collecting interview data with 10 parents impacted by SUD during pregnancy, recruited through community-based treatment centers. Transcripts will be coded and themes will be examined to further refine the proposed model of barriers to care for pregnant people with SUD.
Results:
Data collection and analysis are in progress and expected to be completed before the symposium.
Conclusion:
Results will be used to create and refine a comprehensive model of barriers to accessing care for pregnant people with SUD. Findings can guide future research focused on improving accessibility, thus improving health outcomes within specific communities
Externalizing behavior problems and attentional domains in a community-based adolescent sample
Get PDFExternalizing behavior problems are characterized by maladaptive behavioral patterns directed toward the external environment, such as poor impulse control, aggression, and inattention. While existing literature suggests that attention may play a critical role in the cognitive profile of externalizing behaviors, the relationship between externalizing problem behaviors and specific attention domains in school-age youth remains understudied. This gap is particularly important as externalizing problems are prevalent during this developmental period and are predictive of adverse outcomes. In this study, we examined the association between externalizing problem behaviors and attentional performance in a community sample of 69 adolescents (M + SD = 13.30 + 2.28 years, 57% female). Externalizing behaviors were assessed using the parent-reported Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and attentional performance was measured with the Attentional Network Task, which evaluates three key attention domains: alerting, orienting, and executive control. Externalizing behaviors were distributed across a broad range in the sample (M + SD = 4.88 + 4.78). Youth with higher externalizing scores demonstrated greater orienting attention efficiency (r = 0.30, p = 0.49). This association was specifically driven by the CBCL attention problems subscale, with greater orienting efficiency correlating with greater attentional difficulties (r = 0.43, p \u3c 0.01). In contrast, no significant associations were observed between externalizing behaviors and either alerting (r = -0.01, p = 0.93) or executive attention efficiency (r = 0.13, p = 0.28). These results show that externalizing problem behaviors are associated with the orienting domain of attention, and not with the alerting and executive domains of attention. Though this pattern is unexpected, increased orienting attention network efficiency may align with hyperactive and highly distractible behavior patterns that are often associated with externalizing behavior dur to orienting attention engaging bottom-up processing to interrupt top-down processing to direct attention towards a particular stimulus. Altogether, these findings are promising and important in the efforts of investigating attention’s role in the development of adolescence externalizing problem behaviors. We expected to see a negative correlation between orienting attention efficiency and externalizing scores as well as a positive correlation between executive attention efficiency and externalizing scores
A Systematic Review of Cultural and Structural Barriers to Mammogram Access Among Immigrant Women
Get PDFIntroduction:
Mammograms are crucial for early breast cancer detection and reducing mortality (5). However, U.S. minorities, particularly immigrants, are less likely to receive screenings (9). Identifying barriers can help tailor interventions to meet immigrant women’s needs.
Methods:
Studies were found on PubMed using a systematic review protocol following PRISMA guidelines (8). Search terms included “minority,” “mammograms,” and “barriers.” Articles were then selected for a full-text review by three authors. 220 articles were narrowed down to 7 by relevance and date of publishing (2005 and beyond).
Results:
Cultural barriers often limit immigrant women’s access to breast cancer screenings. In certain non-Western cultures, illness stigma deters women from screenings to maintain a perception of health (7). Additionally, modesty and gender concerns add to their reluctance (9). Language barriers also play a role, as non-English-speaking women may struggle to understand the importance of mammograms and hesitate to ask questions due to fears of miscommunication or judgment (2).
Conclusion:
Health outcomes are impacted by early breast cancer detection using mammograms. Specifically, immigrant communities need culturally tailored, accessible screenings (6). Improving health literacy and collaborating with community leaders (religious figures, clinics, shelters) can also boost education and screening rates among immigrant women