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A New Goodness-of-Fit Test for Azzalini’s Skew-t Distribution Based on the Energy Distance Framework with Applications
No full textIn response to the growing need for flexible parametric models for skewed and heavy-tailed data, this paper introduces a novel goodness-of-fit test for the Skew-t distribution, a widely used flexible parametric probability distribution. Traditional methods often fail to capture the complex behavior of data in fields such as engineering, public health, and the social sciences. Our proposed test, based on energy statistics, provides practitioners with a robust and powerful tool for assessing the suitability of the Skew-t distribution for their data. We present a comprehensive methodological evaluation, including a comparative study that highlights the advantages of our approach over traditional tests. The results of our simulation studies demonstrate a significant improvement in power, leading to more reliable inference. To further showcase the practical utility of our method, we apply the proposed test to three real-world datasets, offering a valuable contribution to both the theoretical and applied aspects of statistical modeling for non-normal data.
This article was published Open Access through the CCU Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund. The article was first published in the journal Mathematics: https://doi.org/10.3390/math1323383
Framing the Future: A Community Health Analysis of the Pee Dee Region
Full text linkThis report presents a comprehensive, data-driven analysis of community health across South Carolina’s Pee Dee region, encompassing Florence, Darlington, Chesterfield, Marlboro, Marion, and Dillon Counties. Using tract-level data from CDC PLACES, the U.S. Census, and the National Provider Identifier registry, it assesses chronic health conditions, health behaviors, and social determinants of health. The analysis incorporates the South Carolina Healthy Communities Index (SCHCI) and a Suitability Analysis to identify the region’s most disadvantaged communities. The findings highlight persistent disparities, particularly in rural counties, where high rates of poverty, chronic disease, and unmet basic needs intersect with limited access to care. Despite relatively strong preventive service use in some areas, poor outcomes persist—underscoring the need for structural change and cross-sector solutions. This report provides actionable, equity-focused recommendations to guide healthcare providers, community leaders, and policymakers in addressing the root causes of health inequities and prioritizing the region’s most vulnerable populations
Task demands influence search strategy selection in otoconia-deficient mice
Full text linkIntroduction: The vestibular system plays a crucial role in visual and non-visual navigation. Our recent study found that signals from the otolith organs are necessary for mice’s use of distal visual cues to guide navigation to an invisible goal. Somewhat surprisingly, however, performance was not significantly impaired on some spatial tasks (e.g., Barnes maze reference memory task), questioning the role of otolith signals in visual navigation.
Methods: We report the results of several additional tests of reference memory performance and search strategy use on two versions of the Barnes maze, in an attempt to establish further understanding of the otolithic contribution to visual navigation.
Results: On a small Barnes maze, control mice preferentially used the efficient “spatial” search strategy by the last (8th) day of training, whereas otoconia-deficient tilted mice failed to show this preference. On the subsequent probe trial, both groups showed a preference for the former goal location, suggesting otolith signals are not necessary for the use of distal cues to triangulate the animal’s position, relative to distal cues. On a large Barnes maze, both control and tilted mice used a spatial search strategy most frequently by the last (4th) day of training and showed a preference for the former goal location on the subsequent probe trial.
Discussion: Overall, these results suggest that otolith dysfunction in mice is associated with subtle navigational deficits that became apparent on the small maze but that were less apparent on the large maze. It is possible that these navigational differences resulted from the greater distance between start and goal locations of the large maze, relative to the small maze. Alternatively, the large maze’s greater distance between the goal and potential alternatives may have facilitated more accurate place recognition.
This article was published Open Access through the CCU Libraries Transformative Agreement Program. The article was first published in Frontiers in Neurology: 10.3389/fneur.2025.153170
The Chanticleer, 2025-03-27
Full text linkThe editorially independent student produced weekly newspaper of Coastal Carolina University.https://digitalcommons.coastal.edu/chanticleer/1731/thumbnail.jp
We Feel, We Understand: Examining the Moderating Effects of Publics\u27 Empathy on Crisis Outcomes Across Crisis Types and Response Strategies
Full text linkThis study examines how empathy, operationalized into affective and cognitive dimensions, influences stakeholders\u27 perceptions during organisational crises. Also, the study explores the mediating role of account acceptance in the relationship between crisis response strategies and organisational outcomes. An online three (crisis type: victim vs. accidental vs. preventable) × two (crisis response strategy: apology vs. denial) between-subjects experimental design with 686 participants randomly assigned to different crises (victim, accidental, preventable) and response strategy (apology, denial) was conducted. The findings reveal that account acceptance mediates the relationship between crisis response strategies and key organisational outcomes such as reputation, forgiveness, and purchase intention. Moreover, affective and cognitive empathy serve as moderators, amplifying or diminishing the effectiveness of these strategies. This research provides both theoretical insights and practical guidance on leveraging empathy to enhance crisis communication.
This article was published Open Access through the CCU Libraries Transformative Agreement Program. The article was first published in the Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management: https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-5973.7002
Navigating the psychosocial landscape of Ehlers–Danlos syndrome: an autobiographic case study
No full textLiving with a rare disorder, such as Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome (EDS), presents unique psychosocial challenges. This autobiographical case study explores the psychological, social, and professional impacts of navigating life with hypermobile EDS (hEDS), a condition marked by chronic pain, joint instability, and diagnostic uncertainty. Placing personal experiences into the context of clinical findings and research, this study highlights both the physical and emotional toll of the syndrome, including stigma, isolation, and medical gaslighting often accompanying rare conditions. The first-person case study of the first author extracted by the second author experienced in qualitative interviewing provides a first-hand account of the importance of addressing the psychosocial dimensions of rare disorders to foster understanding, empathy, and systemic improvements in patient care. In addition to calls for more encompassing medical care, this work also advocates for increased access to psychosocial support and recognition of the broader implications of living with rare, often invisible conditions.
This article was published Open Access through the CCU Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund. The article was first published in the journal Discover Mental Health: https://doi.org/10.1007/s44192-025-00268-
Activists on board: Shareholder activists and their influence on firm strategic change
Full text linkThe prevalence of shareholder activism has resulted in the placement of activist-appointed directors onto the boards of firms. Extant research on this phenomenon has taken a rational approach in examining how such directors bring about change but has not accounted for the behavioral implications associated with their placement on boards. Building on theory involving alignment and legitimacy at the team level, this paper adopts a behavioral approach in theorizing how the placement of activist shareholders themselves as directors onto the boards of firms brings about firm change. The study finds that such activists lead to less firm change. Further, it finds support for the effects of demographic similarity between such activists and incumbent directors in causing change.
This article was published Open Access through the CCU Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund. The article was first published in Journal of General Management: https://doi.org/10.1177/0306307025133203
A reshaped ladder? Southern States and US Representatives’ progressive ambition
No full textIn what follows, we begin with a brief comparison of snapshots between periods in the South and non-South. We then move to a broader discussion of progressive ambition, with a specific focus on the House of Representatives. Next, we discuss our data and findings, which show that Southern members and those from states with increased competition are less likely to emerge before discussing our contributions and next steps