OU researcher earns NSF CAREER Award to engineer better EV batteries

New $556K National Science Foundation grant will help University of Oklahoma scientists enhance the effectiveness of next-gen lithium-ion energy storage

University of Oklahoma

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As electric vehicles (EV) race for market share with combustion engines, batteries are posing a major roadblock.

A University of Oklahoma mechanical engineering professor is leading efforts to advance EV battery technologies.

Dong Zhang, an assistant professor at the Gallogly College of Engineering, has been awarded a highly prestigious CAREER Award by the National Science Foundation (NSF), an early-career recognition that comes with a five-year, $556,000 grant to study next-generation batteries.

Because current lithium-ion battery technologies have limited energy density – a measure of how much energy they can store – EVs on the market today need large, heavy fuel packs to achieve desirable driving ranges. An average EV can travel 250 to 300 miles on a full charge, while gas-powered cars can go 300 to 500 miles on a single tank.

To produce batteries with higher energy densities, researchers are exploring advances in battery mechanisms and chemistries. Zhang’s efforts focus on using computational modeling and control algorithms to enhance real-time operational efficiency, improve performance and extend service life.

Researchers know that composite materials for battery electrodes offer higher energy densities compared to single-material electrodes. One compelling example is silicon-graphite composite anodes, which are nearly 10 times more efficient than commercially dominant graphite anodes.

The problem is that silicon particles expand, in some cases, as much as 400%. During the expansion they are prone to cracking, which leads to rapid degradation of how much charge a battery can hold.

It isn’t entirely clear how composite anodes break down over time. Zhang’s NSF-funded work will use computational models to help address this knowledge gap.

“We’re developing physics-based, high-fidelity models to predict the performance of battery cells with silicon and graphite composite material in the anode,” said Zhang.

Key questions the research will explore include understanding mechanical stress generation and volume changes in silicon and graphite particles during charging and discharging, and how these interactions drive battery long-term degradation.

Results could help engineers develop smarter batteries, including those that can optimize silicon-graphite composition and adjust current loads in real-time.

“For example, once silicon particles approach their theoretical operational limits, current could be strategically lowered to create the perfect balance, which in turn is going to provide the longest range while minimizing degradation and safety risks,” Zhang said.

“The goal is to leverage the models and control algorithms we create to make composite anode batteries stay within optimal regimes,” he said. “Building a battery of perfect operational composition can help EVs compete with gas-powered alternatives.”

In addition to battery modelling and control, Zhang’s lab is working on other initiatives to strengthen the EV battery market.

For instance, with support from the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST), Zhang’s lab is designing tools to diagnose battery capacity and health more efficiently, important processes in the so-called “second life” battery market.

Once EV battery packs reach about 70% of their original capacity, car manufacturers typically recommend retirement. But these depleted packs remain viable for non-automotive applications, such as renewable energy and back-up power storage. More accurate, faster diagnostics could decrease recycling costs and accelerate movement into second-life use.

Another project includes work with Oklahoma City-based EV Battery Solutions by Cox Automotive, a national leader in EV battery remanufacturing, repurposing and recycling. Researchers in Zhang’s group are studying ways to improve efficiency in battery pack disassembly and safety of these processes. Zhang is also working with industry and automotive leaders to create fast-charging processes for EV battery cells.

Finally, Zhang is leading a $2.3 million U.S. Department of Energy grant to develop autonomous EV mobility services for public transportation in the City of Atoka. That project is a partnership between the Choctaw Nation, OU, INCA Community Services, and Beep, Inc.

“Collectively, these projects are advancing research that intends to enable high-performance and long-lasting lithium-ion battery energy storage solutions, ultimately promoting the progress of science, and advancing prosperity and welfare,” Zhang said.

 

Do you see what I see? People share brain responses for colors.

People share the same brain responses to different colors, and scientists can predict what color a person is looking at by using the brain activity of others.

Society for Neuroscience

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Do colors trigger unique brain responses? And do different people have the same brain responses to colors? In a new JNeurosci paper, Michael Bannert and Andreas Bartels, from the University of Tübingen, explored color representation in the human brain to address these questions.  

The researchers measured color-induced brain responses from one set of participants. Next, they predicted what colors other participants were observing by comparing each individual’s brain activity to color-induced responses of the first set of observers. Bannert and Bartels found that they could predict the color and brightness of the stimuli observers were viewing by using brain activity comparisons alone. This study points to distinct neural representations of color that people share. 

While other researchers have decoded what color a person was seeing using color responses previously recorded from the same person, this work shows that color decoding is possible even when using color responses from other brains. “We can’t say that one person’s red looks the same as another person’s red. But to see that some sensory aspects of a subjective experience are conserved across people’s brains is new,” says Bannert. 

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Please contact media@sfn.org for full-text PDF. 

About JNeurosci 

JNeurosci was launched in 1981 as a means to communicate the findings of the highest quality neuroscience research to the growing field. Today, the journal remains committed to publishing cutting-edge neuroscience that will have an immediate and lasting scientific impact, while responding to authors' changing publishing needs, representing breadth of the field and diversity in authorship. 

About The Society for Neuroscience 

The Society for Neuroscience is the world's largest organization of scientists and physicians devoted to understanding the brain and nervous system. The nonprofit organization, founded in 1969, now has nearly 35,000 members in more than 95 countries. 

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Journal

JNeurosci

DOI

10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2717-20.2025 

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Large-Scale Color Biases in the Retinotopic Functional Architecture Are Region Specific and Shared Across Human Brains

Article Publication Date

8-Sep-2025

 

For video-on-demand platforms, release strategy matters: streaming episodes gradually boosts consumers’ searches, subscription rates

Carnegie Mellon University

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The market for video-on-demand platforms has grown rapidly in the last decade, with nearly 90% of U.S. households subscribing to a service, and most subscribers having four or more platforms. In this context, and as more than a third of U.S. subscribers cancel their subscriptions within short periods, retaining subscribers and maximizing engagement have become crucial to the industry.

In a new study, researchers examined how the release strategy of shows—gradually or all at once—influences users’ engagement and subscription rates at a video-on-demand platform. The study found that each approach has its merits, but that gradually releasing shows boosts consumers’ searches, triggering substantially higher subscription rates.

The study was conducted by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, and the University of Texas. It is published in Marketing Science.

“Although releasing all episodes at once attracts more consumers to the platform when shows premiere, a gradual release schedule fosters more engagement with the platform and exploration of the platform’s content,” explains Pedro Ferreira, professor of information systems at Carnegie Mellon’s Heinz College, who coauthored the study.

In 2013, Netflix disrupted the television industry by releasing all episodes of the first season of House of Cards simultaneously, sparking a widespread trend of releasing entire seasons of TV shows at once. But by 2022, gradual-release schedules had regained popularity. In this study, researchers partnered with a large multinational telecommunications company to implement a randomized field trial in which users were exposed to either a gradual-release schedule or an all-at-once release schedule.

The study featured two five-week segments, manipulating the release schedule of four popular TV shows (Big Little Lies, The Muppets, The Young Pope, and Unforgettable). Sixty thousand study participants (with an average age of 49) were randomly divided into the two stages: In the first stage, content was released gradually; in the second stage, all content was available immediately. Participants received different weekly text messages notifying them about the shows available.

Each release strategy had its own merits, the study concluded. Participants in the gradual-release group were 48% more likely to continue using the program than were participants in the all-at-once release group. The effectiveness of each release strategy depended on the viewing preferences of consumers. Although most users benefited from the gradual-release schedule, its impact diminished for extreme binge watchers.

Moreover, participants in the gradual-release group were 1.7% more likely to continue their subscriptions than were participants in the all-at-once release group. Again, gradual releases lowered subscription retention among users with strong binge-watching behaviors.

Platforms can retain subscribers using a gradual-release strategy for exclusive content, suggest the authors. This strategy encourages more visits to the platform as users return to watch new episodes. During their visits, subscribers may discover new content that they enjoy, leading them to visit after watching the exclusive content that initially brought them to the platform. By visiting the platform more frequently, subscribers are also exposed to more recommendations, which can drive further engagement.

“Our findings highlight the importance of release strategies as a lever for content distributors who want to maximize platform success,” says Miguel Godinho de Matos, professor of information systems and management at Universidade Católica Portuguesa, who coauthored the study.

“They also help explain why content distributors are returning to gradual-release schedules, diverging from the all-at-once strategy popularized by Netflix in 2013,” adds Samir Mamadehussene, assistant professor of marketing at the University of Texas’s Naveen Jindal School of Management, who coauthored the study.

Among the study’s limitations, the authors note that they evaluated consumers’ engagement and subscription behavior over a relatively short period, which restricted their ability to predict the sustained effects of the gradual-release strategy. In addition, the study was carried out with just one streaming platform.

The study was funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and by Carnegie Mellon’s Initiative for Digital Entertainment Analytics, which receives unrestricted (gift) funding from the Motion Picture Association of America, and the industry partner that provided the data to support this research. 

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Journal

Marketing Science

DOI

10.1287/mksc.2023.0106 

Article Title

When Less Is More: Content Strategies for Subscription Video on Demand

 

Only 1 in 7 online health images show proper technique to accurately measure blood pressure

Accurate images of how to take blood pressure readings in doctors’ offices and at home are lacking and play an important role in helping the public monitor and manage blood pressure, suggests a new study in the Hypertension Journal

American Heart Association

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Research Highlights:

• Only 1 in 7 online stock images of blood pressure monitoring aligned with the procedures recommended by clinical guidelines.

• Online stock images depicting blood pressure monitoring in the home were approximately three times more accurate than images depicting blood pressure monitoring in a physician’s office, health care facility or hospital.

• This study is among the first to review online images of people having their blood pressure measured from major stock photo websites

DALLAS, September 8, 2025 — Only 1 in 7 online stock photo images of blood pressure monitoring correctly show how blood pressure should be measured, contributing to potentially inaccurate readings at home and in physicians’ offices, health care facilities or hospitals, according to new research published today in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal.

The study is one of the first to systematically evaluate the accuracy of online images depicting blood pressure measurements on major stock photo websites based on the 2023 International Consensus on Standardized Clinic Blood Pressure Measurement.

“We expected that about 50% of images would be accurate, however, our findings were worse than expected,” said lead author Alta Schutte, Ph.D., a professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of New South Wales Sydney, and co-lead of the cardiovascular program at The George Institute for Global Health in Australia. “Because people tend to remember images better than words — a phenomenon known as the picture-superiority effect — inaccurate visuals could have serious public health consequences.”

Nearly half of all adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association. (From 2017 to 2020, 122.4 million adults in the U.S., or 46.7%, had high blood pressure; source: American Heart Association’s 2025 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics)

”More people are checking their blood pressure at home. But because of the inaccurate depictions online – even on reputable websites – it is very likely that people who look for information on the internet about blood pressure will see these images and may use the incorrect technique at home. If this happens, people will get blood pressure readings that are either too high or too low, which can lead to wrong conclusions about their blood pressure and possibly too much or too little treatment when these blood pressure measures are shared with their health care team,” Schutte said.

The analysis found:

• Only 14% of more than 1,000 images depicting adults having their blood pressure measured were accurate.
• Deviations from clinical guidelines that contributed to photo inaccuracy included:
  • the individual’s back was not supported (73%);
  • the whole forearm was not resting on a flat surface or table (55%);
  • using a manual self-pumping device instead of an electronic or battery-operated upper-arm device (52%);
  • feet were dangling rather than flat on the floor (36%);
  • the health care professional (23%) and patient (18%) were talking while taking the measurement;
  • mid-arm was not at heart level (19%);
  • people had their legs crossed (13%);
  • the patient was not sitting (5%); and
  • the blood pressure cuff was placed over clothing (12%) rather than the bare arm.
• 25% of images showing self-measurement of blood pressure at home were accurate compared to only 8% of images depicting blood pressure measurements in a physician’s office, health care facility or hospital.
• Images depicting blood pressure measurements taken by the patient themselves or another person were 6 times more likely to show accurate techniques compared to images showing blood pressure measured by a health care professional.

“There have been many interesting studies about errors in blood pressure measurement and the blood pressure effect of such errors, for example, if the cuff on the upper arm is not held at heart level. This is the first evaluation of publicly available images of blood pressure measurement to highlight the problem with inaccurate images,” Schutte said.

“It is important for people to understand how to measure their blood pressure correctly. Inaccurate readings in clinics are also a very common problem. We want everyone to know how health care professionals should take blood pressure measurements so they can identify any mistakes if the procedure is not followed correctly,” she said.

Chair of the American Heart Association’s 2025 high blood pressure guideline writing committee released last month, Daniel Jones, M.D., FAHA, said, “This study highlights the importance of using accurate images to demonstrate the proper technique for measuring blood pressure. Home blood pressure monitoring is recommended for patients to help confirm an office diagnosis of high blood pressure and to monitor, track progress and tailor care as part of an integrated care plan.” Jones, who was not involved in this study, is also a past volunteer president of the American Heart Association (2007-2008) and currently dean and professor emeritus of the University of Mississippi School of Medicine.

The American Heart Association has resources to help people learn proper blood pressure measurement techniques.

The study has several limitations. Some images were incomplete; for instance, less than a quarter of them showed whether the person had their feet crossed or flat on the floor. If these details were clear, it might affect accuracy levels. Although the included photos were not penalized based on features that were not visually assessable, the findings may be affected. Additionally, the stock images used in this study were probably not created with the International Consensus Guidelines in mind. So, any errors found likely do not stem from an intentional misrepresentation of proper technique, yet these are the images that are typically used by the media and website developers.

Study background and details:

• The analysis used a Google search conducted on July 22, 2024, to identify a comprehensive list of 11 major online stock photo sites (123rf, Adobe Stock, Alamy, Bigstockphoto, Dreamstime, Flickr, Freepik, Getty Images, iStock, Pikwizard and Shutterstock).

• The first 100 photos from each online stock photo site were downloaded for further screening. Stock photo sites with more than 10% duplicate images were excluded. Cartoon or fictional images, AI-generated images or photos without people were also excluded.

• Of 121,000 images, 1,106 photos identified with the search term “blood pressure check” in adults were each reviewed by two reviewers. Overall, about 63% of the images were in a physician’s office or hospital, while about 37% showed home blood pressure monitoring in a home setting.

• Blood pressure measurements were performed by a health care professional in 72.8% of the photos, 24.5% were done by the patient and 2.7% were taken by other people.

• Conflicts (reviewers not agreeing) of each online image were resolved in two stages. First, two reviewers independently examined the stock photos, then met as a group to discuss the screening criteria and determine if the image accurately depicted correct blood pressure measuring techniques. Blood pressure measurements depicted in the images were checked for accuracy based on: whether the patient or the person taking the measurement was talking or laughing; the patient’s position: sitting, whether their whole forearm was resting on the table, mid-arm at heart level, back supported by a chair, legs uncrossed, and feet flat on the floor; the type of blood pressure measurement device: an electronic upper-arm device instead of a manual device; and the blood pressure cuff: placed on a bare arm.

“We have noted photos with wrong techniques on the websites of major health organizations and universities. We urge these organizations, media outlets, stock photo creators, web developers, medical journalists, and researchers to take a closer look at their online images. They should check that all images show how to measure blood pressure accurately and represent the proper techniques to reduce the likelihood of incorrect blood pressure readings at home and in clinical settings,” Schutte said.

Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the manuscript.

Studies published in the American Heart Association’s scientific journals are peer-reviewed. The statements and conclusions in each manuscript are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The Association receives more than 85% of its revenue from sources other than corporations. These sources include contributions from individuals, foundations and estates, as well as investment earnings and revenue from the sale of our educational materials. Corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations to the Association. The Association has strict policies to prevent any donations from influencing its science content and policy positions. Overall financial information is available here.

Additional Resources:

• Multimedia is available on the right column of release link.
• Spanish news release
• After September 8, 2025, view the manuscript online.
• American Heart Association news release: New high blood pressure guideline emphasizes prevention, early treatment to reduce CVD risk (Aug. 2025)
• American Heart Association news release: Popular home blood pressure monitoring cuff devices may not fit some US adults (Sept. 2024)
• American Heart Association policy statement: Self-Measured Blood Pressure Monitoring at Home: A Joint Policy Statement From the American Heart Association and American Medical Association (June 2020)
• American Heart Association health information: High Blood Pressure
• American Heart Association health information: Home Blood Pressure Monitoring Video
• Follow AHA/ASA news on X @HeartNews
• Follow news from AHA’s Hypertension journal @HyperAHA

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About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

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Journal

Hypertension

DOI

10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.125.25064 

Article Title

Poor Accuracy of Blood Pressure Measurement Images Online: Implications for Public Health Education

 

Children receiving biofeedback speech therapy improved faster than with traditional methods

The large-scale study shows efficacy of technology-enhanced treatment

New York University

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Run. Red. World. Pronouncing the “r” sound in these words requires precise control of the tongue. For most children, this happens naturally, but many children struggle with residual speech sound disorder (RSSD) in which speech errors persist past the age of eight.

In a large-scale study, researchers in speech pathology tested a promising treatment approach that incorporates biofeedback—a method that uses technology to provide visual feedback to improve speech. They found that children’s ability to say the “r” sound improved at a much faster rate than with traditional methods during the early stages of therapy, demonstrating the value of biofeedback. Previous studies hinted at these benefits, but were limited by small sample sizes.

In traditional motor-based treatment, clinicians model sounds for children to imitate, or verbally coach children on the positioning of their mouth or tongue. In a biofeedback session, these methods are enhanced with a dynamic visual display, such as real-time video of the tongue created by an ultrasound probe positioned under the child’s chin.

“Traditional treatment can be frustrating for children who don’t always hear the difference between their pronunciation and the model provided by their clinician, but with biofeedback, the clinician can show the difference, making it easier for the child to adjust,” says Tara McAllister, lead author and associate professor of communicative sciences and disorders at NYU Steinhardt. “This study provides the first gold-standard evidence that biofeedback can accelerate progress in treating persistent ‘r’ difficulties."

McAllister and her co-authors treated 108 children aged 9-15 with residual speech sound disorder who were sorted into three groups: 1) biofeedback using an ultrasound, 2) visual-acoustic biofeedback (a depiction of their speech as “waves” on a screen), and 3) motor-based treatment. The children received sessions over the course of 10 weeks, with researchers tracking the rate of change in their improvement toward making the “r” sound (evaluated using an acoustic measure that gauges the difference between correct and incorrect pronunciation).

They found that while all treatment methods showed improvement, the rate of change over three sessions was 2.4 times greater for children who received biofeedback compared to motor-based treatment. There was no significant difference in improvement between the different types of biofeedback.

Their findings are published in the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research.

“Speech pathologists are managing ever-growing caseloads, and students who get stuck on ‘r’ create a real bottleneck. Biofeedback can help resolve these speech difficulties more efficiently, reducing frustration and freeing up resources for other children with communication needs,” McAllister says.

This study was funded by a five-year, $3.1M grant from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (R01DC017476). NYU is the lead recipient, with subaward sites at Syracuse University and Montclair State University. 

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Journal

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Rhotic Acquisition Is More Rapid in Biofeedback Than Motor-Based Treatment for Residual Speech Sound Disorder: Primary Outcome of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Article Publication Date

8-Sep-2025

 

Scientists discover why the flu is more deadly for older people

University of Nottingham

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Scientists have discovered why older people are more likely to suffer severely from the flu, and can now use their findings to address this risk.

In a new study, which is published in PNAS, experts discovered that older people produce a glycosylated protein called apoplipoprotein D (ApoD), which is involved in lipid metabolism and inflammation, at much higher levels than in younger people. This has the effect of reducing the patient’s ability to resist virus infection, resulting in a more serious disease outcome.

The team established that highly elevated ApoD production with age in the lung drives extensive tissue damage during infection to reduce the protective antiviral type I interferon response.

The research was an international collaboration led by scientists from the China Agricultural University, University of Notttingham, Institute of Microbiology (Chinese Academy of Sciences), National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention) and the University of Edinburgh.

“Aging is a leading risk factor in influenza-related deaths. Furthermore, the global population is aging at an unprecedented rate in human history, posing major issues for healthcare and the economy. So we need to find out why older patients often suffer more severely from influenza virus infection,”  says Professor Kin-Chow Chang from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science at the University of Nottingham, and co-author on the paper.

In this new study, the team investigated the mechanisms behind increased severity of influenza virus infection with age using an aging-mouse model and appropriate donor human tissue sections.

They identified ApoD as an age-related cell factor that impairs the activation of the immune system’s antiviral response to influenza virus infection by causing extensive breakdown of mitochondria (mitophagy) resulting in greater production of virus and lung damage during infection. Mitochondria are essential for cellular production of energy and for induction of protective interferons.

ApoD is therefore a target for therapeutic intervention to protect against severe influenza virus infection in the elderly which would have a major impact on reducing morbidity and mortality in the aging population.

Professor Chang, added: “There is now an exciting opportunity to therapeutically ameliorate disease severity of the elderly from influenza virus infection by the inhibitory targeting of ApoD.”

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Journal

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI

10.1073/pnas.2423973122 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

ApoD mediates age-associated increase in vulnerability to influenza virus infection

Article Publication Date

8-Sep-2025