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New Poll Measures Presidential Popularity
Dr. Meena Bose was interviewed by Newsweek regarding a new poll from Marquette University that found Americans view former President Barack Obama more favorably than President Donald Trump. Dr. Bose explained that Obama’s “personal appeal, inspirational rhetoric, and unanticipated success in the 2008 presidential race continue to have strong public support.” “The promise of hope and change are defining features of the Obama presidential campaign and still influence assessments of his presidency,” she said. Dr. Bose is a Hofstra University professor of political science, executive dean of the Public Policy and Public Service program, and director of the Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency.
With the opening of a new cardiology practice at its Wilmington campus, ChristianaCare is bringing life-saving treatment for peripheral artery disease (PAD) closer to home for people who live in and around the city of Wilmington. Peripheral artery disease happens when plaque builds up in the arteries and limits blood flow to the legs. This can cause pain, cramping and difficulty walking. If left untreated, it can lead to serious problems like limb loss, heart attack or stroke. “We’re on a mission to improve the heart and vascular health of our community, and one of the key ways we do that is to identify where people need access to care and ensure that it’s convenient, high-quality and accessible. ChristianaCare’s expansion of cardiology services to the Wilmington campus has made it easier for patients in Wilmington and the surrounding community to receive excellent heart and vascular care,” said Kirk Garratt, M.D., MSc, medical director of the Center for Heart and Vascular Health. “Importantly, it’s part of a multi-disciplinary effort to bring a focus on PAD that includes vascular surgery and interventional radiology. We’re expanding those services in the Wilmington community, too.” In Delaware, an estimated 45,000 to 50,000 people are living with PAD. The condition is more common among older adults and those with diabetes, high blood pressure or a history of smoking, all of which are widespread in the state. Because symptoms can be subtle, many people may not know they have it. That’s why awareness and early diagnosis are so important. Anyone who experiences leg pain, numbness or slow-healing sores should talk with their doctor. A simple test can measure blood flow, and with the right treatment or lifestyle changes, people can ease symptoms and lower their risk of serious complications. The new practice, located in the Gateway Building at Wilmington Hospital, 501 West 14th Street, 4th Floor, offers convenient access to diagnosis and treatment in the heart of the city. The practice is open on Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., and hours will be adjusted based on patient demand. Meet the Cardiologist: Dr. Vikashsingh Rambhujun Board-certified interventional cardiologist Vikashsingh Rambhujun, MBBS, has cared for ChristianaCare patients for more than a decade and now sees patients at the Wilmington practice. Rambhujun earned his medical degree from SSR Medical College in Mauritius. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the NYU Grossman Long Island School in New York and did his fellowship in cardiovascular medicine and interventional cardiology at ChristianaCare. Rambhujun also spent a year doing interventional cardiology and endovascular medicine and interventions at Yale University Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut. His research has been published widely in medical journals. Rambhujun aims to help patients manage PAD before it becomes advanced. When appropriate, he can perform minimally invasive catheter-based procedures to open blockages in the arteries. “We have new patients with blockages that haven’t progressed to the point that they need a procedure, which is where we want to catch them,” Rambhujun said. “We can manage their cholesterol, blood pressure and other risk factors to prevent disease from progressing.” When Rambhujun began practicing in Wilmington, he made it a priority to speak at local community meetings, raising awareness about the warning signs of heart and vascular disease. His message is simple but urgent: don’t wait; seek treatment early. “We’re trying to help people keep their toes and feet,” he said. “When we treat blockages from peripheral artery disease, the difference can be dramatic,” he said. “Patients who once struggled to walk even a short distance because of pain can leave the hospital able to move freely again. Helping someone reclaim their basic freedoms to walk, stay active and enjoy life is incredibly rewarding.”
From field to festival: How pumpkins grew into an autumn symbol
Type “Halloween” into your phone’s emoji search bar, and you’ll get three icons: a skull, a ghost, and a jack-o'-lantern. The skull and ghost make sense — but how did the pumpkin carve out such a starring role in our fall celebrations? Cindy Ott, associate professor of history and material culture at the University of Delaware, has the answer. She literally wrote the book on pumpkins, exploring how this humble orange gourd grew from a survival crop to a powerful symbol of American identity and nostalgia. Today, pumpkins dominate the fall season — from pumpkin pies and soups to the ever-popular pumpkin spice latte. Ott’s research uncovers how the pumpkin’s transformation from practical produce to cultural icon reflects broader shifts in American history, values, and traditions. To schedule an interview with Professor Ott, contact MediaRelations@udel.edu.
Supporting the development of advanced computing hardware, the National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, Ph.D., Commonwealth Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) College of Engineering with more than $300,000 to develop processor-in-memory architecture using quantum materials. “This is one of the first mainstream applications of quantum materials that have unusual and unique quantum mechanical properties,” Bandyopadhyay said. “Quantum materials have been researched for more than a decade and yet there is not a single mainstream product in the market that utilizes them. We want to change that.” The four-year project, titled “Collaborative Research, Foundations of Emerging Technologies: PRocessor In Memory Architecture based on Topological Electronics (PRIMATE),” aims to advance computing hardware and artificial intelligence by integrating topological insulators and magnetic materials. Topological insulators are a special material with an electrically conductive surface and an insulated interior. They have special quantum mechanical properties like “spin-momentum locking,” which ensures the quantum mechanical spin of an electron-conducting current on the surface of the material is always perpendicular to the direction of motion.This marks the first time such quantum materials will be used in a processor-in-memory system. “We place a magnet on top of a topological insulator,” Bandyopadhyay said. “We then change the magnetization of the magnet by applying mechanical strain on it. That changes the electrical properties of the topological insulator via a quantum mechanical interaction known as exchange interaction. This change in the electrical properties can be exploited to perform the functions of a processor-in-memory computer architecture. The advantage is that this process is fast and extremely energy-efficient.” If successful, this approach could reduce energy use and dramatically speed up computing by moving data processing into the memory itself. It addresses the longstanding “memory bottleneck,” the slowdown caused by computers constantly needing to move data back and forth between processor and memory. These efficiencies could make advanced AI more efficient and accessible, paving the way for the first commercially viable applications of quantum materials.. The research is a collaboration with University of Virginia professors Avik Ghosh and Joseph Poon. A VCU Ph.D. student will work on the project and receive training in fabrication, characterization and measurement techniques, preparing them to lead in the rapidly evolving field of computing hardware.
'Brain-on-a-chip': Engineering tomorrow’s breakthroughs today
A “brain-on-a-chip” technology might sound like science fiction, but it’s real-world hope. James McGrath, a biomedical engineer at the University of Rochester, leads a team that develops micro-scale tissue chips to study diseases in lieu of conducting animal experiments. The team’s “brain-on-a-chip” model replicates the blood-brain barrier — the critical membrane separating the brain from the bloodstream — to mimic how the barrier functions under healthy conditions and the duress of infections, toxins, and immune responses that can weaken it. Recent findings from McGrath’s team show how systemic inflammation, such as that caused by sepsis, can compromise the barrier and harm brain cells. The researchers also demonstrated how pericytes — supportive vascular cells — can help repair barrier damage, an insight that could guide new therapies for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The research culminated in a pair of recent studies published in Advanced Science and Materials Today Bio. “We hope that by building these tissue models in chip format, we can arrange many brain models in a high-density array to screen candidates for neuroprotective drugs and develop brain models with diverse genetic backgrounds,” McGrath says. McGrath aims to transform how scientists test drugs and predict neurological side effects before they occur — helping rewrite how we study, and one day safeguard, the brain. Contact McGrath by clicking on his profile
The e-learning resource, Supporting people living with long COVID, was developed by the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE) It is designed to help community pharmacy teams build their skills, knowledge and confidence The programme offers video and audio resources, practical consultation examples and strategies for supporting individuals. Professor Ian Maidment at Aston Pharmacy School has been involved in a project with the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE) to develop a new e-learning programme for community pharmacists, called Supporting people living with long COVID. The programme is designed to help community pharmacy teams build their skills, knowledge and confidence to support people managing the long-term effects of COVID-19. It was developed with researchers undertaking the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)-funded PHARM-LC research study: What role can community PHARMacy play in the support of people with long COVID? During the development of the e-learning resource, as well as with Professor Maidment, CPPE worked in collaboration with researchers from Keele University, the University of Kent, Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust and lechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru (Public Health Wales). The research draws on lived experience of long COVID, as well as the views of community pharmacy teams on what learning they need to better support people living with the condition. This new programme offers video and audio resources, practical consultation examples and strategies for supporting individuals through lifestyle advice, person-centred care and access to wider services. Professor Maidment said: “As an ex-community pharmacist, community pharmacy can have a key role in helping people living with long COVID. The approach is in line with the NHS 10 Year Health Plan, which aims to develop the role of community pharmacy in supporting people with long-term conditions.” Professor Carolyn Chew-Graham, professor of general practice research at Keele University, said: “Two million people in the UK are living with long COVID, a condition people are still developing, which may not be readily recognised, because routine testing for acute infection has largely stopped. For many, the pharmacy is the first place they seek advice about persisting symptoms following viral infection. The pharmacy team, therefore, has the potential to play a really important role in supporting people with long COVID. This learning programme provides evidence-based information to develop the confidence of pharmacy staff in talking to people with long COVID. Developed with people living with long COVID, the programme’s key message is to believe and empathise with people about their symptoms.” Visit www.cppe.ac.uk/programmes/l/covid-e-01 to access the e-learning programme. This project is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme (Grant Reference Number NIHR205384).
A global team of researchers using the new X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) telescope, launched in fall 2023, discovered something unexpected while observing a well-studied neutron star system called GX13+1. Instead of simply capturing a clearer view of its usual, predictable activity, their February 2024 observation revealed a surprisingly slow cosmic wind, the cause of which could offer new insights into the fundamental physics of how matter accumulates, or “accretes,” in certain types of binary systems. The study was one of the first from XRISM looking at wind from an X-ray binary system, and its results were published in Nature—the world's leading multidisciplinary science journal—in September 2025. Spectral analysis indicated GX13+1 was at that very moment undergoing a luminous super-Eddington phase, meaning the neutron star was shining so brightly that the radiation pressure from its surface overcame gravity, leading to a powerful ejection of any infalling material (hence the slow cosmic wind). Further comparison to previous data implied that such phases may be part of a cycle, and could “change the way we think about the behavior of these systems,” according to Joey Neilsen, PhD, associate professor of Physics at Villanova University. Dr. Neilsen played a prominent role as a co-investigator and one of the corresponding authors of the project, along with colleagues at the University of Durham (United Kingdom), Osaka University (Japan), and the University of Teacher Education Fukuoka (Japan). Overall, the collaboration featured researchers from dozens of institutions across the world. GX13+1 is a binary system consisting of a neutron star orbiting a K5 III companion star—a cooler giant star nearing the end of its life. Neutron stars are small, incredibly dense cores of supergiant stars that have undergone supernovae explosions. They are so dense, Dr. Neilsen says, that one teaspoon of its material would weigh about the same as Mount Everest. Because of this, they yield an incredibly strong gravitational field. When these highly compact neutron stars orbit companion stars, they can pull in, or accrete, material from that companion. That inflowing material forms a visible rotating disk of gas and dust called an accretion disk, which is extremely hot and shines brightly in X-rays. It’s so bright that sometimes it can actually drive matter away from the neutron star. “Imagine putting a giant lightbulb in a lake,” Dr. Neilsen said. “If it’s bright enough, it will start to boil that lake and then you would get steam, which flows away like a wind. It’s the same concept; the light can heat up and exert pressure on the accretion disk, launching a wind.” The original purpose of the study was to use XRISM to observe an accretion disk wind, with GX13+1 targeted specifically because its disk is persistently bright, it reliably produces winds, and it has been well studied using Chandra— NASA’s flagship X-ray observatory—and other telescopes for comparison. XRISM can measure the X-ray energies from these systems a factor of 10 more precisely than Chandra, allowing researchers to both demonstrate the capabilities of the new instrument and study the motion of outflowing gas around the neutron star. This can provide new insights into accretion processes. “It's like comparing a blurry image to a much sharper one,” Dr. Neilsen said. “The atomic physics hasn't changed, but you can see it much more clearly.” The researchers uncovered an exciting surprise when the higher-resolution spectrum showed much deeper absorption lines than expected. They determined that the wind was nearly opaque to X-rays and slow at “only” 1.4 million miles per hour—surprisingly leisurely for such a bright source. Based on the data, the team was able to infer that GX13+1 must have been even brighter than usual and undergoing a super-Eddington phase. So much material was ejected that it made GX13+1 appear fainter to the instrument. “There's a theoretical maximum luminosity that you can get out of an accreting object, called the Eddington limit. At that point, the radiation pressure from the light of the infalling gas is so large that it can actually hold the matter away,” Dr. Neilsen said, equating it to standing at the bottom of a waterfall and shining light so brightly that the waterfall stops. “What we saw was that GX13+1 had to have been near, or maybe even above, the Eddington limit.” The team compared their XRISM data from this super-Eddington phase to a set of previous observations without the resolution to measure the absorption lines directly. They found several older observations with faint, unusually shaped X-ray spectra similar to the one seen by XRISM. “XRISM explained these periods with funny-shaped spectra as not just anomalies, but the result of this phenomenally strong accretion disk wind in all its glory,” Dr. Neilsen said. “If we hadn’t caught this exact period with XRISM, we would never have understood those earlier data.” The connection suggests that this system spends roughly 10 percent of its time in a super-Eddington phase, which means super-Eddington accretion may be more common than previously understood—perhaps even following cycles—in neutron star or black hole binary systems. “Temporary super-Eddington phases might actually be a thing that accreting systems do, not just something unique to this system,” Dr. Neilsen said. “And if neutron stars and black holes are doing it, what about supermassive black holes? Perhaps this could pave the way for a deeper understanding of all these systems.”
Soaring gold prices could bring big rewards – and even bigger risks
This week, gold prices surged to record highs, reshaping both the financial and geopolitical landscape. The University of Delaware’s Saleem Ali can explain the potential environmental, social and economic ripple effects of this gold rush and the opportunities and risks it creates. He says a controlled release of global gold reserves could help ease market pressure and mitigate the negative impacts. Ali, a professor of energy and the environment, can discuss the following main points: • The record gold price (which dipped slightly today) has implications for new gold mining projects becoming more financially attractive which could have environmental and social implications in those areas. • Major gold trading hubs like Switzerland and Dubai will need to be more vigilant as gold will become more attractive for the illicit economy for commodities. • We have major global bank reserves of gold even though the gold standard is no longer used to back currency. Some of these reserves could be liquidated to reduce pressure and negative externalities. Such a controlled release of gold reserves could help to manage the price rise. Ali also serves on the Independent Governance Committee for the Dubai Multicommodity Center, which manages all of the gold coming into the United Arab Emirates. To reach Ali directly and arrange an interview, visit his profile and click on the “connect” button. Interested reporters can also send an email to MediaRelations@udel.edu.
In the two years since Augusta University and Wellstar Health System formally signed an agreement on August 30, 2023, the historic partnership has continued to evolve into a truly collaborative alliance. At its heart, the mission hasn’t changed: improving the health and wellbeing of all Georgians while educating and preparing the next generation of health care providers through access to world-class training. That was the message shared by Augusta University President Russell T. Keen, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University Dean David C. Hess, MD, and former Wellstar President and CEO Candice L. Saunders at the recent Health Connect South conference held at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. During their panel “Advancing Healthcare Through Public-Private Partnerships,” the three leaders – each instrumental in helping to create, implement and mold the historic partnership – shared with close to 1,100 attendees their insight into what makes the partnership beneficial for all and how it can be a model for advancing health care and health care education in Georgia and beyond. The full panel discussion is available for viewing here: It was an important event, and a full article is attached below as well. And if you're interested in learning more about the partnership between Augusta University and Wellstar, or connect with Augusta's President Russell T. Keen - simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
Delaware study reveals higher rates of anxiety, substance use among LGBT+ youth
A new study has found that LGBT+ youth in Delaware are experiencing disproportionately high rates of anxiety, depression and substance use compared to their cisgender heterosexual peers. University of Delaware’s Eric Layland, assistant professor in the College of Education and Human Development, and his coauthors reported that nearly one in four Delaware teens identifies as LGBT+, a dramatic increase from earlier state surveys that put the figure closer to 5%. More than one in 20 identified as transgender or nonbinary, reflecting national trends of increased visibility among Generation Z. The study revealed stark mental health differences. About half of cisgender heterosexual youth reported recent anxiety, compared to 75 to 80% of LGBT+ youth. These rates exceed both their heterosexual peers in Delaware and national averages for LGBT+ youth. Substance use patterns also raised concerns. By 8th grade, LGBT+ students reported higher rates of drinking, smoking, vaping and prescription drug misuse. Researchers noted that their substance use looked more like that of 11th grade heterosexual students than their peers in the same grade, pointing to early onset of risky behaviors. These disparities, established in middle school, largely persisted into high school. While substance use increased among all students over time, LGBT+ youth consistently reported higher rates. Based on state population data, the findings suggest there may be 18,000 to 20,000 LGBT+ youth in Delaware, including up to 5,000 transgender and nonbinary youth. The authors say this underscores the importance of ensuring that schools, healthcare providers and community programs have the resources to meet the needs of this population. This is one of the first Delaware-specific studies on youth health disparities by sexual orientation and gender identity using data collected after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results, researchers say, highlight an urgent need for early intervention and affirming support systems for LGBT+ youth across the state. Layland, who specializes in LGBTQ+ development and affirmative interventions, can speak more about specific interventions. He is available by clicking his profile.
