In this issue, find out why Dornsife scholars are concerned about toxic mercury in the Arctic, discover an unexpected early indicator of Alzheimer’s disease and delve into how USC Dornsife scholars are using AI to revolutionize medical research.

Climate change is accelerating the release of mercury into the arctic environment, posing long-term health risks to communities there, and possibly globally.

Why it matters: The release of mercury from melting permafrost poses a health risk to the 5 million people living in the Arctic.

In his words: “There could be this giant mercury bomb in the Arctic waiting to explode,” says lead researcher Josh West, professor of Earth sciences and environmental studies at USC Dornsife.

How it works: Natural atmospheric circulation moves pollutants like mercury toward high latitudes, where plants absorb it, die and become part of the frozen soil over millennia.

How they did it: USC Dornsife researchers collected sediment samples from two sites along Alaska’s Yukon River.

“To really get a handle on how much of a threat the mercury poses, we have to understand both the erosion and reburial processes,” West explains.

What they found: Mercury levels in sediment were consistent with previous studies’ higher estimates, confirming that sediment samples provide a reliable measure of environmental mercury.

What’s next? The researchers say they hope their methods will enable a more precise assessment of the “mercury bomb” in hopes it can be diffused.

In a first-of-its-kind study, USC Dornsife researchers found that vulnerability to financial scams could be an early indicator of cognitive decline in older adults.

Why it matters: Nearly 7 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease, which is expected to result in $360 billion in health care costs this year alone.

How they did it: Researchers used MRI scans to examine a portion of the brain that commonly shows early signs of Alzheimer’s disease. They studied 97 participants, aged 52 to 83, and compared the scans with scores from a financial vulnerability test.

What they found: Participants with a thinner brain cortex in the region evaluated were more susceptible to financial scams, particularly those aged 70 and older.

In his words: “Assessing financial vulnerability in older adults could help identify those who are in the early stages of mild cognitive impairment or dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease,” said Duke Han, head of the study and professor of psychology and family medicine at USC Dornsife.

Yes, but: More research, including long-term studies with diverse populations, is needed before financial exploitation vulnerability can be considered a reliable cognitive assessment tool.

6

Number of Dornsife faculty members honored as MacArthur Fellows (so far).

A new AI tool developed by USC Dornsife researchers can predict how proteins interact with DNA, offering faster, more versatile insights for drug development and medical research.

Why it matters: Most current tools are limited to a single protein type, but this new AI tool can predict protein-DNA interactions across different protein families.

In his words: “It is important for researchers to have a method available that works universally for all proteins and is not restricted to a well-studied protein family,” says Remo Rohs, founding chair of the Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology.

The tool, called DeepPBS, employs a geometric deep learning model, a type of machine-learning that analyzes data using geometric structures.

Bottom line: DeepPBS could accelerate breakthroughs in cancer treatment, synthetic biology and RNA research.

Form healthy habits by becoming a “secret agent” and celebrate USC’s unifying value of well-being during this six-week, team-based wellness challenge from Sept. 20 to Nov. 4.

See the stories of 10 grandmothers who reveal their relationship to Mexican cuisine, their birthplaces and Los Angeles. A panel discussion follows the screening.

Listen to experts discuss the latest polling from eight California congressional districts that could determine who controls the U.S. House of Representatives. Audience Q&A to follow.

Learn about helpers’ resilience, how to better help others and how to reconnect with your own strategies of restoration from Quade French, associate dean of academic culture and well-being.

Ask an expert panel about the issues driving engagement among underrepresented voters, the challenges they face and their potential impact on swing state results.

Sign-up to receive NewsRound, a weekly listing of news stories featuring USC Dornsife scholars.

“We might be closer to nuclear Armageddon than we have been at any point for the last 30 or 40 years, and yet there’s almost no broad public discussion of that reality.”

KUNM radio interviewed Richard Wood from the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies for a story titled “Nuclear convening is designed to rekindle public dialogue.“

“When we only focus on the western honeybee, we’re ignoring the unique responses of other wild bee species to pesticide exposure.”

The Hill quoted Laura Melissa Guzman of biological sciences and quantitative and computational biology in the article “Pesticide use may be influencing wild bee population decline: Study.”

“If parents don’t know that their children are struggling in school, then they’re not going to be seeking intervention or support for their child.”

LAist featured Amie Rapaport from the Center for Economic and Social Research in the article “Chronic absenteeism.”

The USC Neighborhood Homeownership Program provides benefits-eligible employees assistance with monthly payments to purchase a qualifying home in areas surrounding the University Park and Health Sciences campuses.