Chapman University

CARES ACT HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND_INSTITUTION

TESTING HYPOTHESIZED PATHWAYS LINKING INFECTION, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, APOE GENOTYPE, AND BIOLOGICAL SEX TO LOW DEMENTIA PREVALENCE AND REDUCED BRAIN ATROPHY IN TWO NATIVE AMERICAN POPULATIONS - THE PROPOSED RESEARCH INVESTIGATES THE RISK OF COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT, DEMENTIA AND BRAIN ATROPHY IN RELATION TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, INFECTION, BIOLOGICAL SEX, AND APOE GENOTYPE. WE PROPOSE TO CONTINUE LONGITUDINAL RESEARCH WITH TSIMANE AND MOSETEN, TWO COHORTS OF NATIVE SOUTH AMERICANS WHOSE LIFESTYLE AND ENVIRONMENT REQUIRE HIGH LEVELS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND EXPOSE THEM TO HIGH PATHOGEN BURDENS, MOST LIKE THE HUMAN PREINDUSTRIAL PAST. THOUGH INFECTIONS ARE HYPOTHESIZED TO PLAY A KEY ROLE IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND RELATED DEMENTIAS (ADRD), THIS IS THE FIRST POPULATION-BASED STUDY OF ADRD IN A HIGHLY INFECTIOUS CONTEXT, WHERE INFECTION IS CONSIDERED AS A PRIMARY CONTRIBUTOR OF RISK. THE CURRENT NIA PROJECT (1RF1AG054442) HAS REVEALED: 1) VERY LOW PREVALENCE OF BOTH CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE (CAD) AND AD, WITH A SHALLOWER CROSS- SECTIONAL AGE SLOPE OF BRAIN ATROPHY THAN IN EUROPEAN AND US POPULATIONS, BUT 2) A HIGH PREVALENCE OF INTRACRANIAL MEDIAL ARTERIAL CALCIFICATION (MAC) ASSOCIATED WITH COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT, AND 3) AN ALMOST TWO-FOLD HIGHER RISK OF COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT IN FEMALES. WE PROPOSE THE FOLLOWING HYPOTHESES TO EXPLAIN THESE FINDINGS: (H1) HIGH LEVELS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY SLOW BRAIN ATROPHY AND REDUCE RISK OF AD, IN PART BY REDUCING ADIPOSITY, ARTERIOSCLEROSIS, AND METABOLICALLY-INDUCED INFLAMMATION; (H2) VIRAL AND BACTERIAL INFECTIONS INCREASE BRAIN ATROPHY AND ADRD RISK, BY (H2A) AFFECTING AMYLOID PRODUCTION AND ARTERIAL DISEASE, INCLUDING PATHWAYS THAT AFFECT AMYLOID AND LEUKOCYTE TRAFFICKING ACROSS THE BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER. WE FURTHER HYPOTHESIZE THAT THOSE IMPACTS ARE REDUCED BY (H2B) HIGH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND (H2C) INTESTINAL HELMINTH INFECTION, AS HELMINTHS HAVE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND IMMUNO-REGULATORY EFFECTS; (H3) HIGHER COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT RISK IN FEMALES IS DUE TO GREATER UPREGULATED INNATE INFLAMMATORY RESPONSES TO PATHOGENS (E.G. VIA INCREASED AMYLOID AND TAU PRODUCTION) THAN IN MALES; (H4) IN A FOOD-LIMITED HIGH-PATHOGEN ENVIRONMENT, THE APOE E4 ALLELE HAS SEX-SPECIFIC AND INTERACTIVE EFFECTS WITH PATHOGEN BURDEN ON IMMUNE RESPONSES, BLOOD LIPIDS AND ADRD RISK. THESE HYPOTHESES WILL BE TESTED WITH A POPULATION-BASED, MIXED LONGITUDINAL-PANEL AND CASE-CONTROL DESIGN, INCLUDING TWO WAVES OF COGNITIVE ASSESSMENTS, FAMILY INTERVIEWS, MEDICAL EXAMS AND BIOMARKER COLLECTION, AND A WAVE OF PAIRED CHEST AND BRAIN COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY SCANS FOR ASSESSMENT OF LONGITUDINAL CHANGE IN BRAIN VOLUME AND ARTERIOSCLEROSIS. INNOVATIONS INCLUDE BLOOD LEVELS OF AMYLOID AND TAU BIOMARKERS, GENE (MRNA) EXPRESSION, AND WITHIN-INDIVIDUAL COMPARISONS PRE- VERSUS POST COVID-19 ILLNESS. THE NEW DATA COLLECTION BUILDS ON A COHESIVE INTERDISCIPLINARY LEADERSHIP TEAM TO AUGMENT CURRENT CROSS-SECTIONAL FINDINGS WITH TESTS OF CAUSAL MODELS OF LONGITUDINAL CHANGE. THESE POPULATIONS OFFER A VANISHING OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY HOW RISK FACTORS OPERATE IN DIVERSE ENVIRONMENTS, AND ASSESS THE ROLE OF INFECTION IN AD AND BRAIN AGING. THE DATA COLLECTED WILL ALSO CONSTITUTE A BIOBANK FOR FUTURE RESEARCH AND ACCESS TO DATA-SHARING CONSORTIA.

CARES ACT HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND

BRAIN ATROPHY, COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AND ALZHEIMER'S IN A LOW CVD-RISK POPULATION

MOLECULAR SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION OF CAMP COMPARTMENTS

PROMOTING THE INTEGRATION OF EARTH OBSERVATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

CILIA-SPECIFIC CAMP PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN ANEURYSM

A BRAIN PENETRATING BI-FUNCTIONAL TRANSFERRIN RECEPTOR ANTIBODY-TNF-ALPHA DECOY RECEPTOR FUSION PROTEIN FOR ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

POSITIVE AFFECT AND PEDIATRIC ASTHMA: AN INNOVATIVE POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY MODEL TO IMPROVE ASTHMA MANAGEMENT AND HEALTH - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT ASTHMA, A LEADING CHRONIC ILLNESS IN CHILDHOOD, CAN BE LIFE-THREATENING AND IS ASSOCIATED WITH A MULTITUDE OF ADVERSE OUTCOMES. GUIDELINE-RECOMMENDED MEDICAL CARE INCLUDING THE USE OF DAILY, EFFECTIVE INHALED CORTICOSTEROIDS, HAS GREATLY IMPROVED THE TREATMENT OF ASTHMA. HOWEVER, ASTHMA REMAINS A CONSIDERABLE HEALTH CONCERN, PARTICULARLY AMONG ADOLESCENTS, WHO OFTEN HAVE PREVENTIVE MEDICATION ADHERENCE RATES AS LOW AS 50%. THIS POOR ADHERENCE MAY NOT BE SURPRISING GIVEN THAT ADOLESCENCE IS A DEVELOPMENTAL PERIOD CHARACTERIZED BY INCREASED AUTONOMY INCLUDING SELF-MANAGING ONE’S HEALTH CARE, A SKILL THAT TAKES TIME TO MASTER. FURTHER, STRESS HAS BEEN SHOWN TO NEGATIVELY IMPACT ASTHMA HEALTH IN ADOLESCENTS, AND THIS COULD IN PART BE DUE TO STRESS’ NEGATIVE ASSOCIATION WITH MEDICATION ADHERENCE. THUS, INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO IMPROVING ADHERENCE TO PREVENTIVE MEDICATION AND DECREASING STRESS ARE NEEDED TO PROMOTE BETTER ASTHMA HEALTH. POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY IS THE STUDY OF POSITIVE EXPERIENCES, POSITIVE INDIVIDUAL TRAITS, AND SUPPORTIVE SOCIAL NETWORKS. POSITIVE AFFECT (E.G., EMOTIONS SUCH AS HAPPINESS) IS A MAJOR COMPONENT IN POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY AND HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED IN MULTIPLE PEER REVIEWED STUDIES TO BOOST HEALTH IN SEVERAL CONDITIONS. EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT THE HEALTH ENHANCING EFFECTS OF POSITIVE AFFECT OCCUR THROUGH ITS BENEFICIAL IMPACT ON HEALTH BEHAVIORS (SUCH AS MEDICATION ADHERENCE) AND STRESS. GIVEN THE ROLE OF MEDICATION ADHERENCE AND STRESS IN ASTHMA HEALTH, WE EXPECT THAT POSITIVE AFFECT WILL BENEFIT ASTHMA HEALTH BY INCREASING MEDICATION ADHERENCE AND DECREASING STRESS, AS WELL AS HAVE DIRECT EFFECTS ON ASTHMA HEALTH. THAT SAID, POSITIVE AFFECT, ADHERENCE, STRESS, AND ASTHMA HEALTH ARE ALL DYNAMIC IN NATURE CHANGING FROM MOMENT TO MOMENT, BUT THE MOMENTARY EFFECTS OF AND INTERACTIONS AMONG THESE FACTORS HAVE NOT BEEN STUDIED TOGETHER IN PRIOR ASTHMA LITERATURE. TESTING THESE ASSOCIATIONS AT THE MOMENTARY LEVEL MAY HELP UNCOVER NUANCED RELATIONSHIPS INFORMING BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS THAT CAN BE ADAPTIVE OVER TIME TO FIT NOT ONLY THE PERSON BUT THE OCCASION (I.E., WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THAT MOMENT), THUS INCREASING INTERVENTION EFFECTIVENESS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF ASTHMA. THUS, THE PRESENT PROPOSAL WILL TEST THE ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN MOMENTARY-POSITIVE-AFFECT AND ASTHMA HEALTH, AS WELL AS THE HYPOTHESIZED MECHANISMS BEHIND THIS ASSOCIATION, USING A LONGITUDINAL BURST DESIGN WITH MOMENTARY ASSESSMENT OF ADOLESCENTS WITH MODERATE TO SEVERE PERSISTENT ASTHMA. THE WORK IN THIS APPLICATION LAYS THE FOUNDATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADAPTIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS TO BETTER TREAT ASTHMA IN ADOLESCENTS.

DEFINING THE ROLE OF PLASMA CELLS IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF KSHV INFECTION IN HUMAN TONSIL - ABSTRACT/PROJECT SUMMARY KAPOSI SARCOMA-ASSOCIATED HERPESVIRUS (KSHV) IS AN ONCOGENIC HUMAN HERPESVIRUS, WHICH CAUSES KAPOSI SARCOMA (KS) AS WELL AS B CELL LYMPHOPROLIFERATIVE DISORDERS IN THE ABSENCE OF ADEQUATE IMMUNE CONTROL. KSHV- ASSOCIATED TUMORS ARE A SIGNIFICANT CAUSE OF MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY IN TRANSPLANT PATIENTS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH HIV- DISEASE. THE ORAL CAVITY IS AN IMPORTANT SITE FOR KSHV BIOLOGY BECAUSE SALIVA IS BELIEVED TO BE THE PRIMARY MODE OF PERSON-TO-PERSON TRANSMISSION FOR THE VIRUS. THE TONSIL AND OTHER ORAL LYMPHOID TISSUES REPRESENT A LOGICAL ANATOMICAL SITE FOR EARLY INFECTION EVENTS BECAUSE THEY ARE IN CONTACT WITH SALIVA AND ARE RICH IN TARGET CELL TYPES FOR KSHV INFECTION INCLUDING ENDOTHELIAL CELLS AND B LYMPHOCYTES. DESPITE THIS, THE BIOLOGY OF KSHV IN THE HUMAN TONSIL REMAINS POORLY UNDERSTOOD. WE HAVE DEVELOPED AN EXTENSIVE LIBRARY OF HUMAN TONSIL SPECIMENS AND A ROBUST EX VIVO INFECTION MODEL KSHV IN TONSIL-DERIVED LYMPHOCYTES. USING THESE TOOLS, WE HAVE RECENTLY DISCOVERED THAT MATURE PLASMA CELLS ARE HIGHLY TARGETED EARLY IN KSHV INFECTION AND THAT KSHV-INFECTED PLASMA CELLS DISPLAY A MIXTURE OF LATENT AND LYTIC INFECTION CYCLES. THE CURRENT PROPOSAL WILL TEST SEVERAL HYPOTHESES: (1) PLASMA CELL INFECTION SERVES AS AN AMPLIFICATION STEP WHICH IS IMPORTANT FOR THE OVERALL ESTABLISHMENT OF INFECTION IN TONSIL LYMPHOCYTES, (2) THE KSHV-ENCODED CYTOKINE VIL-6 IS CRITICAL FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF KSHV INFECTION IN LYMPHOCYTES VIA MANIPULATION OF PLASMA CELL BIOLOGY AND (3) THE T CELL-DERIVED CELLULAR CYTOKINE IL-21 SUPPORTS KSHV DISSEMINATION BY DRIVING DIFFERENTIATION OF PLASMA CELLS, AND CAN PARTIALLY REPLACE THE FUNCTION OF VIL-6 IN EARLY INFECTION. THE RESULTS OF THIS RESEARCH WILL PROVIDE CRITICAL MECHANISTIC DETAILS THAT WILL ENHANCE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF EARLY EVENTS IN KSHV TRANSMISSION AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF KSHV INFECTION IN THE LYMPHOCYTE COMPARTMENT.

IDENTIFYING SUSCEPTIBILITY FACTORS FOR KSHV INFECTION IN HUMAN TONSIL

SOW IAW DESIGNING NOVEL MATERIALS INSPIRED BY HAGFISH PREDATOR DEFENSE

UNDERSTANDING MECHANISTIC CONTROLS OF HETEROTROPHIC CO2 AND CH4 FLUXES IN A PEATLAND WITH DEEP SOIL WARMING AND ATMOSPHERIC CO2 ENRICHMENT

ROLE OF MACROPHAGES IN OCULAR GVHD - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT GRAFT VERSUS HOST DISEASE (GVHD) IS AN IMMUNE-MEDIATED CONDITION AFFECTING MANY ORGANS. IT IS CATEGORIZED INTO ACUTE AND CHRONIC SUBTYPES. EYES ARE AFFECTED IN 60-90% OF THE PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC GVHD RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT VISUAL MORBIDITY. ABOUT HALF OF THE OCULAR GVHD (OGVHD) PATIENTS DEVELOP STEROID- REFRACTORY CONJUNCTIVAL AND LACRIMAL FIBROSIS AND SEVERE DRY EYE, SOMETIMES WITH OCULAR PERFORATION AND LOSS OF GLOBE. PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF OGVHD REMAINS INCOMPLETELY UNDERSTOOD. THE CURRENT PROPOSAL WILL INVESTIGATE THE ROLE OF HOST AND DONOR MACROPHAGES, THEIR PHENOTYPIC CHANGES, AND THEIR CROSSTALK WITH FIBROBLASTS AND GOBLET CELLS AS MECHANISMS UNDERLYING OGVHD-ASSOCIATED OCULAR SURFACE DAMAGE, FIBROSIS, AND DRY EYE. THE LONG- TERM GOAL IS TO UNDERSTAND THE IMMUNE-MEDIATED PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL BASIS OF OGVHD FOR ITS PREVENTION AND BETTER THERAPEUTIC MANAGEMENT. THIS PROPOSAL WILL USE TWO MOUSE MODELS OF ALLOGENEIC BONE MARROW TRANSPLANTATION TO INDUCE OGVHD. THESE MODELS RECAPITULATE MANY FEATURES OF GVHD-ASSOCIATED OCULAR SURFACE DAMAGE, INCLUDING A DECREASE IN TEAR VOLUME, SIGNS OF CORNEAL KERATOPATHY, CONJUNCTIVAL FIBROSIS, AND LOSS OF GOBLET CELLS. AIM 1 WILL INVESTIGATE WHETHER IRRADIATION, HOST MACROPHAGE ACTIVATION, AND THE INFLUX OF DONOR MARROW-DERIVED MACROPHAGES INITIATE AND PERPETUATE OCULAR SURFACE INJURY IN OGVHD. AIM 2 WILL IDENTIFY WHETHER PROFIBROTIC MEDIATORS RELEASED BY MACROPHAGES CAUSE TRANSDIFFERENTIATION OF CONJUNCTIVAL AND LACRIMAL GLAND FIBROBLASTS TO ELICIT OGVHD-ASSOCIATED FIBROSIS. AIM 2 WILL ALSO TEST THE ROLE OF THE FIBROBLAST-MEDIATED RELEASE OF MACROPHAGE COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR-1 (CSF-1) AND OTHER CHEMOKINES IN RECRUITING DONOR MACROPHAGES TO THE OCULAR SURFACE. FURTHERMORE, AIM 2 WILL EVALUATE WHETHER PEXIDARTINIB, A CSF-1 RECEPTOR INHIBITOR, CAN ATTENUATE OGVHD BY DEPLETING CONJUNCTIVAL AND LACRIMAL GLAND MACROPHAGES. AIM 3 WILL INVESTIGATE WHETHER RESCUE OF GOBLET CELL LOSS BY IL-13 CAN MITIGATE OGVHD-ASSOCIATED DRY EYE. AIM 3 WILL ALSO IDENTIFY THE MACROPHAGE RECEPTORS INVOLVED IN MEDIATING THE BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF GOBLET CELL MUCINS. THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY WILL PROVIDE DATA ON THE ROLE OF HOST-DONOR MACROPHAGES, THEIR INTERACTION WITH FIBROBLASTS AND GOBLET CELLS AS UNDERLYING MECHANISMS IN OGVHD PATHOLOGY AND WILL POTENTIALLY IDENTIFY NOVEL THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF OGVHD.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: SS2-SSI: THE AGAVE PLATFORM: AN OPEN SCIENCE-AS-A-SERVICE CLOUD PLATFORM FOR REPRODUCIBLE SCIENCE

DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL MOLECULE SELECTIVE INHIBITORS OF NEURONAL NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE (NNOS) FOR MELANOMA TREATMENT - SUMMARY CUTANEOUS MELANOMA IS THE MOST AGGRESSIVE FORM OF SKIN MALIGNANCY. DESPITE THE REVOLUTIONARY DEVELOPMENTS OF TREATMENT USING IMMUNOTHERAPY AND TARGETED THERAPY, THE 5-YEAR SURVIVAL RATE OF METASTATIC DISEASE REMAINS LOW (~32%). A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF MELANOMA PATIENTS DO NOT RESPOND TO THE EXISTING THERAPIES, AND THE TREATMENT OPTIONS BECOME EVEN MORE LIMITED WHEN PATIENTS DEVELOP RESISTANCE OVER TIME. OUR INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT NEURONAL NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE (NNOS)-MEDIATED NITRIC OXIDE (NO) SIGNALING PLAYS AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN MELANOMA PROGRESSION AND IMMUNE CHECKPOINT PD-L1-MEDIATED IMMUNOSUPPRESSION. INHIBITION OF NNOS SHOWED GREAT PROMISE IN INHIBITING MELANOMA PROGRESSION AND TUMOR GROWTH. DESPITE ITS CLEAR POTENTIAL AS A THERAPEUTIC TARGET, FEW SUCCESSES HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED IN DEVELOPING SELECTIVE NNOS INHIBITORS, GIVEN THE HIGH STRUCTURAL SIMILARITY AMONG THE THREE ISOFORMS OF THE NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE ENZYMES. WITH TWO DECADES OF CONTINUOUS EFFORT, WE SUCCESSFULLY ELUCIDATED THE STRUCTURAL BASIS FOR A GROUP OF HIGHLY SELECTIVE NNOS INHIBITORS; USING OUR APPROACH, TWO COMPOUNDS, HH044 AND MAC-3-190, DEMONSTRATED POTENT ANTI-MELANOMA ACTIVITY IN VIVO, BOTH WHEN USED ALONE AND IN COMBINATION WITH IMMUNE CHECKPOINT INHIBITORS. OUR CENTRAL HYPOTHESIS IS THAT ORALLY BIOAVAILABLE SMALL MOLECULE INHIBITORS TARGETING NNOS REPRESENT A NOVEL STRATEGY FOR MELANOMA TREATMENT, PARTICULARLY IN COMBINATION WITH IMMUNE CHECKPOINT BLOCKADE (ICB). THE PROPOSED STUDY AIMS TO DESIGN AND SYNTHESIZE NOVEL NNOS INHIBITORS WITH IMPROVED INHIBITION POTENCY, NNOS SELECTIVITY, AND PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES, AND EVALUATE THEIR THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL AND UNDERLYING ANTI- MELANOMA MECHANISMS. IN AIM 1, WE WILL USE A STRUCTURE-BASED APPROACH TO DEVELOP MORE POTENT AND SELECTIVE NNOS INHIBITORS WITH IMPROVED ORAL BIOAVAILABILITY, FOLLOWED BY SCREENING FOR ANTI-MELANOMA ACTIVITIES. IN AIM 2, WE WILL CONDUCT MECHANISTIC STUDIES TO DETERMINE THE ON-TARGET EFFECTS OF NNOS INHIBITORS AND TO UNDERSTAND THE MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF NNOS INHIBITION IN MELANOMA CELLS WITH DISTINCT GENOMIC MUTATION BACKGROUNDS. AIM 3 WILL EXPLORE THE MECHANISMS AND THERAPEUTIC UTILITY OF NNOS INHIBITORS AS A SENSITIZING THERAPY TO IMPROVE CHECKPOINT BLOCKADE IMMUNOTHERAPY USING A SYNGENEIC, IMMUNOLOGICALLY RESPONSIVE MOUSE MELANOMA MODEL AND PATIENT- DERIVED MELANOMA ORGANOIDS. SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE PROPOSED STUDY WILL DEVELOP STRUCTURE-BASED, MECHANISM-DRIVEN, FIRST-IN-CLASS ORALLY BIOAVAILABLE SMALL MOLECULES TARGETING NNOS FOR MELANOMA THERAPY ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH ICB.

EFFICACY, SAFETY, AND MECHANISMS OF BRAIN PENETRABLE ERYTHROPOIETIN IN ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE MOUSE MODELS - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT OUR APPLICATION AIMS TO DEVELOP A BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER (BBB) PENETRATING ERYTHROPOIETIN (EPO) AS A THERAPEUTIC FOR ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE (AD) AND CONTINUES TO PURSUE OUR LONG-TERM GOAL TO DEVELOP BBB-PENETRABLE BIOLOGICS FOR CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS) DISEASES, ESPECIALLY FOR AD. THE RATIONALE TO DEVELOP EPO AS A THERAPEUTIC FOR AD LIES IN ITS ABILITY TO MODULATE SEVERAL PATHWAYS IMPLICATED IN AD PATHOGENESIS, AND ITS NEUROPROTECTIVE AND NEUROREGENERATIVE EFFECTS. SUCH A STRATEGY CAN DELAY OR PREVENT NEW BRAIN DAMAGE FROM OCCURRING AND POTENTIALLY REVERSE NEURONAL DAMAGE AND COGNITIVE DECLINE; ANTI-AΒ ANTIBODIES DO NOT OFFER SUCH NEUROTROPHIC EFFECTS. THE MAIN OBSTACLES TO THE CLINICAL TRANSLATION OF EPO FOR AD ARE LIMITED BBB PENETRATION AND UNDESIRED HEMATOPOIESIS WITH CHRONIC HIGH EPO DOSES. FOR THIS, WE HAVE USED A CLINICALLY VALIDATED BBB DRUG DELIVERY APPROACH AND FUSED EPO WITH A MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY (MAB) AGAINST THE MOUSE TRANSFERRIN RECEPTOR (TFR) WHICH ENTERS THE BRAIN VIA BBB TFR-MEDIATED TRANSCYTOSIS AND IS ALSO RAPIDLY CLEARED FROM THE SYSTEMIC CIRCULATION OWING TO THE PERIPHERAL TFRS; THE LATTER IS EXPECTED TO MINIMIZE HEMATOPOIETIC SIDE-EFFECTS. OUR EXCITING DATA SHOWS THAT TFRMAB-EPO IS THERAPEUTIC IN BOTH A MOUSE MODEL OF AMYLOIDOSIS AND TAUOPATHY. OUR PROOF-OF-CONCEPT WORK ALSO SHOWS THAT TFRMAB-EPO INDEED OFFERS BETTER THERAPEUTIC AND HEMATOLOGIC INDICES THAN EPO IN AD MICE, HOWEVER, THERE ARE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO THE DOSE-RESPONSE, THERAPEUTIC-TIME WINDOW, AND THE SAFETY OF TFRMAB- EPO, THAT STILL REMAIN UNANSWERED. FURTHER, A COMPREHENSIVE INVESTIGATION OF THE MOLECULAR PATHWAYS MODULATED BY TFRMAB-EPO IN THE AD BRAIN HAS NOT BEEN PERFORMED. BASED ON THIS, WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT TFRMAB-EPO IS A DISEASE-MODIFYING THERAPEUTIC FOR AD WITH BETTER THERAPEUTIC AND HEMATOLOGIC INDICES THAN EPO FOLLOWING CHRONIC DOSING. THEREFORE, TO ADVANCE THE PRECLINICAL DEVELOPMENT OF TFRMAB-EPO FOR AD, THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC AIMS WILL BE PURSUED: AIM 1 WILL DETERMINE THE EFFICACY OF TFRMAB-EPO IN DOSE-ESCALATION STUDIES, AIM 2 WILL EXAMINE THE SAFETY OF TFRMAB-EPO IN DOSE-ESCALATION STUDIES, AND AIM 3 WILL ELUCIDATE THE MOLECULAR PATHWAYS INVOLVED IN THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF TFRMAB-EPO. WE WILL PERFORM DOSE-ESCALATION STUDIES IN THREE AD-RELEVANT MOUSE MODELS: AMYLOID PRECURSOR PROTEIN (APP) OVEREXPRESSING AΒ MICE (APP/PS1), IN MICE THAT COMBINE TAU AND AΒ PATHOLOGY (3XTG), AND IN APPSAA KNOCK-IN MICE THAT MODEL AD WITHOUT APP OVEREXPRESSION. THE EFFECT ON KEY AD PATHOGENIC EVENTS (AΒ AND TAU, MICROGLIOSIS, NEURONAL LOSS, AND BEHAVIORAL DEFICITS), ALONG WITH AN INVESTIGATION OF TFRMAB-, EPO-, BIOPHARMACEUTICAL- AND AD-RELATED ADVERSE EVENTS WILL BE STUDIED IN YOUNG AND AGED AD MICE. FINALLY, TO GAIN INSIGHTS INTO THE MOLECULAR PATHWAYS MODULATED BY TFRMAB-EPO IN THE AD BRAIN, SPATIAL PROTEOMICS WILL BE PERFORMED. THEREFORE, AIMS 1 AND 2 WILL ESTABLISH THE THERAPEUTIC RANGE AND TIME WINDOW OF TFRMAB-EPO WHILE AIM 3 WILL PROVIDE MECHANISTIC INSIGHTS. OVERALL, THE PROPOSAL, BACKED BY A STRONG SCIENTIFIC PREMISE AND DATA, WILL PROVIDE A CLINICALLY FEASIBLE AND SAFE APPROACH FOR SUSTAINABLE EPO DELIVERY TO THE AD BRAIN BY UTILIZING STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNIQUES AND MOUSE MODELS.

EARTH SYSTEMS SCIENCE AND DATA SOLUTIONS LAB (ESSDS): APPLYING DATA SCIENCE TECHNIQUES TO ACHIEVE THE UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

THE ROLES OF PRIMARY CILIA IN CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM

E-BEAM LITHOGRAPHY MICROSCOPE WITH HIGH-RESOLUTION MICROANALYSIS TO EXPLORE NOVEL MATERIALS AND DEVICES

PURSUING ROOM -TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTIVITY

MULTI-MODEL REGIONAL SIMULATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON AGRICULTURE AND ECOSYSTEMS IN THE SOUTHWESTERN UNITED

THEORETICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL EXPLORATION OF QUANTUM EFFECTS IN SUPERCONDUCTING ELECTRONICS

FACTORS INFLUENCING KSHV INFECTION AND SPREAD WITHIN THE ORAL CAVITY

CONTINUED SEARCH FOR VERY HIGH TC SUPERCONDUCTORS AND NOVEL SUPERCONDUCTING QUANTUM EFFECTS

NEIGHBORHOOD ADVERSITY AND SENSITIVITY TO STRESS: A STUDY OF GENE X ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS.

INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY OF FIBER-REINFORCED SLIME IN HAGFISHES -HAGFISHES ARE A GROUP OF ANCIENT FISHES THAT ARE BEST KNOWN FOR THEIR ABILITY TO FEND OFF PREDATORS INCLUDING SHARKS BY PRODUCING HUGE VOLUMES OF FIBROUS SLIME IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE. THIS RESEARCH PROJECT FOCUSES ON HAGFISH SLIME AND HAS TWO MAIN GOALS. THE FIRST IS TO UNDERSTAND HOW HAGFISHES CAN MAKE LITERS OF THIS MATERIAL IN A FRACTION OF A SECOND. TO DO THIS WE WILL STUDY SLIME DEPLOYMENT IN THE LABORATORY USING A CUSTOM HIGH-SPEED VIDEO SETUP. THE SECOND GOAL IS TO INVESTIGATE THE SLIME DEFENSE TRAIT IN THE MORE THAN 90 SPECIES OF HAGFISHES IN THE WORLD TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW THEY MAKE THIS FASCINATING MATERIAL AND HOW IT EVOLVED. OUR STUDY WILL FOCUS ON A PLACE THAT HAS EIGHT SPECIES OF HAGFISHES IN A SMALL AREA ? THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS IN ECUADOR. WITH ITS UNIQUE MIXTURE OF MUCUS AND SILK-LIKE FIBERS, HAGFISH DEFENSIVE SLIME HAS MATERIAL PROPERTIES THAT ARE UNLIKE ANY SYNTHETIC MATERIAL MADE BY HUMANS. UNDERSTANDING THE MECHANISMS OF ITS SYNTHESIS AND DEPLOYMENT COULD LEAD TO IMPORTANT INNOVATIONS IN APPLICATIONS SUCH AS FIRE SUPPRESSION. THIS PROJECT WILL INVESTIGATE THE FIBER-REINFORCED DEFENSIVE SECRETIONS CREATED BY THE DEEP-SEA ANIMALS KNOWN AS HAGFISHES. HAGFISHES ARE KNOWN TO DEFEND THEMSELVES FROM FISH PREDATORS USING AN ULTRA-DILUTE FIBROUS BIOMATERIAL THAT THEY EJECT FROM SPECIALIZED SLIME GLANDS, BUT LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT HOW THIS MATERIAL DEPLOYS IN SEAWATER OR HOW IT DIFFERS AMONG THE 90+ SPECIES OF HAGFISHES. IN THIS PROJECT, WE WILL ELUCIDATE THE BIOPHYSICAL MECHANISMS THAT ALLOW HAGFISH GLANDULAR SLIME TO EXPAND BY 10,000 TIMES IN LESS THAN 0.4 SECONDS, AND WE WILL CHARACTERIZE HOW THIS MATERIAL VARIES AMONG HAGFISH SPECIES THAT DIFFER IN PHYLOGENY, BODY SIZE, DEPTH RANGE, HABITAT, AND LIFESTYLE. THIS RESEARCH WILL ILLUMINATE THE PROPERTIES AND UNDERLYING MECHANISMS OF A BIOMATERIAL THAT IS UNIQUE IN BIOLOGY AND WILL PROVIDE NUMEROUS POSITIVE SOCIETAL IMPACTS INCLUDING STUDENT, POSTDOCTORAL, AND TEACHER TRAINING, SCIENCE OUTREACH, AND INSPIRATION FOR A NEW CLASS OF INDUSTRIAL MATERIALS, INCLUDING NOVEL WATER-BASED MATERIALS THAT COULD BE USED FOR FIRE SUPPRESSION. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

DEVELOPMENT OF SK CHANNEL MODULATORS AS THERAPEUTIC AGENTS FOR ATAXIA - THE BROAD, LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP NOVEL THERAPEUTIC AGENTS FOR SPINOCEREBELLAR ATAXIAS (SCAS). THERE IS NO EFFECTIVE TREATMENT OR CURE FOR SCAS, IN LARGE PART DUE TO INSUFFICIENT UNDERSTANDING OF THE DISEASE PATHOGENESIS. IN THIS PROJECT, WE WILL FOCUS ON SPINOCEREBELLAR ATAXIA TYPE 2 (SCA2). SCA2 IS AN AUTOSOMAL DOMINANT GENETIC NEURODEGENERATIVE DISORDER CAUSED BY POLYQ EXPANSION IN ATAXIN-2 (ATXN2) PROTEIN. CEREBELLAR PURKINJE CELLS (PCS) ARE THE MAIN LOCUS OF PATHOLOGY IN SCA2 PATIENTS. PREVIOUSLY, OUR LABORATORY DISCOVERED ABNORMAL NEURONAL CALCIUM SIGNALING IN PCS, WHICH PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF SCAS. PREVIOUS STUDIES ALSO SUGGEST THAT NEURONAL ACTIVITY OF PCS IS ABNORMAL IN ATAXIC MOUSE MODELS. WE DEMONSTRATED THAT POSITIVE ALLOSTERIC MODULATORS (PAMS) OF SMALL CONDUCTANCE CALCIUM-ACTIVATED POTASSIUM (SK) CHANNELS CAN NORMALIZE THE ABNORMAL FIRING PATTERN OF PCS IN SCA2 MICE AND ALLEVIATE BEHAVIORAL AND NEUROPATHOLOGICAL PHENOTYPES. THESE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT SK PAMS CAN BE POTENTIALLY USEFUL AS THERAPEUTIC AGENTS FOR THE TREATMENT OF SCA2 AND POSSIBLY FOR OTHER ATAXIAS. THIS PROJECT BRINGS TOGETHER THE COMPLEMENTARY SKILLS AND EXPERTISE OF TWO LABORATORIES FOR THE DISCOVERY OF SUCH AGENTS. TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, WE WILL FOCUS ON THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC AIMS: R21 PHASE AIM 1. TO IDENTIFY NOVEL SUBTYPE-SELECTIVE SK PAM CANDIDATES. WE WILL DETERMINE THE CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF SK2 CHANNELS IN COMPLEX WITH THE PROTOTYPE SUBTYPE-SELECTIVE PAMS. WE WILL OBTAIN STRUCTURAL INFORMATION THAT WILL BE USED TO PERFORM VIRTUAL HIGH THROUGHPUT SCREENING FOR SUBTYPE-SELECTIVE SK PAMS. R21 PHASE AIM 2. TO VALIDATE FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITY OF NOVEL SK PAMS. WE WILL USE FLUORESCENCE-BASED HIGH THROUGHPUT ASSAY AND ELECTROPHYSIOLOGICAL METHODS TO TEST SK PAM CANDIDATES. R33 PHASE AIM 3. TO INVESTIGATE THE SPECIFICITY OF NOVEL SK PAMS FOR SK CHANNELS. WE WILL EVALUATE THE SPECIFICITY OF THE SK PAM CANDIDATES FOR SK CHANNELS OVER OTHER K+, NA+ AND CA2+ CHANNELS USING ELECTROPHYSIOLOGICAL RECORDINGS. R33 PHASE AIM 4. TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECTS OF NOVEL SK PAMS ON THE ACTIVITY OF CEREBELLAR PCS IN SCA2 MICE. WE WILL PERFORM EX VIVO CEREBELLAR SLICE ELECTROPHYSIOLOGICAL RECORDINGS OF PC ACTIVITY IN THESE STUDIES. THE RESULTING SUBTYPE-SELECTIVE SK PAMS WILL PROVIDE CRITICAL LEADS FOR FUTURE PRECLINICAL AND CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT, FULFILLING THE CRITICAL AND UNMET NEEDS IN ATAXIA PATIENTS. THESE MOLECULES WILL ALSO OFFER NOVEL AND UNIQUE RESEARCH TOOLS FOR UNDERSTANDING THE BIOLOGICAL FUNCTION OF SK CHANNELS IN HEALTH AND DISEASE. THUS, THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN BASIC AND TRANSLATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE.

OSTEOGENIC CALCIUM PHOSPHATE NANOPARTICLES WITH DESIGNABLE DRUG RELEASE KINETICS

THE ROLE OF THYROGLOBULIN IN THYROID HORMONE SYNTHESIS - PROJECT SUMMARY/ ABSTRACT THYROID HORMONE (TH) DEFICIENCY IMPACTS VERTEBRATE PHYSIOLOGY IN A MYRIAD OF WAYS. THE PEDIATRIC CONSEQUENCES OF CONGENITAL HYPOTHYROIDISM (THE MOST COMMON CONGENITAL ENDOCRINOPATHY WORLDWIDE) INCLUDE DEFECTIVE GROWTH AND HEARING, AND AN INABILITY TO ACHIEVE MAXIMAL POTENTIAL INTELLIGENCE. IN ADULTS, HYPOTHYROIDISM LEADS TO HYPERLIPIDEMIA, ALTERED THERMOGENESIS, AND WEIGHT GAIN PROMOTING OBESITY. THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE VERTEBRATE SUBPHYLUM, THS ARE SYNTHESIZED WITHIN THE PRECURSOR PROTEIN THYROGLOBULIN (TG), ENCODED BY THE SINGLE TG GENE, UNDER THE REGULATION OF THYROID-STIMULATING HORMONE (TSH). THYROXINE (T4) DERIVES PRIMARILY FROM A UNIQUE, EVOLUTIONARILY CONSERVED SITE AT THE N-TERMINUS OF TG (ON POSITION TYR-5), WHEREAS THE PRIMARY FORMATION SITE FOR TRIIODOTHYRONINE (T3) DERIVES FROM THE OPPOSITE END OF THE TG PROTEIN. IODINATION OF TG IS THE SOLE SOURCE OF T4 IN THE BODY, BUT ONLY A PARTIAL CONTRIBUTOR TO CIRCULATING T3 (THE REMAINING T3 IS CONVERTED BY DEIODINATING T4 IN VARIOUS ORGANS). TREATMENT OF HYPOTHYROIDISM WITH T4 LEAVES MANY PATIENTS WITH PERSISTENT HYPOTHYROID SYMPTOMS, WHEREAS DIRECT TREATMENT EXCLUSIVELY WITH T3 RESULTS IN DRAMATIC UP-DOWN SWINGS IN BLOOD LEVELS OF T3. I HAVE BEEN INTERESTED TO KNOW, WHAT WOULD BE THE CONSEQUENCES IF THE THYROID GLAND ITSELF, REGULATED MOMENT-TO-MOMENT BY TSH, COULD SELECTIVELY PRODUCE ALL OF THE BODY’S T3? UNDER PHYSIOLOGICAL REGULATION BY TSH, THE CARBOXYL-TERMINAL CHEL DOMAIN OF TG — BY PROVIDING ESSENTIALLY EXCLUSIVELY T3 TO THE BODY — EITHER WILL OR WILL NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO SUSTAIN ALL CRITICAL DEVELOPMENTAL AND METABOLIC FUNCTIONS SUPPORTED BY TH. TO TEST THIS I PROPOSE TO USE CRISPR/CAS9-MUTAGENESIS TO DEVELOP THE FIRST TWO GENETICALLY-EDITED MOUSE MODELS WITH HOMOZYGOUS TG KNOCK-IN MUTANTS ENCODING EITHER: A) A TG-Y5F SUBSTITUTION (ELIMINATING THE PRIMARY T4-FORMING SITE OF TG) OR B) ENCODING ONLY THE SECRETORY CHEL DOMAIN THAT PRESERVES THE PRIMARY T3-FORMING SITE OF TG — IN BOTH CASES LEAVING THE PRIMARY T3-FORMING SITE OF TG INTACT IN A THYROID GLAND PHYSIOLOGICALLY REGULATED BY TSH. WITH THESE NOVEL ANIMALS IN HAND, I WILL STUDY DEVELOPMENT, GROWTH, BEHAVIOR, HEARING, BODY COMPOSITION AND WEIGHT, AND THERMOREGULATION. I WILL SEEK RIGOROUS VALIDATION OF IN VIVO HORMONOGESIS STUDIES WITH PARALLEL CELL CULTURE EXPERIMENTS TO EXPRESS THE SAME TG VARIANTS, AND CHARACTERIZE QUANTITATIVELY THEIR DEFICIENCY OF T4 PRODUCTION BUT COMPETENCE FOR T3 PRODUCTION, USING TG IODINATION IN VITRO, FOLLOWED BY NANO-LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY TANDEM-MASS SPECTROMETRY. THE PLAN OUTLINED IN THIS 5-YEAR K01 AWARD WILL PERMIT ME TO DEVELOP ADDITIONAL EXPERTISE IN WHOLE ANIMAL THYROID PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AS WELL AS CUTTING EDGE BIOCHEMICAL SKILLS NEEDED FOR MY FUTURE INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC CAREER. FURTHERMORE, THIS PROPOSAL IS OF SIGNIFICANT CLINICAL RELEVANCE TO UNDERSTAND IF THERE IS ANY SPECIAL ROLE OF T4 FROM NEONATES TO ADULTS, WHILE PROVIDING DEEP INSIGHT INTO THE EVOLUTIONARY ORIGINS OF TH SYNTHESIS IN VERTEBRATES, AND OPENING NEW POSSIBILITIES FOR FUTURE REFINEMENT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HUMAN HYPOTHYROIDISM.

ADVANCED MATERIALS PHOTONIC DIAGNOSTICS

THE INFLUENCE OF BRAIN ORGANIZATION AND POSTURAL BEHAVIOR ON PROGRESSION OF BACK PAIN SYMPTOMS IN YOUNG ADULTS.

CAREER: INTEGRATING BIOCHEMICAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF PLANTS TO CHANGES IN WATER AVAILABILITY

THE PROJECT'S OBJECTIVE IS TO IMPROVE THE RETRIEVAL ALGORITHM OF SATELLITE SEA SURFACE SALINITY (SSS) PRODUCTS THOUGH IMPROVED RADIATIVE TRANSFER MODEL AND SENSORS CALIBRATION. THE RETRIEVAL ALGORITHMS FOR SMAP AND AQUARIUS WILL BE ASSESSED BY COMPARISON WITH IN SITU SALINITY MEASUREMENTS AND SSS FROM A NUMERICAL OCEAN GENERAL CIRCULATION MODEL. THE RADIATIVE TRANSFER MODEL AND THE SENSORS' CALIBRATION WILL BE MODIFIED IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE ACCURACY OF THE SSS RETRIEVAL. A FEW OF THE ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED INCLUDE THE MODEL FOR THE DIELECTRIC CONSTANT OF SEA WATER THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE ANCILLARY SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE CORRECTING FOR THE IMPACT OF SEA ICE IN THE HIGH LATITUDES AND THE IMPACT OF SEASONAL CYCLES ON THE AQUARIUS RADIOMETER CALIBRATION. THESE TOPICS ARE EXAMPLES BASED ON WHAT IS KNOWN AT THE TIME OF WRITING AND MAY CHANGE AS THE CALIBRATION AND SALINITY RETRIEVAL OF AQUARIUS AND SMAP IMPROVE.

ULTRAFAST DYNAMICS OF CORE-SHELL NANOPARTICLE PHOTOCATALYSTS

RUI:OSIB:THE EFFECTS OF HIGH DISEASE RISK ON UNINFECTED ANIMALS -PATHOGENS, SUCH AS HARMFUL BACTERIA AND VIRUSES, CAN CAUSE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE ONCE THEY INFECT AN ORGANISM. AS SUCH, ORGANISMS HAVE EVOLVED PHYSIOLOGICAL STRATEGIES TO DEAL WITH INFECTIONS (I.E., TO DESTROY PATHOGENS OR REDUCE THEIR DAMAGE). INTERESTINGLY, RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT IN MANY SPECIES, INCLUDING IN HUMANS, THE MERE RISK OF INFECTION (SUCH AS OBSERVING SOMEONE WHO IS SICK) CAN ALREADY TRIGGER PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES. HOWEVER, THESE PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO DISEASE RISK ARE NOT WELL CHARACTERIZED. IN PARTICULAR, IT IS NOT KNOWN IF THESE PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO DISEASE RISK AFFECT SURVIVAL AND REPRODUCTION. TO ADDRESS THOSE GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE, THE PROPOSED WORK WILL USE A MODEL SPECIES AND A PARASITE THAT INFECTS THAT SPECIES AND CAUSES VISIBLE SYMPTOMS. AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE MECHANISMS DRIVING PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO DISEASE RISK WILL ADVANCE HUMAN HEALTH, ANIMAL WELFARE, AS WELL AS LIKELY AFFECT THE WAY BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH IS CONDUCTED. UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS FROM BACKGROUNDS HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN SCIENCE WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE RESEARCH, PROVIDING A FORMATIVE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE. UNDERGRADUATES WILL ALSO BE MATCHED WITH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM SIMILAR BACKGROUNDS TO FACILITATE A PEER MENTORING PROGRAM THAT WILL INCREASE STUDENT INTEREST IN SCIENCE, AS WELL AS IMPROVE THEIR CONFIDENCE IN THEIR ABILITY TO PURSUE THEIR OWN CAREERS IN SCIENCE. MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO VISIT THE UNIVERSITY DURING THE UNIVERSITY?S OPEN DAY WILL HAVE THE CHANCE TO INTERACT WITH THE OLDER GROUPS OF STUDENTS AND LEARN ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES. EMERGING RESEARCH IS SUGGESTING THAT PATHOGENS AFFECT NOT ONLY INFECTED ANIMALS, BUT ALSO THOSE AROUND THEM. FOR EXAMPLE, RECENT STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT COHABITATION WITH SICK CONSPECIFICS OR EXPOSURE TO DISEASE OR PARASITE CUES LEADS TO CHANGES IN THE PHYSIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR OF HEALTHY CONSPECIFICS. IF THESE PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES HELP REDUCE DISEASE BURDEN OR SPEED UP RECOVERY FROM DISEASE, THEY CAN HAVE CASCADING EFFECTS ON DISEASE DYNAMICS. THE OBJECTIVE FOR THIS PROPOSAL IS TO STUDY HOW EXPOSURE TO DISEASE RISK AFFECTS THE PHYSIOLOGY AND REPRODUCTIVE INVESTMENT OF UNINFECTED ANIMALS, AS WELL AS THEIR OWN RESPONSES UPON INFECTION. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL, A HOST-PARASITE SYSTEM (CANARY - MYCOPLASMA GALLISEPTICUM) WILL BE USED, WHERE RESPONSES TO DISEASE RISK HAVE ALREADY BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO OCCUR. TO QUANTIFY HOW OBSERVATION OF INFECTED SYMPTOMATIC BIRDS (DISEASE RISK TREATMENT) RELATIVE TO OBSERVATION OF HEALTHY BIRDS AFFECTS ANIMALS, THE PROJECT WILL 1) USE A TRANSCRIPTOMIC APPROACH TO ADDRESS HOW MULTIPLE ORGANS RESPOND TO DISEASE RISK OVER TIME, 2) EVALUATE WHETHER AND HOW DISEASE RISK INFORMATION MODIFIES THE DAMAGE AND THE TIME COURSE IMPOSED BY A SUBSEQUENT INFECTION, AND 3) QUANTIFY CHANGES IN REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOR AND INVESTMENT IMPOSED BY THE PRESENCE OF DISEASE RISK. INTEGRATED INTO THIS PROJECT ARE SEVERAL RESEARCH AND ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDER-REPRESENTED MIDDLE, HIGH SCHOOL, AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS INTERESTED IN STEM. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** OILSEED-DERIVED MEALS ARE BYPRODUCTS OF THE SEED OIL EXTRACTION PROCESS. CERTAIN OILSEED MEALS, SUCH AS SUNFLOWER MEAL, HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SERVE AS ECONOMICALLY VIABLE PROTEIN SOURCES WITH MINIMAL ALLERGENIC PROPERTIES. HOWEVER, THESE OILSEED MEALS ARE OFTEN UNDERUTILIZED AS PROTEIN SOURCES DUE TO THEIR LOWER NUTRITIONAL, FUNCTIONAL, AND SENSORY QUALITIES, LEADING TO UNDESIRABLE TASTE AND APPEARANCE. PLANT PROTEINS HAVE BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO BIND TO ANTIOXIDANT POLYPHENOL COMPOUNDS, WHICH CAN AFFECT THE PROTEINS' PROPERTIES. THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO EXAMINE THE IMPACT OF PROTEIN-POLYPHENOL INTERACTIONS ON THE STRUCTURE, FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES, AND NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF OILSEED PROTEIN ISOLATES. BY INVESTIGATING AND CONTROLLING THESE INTERACTIONS, WE AIM TO ENHANCE THE OVERALL QUALITY OF SUNFLOWER PROTEIN ISOLATES AND CONCENTRATES. THE MODULATION OF SUNFLOWER PROTEIN-POLYPHENOL INTERACTIONS WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED USING CHEMICAL AND ENZYMATIC APPROACHES. WE WILL THEN INCORPORATE THE OILSEED PROTEIN POWDERS INTO BAKED PRODUCTS AND DIFFERENT FOOD MODEL SYSTEMS SUCH AS EMULSIONS AND GELS TO DETERMINE HOW MODIFICATION OF THE PROTEINS ENHANCES THE QUALITY OF THE FOOD PRODUCTS. THE STUDY WILL FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE EFFECT OF POLYPHENOL TYPE AND CONCENTRATION AND THE MODIFIED PROTEINS ON THE FORMATION OF ADVANCED GLYCATION END-PRODUCTS (AGES), WHICH ARE A DIVERSE GROUP OF COMPOUNDS PRODUCED DURING HIGH-TEMPERATURE FOOD PROCESSES LIKE BAKING. THESE AGE COMPOUNDS HAVE BEEN LINKED TO MANY AGE-RELATED CHRONIC DISEASES. OUR RESEARCH FINDINGS WILL HELP FURTHER THE GOALS OF NIFA PROGRAM CODE A1364 BY EXPANDING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF PLANT PROTEINS' CHEMICAL, PHYSICAL, AND NUTRITIONAL PROPERTIES. ADDITIONALLY, THIS PROJECT WILL DRIVE INNOVATION IN THE ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN SECTOR BY PRODUCING NEW, HIGH-QUALITY INGREDIENTS AND PRODUCTS. ULTIMATELY, THIS WILL ENABLE THE UPCYCLING OF OILSEED BYPRODUCTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY NOT FULLY UTILIZED IN THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY.

DIMENSIONS: COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC DRIVERS OF NEOTROPICAL PLANT SPECIATION

THE DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL MECHANISTICALLY-BASED APE/REF-1 REDOX INHIBITORS

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: BIOGENESIS AND EVOLUTION OF HAGFISH SLIME AND SLIME GLANDS

INVESTIGATION OF THE ROLE OF HEAD MORPHOLOGY ON ODOR DETECTION USING COMPUTATIONAL MODELING

THE AQUARIUS/SAC-D MISSION WILL MEASURE GLOBAL SEA SURFACE SALINITY (SSS) BY MEANS OF L-BAND PASSIVE (RADIOMETER) AND ACTIVE (SCATTEROMETER) REMOTE S

PEPTIDE-DRUG CONJUGATES TARGETING EGFR FOR IMPROVED EFFICACY OF CHEMOTHERAPY - PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE TREATMENT OF CHOICE FOR MANY CANCERS, INCLUDING TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER (TNBC). HOWEVER, IT IS RARELY CURATIVE AND MOSTLY INEFFECTIVE DUE TO INTOLERABLE OFF-TARGET TOXICITIES OF THE CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC AGENTS. TNBC IS AN AGGRESSIVE SUBTYPE OF BREAST CANCER WITH A POOR PROGNOSIS, AND CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE FIRST- LINE TREATMENT FOR TNBC. WE ENGINEERED A NOVEL PEPTIDE, PEPTIDE 31, THAT SPECIFICALLY BINDS TO EGFR IN TNBC CELLS AND IS INTERNALIZED VIA EGFR-MEDIATED ENDOCYTOSIS. WE FURTHER PREPARED A PEPTIDE 31-DOXORUBICIN CONJUGATE THAT SHOWED SELECTIVE TOXICITY TO TNBC CELLS AND DISPLAYED NO TOXICITY TOWARD NORMAL BREAST CELLS. IN THIS PROPOSAL, WE AIM TO ADVANCE PRELIMINARY WORK BY DEVELOPING NOVEL PEPTIDE-DRUG CONJUGATES (PDCS) THAT LINK CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC AGENTS, SUCH AS DOXORUBICIN OR EXATECAN, TO LINEAR PEPTIDE 31, ITS CYCLIC ANALOGUE, OR BISPECIFIC CANCER CELL-BINDING PEPTIDES. OUR CENTRAL HYPOTHESIS IS THAT PDCS TARGETING TNBC CELLS VIA EGFR WILL ENHANCE THE THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY OF CHEMOTHERAPY. THE RATIONALE BEHIND THIS PROPOSAL IS THAT PDCS, WHICH SELECTIVELY TARGET TNBC CELLS, WILL DELIVER HIGHER CONCENTRATION OF DRUG TO CANCER CELLS WHILE SPARING NORMAL CELLS AND TISSUES FROM THE TOXIC EFFECTS OF CHEMOTHERAPY. THIS WORK WILL ALSO INVESTIGATE THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN EGFR AND PEPTIDE 31 IN TNBC CELLS USING A PEPTIDE AFFINITY PROBE TO ELUCIDATE THE SPECIFICITY OF PDCS FOR TARGETING TNBC. WE WILL TEST THE CENTRAL HYPOTHESIS THROUGH THREE SPECIFIC AIMS: 1) EVALUATE PDCS CONSISTING OF LINEAR OR CYCLIC PEPTIDE 31 FOR TARGETING TNBC, 2) EVALUATE PDCS CONSISTING OF A BISPECIFIC PEPTIDE FOR TARGETING TNBC AND 3) MECHANISTIC INSIGHTS INTO EGFR-MEDIATED UPTAKE OF PDCS IN TNBC. TO ACHIEVE THESE OBJECTIVES, WE WILL UTILIZE A COMBINATION OF SOLID-PHASE PEPTIDE SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION TECHNIQUES, CELL-BASED ASSAYS, AND MOUSE TNBC XENOGRAFT MODELS. TO ENSURE THE LACK OF ON-TARGET OFF-TUMOR TOXICITIES, WE WILL ALSO TEST THE PDCS ON NORMAL CELLS, INCLUDING NORMAL MAMMARY CELLS, CARDIOMYOCYTES, AND MOUSE HEART TISSUE. EVALUATION USING THE IN VITRO AND IN VIVO SYSTEMS WILL ENSURE THAT OUR RESULTS ARE ROBUST AND REPRODUCIBLE, AND THE PROPOSED CONJUGATES SUCCEED TOWARD TNBC TREATMENT ULTIMATELY BENEFITING WOMEN’S HEALTH. OVERALL, THESE STUDIES WILL HAVE A MAJOR POSITIVE IMPACT AS THEY LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR DEVELOPING A NEW MODALITY FOR TARGETED CANCER TREATMENT.

SEARCH FOR VERY-HIGH TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND RE-ENTRANT SUPERCONDUCTIVITY IN OXY-CHALCOGENIDES

REU-SITE: SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS IN EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (SURFEES) -THIS SUMMER REU SITE PROGRAM IN THE SCHMID COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY WILL ANNUALLY PROVIDE 12 STUDENTS SELECTED FROM TWO-YEAR COMMUNITY COLLEGES WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN RESEARCH PROJECTS RELATED TO EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE ISSUES FROM THE MOLECULAR TO GLOBAL SCALE. THIS REU SITE PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE A STUDENT POPULATION AT COMMUNITY COLLEGES?INSTITUTIONS TYPICALLY LACKING SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE?WITH HANDS-ON, INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH EXPERIENCES AND ENHANCE THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF THESE STUDENTS INTO STEM FIELDS. THE PROGRAM WILL PARTNER WITH MULTIPLE LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGES THAT SERVE LARGE STUDENT COMMUNITIES REPRESENTING A POTENTIAL PIPELINE FOR STEM WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. FACULTY MENTORS INCLUDE BIOCHEMISTS, BIOLOGISTS, CHEMISTS, EARTH SCIENTISTS, AND FOOD SCIENTISTS WITH ACTIVE UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH GROUPS AT CHAPMAN. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IS A HIGHLY DEVELOPED URBANIZED AREA WITH CONSIDERABLE NATURAL RESOURCES, RESULTING IN A WIDE RANGE OF EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES AND PROBLEMS. ADDRESSING THESE COMPLEX ISSUES REQUIRES AN INTERDISCIPLINARY AND EDUCATED WORKFORCE OF SCIENTISTS. THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH WITH FACULTY MENTORS WORKING AT THE FOREFRONT OF THEIR RESPECTIVE DISCIPLINES, STUDENTS WILL ENGAGE IN COMPLEX SCIENTIFIC STUDIES ON TOPICS INCLUDING THE TRANSFORMATION PATHWAYS OF POLLUTANTS, BIOCHEMISTRY OF NITROGEN FIXATION, DYNAMICS OF INTERTIDAL ECOSYSTEMS, AND FOOD PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY. PROJECTS INVOLVE COMBINATIONS OF BENCHTOP EXPERIMENTATION, TRAINING AND USAGE OF ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTATION, COMPUTATIONAL MODELING, AND DATA ANALYSIS. PARTICIPANTS WILL ALSO ENGAGE IN PROFESSIONAL AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDING WORKSHOPS ON DATA VISUALIZATION, PUBLIC SPEAKING, PRESENTING RESEARCH RESULTS, APPLYING TO FELLOWSHIPS AND GRADUATE PROGRAMS, AND CAREER PANELS. THE PROGRAM WILL CONCLUDE WITH A UNIVERSITY-WIDE RESEARCH SHOWCASE WHERE PARTICIPANTS WILL GIVE ORAL AND POSTER PRESENTATIONS SUMMARIZING THEIR SUMMER RESEARCH FINDINGS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

ADVANCING STEM LEARNING WITH INTERACTIVE EDUCATIONAL GAMES FOR BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN -THE RAPID ADVANCEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY OFFER EXCITING POSSIBILITIES TO BRIDGE THE BRAILLE LITERACY GAP. E-BRAILLE TOOLS LIKE DYNAMIC TACTILE DISPLAYS HOLD IMMENSE POTENTIAL FOR ENHANCING THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN. THESE DEVICES PROVIDE DYNAMIC ACCESS TO DIGITAL INFORMATION IN BRAILLE FORMAT, MAKING LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT INTERACTIVE AND EFFICIENT FOR BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN. THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL NEED FOR CUTTING-EDGE HAPTIC ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES THAT SUPPORT BRAILLE LEARNING FOR PEOPLE WITH BLINDNESS AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS. THIS PROJECT SEEKS TO TRANSFORM THE EDUCATIONAL LANDSCAPE FOR BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN BY LEVERAGING REFRESHABLE BRAILLE DISPLAYS FOR ENGAGING AND ACCESSIBLE STEM GAMES SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN WITH BLINDNESS AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS. THESE GAMES SERVE A DUAL PURPOSE: ENHANCING ESSENTIAL STEM SKILLS AND ULTIMATELY ADVANCING BRAILLE LITERACY. TO PROVIDE RESEARCH GUIDANCE TOWARDS DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING EDUCATIONAL STEM GAMES ACCOMPANIED WITH AN AFFORDABLE REFRESHABLE BRAILLE DISPLAY (RBD) SPECIFICALLY FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN WITH BLINDNESS AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT, THE PROJECT UTILIZES THE INITIALLY DEVELOPED PROTOTYPES FEATURING TACTILE BUTTONS AND AUDIO FEEDBACK TO INTERFACE WITH COMPUTERS, TABLETS, OR SMARTPHONES. THE OBJECTIVE IS TO EQUIP CHILDREN WITH BLINDNESS AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT WITH EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY EXPERIENCES THAT ARE ON PAR WITH THOSE ACCESSIBLE TO THEIR SIGHTED PEERS OF THE SAME AGE GROUP. THE GOALS OF THIS PROJECT ARE TO: 1) DESIGN AND DEVELOP INCLUSIVE, INTERACTIVE EDUCATIONAL GAMES FOR STEM EDUCATION THAT UTILIZE A COST-EFFECTIVE RBD, SPECIFICALLY AIMED AT IMPROVING BRAILLE LITERACY FOR CHILDREN WITH BLINDNESS AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS. 2) EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE BRAILLE-BASED EDUCATIONAL GAMES IN ENHANCING ESSENTIAL SKILLS IN STEM EDUCATION FOR BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN. 3) INVESTIGATE USER EXPERIENCE AND ACCESSIBILITY TO REFINE AND OPTIMIZE THE EDUCATIONAL GAMES FOR MAXIMUM ENGAGEMENT AND LEARNING OUTCOMES AMONG BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN. THE PROJECT GOALS ARE DIRECTED BY THESE RESEARCH QUESTIONS: 1) HOW DOES VARYING THE SPACING BETWEEN BRAILLE CHARACTERS AND LINES IN 3D-PRINTED SETS IMPACT INDIVIDUALS WITH BLINDNESS AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT?S ABILITY TO ACCURATELY AND COMFORTABLY DISCERN INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERS AND SHAPES? 2) WHEN PRESENTED WITH FUNDAMENTAL SHAPES (E.G., SQUARE, TRIANGLE, CIRCLE) USING THE SAME SPACING AS BRAILLE CONFIGURATIONS, HOW EFFECTIVELY CAN INDIVIDUALS WITH BLINDNESS AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT DETECT AND IDENTIFY THESE SHAPES? 3) WHICH SPECIFIC CONFIGURATION OF SPACING BETWEEN CHARACTERS, BETWEEN LINES, OR BOTH PROVIDES THE OPTIMAL BALANCE FOR USERS IN TERMS OF EASE OF READING BRAILLE CHARACTERS AND SHAPE RECOGNITION ON A BRAILLE DISPLAY? THIS RESEARCH IS ORGANIZED INTO THREE COMPREHENSIVE PHASES: THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF INCLUSIVE, INTERACTIVE STEM EDUCATIONAL GAMES, THE EVALUATION OF THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN REAL SCENARIOS, AND THE INVESTIGATION OF USER EXPERIENCE AND ACCESSIBILITY TO OPTIMIZE ENGAGEMENT AND LEARNING OUTCOMES. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS WILL ENCOMPASS BOTH QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE ELEMENTS. QUANTITATIVE DATA WILL BE DERIVED FROM PRE-TEST AND POST-TEST SCORES, WHICH WILL BE ANALYZED USING STATISTICAL METHODS SUCH AS PAIRED T-TESTS, INDEPENDENT T-TESTS, AND ANOVA. QUALITATIVE DATA WILL BE COLLECTED THROUGH STRUCTURED QUESTIONNAIRES AND INTERVIEWS, PROVIDING DEEPER INSIGHTS INTO THE USABILITY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND OVERALL USER EXPERIENCE OF THE STEM GAMES. THIS COMBINED METHODOLOGY ENSURES A THOROUGH AND BALANCED ANALYSIS OF THE USABILITY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND EDUCATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS OF THE INTERACTIVE STEM GAMES FOR BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN. THIS PROJECT IS FUNDED BY THE INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS (ITEST) PROGRAM, WHICH SUPPORTS PROJECTS THAT BUILD UNDERSTANDINGS OF PRACTICES, PROGRAM ELEMENTS, CONTEXTS AND PROCESSES CONTRIBUTING TO INCREASING STUDENTS' KNOWLEDGE AND INTEREST IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) AND INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) CAREERS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

ADVANCED THIN FILM DEPOSITION SYSTEM TO EXPLORE NOVEL MATERIALS AND QUANTUM DEVICES

DURIP: SYNTHESIS OF VERY-HIGH TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTORS VIA NON-EQUILIBRIUM PHASE DIAGRAM ROUTES

BRC-BIO: INTERACTIVE EFFECTS OF ECOSYSTEM WARMING AND PRECIPITATION REGIME DISTURBANCE ON TROPICAL SOIL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS -FORESTS STORE LARGE AMOUNTS OF CARBON, NOT ONLY IN THE TISSUES OF PLANTS, BUT ALSO IN THEIR SOILS, IN THE FORM OF SOIL CARBON. THAT STORED SOIL CARBON CAN BE BROKEN DOWN BY SOIL MICROBES, SUCH AS BACTERIA AND FUNGI, RELEASING CARBON DIOXIDE AND METHANE TO THE ATMOSPHERE IN THE PROCESS. IF CHANGING ECOSYSTEM CONDITIONS LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN THE RATE OF CARBON DIOXIDE AND METHANE EMISSIONS FROM SOILS, THE STORAGE OF FOREST SOIL CARBON COULD DECREASE, WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR ECOSYSTEM CARBON BALANCE AND SOIL FERTILITY. THIS RESEARCH WILL EXAMINE HOW TWO CHANGING ECOSYSTEM CONDITIONS, TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION PATTERNS, MAY INTERACT TO SHIFT THE EMISSIONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE AND METHANE FROM SOILS IN A TROPICAL FOREST. IN ADDITION, THIS RESEARCH WILL ENHANCE THE RESEARCH AND QUANTITATIVE SKILLS OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS BY PROVIDING HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES TO BOTH SUMMER RESEARCH STUDENTS AND STUDENTS ENROLLED IN A COURSE-BASED UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH EXPERIENCE CLASS, PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND PREPARING THEM FOR CAREERS IN STEM. THIS RESEARCH EXAMINES HOW ECOSYSTEM WARMING AND ALTERED PRECIPITATION REGIMES AFFECT TROPICAL SOIL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS. THIS PROJECT LEVERAGES THE TROPICAL RESPONSES TO ALTERED CLIMATE EXPERIMENT (TRACE) IN PUERTO RICO BY ADDING PRECIPITATION MANIPULATIONS TO THE EXISTING WARMING EXPERIMENT. THE OBJECTIVES ARE TO: (1) QUANTIFY SOIL CARBON DIOXIDE AND METHANE FLUX UNDER VARYING WARMING AND PRECIPITATION SCENARIOS IN A FIELD EXPERIMENT, (2) ASSESS HOW PRECEDING SOIL MOISTURE AND TEMPERATURE REGIMES OVER TIME AFFECT CARBON DIOXIDE AND METHANE EMISSIONS IN LAB INCUBATIONS, AND (3) PREDICT FUTURE SOIL CARBON DIOXIDE AND METHANE FLUXES USING HIERARCHICAL BAYESIAN MODELS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

DESIGN: REFORMING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE ACROSS BIOLOGY USING A COMMUNITY OF CARE FRAMEWORK -IN ORDER TO FULLY SERVE A DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF RESEARCHERS, PROFESSIONALS, AND EDUCATORS IN THE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES AND THEIR PROGRAMMATIC DECISIONS SHOULD EMPHASIZE A CULTURE OF COMMUNITY BUILDING AND INCLUSIVE MENTORING, ALONGSIDE OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. THIS PROJECT PROPOSES THAT SOCIETIES MUST EXPAND FROM THEIR ?COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE?, WHICH CENTER ON SCIENCE, TO INCORPORATE ?COMMUNITIES OF CARE?, WHICH CENTER ON PEOPLE. THE RESEARCHERS HAVE ALREADY DEVELOPED AND TESTED A THREE-STAGE APPROACH FOR SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY LEADERSHIP THAT INCLUDES EDUCATION, REFLECTION, AND GUIDED ACTION PLANNING WITHIN THIS CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK. THIS PROJECT WILL ENGAGE 5 US-BASED SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES IN A SERIES OF CRITICALLY EVALUATED LISTENING SESSIONS, WORKSHOPS, AND EVENTS THAT ADDRESS BOTH INTERNAL STRUCTURES (SOCIETY LEADERSHIP) AND EXTERNAL STRUCTURES (JOURNAL AND CONFERENCE ORGANIZATION). USING THIS APPROACH, THE RESEARCHERS WILL COORDINATE THE INITIAL IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATIONS FOR ACTIONABLE OPPORTUNITIES WITH ?COMMUNITY OF CARE?-GUIDED GOALS IN EACH OF THESE SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. THIS PROJECT ENCOMPASSES BROADER IMPACTS BY WORKING TO CHANGE DISCIPLINE-LEVEL CULTURAL VALUES AND THROUGH ITS DIRECT SUPPORT OF OVER 100 SCIENTISTS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND CAREER-STAGES. THIS PROJECT HAS ALREADY GENERATED BUY-IN FROM 5 US-BASED CONFERENCE SOCIETIES AND THEIR JOURNALS, WHICH DEMONSTRATES PROOF OF CONCEPT FOR THE BIOLOGY COMMUNITY?S COMMITMENT TO NEW, EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACHES FOR INCLUSION. THE GUIDED ACTION PLANNING WILL DRAW FROM THE EXPERTISE OF EXISTING EVIDENCE-BASED STRATEGIES DEVELOPED IN INFORMAL LEARNING AND CORPORATE SETTINGS FOR COMMUNITY BUILDING. A MAJOR STRENGTH OF THIS PARALLEL APPROACH IS THAT IT WILL CATALYZE A BROADER MOVEMENT AROUND PROVEN CULTURAL CHANGE METHODS THAN A SINGLE SOCIETY CAN OTHERWISE DRIVE. USING A MODULAR, FLEXIBLE APPROACH ROOTED IN SOCIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PEER-REVIEWED RESEARCH WILL ALLOW THE RESEARCHERS TO GENERATE SUPPORT FROM SOCIETIES? LEADERSHIP AND MEMBERSHIP WHO ARE INVESTED IN SEEING THEIR COMMUNITIES BECOME MORE DIVERSE, INCLUSIVE, AND EQUITABLE BUT DO NOT HAVE THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL TOOLS OR ABUNDANT RESOURCES TO DO SO IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

REU SITE: SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP IN EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (SURFEES) -THIS SUMMER REU SITE PROGRAM IN THE SCHMID COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY WILL ANNUALLY PROVIDE 12 STUDENTS SELECTED EXCLUSIVELY FROM TWO-YEAR COMMUNITY COLLEGES (FOCUSING SPECIFICALLY ON LOW-INCOME STUDENTS, WOMEN, AND STUDENTS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY GROUPS) WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN RESEARCH PROJECTS RELATED TO EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE ISSUES FROM THE MOLECULAR TO GLOBAL SCALE. THIS REU SITE PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE AN UNDERSERVED STUDENT POPULATION WITH HANDS-ON, INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH EXPERIENCES AND ENHANCE THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS INTO STEM FIELDS. THE PROGRAM WILL PARTNER WITH MULTIPLE LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGES THAT SERVE ETHNICALLY DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. FACULTY MENTORS INCLUDE BIOCHEMISTS, BIOLOGISTS, CHEMISTS, EARTH SCIENTISTS, AND FOOD SCIENTISTS WITH ACTIVE UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH GROUPS AT CHAPMAN. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IS A HIGHLY DEVELOPED URBANIZED AREA WITH CONSIDERABLE NATURAL RESOURCES, RESULTING IN A WIDE RANGE OF EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES AND PROBLEMS. ADDRESSING THESE COMPLEX ISSUES REQUIRES AN INTERDISCIPLINARY AND EDUCATED WORKFORCE OF SCIENTISTS. THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH WITH FACULTY MENTORS WORKING AT THE FOREFRONT OF THEIR RESPECTIVE DISCIPLINES, STUDENTS WILL ENGAGE IN COMPLEX SCIENTIFIC STUDIES ON TOPICS INCLUDING THE TRANSFORMATION PATHWAYS OF POLLUTANTS, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ON INTERTIDAL ECOSYSTEMS, EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON EXTREME WEATHER-RELATED EVENTS, AND CARBON SEQUESTRATION IN WETLANDS. PROJECTS INVOLVE COMBINATIONS OF BENCHTOP EXPERIMENTATION, TRAINING AND USAGE OF ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTATION, COMPUTATIONAL MODELING, AND DATA ANALYSIS. PARTICIPANTS WILL ALSO ENGAGE IN PROFESSIONAL AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDING WORKSHOPS ON DATA VISUALIZATION, PUBLIC SPEAKING, PRESENTING RESEARCH RESULTS, APPLYING TO FELLOWSHIPS AND GRADUATE PROGRAMS, AND CAREER PANELS. THE PROGRAM WILL CONCLUDE WITH A UNIVERSITY-WIDE RESEARCH SHOWCASE WHERE PARTICIPANTS WILL GIVE ORAL AND POSTER PRESENTATIONS SUMMARIZING THEIR SUMMER RESEARCH FINDINGS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

INSTRUMENTATION FOR PROPER CHARACTERIZATION OF NOVEL SUPERCONDUCTING CANDIDATE MATERIALS

INVESTIGATION OF SULFUR-SUBSTITUTED STRONTIUM RUTHENATES

THE RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT OF RANGELANDS IS MORE CHALLENGING TODAY THAN AT ANY POINT IN HUMAN HISTORY. DRIER AND MORE VARIABLE RAINFALL PATTERNS COMPARED TO THE LAST CENTURY HAVE UNKNOWN CONSEQUENCES FOR PLANT COMMUNITIES, AND INVASIVE SPECIES HAVE ALTERED A RANGE OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN RANGELANDS INCLUDING PRODUCTIVITY, BIODIVERSITY, AND RATES OF NUTRIENT AND WATER CYCLING. MOST ATTEMPTS TO RESTORE ECOSYSTEMS RELY ON TRIAL-AND-ERROR APPROACHES AND MANY FAIL, IN PART, DUE TO THE LACK OF A COMMUNITY-ORIENTED APPROACH. ECOLOGISTS HAVE LONG THEORIZED THAT A COMMUNITY ASSEMBLY FRAMEWORK THAT EMPHASIZES FUNCTIONAL TRAITS (CHARACTERISTICS OF SPECIES THAT INFLUENCE THEIR PERFORMANCE) COULD GUIDE AND ENHANCE RESTORATION, BUT EMPIRICAL TESTS OF THESE IDEAS ARE LACKING. APPLYING ECOLOGICAL THEORIES TO ACHIEVE RESTORATION GOALS ACROSS DIFFERENT COMMUNITY TYPES WOULD REPRESENT ONE OF THE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS FOR ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION.IT IS WIDELY ACCEPTED THAT FUNCTIONAL TRAITS INFLUENCECOMPETITIVE INTERACTIONS AND RESISTANCE TO STRESS, LIKE DROUGHT. THUS, SELECTING SPECIES FOR RESTORATION PROJECTS BASED ON FUNCTIONAL TRAITS SHOULD ALLOW MANAGERS TO MEET MULTIPLE GOALS IN RESTORED COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING DROUGHT TOLERANCE, INVASION RESISTANCE, AND THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES.THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECTIS TO TEST WHETHER A TRAIT-BASED MODEL CAN BE USED TO RESTORE VALUABLE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES BY STRENGTHENING DROUGHT TOLERANCE AND INVASION RESISTANCE. WE WILL WORK IN TWO ECOLOGICALLY DISTINCT AND ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT RANGELANDS: ANNUAL-DOMINATED GRASSLAND IN CALIFORNIA AND PERENNIAL DOMINATED MIXED-GRASS PRAIRIE IN WYOMING. DROUGHT AND INVASIVE PLANTS ARE KEY CHALLENGES FACED BY PRODUCERS IN BOTH REGIONS. WE WILL FIRST COMBINE A NEWLY-DEVELOPED MODEL WITH DETAILED PLANT-TRAIT DATA FROM THE TWO SITES TO DESIGN SPECIES ASSEMBLAGES THAT ARE OPTIMIZED FOR DROUGHT TOLERANCE, INVASION RESISTANCE, OR FUNCTIONAL DIVERSITY. SPECIES MIXTURES WILLBE ESTABLISHED IN FIELD PLOTS AND SUBJECTED TO DROUGHT AND INVASION BY EXOTIC ANNUAL GRASSES. COMMUNITY COMPOSITION, PLANT PERFORMANCE, AND FOUR ECOSYSTEM SERVICES (PRODUCTIVITY, FORAGE QUALITY, NUTRIENT CYCLING, WATER USE) WILL BE MEASURED FOR THREE YEARS FOLLOWING COMMUNITY ESTABLISHMENT. THIS RESEARCH WILL BE A STRONG EMPIRICAL TEST OF TRAIT-BASED ECOLOGICAL THEORIES IN ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT, AND WILL ALLOW RANGELAND MANAGERS TO USE INCREASINGLY AVAILABLE PLANT TRAIT DATA TO TAILOR RESTORATIONS TO BOTH SITE CONDITIONS AND DESIRED ECOSYSTEM SERVICES.?

EXPERIMENTAL AND THEORETICAL EXPLORATION OF NOVEL QUANTUM EFFECTS FOR SUPERCONDUCTING ELECTRONICS

EXTRACELLULAR VESICLES FROM ENTEROCYTES ARE MEDIATORS OF INFLAMMATION IN IBD - INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE IS A CHRONIC AND DEBILITATING CONDITION WITH NO CURE. IT HAS BEEN CHALLENGING TO UNDERSTAND THE UNDERLYING MOLECULAR BASES OF INTESTINAL INFLAMMATION. INVESTIGATION INTO PROINFLAMMATORY SIGNALING REQUIRES A MORE THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF CELL-TO-CELL COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ENTEROCYTES. EXTRACELLULAR VESICLES (EVS) AND SUBMICRON SIZED PARTICLES THAT CARRY GENETIC MATERIAL AS A MEANS OF MESSENGER DELIVERY BETWEEN CELLS. THIS PROJECT SEEKS TO UNDERSTAND HOW EVS FROM ENTEROCYTES ARE INVOLVED IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF INFLAMMATION. THE LONG-TERM GOAL IS TO UNDERSTAND HOW INFLAMMATION PREVENTS INDUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF REMISSION IN INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE. THE IMMEDIATE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO UNDERSTAND HOW EVS FROM ENTEROCYTES MEDIATE CELL-TO-CELL COMMUNICATION TO FUNCTION AS EFFECTORS OF INFLAMMATION IN THE INTESTINAL EPITHELIAL BARRIER. IN SPECIFIC AIM 1, WE WILL IDENTIFY THE TRANSCRIPTOMIC MIRNA SIGNATURE OF EVS PRODUCED BY ENTEROCYTES IN INFLAMMATION WHICH WILL BE INDUCED BY DEXTRAN SODIUM SULFATE OR LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE. IN SPECIFIC AIM 2, WE WILL DETERMINE HOW EVS FROM THE STIMULATED ENTEROCYTES ALTER THE INFLAMMATORY SIGNALING, BARRIER FUNCTION, AND MIGRATION OF RECIPIENT ENTEROCYTES. THIS STUDY WILL BE CONDUCTED IN AN IN VITRO MODEL OF HT-29 AND C2BBE1 CELLS WHICH CAN BE INDUCED BY PRO-INFLAMMATORY STIMULI TO STUDY TO HALLMARKS OF INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE. CELLS WILL BE GROWN IN TRANSWELLS AND EVS WILL BE ISOLATED FROM APICAL AND BASOLATERAL MEDIA OF DIFFERENTIATED MONOLAYERS FOR ANALYSIS OF MIRNA PROFILE. TO ASSESS HOW INFLAMMATION ALTERS THE COMPOSITION OF EVS, THE MIRNA CONTENT OF EVS GROWN IN TYPICAL CONDITIONS WILL BE COMPARED TO EVS PRODUCED FROM ENTEROCYTES TREATED WITH AN ACUTE INFLAMMATORY STIMULUS. FINALLY, WE WILL ASSESS HOW EVS FROM STIMULATED ENTEROCYTES ALTER THE EXPRESSION OF PROINFLAMMATORY MEDIATORS, PERMEABILITY OF THE ENTEROCYTE MONOLAYER, AND WOUND HEALING IN RECIPIENT HT-29 AND C2BBE1 CELLS. THIS RESEARCH IS AIMED TO FOSTER THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SCIENTIFIC WORKFORCE BY RECRUITING SIX UNDERGRADUATE BIOCHEMISTRY STUDENTS FOR AN IMMERSIVE RESEARCH EXPERIENCE ALONGSIDE THE PI. THE FINDINGS FROM THIS RESEARCH STUDY WILL PROVIDE A GREATER UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE ROLE OF EVS IN INFLAMMATORY SIGNALING, AND EPITHELIAL BARRIER & ENTEROCYTE FUNCTIONS. WITH NOVEL KNOWLEDGE OF THE MECHANISM OF INFLAMMATION, RESEARCHERS CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THE PATHOGENESIS OF IBD, DEVELOP NEW TARGETED THERAPIES, AND PROVIDE ENHANCED CARE FOR PATIENTS. THIS RESEARCH IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR PATIENTS WITH INTESTINAL INFLAMMATION INCLUDING IBD TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINED REMISSION.

RUI / LTREB -- LONG-TERM INVESTIGATION OF TERRITORIAL BEHAVIOR AND POPULATION DYNAMICS IN THE COMMON LOON

DEVELOPMENT OF FIBER-OPTICS 4K-CRYOCOOLER

LTREB RENEWAL: LONG-TERM INVESTIGATION OF TERRITORIAL BEHAVIOR AND POPULATION DYNAMICS IN THE COMMON LOON

R&D, SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, IN THE AREA OF ENGINEERING

CHANNELOPATHY OF KCA2.3 AND ZIMMERMANN-LABAND SYNDROME - ABSTRACT ZIMMERMANN-LABAND SYNDROME 3 (ZLS3 [MIM: 618658]) IS A RARE GENETIC DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER CHARACTERIZED BY GINGIVAL ENLARGEMENT, DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY, INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY, TOGETHER WITH ABNORMAL FINGERS, FINGERNAILS, NOSE, AND EARS. SMALL-CONDUCTANCE CA2+-ACTIVATED K+ SUBTYPE 3 (KCA2.3) CHANNELS ARE ACTIVATED EXCLUSIVELY BY INTRACELLULAR CA2+. THERE ARE SEVEN HUMAN GENETIC MUTATIONS OF KCA2.3 LINKED TO ZLS31- 3 AND ONE MUTATION ASSOCIATED WITH IDIOPATHIC NONCIRRHOTIC PORTAL HYPERTENSION (INCPH)4. NO TREATMENT FOR ZLS3 EXISTS. WE RECENTLY REPORTED THAT THE ZLS3-RELATED MUTATIONS IN KCA2.3 INCREASE THE CA2+ SENSITIVITY OF THE CHANNELS MORE THAN THE INCPH-RELATED MUTATION5. WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT DISEASE-RELATED KCA2.3 MUTATIONS CAUSE ABNORMALLY ELEVATED CA2+ SENSITIVITY OF THE CHANNEL, A THEORY THAT WILL BE TESTED IN AIM 1. TO CORRECT THE ABNORMALLY ELEVATED CA2+ SENSITIVITY, WE WILL NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE MECHANISMS OF HOW CA2+ SENSITIVITY IS INCREASED BY THE KCA2.3 MUTATIONS. THESE MUTATIONS CAN BE SEPARATED INTO THREE CLUSTERS IN THE CHANNEL PROTEIN1-3. THE FIRST CLUSTER ARE LOCALIZED AT A REGION THAT WE REPORTED ESSENTIAL FOR CHANNEL GATING6. THE SECOND CLUSTER ARE REPORTED TO INTERACT WITH CASEIN KINASE 2 (CK2)7. CK2 PHOSPHORYLATES CALMODULIN (CAM) CONSTITUTIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH KCA2.3 CHANNELS AND THUS NEGATIVELY MODULATES CA2+ SENSITIVITY8, 9. THE LAST MUTATION, A287S, IS IN THE TRANSMEMBRANE S1 DOMAIN. WE POSTULATED THAT THE FIRST CLUSTER OF FIVE MUTATIONS IN KCA2.3 MAY ENLARGE THE CHANNEL GATE AND MAKE THE CHANNEL EASIER TO OPEN AS THE MECHANISM FOR THEIR ELEVATED SENSITIVITY TO CA2+. THE SECOND CLUSTER OF MUTANT KCA2.3 CHANNELS MAY NOT AFFECT THE CHANNEL GATE DIRECTLY BUT RATHER CK2 PHOSPHORYLATION. THE MECHANISMS FOR THE ELEVATED CA2+ SENSITIVITY OF ZLS3-RELATED MUTANT CHANNELS WILL BE ELUCIDATED IN AIM 2. AS THE KCA2.3 MUTATIONS ELEVATE THE CA2+ SENSITIVITY THROUGH DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISMS, THE SEVEN ZLS3-RELATED KCA2.3 MUTATIONS MAY ALSO LEAD TO DIFFERENT SENSITIVITIES TO CHANNEL INHIBITORS. IN OUR PRELIMINARY STUDIES, THE EFFECT OF AP14145, A NEGATIVE GATING MODULATOR, ON THE MUTANT CHANNELS WAS LESS PROMINENT THAN ON THE WILD-TYPE CHANNELS5, HIGHLIGHTING THE NEED FOR COMPOUNDS THAT INHIBIT MUTANT CHANNELS. WE WILL EXPLORE FDA-APPROVED DRUGS AND COMPOUNDS IN CLINICAL TRIALS THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO INHIBIT KCA2.3 CHANNELS AS CANDIDATES FOR OFF- LABEL OR COMPASSIONATE USE IN AIM 3. PUBLIC HEALTHE RELEVANCE: THERE ARE SEVEN HUMAN GENETIC MUTATIONS OF KCA2.3 LINKED TO ZLS31-3 AND ONE MUTATION ASSOCIATED WITH IDIOPATHIC NONCIRRHOTIC PORTAL HYPERTENSION (INCPH)4. WE WILL EXPLORE FDA- APPROVED DRUGS AND COMPOUNDS IN CLINICAL TRIALS THAT INHIBIT KCA2.3 CHANNELS AS CANDIDATES FOR OFF-LABEL OR COMPASSIONATE USE.

PEPTIDE-DOXORUBICIN CONJUGATES FOR MITIGATING CARDIOTOXICITY AND OVERCOMING DRUG RESISTANCE IN CANCER - PROJECT SUMMARY DOXORUBICIN (DOX) IS AN FDA-APPROVED ANTHRACYCLINE CHEMOTHERAPY DRUG THAT IS UTILIZED FOR THE TREATMENT OF A RANGE OF CANCERS, SUCH AS BREAST, LUNG, OVARIAN, GASTRIC, AND THYROID. HOWEVER, THE CLINICAL APPLICATION OF DOX HAS DEMONSTRATED MULTIDRUG RESISTANCE AND UNFAVORABLE PHARMACOKINETIC QUALITIES, SUCH AS LOW BIOAVAILABILITY, RAPID DISTRIBUTION, AND EXCRETION. THUS, A HIGHER DOSE OF DOX IS REQUIRED FOR CHEMOTHERAPY. HOWEVER, IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED THAT HIGHER CUMULATIVE DOSES OF DOX LEAD TO DOSE-DEPENDENT CARDIOTOXICITY, NEPHROTOXICITY, AND EXTRAVASATION. DESPITE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ON TARGETED THERAPY SYSTEMS, THE SAFE, EFFECTIVE, AND EXCLUSIVE DELIVERY OF DOX TO TARGET CELLS REMAINS ELUSIVE. THE LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO HARNESS THE POTENTIAL OF CYCLIC- AND HYBRID CYCLIC-LINEAR PEPTIDE-DOX CONJUGATES TO ADDRESS DOX CARDIOTOXICITY AND COMBAT DRUG RESISTANCE IN CANCER CELLS. OUR PRELIMINARY DATA DEMONSTRATE THE EFFICACY AND LOW TOXICITY OF PEPTIDE-DOX CONJUGATES (PDCS) AGAINST DOX-RESISTANT AND CARDIAC CELLS, RESPECTIVELY. WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT OPTIMIZED PDCS CAN EFFECTIVELY TARGET AND OVERCOME DOX-RESISTANT CANCER CELLS WHILE REDUCING CARDIOTOXICITY, THUS ENHANCING THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY. WE WILL PURSUE TWO SPECIFIC AIMS TO TEST THIS HYPOTHESIS. IN AIM 1, WE WILL INVESTIGATE THE DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISM OF CARDIOTOXICITY MITIGATION AND OVERCOMING DOX-RESISTANT CANCER CELLS BY FIVE PDCS, [W(RW)4K]ΒA-DOX, [R5K]W7-ΒA-DOX, [W(RW)8K]ΒA-DOX, [(WR)4C]-S-S-DOX, AND [R5W4]K- RRWWRLWRRLWRΒA-DOX. THREE PRIMARY MECHANISMS UNDERPINNING THE CARDIOTOXIC EFFECTS OF DOX INCLUDE (I) GENERATION OF REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES (ROS) LEADING TO MEMBRANE DAMAGE, (II) APOPTOSIS IN CARDIOMYOCYTES, AND (III) MODULATION OF INTRACELLULAR CALCIUM RELEASE. WE WILL ELUCIDATE THE MECHANISMS THAT DIFFERENTIATE THEIR CYTOTOXIC EFFECTS ON CANCER CELLS VERSUS CARDIOMYOCYTES. WE WILL ALSO EVALUATE THE MECHANISM OF ACTIVITY OF PDCS USING DOX-RESISTANT CELLS THAT HAVE OVEREXPRESSION OF MEMBRANE EFFLUX PROTEINS. WE WILL MONITOR THE INTERNALIZATION AND INTRACELLULAR TRAFFICKING OF THE PDCS AND RELEASED DOX, AND THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH MEMBRANE EFFLUX PROTEIN (E.G., P-GP) IN THE HEART, DOX-RESISTANT, AND CANCER CELLS. AIM 2 IS FOCUSED ON THE IN VIVO EVALUATION OF THREE FUNCTIONALIZED PDCS FOR DOX DELIVERY TO CANCER XENOGRAFT MODELS AND THE EVALUATION OF CARDIOTOXICITY. THESE STUDIES WILL INVOLVE INDUCING TUMORS IN IMMUNODEFICIENT MICE USING BOTH NAÏVE AND RESISTANT CELLS. WE WILL EVALUATE THE DISTRIBUTION, TUMOR-SUPPRESSIVE EFFICACY, CARDIOTOXICITY, AND SAFETY PROFILE OF THREE FUNCTIONALIZED PDCS WITH PEG AND FOLIC ACID OR RGD. THE OUTCOMES OF THIS PROJECT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW PEPTIDE STRUCTURE AFFECTS BOTH CARDIOTOXICITY AND THE MITIGATION OF DOX RESISTANCE AND COULD GREATLY IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS AND SAFETY OF DOX FOR CANCER TREATMENT. THIS PROJECT CLOSELY ALIGNS WITH THE MISSIONS OF THE NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, AND BLOOD INSTITUTE (NHLBI) AND NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE (NCI), AS WELL AS THE NIH REAP (R15) FOA. IT ENABLES UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN VALUABLE RESEARCH, ENRICHES OUR INSTITUTION'S RESEARCH MILIEU, AND ADVANCES TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH IN CARDIOVASCULAR AND CANCER FIELDS.

PREDATION-INDUCED SENSITIZATION IN APLYSIA CALIFORNICA

TEAR FILM-MUCOUS LAYER DYSFUNCTION AND PATHOGENESIS OF DIABETES-ASSOCIATED DRY EYE DISEASE

CAREER: EFFECTS OF PARTICLE SIZE ON PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF MINE WASTES

BREAST CANCER TARGETING PEPTIDES FOR IMPROVED EFFICACY OF CURRENT CANCER TREATMENT

REU SITE: SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS IN EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (SURFEES)

MRI: ACQUISITION OF A TRIPLE QUADRUPOLE MASS SPECTROMETER FOR INTERDISCIPLINARY UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH AND TEACHING IN CHEMISTRY AND BIOLOGY

SYSTEMATIC SEARCH FOR VERY HIGH-TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTIVITY IN CARBON-RELATED COMPOUNDS, INCLUDING MATERIALS VIA NONEQUILIBRIUM PHASE DIAGRAM ROUTE

AI-BASED FALL-RISK ASSESSMENT DURING DAILY ACTIVITIES IN POST STROKE SURVIVORS USING SMARTPHONES - PROJECT SUMMARY FALLS IN POST-STROKE SURVIVORS ARE UP TO 73% IN THE FIRST YEAR AFTER STROKE, AND AT LEAST 70% OF AMBULATORY STROKE SURVIVORS EXPERIENCE AN ANNUAL FALL. THE DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS OF FALLS INCLUDE SERIOUS INJURIES, INCREASED MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY, DWINDLING FUNCTIONAL MOBILITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE, AND HIGH HEALTH-RELATED COSTS. MOST FALL RISK ASSESSMENTS FOR AMBULATORY POST-STROKE SURVIVORS ARE BASED ON AN ORDINAL SCALE OF FUNCTIONAL MEASUREMENTS, LACK OBJECTIVITY AND ACCURACY, AND ARE LIMITED TO CLINICAL OR LABORATORY ENVIRONMENTS. EARLY IDENTIFICATION OF POST- STROKE SURVIVORS AT RISK OF FALLING IS CRUCIAL FOR DEVELOPING TIMELY TAILORED INTERVENTIONS TO REDUCE FALLS. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO DEVELOP A MACHINE LEARNING (ML) BASED FALL RISK ASSESSMENT TOOL FOR AMBULATORY STROKE SURVIVORS BY USING INERTIAL SENSOR DATA FROM SMARTPHONE WORN AT THE WAIST DURING ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING. THIS ENDEAVOR WILL INVOLVE GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE (UG) STUDENTS AT EACH STAGE OF THE PROJECT AND EXPOSE THEM TO MULTIPLE FACETS OF RIGOROUS SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF STROKE REHABILITATION AND ORGANIZES STROKE BOOT CAMP (SBC), A FREE REHABILITATION PROGRAM EVERY SEMESTER. IN ADDITION, CSU LONG BEACH’S PRO BONO CLINIC WILL PROVIDE US WITH EASY ACCESS TO THE NEARBY STROKE POPULATION. THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP A PORTABLE DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR CLINICIANS TO DIAGNOSE FALL RISK EVEN WHEN THE PATIENT IS AWAY FROM THE CLINIC. THIS STUDY AIMS 1) TO ESTABLISH IF DIGITAL BIOMARKERS EXTRACTED FROM THE SMARTPHONE DATA WHILE PERFORMING PRESCRIBED ADLS SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFER BETWEEN HIGH AND LOW-RISK FALLERS IN LABORATORY SETTINGS. THE REMAINING DATA NEEDED TO BUILD THE ML MODEL IS COLLECTED ENTIRELY IN THE PARTICIPANT’S HOME SETTING. THE PARTICIPANTS WILL WEAR THE SMARTPHONE ON THEIR WAIST DURING ALL WAKING HOURS AND PERFORM REGULAR ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING. 2) TO TRAIN THREE ML MODELS THAT CAN CLASSIFY FALL-RISK USING DIFFERENT DATA MODALITIES: USING I) PASSIVELY COLLECTED 3-DAY ADL DATA, II) DATA FROM PRESCRIBED SIMPLE ADL TASKS LIKE TURNING, WALKING, AND SIT-TO-STAND, III) COMBINED SUBJECTIVE AND OBJECTIVE DATA. 3) TO ASSESS THE PREDICTIVE VALIDITY OF THE ML MODELS AGAINST ACTUAL FALL OCCURRENCES AFTER SIX MONTHS. THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT WILL ENHANCE STROKE CARE BY AN ACCURATE FALL RISK ASSESSMENT FOR AMBULATORY STROKE SURVIVORS. IDENTIFYING POST-STROKE INDIVIDUALS AT HIGH RISK OF FALLING WILL ALLOW EARLY INTERVENTION TO IMPROVE CARE AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN THESE INDIVIDUALS. IN ADDITION, THIS STUDY HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR DEVELOPING A PRODUCT THAT COULD TRACK PROGRESS DURING STROKE REHABILITATION.

WATER MANAGEMENT FOR THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO

CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW FAMILY VIOLENCE CLINIC

STIMULATED BRILLOUIN AND RAMAN SCATTERING FOR FIBER-OPTIC DIGITAL DATA TRANSFER

DEVELOPMENT OF SK CHANNEL MODULATORS AS THERAPEUTIC AGENTS FOR ATAXIA

SIMULATION AND EXPERIMENTAL REALIZATION OF VECTOR-POTENTIAL SENSORS BY QUASILOCAL SUPERCONDUCTING OBJECTS

STUDENT NOTICING OF QUANTITATIVE DATA IN INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY LABS -MANY SKILLS ARE TYPICALLY TAUGHT IN INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY LECTURES AND LABS AND ARE IMPORTANT FOR SUCCESS AS A BIOLOGIST. ONE OF THESE SKILLS IS QUANTITATIVE REASONING. QUANTITATIVE REASONING IS THE ABILITY TO USE MATHEMATICAL CONCEPTS IN BIOLOGICAL CONTEXTS, WHICH ENCOMPASSES PROCESSING AND INTERPRETING NUMERICAL AND GRAPHICAL DATA. HOWEVER, MANY STUDENTS IN INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY STRUGGLE TO APPLY QUANTITATIVE REASONING SKILLS TAUGHT IN MATH CLASSES AND OTHER CLASSES TO THESE BIOLOGICAL CONTEXTS. THE PROPOSED PROJECT SEEKS TO UNDERSTAND HOW STUDENTS LEARN AND APPLY QUANTITATIVE SKILLS IN INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY LABS BY USING INTERVIEWS AND OBSERVATIONS TO CHARACTERIZE WHAT STUDENTS NOTICE AND ATTEND TO WHEN LEARNING QUANTITATIVE REASONING, GENERATING NEW KNOWLEDGE INTO HOW STUDENTS TRANSFER QUANTITATIVE SKILLS FROM OTHER CLASSES TO BIOLOGICAL CONTEXTS. THESE RESULTS WILL PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO HOW TO BEST SUPPORT STUDENT LEARNING OF QUANTITATIVE REASONING IN BIOLOGY CLASSES. IN ADDITION, THROUGH ATTENDING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS AND WORKING WITH THE MENTOR AND ADVISORY BOARD, THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE THE INVESTIGATOR WITH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT FOR LEARNING QUALITATIVE METHODS FOR STEM EDUCATION RESEARCH. THE SEMINAL VISION & CHANGE REPORT IDENTIFIED QUANTITATIVE REASONING AS ONE OF THE CORE COMPETENCIES FOR UNDERGRADUATE BIOLOGY STUDENTS. DESPITE ITS IMPORTANCE, THERE HAVE BEEN VERY FEW WORKS EXAMINING HOW STUDENTS LEARN QUANTITATIVE REASONING IN BIOLOGICAL CONTEXTS, WITH MOST PAST WORK INSTEAD ASSESSING SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONS OR MEASURING STUDENT ATTITUDES TOWARDS QUANTITATIVE REASONING. THIS PROJECT WILL EXAMINE HOW STUDENTS LEARN QUANTITATIVE REASONING BY EXPLORING STUDENTS? TRANSFER OF KNOWLEDGE FROM MATHEMATICS TO BIOLOGY CLASSES. THE PROJECT WILL USE THE STUDENT NOTICING FRAMEWORK TO INVESTIGATE WHAT STUDENTS RECOGNIZE AND PERCEIVE WHEN CREATING, ANALYZING, AND INTERPRETING GRAPHICAL DATA IN INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY LABS, AND EXPLORE HOW SUCH DIFFERENCES IN STUDENT NOTICING SHAPE THE TRANSFER OF KNOWLEDGE. THE PROJECT WILL ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING TWO RESEARCH QUESTIONS: 1) WHAT THEMES, PATTERNS, AND PROCESSES ARE STUDENTS NOTICING (I.E., RECOGNIZING, RECALLING, AND APPLYING TO OTHER CONTEXTS) WHEN LEARNING QUANTITATIVE SKILLS IN INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY LABS? 2) HOW DO DIFFERENCES IN THIS STUDENT NOTICING INFLUENCE STUDENTS? LEARNING OF QUANTITATIVE SKILLS? THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL INVOLVE RUNNING RECORD OBSERVATIONS OF STUDENTS WORKING WITH THE QUANTITATIVE DATA THEY COLLECT IN INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY LABS, ALLOWING FOR CHARACTERIZATION OF STUDENTS? CENTERS OF FOCUS. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO INVOLVE SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS, ALLOWING FOR MORE EXPLORATION OF STUDENTS? CENTERS OF FOCUS. VALIDATED INSTRUMENTS WILL BE USED TO MEASURE STUDENTS? QUANTITATIVE REASONING ABILITY AND INTEREST, AND CHANGES WILL BE TRACKED TO SEE HOW DIFFERENCES IN CENTERS OF FOCUS MAY INFLUENCE LEARNING OF QUANTITATIVE REASONING. THINK ALOUD INTERVIEWS WILL BE HELD TO FURTHER DETERMINE STUDENTS? CENTERS OF FOCUS WHEN WORKING WITH QUANTITATIVE DATA. THESE DATA WILL GENERATE VALUABLE INSIGHT ON WHAT STUDENTS PERCEIVE WHEN CREATING AND ANALYZING GRAPHICAL DATA, LEADING TO MORE INFORMATION ON HOW STUDENTS TRANSFER KNOWLEDGE INTO BIOLOGY. FINALLY, THE PROJECT WILL ALLOW THE PI TO DEVELOP KEY QUALITATIVE SKILLS THROUGH TARGETED MENTORING AND PARTICIPATION IN WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES. THE PROJECT IS SUPPORTED BY NSF'S EHR CORE RESEARCH BUILDING CAPACITY IN STEM EDUCATION RESEARCH (ECR: BCSER) PROGRAM, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO BUILD INVESTIGATORS? CAPACITY TO CARRY OUT HIGH-QUALITY STEM EDUCATION RESEARCH. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

REU SITE: SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS IN EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (SURFEES)

THYROID HORMONE SIGNALING IN A TRIIODOTHYRONINE-ONLY HORMONAL ENVIRONMENT - PROJECT SUMMARY/ ABSTRACT THYROID HORMONES (THS), T4 AND T3, ARE SYNTHESIZED IN THE THYROID GLAND UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF TSH, AND PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN REGULATING THERMOGENESIS, ENERGY EXPENDITURE (EE), AND EVEN THYROID FUNCTION. T4 IS PRIMARILY FORMED AT THE N-TERMINUS OF THYROGLOBULIN (TG), WHILE DE NOVO SYNTHESIS OF T3 (THE MOST ACTIVE TH) OCCURS MOSTLY AT THE C-TERMINAL CHEL DOMAIN OF TG. IN THE BODY, ALL T4 IS PRODUCED IN THE THYROID, WHILE T3 IS GENERATED LARGELY THROUGH DEIODINATION OF T4 IN VARIOUS TISSUES. HYPOTHYROIDISM, AFFECTING 5-10% OF THE POPULATION, OFTEN PRESENTS WITH GOITER, REDUCED EE, AND WEIGHT GAIN. ALTHOUGH T4 TREATMENT NORMALIZES TSH IN HYPOTHYROID PATIENTS, IT OFTEN FAILS TO RESTORE EE, AND WEIGHT GAIN PERSISTS. T3 TREATMENT AIDS WEIGHT LOSS BUT RESULTS IN WIDE FLUCTUATIONS IN BLOOD T3 LEVELS. TO STUDY THE CONSEQUENCES OF A “T3-ONLY” HORMONAL ENVIRONMENT ON BODY METABOLISM, WE CREATED A NOVEL GENETIC KNOCK-IN (KI) MOUSE THAT EXPRESSES ONLY THE TG-CHEL DOMAIN (LACKING THE REMAINDER OF THE TG MOLECULE) UNDER TSH REGULATION, NAMED CHEL-KI: THIS ANIMAL PRODUCES NORMAL SERUM T3 LEVELS WITH NEGLIGIBLE T4. INTERESTINGLY, CHEL-KI MICE HAVE HYPOTHYROIDISM BY TSH CRITERIA, BUT SUSTAIN NORMAL BODY TEMPERATURE EVEN AFTER COLD EXPOSURE AND EXPEND MORE ENERGY THAN EUTHYROID MICE UNDER SUB-THERMONEUTRAL (<30°C) CONDITIONS, WHEN ADAPTIVE THERMOGENESIS CONTRIBUTES SIGNIFICANTLY TO HEAT PRODUCTION. BROWN ADIPOSE TISSUE AND SKELETAL MUSCLE ARE KEY SITES OF ADAPTIVE THERMOGENESIS, AND UNDER CERTAIN SITUATIONS, WHEN ONE IS DEFICIENT, THE OTHER COMPENSATES, WITH SKELETAL MUSCLE CONSUMING MORE ENERGY. ADDITIONALLY, CHEL-KI MICE DEVELOP A LARGER GOITER WITH INCREASED MARKERS OF T3 ACTION AND THYROID CELL PROLIFERATION COMPARED TO “CONVENTIONALLY HYPOTHYROID” MICE WITH SIMILARLY HIGH SERUM TSH. T3 INCREASES THYROCYTE PROLIFERATION IN CULTURE, AND EXUBERANT THYROIDAL T3 MAY CONTRIBUTE TO SUCH OVERGROWTH. IN ADDITION, WHILE SERUM IGF-1 (A STIMULATOR OF THYROCYTE PROLIFERATION) IS REDUCED IN HYPOTHYROID MICE, IT REMAINS NORMAL IN CHEL-KI MICE, LIKELY SUPPORTED BY NORMAL SERUM T3. HERE, WE SEEK TO DISSECT THE METABOLIC AND PROLIFERATIVE ROLES OF T3 WHEN T4 IS DEFICIENT: 1) WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT PHYSIOLOGICAL LEVELS OF T3 (IN ANIMALS WITH NEGLIGIBLE T4) SUPPORT ENERGETICALLY COSTLY THERMOREGULATION, CONTRIBUTING TO INCREASED EE. WE WILL CHARACTERIZE THE EFFECTS OF T3 ON THE METABOLIC PROFILES (INCLUDING EE) IN MICE LACKING T4 AT THERMONEUTRALITY AND UNDER MILD COLD EXPOSURE; THE ACTIVATION OF ADAPTIVE THERMOGENESIS MECHANISMS IN THESE ANIMALS; AND THEIR VULNERABILITY TO DEVELOPING OBESITY. 2) WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT T3, WHEN T4 IS LACKING, SUPPORTS PROLIFERATION OF TSH-STIMULATED THYROCYTES AND THYROID ENLARGEMENT THROUGH DIRECT T3 ACTION IN THE THYROID GLAND AND MECHANISMS INVOLVING IGF-1. WE WILL QUANTITATIVELY ASSESS THE ROLE OF T3 IN REGULATING THYROID CELL PROLIFERATION AND DIFFERENTIATION, AND THYROID GLAND MASS WHEN SERUM TSH IS HIGH. WE WILL ALSO PROBE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE IGF-1 AND TSH PATHWAYS TO THE DOSE-DEPENDENT EFFECTS OF T3 ON THE THYROIDAL EXPRESSION OF GENES INVOLVED IN CELL CYCLE REGULATION AND CELL DIFFERENTIATION. THESE STUDIES OF THYROID HORMONE ACTION WILL PAVE THE WAY FOR ADVANCEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF HYPOTHYROIDISM, AND FOR TARGETING PATHWAYS THAT HELP TO PROMOTE WEIGHT LOSS.

THE SIGNALING MECHANISM OF PRIMARY CILIA IN ANEURYSM PREVENTION

COMPUTATIONAL TOOL AND CORPORA DEVELOPMENT IN A LANGUAGE WITH COMPLEX CLAUSE-MARKING

THE AQUARIUS/SAC-D MISSION HAS BEEN MEASURING GLOBAL SEA SURFACE SALINITY (SSS) BY MEANS OF L-BAND PASSIVE (RADIOMETER) AND ACTIVE (SCATTEROMETER) RE

RUI: NITROGENASE AND FRIENDS: UNCOVERING HOW DIAZOTROPHS REGULATE AND MAINTAIN NITROGENASE ACTIVITY UNDER UNFAVORABLE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

RUI: VOSS: COMPUTATIONAL TOOLS, VIRTUAL ORGANIZING, AND DYNAMIC INNOVATION DIFFUSION

NSF-BSF: EFFICIENTLY MODELING CONTINUOUS QUANTUM MEASUREMENTS OF HIGH-DIMENSIONAL MULTI-QUBIT SYSTEMS

22-ESAT22-0008.I.C.E. C.R.E.A.M.: INTEGRATING COMMUNICATION OF ECOSTRESS INTO COMMUNITY RESEARCH EDUCATION APPLICATIONS AND MEDIA

UTILIZING THE NATIONAL NETWORK FOR VERIFICATION OF SATELLITE RAINFALL ESTIMATESTHIS RESEARCH PROPOSA

RUI: CHEMICAL DYNAMICS OF METHANOL DECOMPOSITION ON PLATINUM

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF THE PROMOTING ACTIVE LEARNING AND MENTORING (PALM) NETWORK ON VISION -VISION & CHANGE (V&C) IN UNDERGRADUATE BIOLOGY EDUCATION: A CALL TO ACTION PROPOSED A NEW VISION FOR EFFECTIVE UNDERGRADUATE LIFE SCIENCE EDUCATION. VISION & CHANGE CALLED ON EDUCATORS TO USE EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES TO EMPHASIZE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING, AUTHENTIC RESEARCH EXPERIENCES, AND ACTIVE LEARNING APPROACHES FOR PROVIDING UNDERGRADUATES WITH THE ENGAGEMENT AND PASSION NECESSARY TO REMAIN IN STEM DISCIPLINES AND PURSUE CAREERS IN STEM FIELDS. THE REPORT HAS BEEN INFLUENTIAL IN THE UNDERGRADUATE LIFE SCIENCE EDUCATION COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST DECADE, YET FEW STUDIES HAVE BEEN UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH V&C CONCEPTS AND COMPETENCIES HAVE PENETRATED THE COMMUNITY OF BIOLOGY EDUCATORS. THIS PROJECT WILL LEVERAGE THE PROMOTING ACTIVE LEARNING AND MENTORING (PALM) NETWORK (NSF AWARD #1624200), TO STUDY THE PENETRANCE OF V&C CONCEPTS AND COMPETENCIES ACROSS THE NETWORK AND THE PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES INVOLVED IN THE PALM PROJECT. THE PROJECT TEAM WILL UTILIZE A MIXED METHODS APPROACH TO SUPPORT COMBINING THE STRENGTH OF QUANTITATIVE SURVEYS THAT REACH ALL PALM PARTICIPANTS WITH QUALITATIVE SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS TO FURTHER PROBE PARTICIPANTS? MOTIVATIONS, IMPLEMENTATION, AND DISSEMINATION OF VISION & CHANGE PRINCIPLES IN MORE DETAIL. THE PROJECT AIMS TO: 1) DETERMINE TO WHAT EXTENT VISION & CHANGE PRINCIPLES MOTIVATED MENTORS OR MENTEES TO JOIN PALM; 2) CHARACTERIZE PERCEPTIONS OF VISION & CHANGE AMONG INSTRUCTORS AND EDUCATORS INVOLVED IN THE PALM NETWORK, AND DETERMINE THE IMPACT OF THIS NETWORK AND MENTORSHIP ON PERCEPTIONS, IMPLEMENTATION, AND DISSEMINATION OF VISION & CHANGE PRINCIPLES WITHIN DEPARTMENTS; AND 3) EXAMINE THE IMPACT OF THE PALM NETWORK ON ITS ASSOCIATED PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND ASSESS HOW VISION & CHANGE HAS INFLUENCED THESE SOCIETIES? ENGAGEMENT WITH UNDERGRADUATE BIOLOGY EDUCATION WHILE THIS WORK IS INSTRUCTOR-FOCUSED, ITS IMPACT WILL BE MULTIPLIED BY THE NUMBER OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS TAUGHT BY THESE INSTRUCTORS. THE PROJECT TEAM WILL DISSEMINATE PROTOCOLS, SURVEYS, TRAINING MATERIALS, AND RESULTS ON A CENTRALIZED WEBSITE (QUBES), AT SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCES, AND BY OPEN-ACCESS PUBLICATIONS. THE PRODUCTS CREATED AND SHARED WILL DOCUMENT THE CURRENT REACH OF V&C AND HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO EXTEND V&C TO AN EVEN GREATER NUMBER OF EDUCATORS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW FAMILY VIOLENCE CLINIC PROGRAM

IRES: STOCKHOLM RESEARCH EXPERIENCE IN HETEROGENEOUS CATALYSIS -SCIENCE IS NATURALLY AN INTERNATIONAL ENDEAVOR; HOWEVER, UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS ARE OFTEN NOT EXPOSED TO THIS CRITICAL ASPECT EARLY IN THE SCIENTIFIC CAREERS. UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN STEM TYPICALLY HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE IN RESEARCH AT THEIR HOME INSTITUTES, PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL SUMMER RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS, AND STUDY ABROAD THROUGH CAMPUS PROGRAMS. DESPITE THE ABUNDANCE OF THESE PROGRAMS, STUDENTS RARELY GET TO EXPERIENCE RESEARCH ON AN INTERNATIONAL SCALE AT OTHER RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS. IN COLLABORATION WITH STOCKHOLM UNIVERSITY AND THE KTH ROYAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY IN STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS FROM CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY AND THE SURROUNDING CULTURALLY DIVERSE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGION WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM RESEARCH IN FOREIGN RESEARCH LABS FOR 10 WEEKS DURING THE SUMMER. THE LEARNING OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM ARE TO (1) PROVIDE TRANSFORMATIVE INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH EXPERIENCES FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS, (2) INCREASE STUDENT AWARENESS OF NEW RESEARCH FIELDS, INCLUDING, HETEROGENEOUS CATALYSIS, (3) TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF INTERNATIONAL RESEARCHERS, (4) INCREASE THE PARTICIPATION OF UNDER-REPRESENTED STUDENTS IN STEM FIELDS, (5) EXPOSE STUDENTS TO THE BENEFITS OF INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS, AND (6) EDUCATE STUDENTS ON SWEDEN?S LONG AND IMPACTFUL HISTORY IN THE SCIENCES. THESE ACTIVITIES WILL PREPARE STUDENTS WITH THE SKILLS NEEDED TO BE EFFECTIVE AND ETHICAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCHERS. AS THE WORLD POPULATION CONTINUES TO RISE, NOVEL SOLUTIONS TO GLOBAL ISSUES, SUCH AS CLIMATE CHANGE, FOOD PRODUCTION, CLEAN ENERGY GENERATION, ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER, AND POLLUTION CONTROL, WILL NEED TO BE DEVELOPED. HETEROGENEOUS CATALYSIS PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN COMBATING THESE CHALLENGES, FROM PRODUCING AMMONIA FOR FERTILIZERS USING THE HABER-BOSCH PROCESS, TO SYNTHESIZING CARBON-NEUTRAL FUEL WITH THE FISCHER-TROPSCH PROCESS, TO REDUCING POLLUTANTS IN THE AIR WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IN CARS. AS THE URGENCY OF GLOBAL CHALLENGES INCREASES, IT BECOMES INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT TO TRAIN A SCIENTIFICALLY LITERATE AND TECHNICALLY TRAINED WORKFORCE WHOSE BACKGROUNDS SPAN MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES. STUDENTS FROM CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY AND THE SURROUNDING CULTURALLY DIVERSE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGION WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM RESEARCH IN FOREIGN RESEARCH LABS AT STOCKHOLM UNIVERSITY AND THE KTH ROYAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY FOR 10 WEEKS DURING THE SUMMER. THE FOREIGN RESEARCH MENTORS USE MODERN SURFACE SCIENCE TECHNIQUES AND COMPUTATIONAL METHODS TO COLLABORATE ON STUDYING MODEL SYSTEMS FOR CATALYTIC TAR REFORMING IN BIOMASS GASIFICATION. STUDENT SCHOLARS WILL WORK COLLABORATIVELY ON THESE PROJECTS AND GAIN EXPERIENCE USING SOPHISTICATED LASER SYSTEMS, WORKING WITH SURFACE SCIENCE INSTRUMENTS, ANALYZING EXPERIMENTAL DATA, PERFORMING KINETIC MODELLING, AND WRITING SCIENTIFIC REPORTS. THESE STUDENT SCHOLARS WILL BE ENCOURAGED TO EMBARK ON FUTURE SCIENTIFIC PURSUITS, DEVELOP SKILLS NECESSARY TO ENSURE SUCCESS IN THE STEM FIELDS, AND ENGAGE IN THE INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AND PRACTICES. THESE ARE EXPECTED TO HELP CREATE A MORE DIVERSE POPULATION OF GLOBAL SCIENCE-LITERATE CITIZENS TO ADDRESS CURRENT AND FUTURE GLOBAL CHALLENGES. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: QUANTIFYING SIGN REDUCTION IN SIGN LANGUAGE USING HUMAN POSE ESTIMATION -THE PROJECT INVESTIGATES THE PHENOMENON OF LEXICALLY CONDITIONED PHONETIC VARIATION IN SIGN LANGUAGE. THIS REFERS TO HOW THE PRONUNCIATION OF A SIGN CAN VARY BASED ON THE PROPERTIES OF SIGNS, SUCH AS FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE OR THE EXISTENCE OF SIMILAR-SOUNDING SIGNS (REFERRED TO AS PHONOLOGICAL NEIGHBORS) IN THE MENTAL LEXICON. IN SPOKEN LANGUAGES, WORDS THAT ARE USED FREQUENTLY MAY BE PHONETICALLY REDUCED, THAT IS, ARTICULATED WITH SHORTER, CONTRACTED VOWEL SPACE AS COMPARED TO LOW-FREQUENCY WORDS. ON THE OTHER HAND, WORDS WITH MANY PHONOLOGICAL NEIGHBORS MAY BE PHONETICALLY ENHANCED, E.G., PRODUCED WITH EXPANDED VOWEL SPACE COMPARED TO MORE ISOLATED WORDS. THE ARTICULATORS USED TO PRODUCE SPEECH (THE VOCAL TRACT) ARE FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT FROM THOSE USED TO PRODUCE SIGNS (HANDS, FACE, BODY). THIS MODALITY DIFFERENCE MAY LEAD TO DISTINCT PREDICTIONS ABOUT PHONETIC VARIATION. LIMITED RESEARCH HAS BEEN DONE ON HOW THESE PRINCIPLES APPLY IN SIGNED LANGUAGES, PRIMARILY DUE TO A LACK OF LARGE-SCALE MACHINE-READABLE SIGN LANGUAGE DATASETS AND ADEQUATE TECHNIQUES TO EXTRACT PHONETIC MEASUREMENTS FROM SIGNED VIDEOS. THE RESEARCHERS LEVERAGE COMPUTER VISION AND THE LEXICAL DATABASE FOR A SIGN LANGUAGE THAT THEY DEVELOPED UNDER PRIOR NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION (NSF) SUPPORT, TO ANALYZE PATTERNS OF PHONETIC REDUCTION IN OVER 100,000 VIDEOS OF SIGNS PRODUCED BY DEAF SIGNERS. SPECIFICALLY, THEY USE HUMAN POSE ESTIMATION TECHNIQUES TO EXTRACT SIGNERS? ANATOMICAL LANDMARKS AND JOINT POSITIONS FROM THE VIDEOS AND TRANSFORM THE ESTIMATES INTO MEANINGFUL PHONETIC MEASUREMENTS, SUCH AS DISPERSION OF THE SIGNERS? HANDS IN THE SIGNING SPACE. BY EXAMINING THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE UNDERLYING AND SURFACE PROPERTIES OF SIGNS, THIS RESEARCH PROVIDES INSIGHTS INTO HOW THE LINGUISTIC STRUCTURE OF SIGN LANGUAGES AFFECTS SIGN ARTICULATION. BY UNDERSTANDING THE PHONETIC PROPERTIES OF SIGNS, THIS RESEARCH FACILITATES THE DEVELOPMENT OF SIGN RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGIES, BENEFITING THE SIGNING COMMUNITY. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

THE MARKET FOR MEAT ANALOG PRODUCTS HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE PAST DECADE; HOWEVER, THESE PRODUCTS ARE AT RISK OF CONTAMINATION WITH SALMONELLA. CURRENT REGULATORY METHODS, DEVELOPED FOR ANIMAL-BASED MEAT PRODUCTS, ARE EXPENSIVE, TIME-CONSUMING, AND NOT OPTIMIZED FOR MEAT ANALOGS. PRELIMINARY DATA ON DETECTION OF SALMONELLA IN MEAT ANALOGS, COLLECTED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA), SUGGESTS THAT THE USE OF AN ALTERNATIVE PRE-ENRICHMENT BROTH COMBINED WITH RAPID MOLECULAR SCREENING METHODS IMPROVES DETECTION AND REDUCES TIME AND LABOR. THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL CARRY OUT A SINGLE-LABORATORY VALIDATION STUDY TO OPTIMIZE PROCEDURES FOR THE DETECTION OF SALMONELLA IN MEAT ANALOG PRODUCTS. SPECIFICALLY, THE PROJECT WILL ADDRESS KEY PRIORITIES IN FOOD SAFETY BY: (1) OPTIMIZING THE PRE-ENRICHMENT AND SCREENING METHODS USED FOR THE DETECTION OF S. ENTERICA IN PLANT-BASED MEAT ANALOG PRODUCTS TO REDUCE TIME, LABOR, EXPENSE, AND SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT NEEDS, AND (2) APPLYING THE NOVEL METHODS DEVELOPED FOR PLANT-BASED ANALOGS TO THE DETECTION OF S. ENTERICA IN FERMENTATION-BASED MEAT ANALOG PRODUCTS.THE RESULTS WILL ADVANCE AN ACCURATE, RAPID, AND COST-EFFECTIVE METHOD FOR DETECTING SALMONELLA ACROSS A VARIETY OF PLANT- AND FERMENTATION-BASED MEAT ANALOGS, WITH THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF DIRECTLY PROPOSING REGULATORY METHODS FOR ADOPTION BY FDA. AS SUCH, THE PROJECT ADDRESSES THE FOOD SAFETY AND DEFENSE PROGRAM AREA PRIORITY TO DEVELOP METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING, DETECTING, AND/OR ENUMERATING PATHOGENS OF RELATIVELY HIGH PUBLIC HEALTH RISK INCLUDING PERSISTENCE OR VIRULENCE.

DETERMINING THE EFFECTS OF INCREASED DEMANDS FOR VOLUNTARY ADJUSTMENTS ON THE NEUROMUSCULAR CONTROL OF WALKING POST-STROKE - ABSTRACT THE GOAL OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF EXPLICITLY DRIVEN OR IMPLICITLY DRIVEN WALKING MODIFICATIONS ON MUSCLE ACTIVATION PATTERNS AND CO-CONTRACTION POST-STROKE. THIS WORK IS SIGNIFICANT, AS STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT MUSCLE ACTIVATION PATTERNS AFTER NEUROLOGIC INJURY CANNOT GENERATE WALKING KINEMATICS COMPARABLE TO THOSE SEEN IN NEUROTYPICAL INDIVIDUALS; THIS FINDING IMPLIES THAT TO ATTAIN TRUE WALKING RECOVERY AFTER NEUROLOGIC INJURY, INTERVENTIONS SHOULD AIM TO RESTORE THE MUSCLE ACTIVATIONS UNDERLYING WALKING BEHAVIORS. HERE, WE FIRST EXPLORE MUSCLE ACTIVATIONS DURING WALKING USING BIOFEEDBACK TO GUIDE EXPLICIT MODIFICATION OF WALKING PATTERNS, WHICH IS A COMMON APPROACH USED IN CLINICAL AND RESEARCH INTERVENTIONS FOR WALKING RETRAINING. WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT EXPLICIT WALKING MODIFICATIONS MIGHT BE DETRIMENTAL AT A MUSCLE ACTIVATION LEVEL AS THEY ENGAGE CORTICAL PATHWAYS FOR VOLUNTARY CONTROL THAT HAVE BEEN INTERRUPTED BY THE STROKE LESION, RESULTING IN INCREASED MUSCLE CO-CONTRACTION. CO-CONTRACTION HINDERS TRUE RECOVERY AS IT IMPAIRS THE ABILITY TO SELECTIVELY CONTROL DIFFERENT SEGMENTS DURING WALKING, RESULTING IN OVERRELIANCE ON COMPENSATORY PATTERNS. WE WILL ALSO EXPLORE MUSCLE ACTIVATION PATTERNS DURING IMPLICIT WALKING MODIFICATIONS. WE WILL USE EXTERNAL MODIFICATIONS IN THE WALKING ENVIRONMENT, MAINLY SPLIT-BELT ADAPTATION FOLLOWED BY TIED BELT WALKING, TO ASSESS IF IMPLICIT MODIFICATIONS OF WALKING THAT RELY LESS ON CORTICAL NEURAL CONTROL ARE ASSOCIATED WITH LEVELS OF CO-CONTRACTION COMPARABLE TO NEUROTYPICAL CONTROLS—AN INDICATION THAT IMPLICITLY-MEDIATED MODIFICATIONS COULD BE A MORE EFFECTIVE APPROACH TO RESTORE MUSCLE ACTIVATION PATTERNS DURING WALKING POST-STROKE. IN THIS STUDY, WE WILL ASSESS CO-CONTRACTION DURING WALKING IN PEOPLE POST-STROKE AS THEY REDUCE ASYMMETRY IN STEP LENGTHS GUIDED BY EXPLICIT BIOFEEDBACK (AIM 1) OR IMPLICITLY FOLLOWING SPLIT-BELT ADAPTATION AND WASHOUT (AIM 2). OUR CENTRAL HYPOTHESIS IS THAT GIVEN DIFFERENCES IN THE NEURAL CONTROL OF EXPLICITLY- VS. IMPLICITLY-MEDIATED WALKING MODIFICATIONS, WE WILL OBSERVE GREATER LEVELS OF CO-CONTRACTION WITH INTERVENTIONS THAT RELY ON EXPLICIT COMPARED TO IMPLICIT CONTROL. SUPPLEMENTING THIS CENTRAL HYPOTHESIS, WE ALSO PREDICT THAT CO-CONTRACTION WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH MOTOR IMPAIRMENT, AND IN MORE IMPAIRED INDIVIDUALS CO-CONTRACTION WILL BE EXACERBATED BY EXPLICIT MODIFICATIONS GIVEN THE RELIANCE ON LESIONED CORTICAL PATHWAYS. OUR RESULTS WILL IDENTIFY THE TASKS AND CONDITIONS THAT CAN REDUCE CO- CONTRACTION TO PROMOTE RESTORATION OF NEUROMUSCULAR CONTROL POST-STROKE. THIS PROPOSAL ALIGNS WITH THE NCMRR RESEARCH PRIORITY TO DEVELOP OBJECTIVE MARKERS OF TREATMENT RESPONSE AND FUNCTIONAL PROGRESS THAT PREDICT REHABILITATION TREATMENT RESPONSE AND ENABLE THE TAILORING OF INTERVENTIONS TO THE NEEDS, ABILITIES, AND RESOURCES OF THE PERSON WITH DISABILITY.

RUI: DIURNAL AND CIRCADIAN REGULATION OF THE PLANT MICROBIOME

CAREER: ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY AND CAPACITY BUILDING FOR CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE DIFFUSION

RUI: THE PRODUCTION AND DEGRADATION OF ACETONE IN SEAWATER

RUI: SUSCHEM: MECHANISMS OF NANOPARTICLE AGGREGATION AND CORRESPONDING EFFECTS ON METAL SORPTION, DESORPTION, AND INCORPORATION PROCESSES

THIS PROPOSAL IS TO BRING THE EXPERTISE AND LESSONS LEARNED FROM AQUARIUS TO ADDRESS POST-LAUNCH CALIBRATION OF THE SMAP RADIOMETER DATA. THE GOAL IS

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: IMPACTS OF SOCIAL CONTEXT AND ECOLOGY ON STRATEGIC DECISIONS IN DYNAMIC INTERACTIONS.

IRES TRACK 1: CHAPMAN - STOCKHOLM INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH EXPERIENCE IN HETEROGENEOUS CATALYSIS

RUI: THE PRODUCTION AND DEGRADATION OF OXYGENATED HYDROCARBONS IN SEAWATER

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: FIRE-NET: IMPROVING FIRE RESPONSE TIME THROUGH A UNIFIED DATA-DRIVEN GEOGRAPHICAL APPROACH: DECISION-SUPPORT DATA INTEGRATION NETWORK SYSTEM (DESDINY) -DUE TO AN INCREASE IN WILDFIRE FREQUENCY, FIREFIGHTERS MUST OFTEN FIGHT MULTIPLE FIRES SIMULTANEOUSLY ON A REGULAR BASIS. FIREFIGHTING AGENCIES FACE DECISION MAKING AND INFORMATION INTEGRATION CHALLENGES, AS THEY HAVE BECOME DELUGED WITH DATA AND INFORMATION FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES AND INTERFACES. THEIR TOP PRIORITY IS DATA AND INFORMATION INTEGRATION, YET THEY ARE OFTEN HINDERED BY THE LACK OF UNIFIED INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE, COGNITIVE OVERLOAD, AND SYSTEMS NETWORKING AMONG DATA AND USERS. A UNIFIED DATA AND INFORMATION INTEGRATION SYSTEM WOULD REDUCE FIREFIGHTING RESPONSE TIME, MITIGATE DAMAGE AND SAVE LIVES. THIS PROJECT USES HUMAN-CENTERED DESIGN RESEARCH ON USER ENGAGEMENT ACROSS PLATFORMS AND DATA TO BUILD A DECISION-SUPPORT DATA INTEGRATION NETWORK SYSTEM (DESDINY). THE RESEARCH TEAM CONVENES A NETWORKED CONFERENCE OF FIRE CHIEFS ACROSS MULTIPLE AGENCIES TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF WILDLAND FIRE DATA INTEGRATION, DESIGNED TO MAXIMIZE IMPACT ACROSS FIRE AGENCIES. THE PROJECT FOCUSES ON THE ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY (OCFA), ONE OF THE LARGEST FIRE AGENCIES IN THE U.S., SERVING OVER 2 MILLION PEOPLE. THE NETWORK-BUILDING FOCUS WILL ALLOW EXPANSION OF ITS OUTREACH TO COMMUNITIES AND AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES TO WORK TOWARDS ACHIEVING A MORE RESILIENT FUTURE. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO ACHIEVE SIGNIFICANT BROADER IMPACTS BY SAVING LIVES, MITIGATING PROPERTY DAMAGE, AND UNIFYING KNOWLEDGE ECOSYSTEMS BY IMPROVING SPEED AND ACCURACY OF DECISION-MAKING. THREE MAIN SCIENCE QUESTIONS DRIVE THE RESEARCH. FIRST, HOW CAN SYNERGIES AND DIFFERENCES IN DECISION-MAKING ACROSS FIRE AGENCIES BE MAPPED AND INTERFACED TO IMPROVE THE ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM OF FIRE DATA INTEGRATION? SECOND, HOW DO DISCREPANCIES IN DATA AND INFORMATION CONTENT, RESOLUTIONS, ACCURACIES/UNCERTAINTIES, AND TIMING IMPACT WILDFIRE DECISION-MAKING? FINALLY, HOW CAN WILDFIRE DECISION-MAKING BE ACCELERATED? THE THREE CORE OBJECTIVES FOR THE PROJECT ARE: 1) CONVENE A CONFERENCE OF FIRE CHIEFS THROUGH A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS TO DEVELOP AN INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE FOR DATA AND INFORMATION INTEGRATION AND OPTIMIZATION; 2) PROTOTYPE A DECISION-SUPPORT DATA INTEGRATION NETWORK SYSTEM (DESDINY) TO IMPROVE DECISION-MAKING SPEED, CONFIDENCE, AND ACCURACY; AND 3) CONDUCT A QUANTITATIVE IMPACT ASSESSMENT TO DETERMINE THE IMPROVEMENT IN DECISION-MAKING SPEED, CONFIDENCE, AND ACCURACY. ACHIEVEMENT OF THESE OBJECTIVES WILL LEAD TO IMPORTANT ADVANCES IN: 1) WILDFIRE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS; 2) WILDFIRE DECISION-MAKING ACROSS FIRE AGENCIES; AND 3) ACCESS TO CODE AND SOFTWARE THAT IS FREELY AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINANTS OF BREAST CANCER SURVIVORSHIP: THE BLACK BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS INTERVENTION - PROJECT SUMMARY I AM A TENURE-TRACK ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY, AND ADJUNCT ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT CITY OF HOPE (COH) COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER. I HAVE EXPERTISE IN HEALTH DISPARITIES, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH INCLUDING ADVOCACY; CANCER AND CANCER HEALTH DISPARITIES; CANCER SURVIVORSHIP AND CLINIC-BASED INTERVENTIONS. HOWEVER, I HAVE NOT DEVELOPED, IMPLEMENTED, OR ANALYZED A MULTI-LEVEL COMMUNITY-BASED INTERVENTION FOR BLACK BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS. BLACK WOMEN FACE DISPARITIES IN ALL STAGES OF THE CANCER CONTINUUM AND THEIR SURVIVORSHIP NEEDS REMAIN UNMET. CURRENT RESEARCH ON ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS (EDCS) IN HAIR PRODUCTS INDICATE AN INCREASED RISK AND RECURRENCE OF BREAST CANCER FOR BLACK WOMEN. THERE IS ALSO A DEARTH OF PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTIONS THAT ADDRESS THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF BLACK BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS. BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS FOR THIS POPULATION LACK CONTENT ON IDENTITY, HAIR CARE, AND HARMFUL ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES. INTERVENTIONS ARE URGENTLY NEEDED FOR BLACK BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS TO ADDRESS THEIR UNIQUE SURVIVORSHIP JOURNEYS AND REDUCE HARMFUL ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES DURING SURVIVORSHIP. MY GOALS ARE TO DEVELOP, IMPLEMENT AND DISSEMINATE COMMUNITY-BASED INTERVENTIONS THAT IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE (QOL) AND ADDRESS HEALTH BEHAVIORS RELATED TO BLACK IDENTITY THAT CONTRIBUTE TO DISPARITIES AFFECTING CANCER RISK AND SURVIVORSHIP. AS A FIRST STEP TOWARDS THESE BROAD GOALS, WITH THIS K01 PROPOSAL, I SEEK TO DEVELOP AND EVALUATE AN INTERVENTION TO IMPROVE QOL AND REDUCE ADVERSE CHEMICAL EXPOSURES OF EDCS FOUND IN PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS OF BLACK BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS, POST-TREATMENT. THE PROPOSED CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING PLAN SUPPORT MY TRAJECTORY TOWARD BECOMING AN INDEPENDENT, COMMUNITY-BASED IMPLEMENTATION SCIENTIST WITH A FOCUS ON CANCER HEALTH DISPARITIES THROUGH TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE IN 1) DESIGNING COMMUNITY-BASED MULTI-LEVEL INTERVENTIONS; 2) ASSESSING ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES IN A COMMUNITY-BASED MULTI-LEVEL INTERVENTION; AND 3) USING IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE TO EVALUATE COMMUNITY-BASED INTERVENTIONS FOR BLACK WOMEN. THIS PROJECT WILL TAKE PLACE AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY WITH MENTORS WHO ARE EXPERTS IN TRAINING AND MENTORING K01 TRAINEES AND ASSESSING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL, BIOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL INFLUENCES ON WOMEN’S HEALTH OUTCOMES (PRIMARY: LAURA GLYNN, PHD, CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY); RANDOMIZED INTERVENTION DESIGNS (CO-MENTOR: VIRGINIA SUN, PHD, RN, COH); CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS OF INTERVENTION DESIGN FOR BLACK BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS (CO-MENTOR: ABENAA BREWSTER, MD, MHS, MD ANDERSON); ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES (ADVISOR: ROBIN DODSON, SCD, SILENT SPRING INSTITUTE); AND DISSEMINATION AND IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE (CO-MENTOR: ROBERT NEWTON, PHD, PENNINGTON BIOMEDICAL).

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: USING UNCERTAINTY QUANTIFICATION AND VALIDATED COMPUTATIONAL MODELS TO ANALYZE PUMPING PERFORMANCE OF VALVELESS, TUBULAR HEARTS -VALVELESS, TUBULAR HEARTS DRIVE MANY ANIMALS' CIRCULATORY FLOW THROUGH MUSCULAR CONTRACTIONS. THIS FLOW CARRIES OXYGEN, NUTRIENTS, AND WASTE AROUND THE BODY. IT ALSO DRIVES THE DEVELOPMENT OF BLOOD VESSELS AND OTHER ORGANS IN VERTEBRATE EMBRYOS. SO, UNDERSTANDING HOW THESE HEARTS PRODUCE FLOW IS KEY TO UNDERSTANDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF VERTEBRATE EMBRYOS AND THE EVOLUTION OF THEIR CIRCULATORY SYSTEMS. THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP A COMPUTATIONAL MODEL OF THE MOST ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF THIS SYSTEM: THE ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY OF THE HEART, MUSCLE CONTRACTIONS OF THE TUBE WALLS, AND THE FLUID-STRUCTURE INTERACTIONS OF THE HEART WALLS AND BLOOD WITHIN. THIS COMPUTATIONAL FRAMEWORK AIMS TO BE FAITHFUL TO THAT OF A REAL, MODEL ANIMAL (TUNICATE, OR SEA SQUIRT). THE MODEL WILL THEN BE ANALYZED WITH MATHEMATICAL TOOLS TO DETERMINE THE PHYSICAL LIMITS OF THE PUMPING SYSTEM. RESULTS OF THIS PROJECT WILL IMPROVE THE UNDERSTANDING OF HUMAN HEART DEVELOPMENT AT THE EARLIEST STAGES. ALSO, IT WILL POINT TO HOW THE LARGE, MULTI-CHAMBERED HEARTS OF VERTEBRATES COULD HAVE EVOLVED FROM SMALLER STRUCTURES. THE RESULTS WILL BE RELEASED THROUGH UNIVERSITY COURSES, SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS, ONLINE REPOSITORIES, AND REGULAR PUBLICATIONS. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO PROVIDE INTERDISCIPLINARY TRAINING TO HIGH SCHOOL, UNDERGRADUATE, AND GRADUATE STUDENTS. AN ACCURATE COMPUTATIONAL MODEL OF FLOW PRODUCED BY VALVELESS TUBULAR HEARTS WILL BE DEVELOPED AND VALIDATED USING OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS ON THE SOLITARY TUNICATE, CIONA SAVIGNYI. THE IMMERSED BOUNDARY METHOD WITH ADAPTIVE MESH REFINEMENT AND A WINDKESSEL MODEL WILL BE USED TO MATHEMATICALLY MODEL FLUID FLOW WITHIN THE SYSTEM. A MITCHELL-SCHAEFFER MODEL OF CARDIAC ELECTRODYNAMICS WILL BE TUNED USING OPTICAL MAPPING OF HEART ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY. MEASUREMENTS ON LIVE C. SAVIGNYI CIRCULATORY FLOW WITH MICRO-PARTICLE IMAGE VELOCIMETRY WILL BE USED AS MODEL VALIDATION. WITH THE COMPLETED MODEL, UNCERTAINTY QUANTIFICATION (UQ) TECHNIQUES BASED ON PHYSICS-CONSTRAINED GENERALIZED POLYNOMIAL CHAOS (GPC) AND DEMPSTER-SHAFER (DS) THEORY WILL BE USED TO STUDY THE UNCERTAINTY AND ANALYZE THE PARAMETER SENSITIVITY ON THE MODEL. THE PHYSICS-CONSTRAINED GPC EXPANSION CAN CONSTRUCT A COMPUTATIONALLY CHEAPER SURROGATE BASED ON THE FLUID FLOW SIMULATIONS AT THE PROPERLY CHOSEN INPUT POINTS IN THE PARAMETER SPACE. THE MIXED TYPES OF UNCERTAINTY IN THE FLUID FLOW QUANTITIES OF INTEREST WILL BE DETERMINED USING DS THEORY COMBINED WITH THE GPC METHOD, AND THE SENSITIVITY OF PARAMETERS WILL BE USED TO DEVELOP HYPOTHESES REGARDING PARAMETER EVOLUTION. THE PERFORMANCE DATA CORRESPONDING TO VARIOUS PARAMETER COMBINATIONS IN LIVE ANIMALS WILL BE COLLECTED AND USED TO IMPROVE THE 2D COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMIC MODEL BY UTILIZING MODEL CORRECTION METHODS. THE IMPROVED MODEL CAN BE USED TO PROVIDE MORE ACCURATE PREDICTIONS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP FUTURE LEADERS FROM EDUCATIONALLY UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS BY PROVIDING SIX UNDERREPRESENTED FIRST-GENERATION AND MINORITY STUDENTS A PATHWAY TO EARNING A MASTER&#39;S DEGREE IN FOOD SCIENCE. THE PROJECT WILL ENSURE THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT SYSTEMS THEY NEED, AUGMENTED WITH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL REDUCE OPPORTUNITY GAPS AND ENABLE THEM TO BUILD SUCCESSFUL CAREERS IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY. THE DEMAND FOR FOOD SCIENTISTS IS PROJECTED TO INCREASE 8% FROM 2021 TO 2031, WHILE THE SUPPLY OF NEW FOOD SCIENCE GRADUATES CONTINUES TO DECREASE. THUS, THIS PROJECT WILL HAVE A NATIONAL IMPACT BY PROVIDING THE FOOD INDUSTRY WITH A PIPELINE OF HIGHLY PREPARED STUDENTS TO SUCCEED IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY. THE MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES INCLUDE COMPLETION OF THE FOLLOWING OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD: (1) FOUNDATIONAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM; (2) PROJECT MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP, (3) PERSONALIZED TECHNICAL WRITING AND COMMUNICATIONS SESSIONS; AND (4) M.S. DEGREE IN FOOD SCIENCE. FELLOWS WILL HONE THEIR COMMUNICATION AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS THROUGH A TEACH-BACK PROGRAM FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS DESIGNED TO AMPLIFY OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS AND ENSURE SUSTAINABILITY OF THIS PROJECT. THE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM WILL INCLUDE STRUCTURED HANDS-ON IMMERSION IN MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AUGMENTED WITH INTERNSHIP AND/OR SHADOWING EXPERIENCES WITH INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS. THIS PROJECT ALIGNS WITH THE NEED TO DEVELOP SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE IN FOOD SCIENCE TO MEET THE GOAL OF PROVIDING AMERICANS WITH SAFE, NUTRITIOUS AND SECURE FOOD, AND ADDRESSES A NATIONAL PRIORITY TO ACHIEVING SOCIAL JUSTICE, EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN THE FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION TESA.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS PURSUE GRADUATE EDUCATION AT LOWER RATES THAN OTHER STUDENTS. IN ADDITION, ENROLLMENT IN POST-SECONDARY FOOD SCIENCE PROGRAMS HAS DRASTICALLY DECREASED ON A NATIONAL SCALE. THUS, THE NEED FOR FUTURE LEADERS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS IS ESSENTIAL TO DECREASE THE DISPARITIES IN PROFESSIONAL SETTINGS AND TO ENSURE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY. OUR GOAL IS TO RECRUIT SIX ADDITIONAL UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS WITH A FOCUS ON FIRST-GENERATION AND BLACK STUDENTS TO PURSUE A M.S. DEGREE IN THE FOOD SCIENCE, HUMAN SCIENCES, AND HUMAN NUTRITION TESA. THE MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES ARE TO (1) SUPPORT SIX OUTSTANDING UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS TO (2) ENGAGE IN MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AT THE INTERFACE OF FOOD SCIENCE AND HUMAN NUTRITION RELEVANT DISCIPLINES AND (3) LEVERAGE THIS PROJECT TO CREATE A BROADER IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY THROUGH OUTREACH. FELLOWS WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE FOUNDATIONAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM TO ENHANCE THE LEADERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, CRITICAL THINKING AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS NECESSARY TO SUCCEED IN THEIR CAREERS AND ADVANCE THE TESA. IN THE TEACH-BACK PROGRAM, FELLOWS WILL MENTOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM UNDERPRIVILEGED BACKGROUNDS CREATING A PIPELINING EFFECT FOR THE TESA. THE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM WILL INCLUDE STRUCTURED HANDS-ON IMMERSION IN MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AUGMENTED WITH INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCES AND MENTORSHIP FROM INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS. THIS PROJECT ALIGNS WITH THE NEED TO DEVELOP SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE IN FOOD SCIENCE OUTLINED BY USDA TO MEET THE GOAL OF PROVIDING AMERICANS WITH SAFE, NUTRITIOUS AND SECURE FOOD, AND ADDRESSES A NATIONAL PRIORITY TO ACHIEVING SOCIAL JUSTICE, EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN THE FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION TESA.

LEAPS-MPS: DEVELOPMENT OF CARBODIPHOSPHORANE CATALYSTS FOR ORGANIC AND POLYMER SYNTHESIS -THIS AWARD IS FUNDED IN WHOLE OR IN PART UNDER THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT OF 2021 (PUBLIC LAW 117-2). IN THIS PROJECT, FUNDED BY THE MATHEMATICAL AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES DIRECTORATE AND HOUSED IN THE CHEMISTRY DIVISION, PROFESSOR ALLEGRA LIBERMAN-MARTIN AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY WILL DEVELOP METAL-FREE CATALYSTS FOR THE SUSTAINABLE PREPARATION OF SMALL ORGANIC MOLECULES AND POLYMERS. MANY CURRENT CATALYSTS USE EXPENSIVE, RARE, OR TOXIC METALS, CREATING AN ONGOING NEED TO DEVELOP EFFICIENT AND ROBUST CATALYSTS BASED ON EARTH-ABUNDANT ELEMENTS. THE PROF. LIBERMAN-MARTIN AND HER STUDENTS WILL STUDY CATALYSTS THAT FEATURE NEUTRAL, ELECTRON-RICH CARBON CENTERS. THIS INVESTIGATION WILL IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF REACTION PATHWAYS FOR ELECTRON-RICH CARBON CATALYSTS WHILE ALSO PROVIDING NEW CATALYTIC METHODS INVOLVING ESTER SUBSTRATES, WHICH ARE FOUND IN BIOMASS AND PLANT-BASED OILS. PROF. LIBERMAN-MARTIN?S BROADENING PARTICIPATION PLAN CREATES AN ORIENTATION PROGRAM, ONE-SEMESTER RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY, AND MONTHLY WORKSHOP SERIES FOR STEM TRANSFER STUDENTS AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY. PROF. LIBERMAN-MARTIN AND CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATES WILL STUDY THE ORGANOCATALYTIC REACTIVITY OF CARBODIPHOSPHORANES AND PHOSPHORUS YLIDES. BOTH CATALYST CATEGORIES FEATURE AN ELECTRON-RICH CARBON CENTER FLANKED BY ONE OR TWO PHOSPHORUS SUBSTITUENTS. ALTHOUGH CARBODIPHOSPHORANES HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED AS LIGANDS TO SUPPORT INORGANIC COMPLEXES AND PHOSPHORUS YLIDES ARE COMMONLY USED AS REAGENTS FOR ORGANIC SYNTHESIS, THEIR CATALYTIC BEHAVIOR REMAINS RELATIVELY UNEXPLORED. THIS PROJECT STUDIES CATALYSIS IN THE CONTEXT OF ESTER DERIVATIZATION AND TARGETS BOTH ESTER REDUCTION AND RING-OPENING POLYMERIZATION REACTIONS. DISCOVERIES FROM THIS PROJECT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BROADEN THE ORGANOCATALYTIC METHODS AVAILABLE TO CHEMISTS AND IMPROVE THE FUNDAMENTAL UNDERSTANDING OF CARBODIPHOSPHORANE STRUCTURE AND REACTIVITY. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: CDS&E: THEORY-INFUSED NEURAL NETWORK (TINNET) FOR NONADIABATIC MOLECULAR SIMULATIONS -PHOTOINDUCED ELECTRON-STIMULATED REACTIONS ARE UBIQUITOUS IN NATURE, AS EXEMPLIFIED BY PHOTOSYNTHESIS, WHICH IS DRIVEN BY HOT ELECTRONS EXCITED BY SOLAR RADIATION. SOLAR-DRIVEN REACTIONS ALSO HOLD GREAT POTENTIAL FOR TRANSFORMING CRITICAL CHEMICAL REACTIONS RELATED TO SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION CONTROL, AND LOW-CARBON CHEMICALS AND FUELS MANUFACTURING, PARTICULARLY WHEN AIDED BY CATALYSIS. TO THIS END, THE PROJECT HARNESSES THE COMBINED POWER OF QUANTUM CHEMISTRY, MACHINE LEARNING, AND ULTRAFAST PUMP-PROBE EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUES TO REVEAL INSIGHTS THAT WILL IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF PHOTOCATALYZED REACTIONS, ENABLING THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGIES THAT SUPPORT CLEAN ENERGY AND A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT. THE PROJECT INCLUDES EDUCATIONAL AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS STEM-RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR K-12 STUDENTS TO ENCOURAGE THEIR CURIOSITY, CRITICAL THINKING, AND SYNTHESIS OF CLUES WITH DOMAIN KNOWLEDGE OF SURFACE PHYSICS, MATERIALS CHEMISTRY, AND MATHEMATICS. ADDITIONALLY, THE DATA FROM THIS PROJECT WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO COLLEGE-LEVEL COURSES THAT PROVIDE NEXT-GENERATION TRAINING TO STUDENTS IN THE FUNDAMENTALS OF COMPUTATIONAL AND DATA-ENABLED SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING. THE PROJECT EXPLORES A COMPUTATIONAL AND DATA SCIENCE APPROACH TO MODELING NONADIABATIC REACTION DYNAMICS ON METAL SURFACES CO-DRIVEN BY ELECTRONIC EXCITATIONS. THE STUDY ADVANCES KNOWLEDGE OF SELECTIVE BOND ACTIVATION FOR RATIONAL DESIGN OF HETEROGENEOUS CATALYTIC SYSTEMS BEYOND SABATIER VOLCANO LIMITATIONS. THE APPROACH BUILDS ON RECENT ADVANCES IN MOLECULAR SIMULATIONS ENHANCED BY MACHINE LEARNING (ML) POTENTIALS FOR RAPID SAMPLING OF ADIABATIC GROUND STATES. IN MANY ADSORBATE-SUBSTRATE SYSTEMS, HOWEVER, ELECTRONIC TRANSITIONS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN CHANNELING ENERGY FROM EXCITED CHARGE CARRIERS TO CHEMICAL BONDS OF KEY REACTION INTERMEDIATES, THE PROCESS OF WHICH IS NONADIABATIC IN NATURE. A DATA-EFFICIENT AND INTERPRETABLE MODELING FRAMEWORK WITH EXPLICIT CONSIDERATIONS OF ELECTRON-PHONON INTERACTIONS WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR UNDERSTANDING NONADIABATIC SURFACE REACTIONS, AIMING TO MAXIMIZE QUANTUM EFFICIENCY AND BOND SELECTIVITY OF ENERGY TRANSFER PROCESSES. WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF ML-ENABLED NONADIABATIC MOLECULAR SIMULATIONS, FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS REGARDING HOW THE STRUCTURE/COMPOSITION OF ELECTRONICALLY-EXCITED NANOPARTICLES, E.G., PLASMONIC METALS, AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF LIGHT STIMULI THAT IMPACT THE EFFICIENCY AND SELECTIVITY OF BOND ACTIVATION CAN BE TACKLED. THE PROJECT IS CO-FUNDED BY THE CATALYSIS PROGRAM IN THE CHEMICAL, BIOENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL AND TRANSPORT PROCESSES (CBET) DIVISION AND THE CHEMICAL THEORY, MODELS, AND COMPUTATIONAL METHODS (CTMC) PROGRAM IN THE CHEMISTRY (CHE) DIVISION. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

23-BPSF23-0053 CONNECT-SBG: COLLABORATIVE NEXUS FOR NETWORKING EDUCATION AND CAREER TRAINING IN SURFACE BIOLOGY AND GEOLOGY

RUI: COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: CYCLING OF ETHANOL AND ACETALDYHYDE IN COASTAL WATERS

ADAPTIVE AGING: PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AND FAVORABLE CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH

MRI: ACQUISITION OF A CAVITY RING DOWN SPECTROSCOPY ANALYZER FOR RESEARCH IN WETLAND CARBON CYCLING BY FACULTY AND UNDERGRADUATES AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSI

THE FREQUENCY, INTENSITY AND DURATION OF SEVERE DROUGHTS AND HEAT WAVES ARE PROJECTED TO INCREASE, AFFECTING TREE GROWTH AND SURVIVAL. TREES HAVE ADOPTED A NUMBER OF STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL STRATEGIES TO WITHSTAND SUCH CONDITIONS, INCLUDING THE ABILITY TO STORE WATER IN THE WOOD THAT DOES NOT NORMALLY GET USED BY THE TREE AND THAT CAN BE USED AS A BUFFER TO SUSTAIN THE FLOW OF WATER WHEN DROUGHT STRIKES. HOWEVER, WHILE RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT STORED WATER MAY ACCOUNT FOR UP TO 50% OF DAILY WATER USE IN SOME TREE SPECIES, OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW MUCH WATER DIFFERENT SPECIES OF TREES ARE CAPABLE OF STORING AND USING REMAINS LIMITED.THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE THAT WOOD WATER STORAGE PLAYS IN DROUGHT RESILIENCE. OUR OBJECTIVES ARE TO SURVEY VARIATION IN WOOD WATER STORAGE WITHIN AND AMONG KEY TREE SPECIES, DETERMINE THE CAPACITY FOR TREES TO USED THAT STORED WATER, AND ESTABLISH THE WOOD ANATOMICAL TRAITS THAT GOVERN THAT VARIATION. TO ACHIEVE THESE OBJECTIVES, WE HAVE BUILT A TEAM OF COLLABORATORS FROM EIGHT SITES AROUND THE UNITED STATES TO HELP SAMPLE 25 OF THE MOST COMMON AND IMPORTANT TREE SPECIES. OURS WILL BE THE FIRST COMPREHENSIVE STUDY EVER CONDUCTED AND TRANSFORM OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE FUNCTIONAL RESPONSE OF TREES TO DROUGHT. THE RESULTS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO OUR ABILITY TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT WHICH TREE SPECIES TO PLANT IN A GIVEN A LOCATION AND ENSURE THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR FORESTRY, AGROFORESTRY, AND AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS.

IN MOST AGRICULTURE, WE ARE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO INCREASE THE QUANTITY OR QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT WHILE MINIMIZING THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO PRODUCE THAT PRODUCT (E.G. INFRASTRUCTURE, PERSONNEL, WATER). WHILE GREAT ADVANCES HAVE BEEN MADE, THE MECHANISMS FOR MANY ENHANCEMENTS REMAIN UNSTUDIED OR UNRESOLVED. ONE OPPORTUNITY IS FOR US TO MANIPULATE A VARIABLE THAT IS ABUNDANT AND COSTS US LITTLE IN DIRECT EXPENSE: SUNLIGHT.WHILE PLANTS CANNOT SURVIVE WITHOUT SUNLIGHT, NOT ALL LIGHT IS THE SAME; BOTH LIGHT QUANTITY AND SPECTRAL QUALITY DRAMATICALLY AFFECT PHOTOSYNTHESIS. HOWEVER, ONE OTHER KEY VARIABLE OF LIGHT IS LARGELY OVERLOOKED: THE ANGLE OF LIGHT ARRIVING AT THE LEAF (DIRECT OR DIFFUSE). NEW RESEARCH DEMONSTRATES THAT DIFFUSE LIGHT CAN DOUBLE PHOTOSYNTHESIS WHILE MAINTAINING SIMILAR RATES OF WATER USE. THE MECHANISM DRIVING THIS OBSERVATION REMAINS UNRESOLVED.THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP A MECHANISTIC BASIS OF HOW LIGHT QUALITY, LEAF STRUCTURE, AND BIOCHEMISTRY INTERACT TO AFFECT TOMATO PLANT PRODUCTIVITY. THIS SEED PROPOSAL WILL (1) COMPARE THE EFFECT OF SUSTAINED AND SHORT-TERM EXPOSURE TO DIFFUSE LIGHT ON RATES OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND WATER-USE EFFICIENCY, (2) DETERMINE THE LEAF TRAITS THAT AFFECT PHOTOSYNTHETIC RESPONSE TO DIFFUSE LIGHT, AND (3) QUANTIFY THE EFFECTS OF SUSTAINED EXPOSURE TO DIRECT VS. DIFFUSE LIGHT ON PLANT GROWTH, MORPHOLOGY, AND FRUIT PRODUCTION.THE OUTPUT FROM THIS PROPOSAL WILL ENHANCE OUR ECO-PHYSIOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING OF HOW PLANTS UTILIZE LIGHT AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO TRANSFORM AGRICULTURE BY INFORMING TRAIT BREEDING INITIATIVES, OPTIMIZING GREENHOUSE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND BUILDING A FOUNDATION FOR US TO FURTHER EXPLORE PLANT PRODUCTIVITY IN DIVERSE LIGHT ENVIRONMENTS.

PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN THE GREEN STEMS OF WOODY PLANTS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO INCREASE BOTH PLANT CARBON GAIN AND WATER-USE EFFICIENCY, THE RATION OF CARBON GAINED TO WATER LOSS. MOREOVER, RECENT RESEARCH HAS SUGGESTED THAT STEM PHOTOSYNTHESIS MAY ALSO PLAY AN UNEXPECTEDLY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE MAINTENANCE OF STEM WATER FLOW (I.E. HYDRAULIC FUNCTIONING). GIVEN THE THREAT OF REDUCED WATER AVAILABILITY FOR IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE POSSIBLE LINKS BETWEEN STEM PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN AGRICULTURALLY-IMPORTANT PLANTS. BOTH THE SAPLINGS AND BRANCHES OF MATURE TREES OF AVOCADO, A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT CROP IN CALIFORNIA, HAVE PHOTOSYNTHETIC STEMS. HENCE, THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF STEM PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN IMPROVING WATER-USE EFFICIENCY AND MAINTAINING HYDRAULIC FUNCTIONING OF AVOCADO PLANTS DURING DROUGHT.IN THIS GRANT PROPOSAL, WE WILL STUDY THE POSSIBLE ROLE OF STEM PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN PLANT DROUGHT RESPONSES. MORE SPECIFICALLY, WE WILL 1) DETERMINE VARIABILITY IN STEM CARBON GAIN, WATER-USE EFFICIENCY, AND WATER FLOWAMONG 24 AVOCADO CULTIVARS GROWING IN A COMMON GARDEN, AND 2) DETERMINE THE ROLE OF STEM PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN STEM WATER FLOW IN TWO COMMERCIALLY GROWN AVOCADO CULTIVARS IN A GREENHOUSE EXPERIMENT. IMPROVED WATER-USE EFFICIENCY AND MAINTENANCE OF HYDRAULIC FUNCTION ARE TWO KEY TRAITS THAT CAN ALLOW AVOCADO CULTIVARS TO RESIST THE THREATS POSED BY REDUCED WATER AVAILABILITY, WITH IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS FOR PLANT GROWTH AND FRUIT PRODUCTION.

ERI: SUB-DIFFRACTIVE OPTICAL TRAPPING ENABLED BY DEEP-LEARNING-ASSISTED METASURFACE DESIGN

MOST NEWBORNS IN THE US CONSUME THEIR MOTHER&#39;S MILK FOR NUTRITION AND THIS PRACTICE IS WIDELY RECOMMENDED BY HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS. HOWEVER, MORE THAN 30% OF NEWBORNS ALREADY START TO CONSUME INFANT FORMULA MADE FROM COW&#39;S MILK WITHIN TWO DAYS OF BIRTH. THIS IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE NEWBORNS THAT CONSUME THEIR MOTHER&#39;S MILK HAVE BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES THAN NEWBORNS TO CONSUME INFANT FORMULA. THERE ARE 2 POSSIBLE REASONS WHY NEWBORNS THAT CONSUME MOTHER&#39;S MILK ARE HEALTHIER THAN THOSE THAT CONSUME FORMULA: EITHER (1) HUMAN BREASTMILK HAS BETTER NUTRITIONAL QUALITY THAN COW&#39;S MILK, OR (2) THE FOOD PROCESSING STEPS USED TO TREAT COW&#39;S MILK THAT IS USED TO MAKE INFANT FORMULAS REDUCES ITS NUTRITIONAL QUALITY. IN THE ABSENCE OR REDUCTION OF BREASTFEEDING FROM MOTHERS, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO IMPROVE THE NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF INFANT FORMULAS MADE FROM COW&#39;S MILK. TO DO THIS WE WILL (1) COMPARE THE COMPOSITION OF HUMAN MILK AND COW&#39;S MILK, AND (2)UNDERSTAND HOW FOOD PROCESSING AFFECTS THE NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF COW&#39;S MILK. BY UNDERSTANDING HOW PROCESSING AFFECTS THE NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF COW&#39;S MILK, WE WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE NEW INFORMATION THAT MANUFACTURERS CAN USE TO IMPROVE INFANT FORMULA PRODUCTS. ONCE THESE PRODUCTS ARE IMPROVED, NEWBORNS CONSUMING FORMULAS MADE FROM COW&#39;S MILK WILL START TO HAVE IMPROVED HEALTH OUTCOMES. THE RESULTS FROM THIS STUDY WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION ON OPTIMIZING HOW WE PROCESS COW&#39;S MILK TO ENSURE IT IS SAFE, HAS HIGH NUTRITIONAL QUALITY, AND IMPROVES HEALTH OUTCOMES OF NEWBORNS THAT CONSUME INFANT FORMULAS MADE FROM COW&#39;S MILK.

ERI: ENHANCING PRIVACY-AWARE SYSTEM FAILURE PREDICTION THROUGH INTEGRATED LONGITUDINAL AND SURVIVAL DATA MODELING -ACCURATELY PREDICTING FAILURES BEFORE THEY OCCUR CAN TRANSFORM INDUSTRIAL OPERATIONS BY REDUCING DOWNTIME, IMPROVING SAFETY, AND OPTIMIZING MAINTENANCE STRATEGIES. HOWEVER, ACHIEVING THIS REQUIRES OVERCOMING KEY CHALLENGES, INCLUDING HANDLING IRREGULARLY SAMPLED DATA, INTEGRATING SPARSE YET CRITICAL FAILURE-TIME INFORMATION, AND ADDRESSING PRIVACY CONCERNS IN DATA-SENSITIVE APPLICATIONS. THIS ENGINEERING RESEARCH INITIATION (ERI) AWARD SUPPORTS RESEARCH THAT AIMS TO DEVELOP A SCALABLE PREDICTIVE MODELING FRAMEWORK THAT LEVERAGES BOTH HIGH-DIMENSIONAL SENSOR SIGNALS AND FAILURE EVENT DATA FOR ONLINE SYSTEM FAILURE PROGNOSIS WHILE PRESERVING INDUSTRIAL DATA PRIVACY. BY COMBINING LONGITUDINAL ANALYSIS, SURVIVAL MODELING, AND DECENTRALIZED LEARNING METHODOLOGIES, THIS APPROACH LOOKS TO ENHANCE PREDICTIVE ACCURACY AND ENABLE ROBUST DECISION-MAKING IN INDUSTRIAL SETTINGS. IF SUCCESSFUL, THE PROJECT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY ADVANCE DATA-DRIVEN MONITORING, PROGNOSTICS, AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE EMERGING PERSONALIZED PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES. BEYOND RESEARCH, THIS PROJECT INTENDS TO ENRICH UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION BY INTEGRATING REAL-WORLD APPLICATIONS INTO CLASSROOM LEARNING, PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH HANDS-ON OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE IN MODEL DEVELOPMENT, SIMULATION, AND TESTING IN PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE AND RELIABILITY. ADDITIONALLY, THE RESEARCH WILL OFFER K-12 STUDENTS OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGIES, FOSTERING A NEW GENERATION OF INNOVATORS READY TO TACKLE FUTURE CHALLENGES. THE PROJECT SEEKS TO ADVANCE INDUSTRIAL PROGNOSTICS BY DEVELOPING A NEW FEDERATED SURVIVAL ANALYSIS TOOL, ENABLING ROBUST FAILURE PREDICTIONS FROM HETEROGENEOUS SENSOR DATA WITHOUT COMPROMISING INDUSTRIAL DATA PRIVACY. THE RESEARCH FOCUSES ON THREE KEY OBJECTIVES: 1) REIMAGINING SURVIVAL ANALYSIS THROUGH FEDERATED LEARNING TO ENHANCE PREDICTION ACCURACY BY LEVERAGING DECENTRALIZED DATA SOURCES, 2) FACILITATING ADAPTIVE FAILURE PREDICTIONS THAT DYNAMICALLY ADJUSTS TO CHANGING SYSTEM CONDITIONS USING BAYESIAN THEORY AND MULTIVARIATE FUNCTIONAL PRINCIPAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS, AND 3) RETHINKING DATA FUSION IN FEDERATED SURVIVAL ANALYSIS TO SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATE HETEROGENEOUS DATA SOURCES, THUS ENSURING A HOLISTIC VIEW OF SYSTEM HEALTH. RESEARCH COMPLETED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THIS PROJECT COULD BE CRITICAL FOR INDUSTRIES WHERE TIMELY FAILURE FORECASTING CAN DRASTICALLY REDUCE DOWNTIME, IMPROVE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY, AND ENHANCE SAFETY. THE SCALABLE, ADAPTABLE MODELS THAT WILL BE DEVELOPED IN THIS RESEARCH CAN BE APPLIED BEYOND INDUSTRIAL SETTINGS, WITH POTENTIAL IMPACTS ACROSS DIVERSE FIELDS SUCH AS HEALTHCARE, TRANSPORTATION AND ENERGY. THE INTERDISCIPLINARY NATURE OF THE PROJECT WILL LOOKS TO DRIVE INNOVATION AND FOSTER COLLABORATION BETWEEN ACADEMIA AND INDUSTRY, ADVANCING THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTELLIGENT, PRIVACY-PRESERVING SYSTEMS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

THE PROJECT S OBJECTIVE IS TO IMPROVE SEA SURFACE SALINITY (SSS) SATELLITE PRODUCTS THROUGH IMPROVED RADIATIVE TRANSFER MODEL AND SENSOR CALIBRATION. THE RETRIEVAL ALGORITHMS FOR THE SOIL MOISTURE ACTIVE PASSIVE (SMAP) AND AQUARIUS MISSIONS WILL BE

SALVIA HISPANICA L. (COMMONLY KNOWN AS CHIA) HAS BEEN DOMESTICATED CENTURIES AGO AND IN PRE-COLUMBIAN MESOAMERICA, CHIA WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD SOURCES. HOWEVER, AFTER SPANISH COLONIZATION, CULTIVATION LEVELS DRASTICALLY PLUMMETED. NOWADAYS, CHIA IS REGAINING POPULARITY WORLDWIDE AND SPECIALLY IN US AS A HEALTHY OIL AND FOOD SUPPLEMENT DUE TO ITS FAVORABLE OIL COMPOSITION, AND HIGH PROTEIN, FIBER, AND ANTIOXIDANT CONTENTS. CHIA SEED OIL HAS REMARKABLY HIGH POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACID (PUFA) AND VERY LOW SATURATED FATTY ACID (SFA) CONTENT. IN LIGHT OF RECENT STUDIES THAT LINK DISEASES SUCH AS DIABETES, OBESITY, AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES WITH HIGH SFA AND LOW PUFA, CHIA SEED IS CONSIDERED A HEALTHY FOOD SUPPLEMENT. INCREASING CONTEMPORARY DEMAND FOR THIS NUTRITIONALLY VALUABLE CROP IS UNDENIABLE. THE US IMPORT OF CHIA SEED INCREASED 7.5 TIMES SINCE 2011, MAKING US THE LARGEST MARKET FOR CHIA IN THE WORLD. TO MEET THE FUTURE CONSUMER DEMAND, BREEDING EFFORTS ARE NECESSARY TOIMPROVE THE YIELD AND THE VARIOUS IMPORTANT AGRONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CURRENTLY CULTIVATED CHIA VARIETIES.TRADITIONAL PLANT BREEDING IS BASED ON EVALUATION AND MEASUREMENT OF VISIBLE TRAITS. TO INTRODUCE A CERTAIN VALUABLE TRAIT (SUCH AS BIGGER SEED SIZE) INTO COMMERCIAL VARIETY, BREEDERS CROSS A VARIETY WITH BIG SEEDS WITH THE COMMERCIAL VARIETY. THEY MEASURE SEED SIZE IN A LARGE NUMBER OF F2 POPULATION FROM THIS CROSS AND SELECT A PLANT THAT HAS THE TRAITS OF THE COMMERCIAL VARIETY IN ADDITION TO BIGGER SEED SIZE. HOWEVER, THIS PROCESS IS VERY TIME CONSUMING, DIFFICULT, AND REQUIRES LOT OF RESOURCES. USING THIS METHOD, THE INTRODUCTION OF MORE THAN THREE TRAITS NEEDS MANY YEARS AND MAKES THE PROCESS IMPRACTICAL AS MOST TRAITS ARE COMPLEX AND REGULATED BY MULTIPLE GENES. WITH THE ADVANCEMENT OF SEQUENCING TECHNOLOGIES, PLANT BREEDERS NOW USE GENOMIC ASSISTED BREEDING (GAB). GENETIC MARKERS ARE SPECIFIC SEQUENCES OF DNA (SIMILAR TO BARCODES) THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE DIFFERENT AGRONOMIC TRAITS OF INTEREST (AGAIN LET&#39;S USE THE EXAMPLE OF SEED SIZE). THESE MARKERS, DEPENDING ON THEIR PROXIMITY TO THE GENE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRAIT, ARE TRANSMITTED WITH THE GENE FROM ONE GENERATION TO ANOTHER. IN OTHER WORDS, THE PRESENCE OF THE GENETIC MARKER WILL BE HIGHLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRESENCE OF THE TRAIT. THUS, BY ANALYZING THESE MARKERS IN A NEWLY GERMINATED THREE-DAY-OLD SEEDLING (RATHER THAN VISIBLY SCORING A MATURE THREE-MONTH-OLD PLANT), BREEDERS KNOW WHETHER A GIVEN SEEDLING IN THE F2 POPULATION WILL EXPRESS THE DESIRED TRAIT. CONSEQUENTLY, GAB GREATLY SPEEDS UP THE PROCESS OF BREEDING AIMED AT INCORPORATING NEW AGRONOMICALLY IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS INTO COMMERCIAL PLANT VARIETIES. THROUGH THE AVAILABILITY OF WHOLE GENOME SEQUENCES AND GENETIC MARKERS FOR NUMBER OF AGRONOMICALLY IMPRTANT TRAITS, THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY WAS ABLE TO MAKE CONSIDERABLE IMPROVEMENTS IN BOTH NUTRITIONAL AND AGRONOMIC PROPERTIES IN A NUMBER OF ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT PLANT SPECIES SUCH AS CORN, WHEAT, RICE, SOYBEAN, AND TOMATO. BEING UNDERUTILIZED FOR CENTURIES, LIMITED GENOMIC RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE FOR CHIA.IN THIS PROJECT, WE WILL GENERATE GENETIC RESOURCES FOR CHIA TO ENABLE THE USE OF GAB TOWARDS THE GENETIC IMPROVEMENT OF THIS NUTRITIOUS FOOD SOURCE. THESE FOUNDATIONAL GENOMIC RESOURCES WILL BE USED BY BOTH THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR TO DEVELOP NEW CHIA VARIETIES WITH BROADER ADAPTABILITY AS WELL AS HIGHER YIELD AND TOLERANCES SUITABLE FOR THE US ENVIRONMENT. THESE NEW VARIETIES ARE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FARMERS TO DIVERSIFY THEIR CHOICE OF CROP TO PLANT FOR PROFIT. UPON ENOUGH ADOPTION BY FARMERS, THESE VARIETIES COULD ALSO SATISFY THE US MARKET DEMAND FOR CHIA SEEDS AND PROVIDE FOOD SECURITY BY REDUCING OUR DEPENDENCY ON THE IMPORTED PRODUCTS.

EAGER: ARE METHYLOTROPHIC SUBSTRATES IMPORTANT IN NORTHERN PEATLAND METHANE CYCLING?

THE GOAL OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH IS TO DEVELOP BIOTECHNOLOGY THAT WILL ENABLE BROADER USE OF SUNFLOWER SEED-DERIVED INGREDIENTS IN HIGH PH BAKING APPLICATIONS. SUNFLOWER SEED-DERIVED INGREDIENTS REPRESENT ALTERNATIVES TO TREE NUT AND LEGUME-BASED PROTEINS, BUTTERS, AND SPREADS, WHICH CAUSE ALLERGIC REACTIONS FOR MANY PEOPLE. WHERE A LIGHT COLOR IS DESIRED IN HIGH PH APPLICATIONS, THE USE OF SUNFLOWER SEED-DERIVED INGREDIENTS (SUNFLOWER SEED BUTTER, FLOUR, AND MEAL), ISHINDERED BY THE HIGH CONCENTRATION OF CHLOROGENIC ACID IN SUNFLOWER SEEDS. CHLOROGENIC ACID REACTS WITH FOOD COMPONENTS SUCH AS AMINO ACIDS AT HIGH TEMPERATURE AND ALKALINE PH, COMMON CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED IN BAKING. THIS REACTION PRODUCES AN INTENSE GREEN COLOR THAT CAN LIMIT THE APPLICATION OF SUNFLOWER SEED-DERIVED INGREDIENTS IN PRODUCTS WITH AN ALKALINE PH WHERE A WHITE TO BEIGE COLOR IS WANTED. TO DATE, THERE IS NO KNOWN METHOD OF ENTIRELY ELIMINATING THIS GREENING WITHOUT ACIDS OR SIMULTANEOUS REMOVAL OF BENEFICIAL ANTIOXIDANT COMPOUNDS THAT ARE PRESENT IN SUNFLOWER SEED-DERIVED INGREDIENTS. TO OVERCOME THIS PROBLEM, WE PROPOSE A NEW WAY OF REMOVING CHLOROGENIC ACID. WE WILL USE A CHLOROGENIC ACID ESTERASE ENZYME TO BREAK DOWN CHLOROGENIC ACID AND THEREBY ELIMINATE GREENING. THIS APPROACH WILL ENABLE THE CLEAVAGE OF CHLOROGENIC ACID WITHOUT AFFECTING DESIRABLE ANTIOXIDANT COMPOUNDS.THE MAJOR INNOVATION OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH IS TO ENGINEER CHLOROGENIC ACID ESTERASE WITH HIGH ACTIVITY AND STABILITY FOR USE IN BAKING APPLICATIONS. THE CHLOROGENIC ESTERASE WE WILL USE IS FROM LACTOBACILLUS, A GENUS OF BACTERIA THAT IS ALREADY IN USE IN FOOD MANUFACTURING. WE WILL ENGINEER THE ESTERASE BASED ON STATE-OF-THE-ART COMPUTATIONALLY-AIDED PROTEIN DESIGN STRATEGIES FOR MAXIMAL ACTIVITY AND STABILITY. WE WILL THEN PRODUCE THE ESTERASE IN LARGE QUANTITIES IN THE BACTERIUME. COLI, LYSE THE BACTERIUM AND PURIFY THE ENZYME. AFTER THAT, WE WILL UTILIZE THE PURIFIED ENZYME TO BREAK DOWN CHLOROGENIC ACID IN SUNFLOWER MEAL AND FLOUR. THIS ORIGINAL APPROACH CAN POTENTIALLY GENERATE A MARKETABLE ENZYME FOR THEFOOD INDUSTRY. FURTHERMORE, SINCE ENZYMES ARE BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES, WE EXPECT POSITIVE CONSUMER PERCEPTION OF THE SUNFLOWER SEED-DERIVED INGREDIENTS COLORED. IF SUCCESSFUL, WORK STEMMING FROM THIS PROPOSAL WILL CONVERT SUNFLOWER SEED INGREDIENTS SUCH AS FLOUR OR THE MEAL, WHICH IS CURRENTLY A LOW-VALUE BYPRODUCT OF OILSEED-PRESSING THAT IS MAINLY USED AS ANIMAL FODDER, INTO A DESIRABLE, HIGH-VALUE BAKING PRODUCT.

ERI: REPRESENTATION OF BRAILLE CHARACTERS AND GRAPHICAL PATTERNS USING DYNAMIC TACTILE DISPLAYS -BRAILLE DISPLAYS ARE COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE ASSISTIVE DEVICES THAT HELP THE BLIND/VISUALLY IMPAIRED (VI) ACCESS DIGITAL INFORMATION. HOWEVER, BRAILLE DISPLAYS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE AND ARE GENERALLY DESIGNED TO DISPLAY TEXT ONLY. THE MAIN REASON FOR THE HIGH COST OF THE BRAILLE DISPLAYS IS THE LARGE NUMBER OF BRAILLE CELLS USED TO PROVIDE TACTILE FEEDBACK. THIS RESEARCH AIMS TO IDENTIFY HOW BRAILLE TEXT AND GRAPHICS CAN BE EFFECTIVELY PRESENTED ON THE SAME PLATFORM INTEGRATED WITH A SMARTPHONE, USING A SMALL GRID OF TACTILE PINS, AT A MUCH-REDUCED COST. A MOBILE TACTILE DISPLAY WILL BE DEVELOPED THAT CONVERTS THE IMAGES TOUCHED ON THE MOBILE SCREEN TO TACTILE IMAGES PRESENTED ONTO THE FINGERTIPS OF THE USER. THIS WILL HELP THE BLIND/VI USER FEEL THE TRENDS IN CHARTS AND MAP DIRECTIONS PROVIDING ACCESS TO VITAL INFORMATION WHICH CURRENTLY NEEDS TO BE PRINTED OUT ON EMBOSSED PAPERS. REPRESENTING BOTH BRAILLE AND GRAPHICS ON A DISPLAY ATTACHED TO A MOBILE DEVICE WILL HELP PEOPLE WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT EXPLORE A TOUCHSCREEN AS EFFECTIVELY AS THEIR SIGHTED COUNTERPARTS EVEN IN NOISY ENVIRONMENTS WHERE AUDIO FEEDBACK IS LESS RELIABLE. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO ADDRESS THE BRAILLE LITERACY CRISIS BY ENGAGING THE YOUNGER VI GENERATION WITH TACTILE INFORMATION PRESENTED THROUGH CHARTS AND TRENDS AND HELPING THEM REALIZE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BRAILLE OVER AUDIO REPRESENTATIONS ALONE. THE UNDERSTANDING GAINED FROM THIS RESEARCH WILL ENABLE THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF WEARABLE TACTILE DISPLAYS AND TACTILE TEXTURE REPRESENTATION ON SMARTPHONES. THE MOBILE TACTILE DISPLAY WILL BE TESTED ON BOTH VI AND SIGHTED USERS TO STUDY THEIR ADAPTABILITY TOWARDS THE SYSTEM. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO PROVIDE UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE ENGINEERING STUDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COMPLETE DEVELOPMENT CYCLE OF AN ASSISTIVE DEVICE, WORKING IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH THE VI INDIVIDUALS. THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO INTEGRATE BRAILLE AND GRAPHICS ON THE SAME PLATFORM, USING A SMALL DYNAMIC TACTILE GRID. THIS PROJECT WILL CHARACTERIZE USER ACCEPTABILITY OF A DYNAMIC TACTILE SYSTEM WHEN THE BRAILLE OR GRAPHICAL PATTERNS ARE PRESENTED IN A PERSONALIZED MANNER (CALIBRATED FOR USER PREFERRED VIBRATION, SLIP-SPEED, ETC.). AN INITIAL 6X6 REFRESHABLE TACTILE GRID HAS BEEN DEVELOPED, WITH PIN SPACING ADHERING TO BRAILLE STANDARDS AND RESOLUTION CAPABLE OF PRESENTING STRAIGHT LINES AND CURVES (OR SIMPLE GRAPHICS). THIS INITIAL PROTOTYPE WILL BE UTILIZED TO PERFORM SYSTEMATIC STUDIES ON HOW VI READ BRAILLE AND GRAPHICS PRESENTED TO STATIONARY OR SEMI-STATIONARY FINGERS. THE TACTILE PATTERNS WILL BE PRESENTED USING DIFFERENT METHODS - SEQUENTIAL MOVEMENTS, COLUMN-WISE, AS WELL AS SIMULTANEOUSLY ON THE TACTILE DISPLAY. THE BRAILLE AND GRAPHICS PATTERNS WILL ALSO BE PRESENTED USING STATIONARY AND VIBRATING PINS, WITH AND WITHOUT SLIDING MOTION. A COMPARATIVE STUDY, BETWEEN THE FINGER MOVEMENT WHILE EXPLORING FREELY ON PAPER VERSUS ON THE TACTILE DISPLAY, WILL BE PERFORMED TO UNDERSTAND SYSTEM LIMITATIONS AND POSSIBLE ENHANCEMENTS. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EACH PRESENTATION METHOD WILL BE EVALUATED BASED ON USER RESPONSE, RESPONSE SPEED, COMPREHENSION, AND LIKEABILITY. THE SECONDARY GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS THE KNOWLEDGE GENERATION ON HOW SIGHTED USERS INTERACT WITH PASSIVE TACTILE DISPLAYS AND THEIR ADAPTABILITY TOWARDS SUCH SYSTEMS. A MOBILE TACTILE DISPLAY WILL BE DEVELOPED WITH SOFTWARE THAT CONVERTS TOUCHSCREEN IMAGES INTO LOW-RESOLUTION SIMPLE GRAPHICS THAT CONTINUOUSLY TRANSFER GRAPHICS TO TACTILE DISPLAY. THE EFFICACY OF THIS SYSTEM WILL BE EVALUATED ON 20 VI SUBJECTS, PLUS A FEW SIGHTED USERS, TO ASSESS THEIR EASE OF USE, AND ABILITY TO READ AND COMPREHEND BOTH BRAILLE TEXT AND MOBILE GRAPHICS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: PRIMATE AND HUMAN SOCIAL DECISION-MAKING

CRII: HCC: A MULTIMODAL APPROACH FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF HYPERACTIVITY BEHAVIORS IN ADHD -THIS RESEARCH FOCUSES ON THE IMPACTS OF MISDIAGNOSING ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD). THIS PROJECT PROVIDES DECISION SUPPORT TO CLINICIANS TO IMPROVE THE DIAGNOSIS OF ADHD. THE GOAL IS TO ENHANCE THE ACCURACY AND RELIABILITY OF ADHD ASSESSMENTS. THIS PROJECT ALSO WILL ADD TO THE GENERALIZED UNDERSTANDING OF HUMAN ACTIVITY RECOGNITION. IT IS TYPICAL FOR PEOPLE WITH ADHD TO EXPRESS INATTENTION, IMPULSIVITY, AND HYPERACTIVITY. HYPERACTIVITY SYMPTOMS INCLUDE FIDGETING, RESTLESSNESS, TALKING TOO MUCH OR AT THE WRONG TIME. THESE SYMPTOMS ARE FIRST NOTICED BY PARENTS AND TEACHERS. THIS OFTEN RESULTS IN AN EVALUATION FOR ADHD. ASSESSING THESE BEHAVIORS IS CHALLENGING. IT MAY RELY ON INFORMATION PROVIDED THROUGH INTERVIEWS, OBSERVATIONS, AND SURVEYS. THE GATHERING OF THIS INFORMATION IS FROM PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND CLINICIANS. VARIOUS FACTORS MAY INFLUENCE THE ABILITY TO RECEIVE AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS OF ADHD. THESE FACTORS MAY INCLUDE PARENTAL INCOME OR A CHILD'S GENDER, RACE, OR SYMPTOM SEVERITY. THE PROJECT AIMS TO DEVELOP COMPUTATIONAL APPROACHES TO COLLECT AND ANALYZE ADHD DATA. THE PROJECT WILL USE A COMBINATION OF HUMAN EXPERTISE AND COMPUTATIONAL ADHD DATA COLLECTED. THE PROJECT EXPECTATION IS THIS WILL ALLOW IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING OF ADHD BEHAVIORS. THE APPROACH WILL PROVIDE QUALITY AND RELIABLE INFORMATION TO IMPROVE ADHD ASSESSMENT. EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND TARGETED INTERVENTIONS CAN IMPROVE AND EMPOWER PEOPLE WITH ADHD, WHICH WILL HELP THEM TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. CURRENT TECHNOLOGY OFFERS PROMISING OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS IN THE ASSESSMENT OF ADHD. THESE ADVANCEMENTS INCLUDE INERTIAL MOVEMENT UNITS (IMU), TOUCH-SENSITIVE SCREENS, AND HIGH PRECISION CAMERAS. THESE TECHNOLOGIES PROVIDE ACCESS TO HEALTH-RELATED BEHAVIORAL INFORMATION. THESE MAY INCLUDE MOVEMENT LEVELS, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND SPEECH. THIS DATA COULD OFFER VALUABLE INSIGHTS INTO HYPERACTIVITY BEHAVIORS. IT IS NOT CLEAR WHICH CURRENT SENSORS WILL IMPROVE THE ASSESSMENT OF HYPERACTIVITY. THIS RESEARCH WILL FOCUS ON DESIGNING APPLICATIONS TO IMPROVE AND SUPPORT THIS PROCESS. THE APPLICATIONS WILL GATHER SENSOR DATA AND CONTEXTUAL DATA GATHERED FROM CHILDREN. THERE WILL BE A MIX OF CHILDREN WITH AND WITHOUT AN ADHD DIAGNOSIS. THE RESEARCH TEAM WILL CONDUCT INTERVIEWS TO UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF EXPERTS. THIS WILL LEAD TO THE CREATION OF AN APPLICATION TO IMPROVE DATA COLLECTION FOR ADHD. AN EVALUATION OF THE CREATED APPLICATION WILL SHOW ITS FEASIBILITY AND ACCEPTABILITY. THIS EVALUATION WILL PROVIDE MEANINGFUL INFORMATION ABOUT ADHD HYPERACTIVITY BEHAVIORS. IT WILL AUGMENT THE CAPABILITIES OF EXPERTS IN THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS. THE RESULT WILL BE A DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM TO AID IN THE ASSESSMENT OF NEURO-DIVERSE BEHAVIORS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

CRII: SCH: TOWARDS SMART PATIENT FLOW MANAGEMENT: REAL-TIME INPATIENT LENGTH OF STAY MODELING AND PREDICTION -PATIENT LENGTH OF STAY HAS BEEN USED AS AN ESSENTIAL CRITERION FOR THE EFFECTIVE PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT OF HOSPITAL RESOURCES. PROLONGED STAY INCREASES PATIENTS? RISK OF HOSPITAL-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS AND DISRUPTS PATIENT FLOW AND ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY HEALTHCARE SERVICES. AS SUCH, A MODEL THAT CAN RELIABLY PREDICT THE LENGTH OF STAY FOR A SPECIFIC PATIENT IS DESIRABLE TO MITIGATE THE PROLONGED STAY AND GUIDE PERSONALIZED DECISION-MAKING. HOWEVER, THE LENGTH OF STAY CAN BE AFFECTED BY A MULTITUDE OF FACTORS AND CAN VARY BASED ON DIFFERENT PATIENTS? CONDITIONS AND DISEASE PROGRESSION. THE COMPLEX AND DYNAMIC NATURE OF MASSIVE CLINICAL DATA, NOT TO MENTION THE PRESENCE OF A LARGE PORTION OF MISSING AND CENSORED VALUES IN THE HEALTHCARE DATA, POSES SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES FOR EFFICIENT MODELING AND DYNAMIC PREDICTION. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO OFFER AN INTEGRATED SOLUTION BY ESTABLISHING A PIPELINE CONSISTING OF ADVANCED STATISTICAL MODELING, MONITORING, AND DEEP LEARNING TECHNIQUES BASED ON PATIENT INFORMATION COLLECTED FROM HETEROGENEOUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS OVER TIME. THE SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT WILL CATALYZE A TRANSITION FROM A TRADITIONAL STANDARD-DRIVEN DISCHARGE SCHEDULING SERVICE TO A DATA-DRIVEN PROACTIVE SCHEDULING PARADIGM. THE SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT WILL ALLEVIATE THE HOSPITAL?S PRESSURE ON RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND IMPROVE PATIENT FLOW AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS. THE PROJECT CAN PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESEARCH-BASED INTERDISCIPLINARY TRAINING OF UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS IN HEALTH INFORMATICS, STATISTICS, AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, INCLUDING WOMEN AND UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES. THIS PROJECT WILL ADDRESS THE CRITICAL CHALLENGES OF HEALTHCARE DATA ANALYSIS, I.E., HETEROGENEITY, MULTI-MODALITY, AND DATA SPARSITY. CONVENTIONAL DATA-DRIVEN METHODS HAVE BEEN PREDOMINANTLY FOCUSED ON IDENTIFYING THE FACTORS THAT STRONGLY INFLUENCE THE LENGTH OF STAY AS OPPOSED TO PREDICTING THE LENGTH OF STAY ITSELF. MOREOVER, THE EXISTING APPROACHES FAILED TO ADDRESS THE INHERENT UNCERTAINTY AND WERE INCAPABLE OF INCORPORATING DIFFERENT DATA MODALITIES AND DYNAMIC PREDICTION. THE PROJECT PROPOSES A PERSONALIZED FRAMEWORK BY INTEGRATION OF ADVANCED TENSOR FUSION AND TIME-TO-EVENT MODELING TECHNIQUES TOWARDS SMART PATIENT FLOW MANAGEMENT, WHICH ULTIMATELY ALLOWS FOR FASTER ACHIEVEMENT OF HEALTH OUTCOMES AND REDUCTION OF HOSPITALIZED COSTS. THE PROPOSED INTELLIGENT FRAMEWORK WILL ADVANCE THE STATE-OF-ART RESEARCH OF REAL-TIME DATA FUSION AND PERSONALIZED PROGNOSIS IN THE FOLLOWING ASPECTS: (1) BRINGS THE DATA FUSION AND LENGTH OF STAY PREDICTION INTO A UNIFIED FRAMEWORK; (2) FACILITATES PERSONALIZED LENGTH OF STAY PREDICTION IN A REAL-TIME MANNER; (3) NATURALLY HAS THE CAPABILITY TO INCORPORATE UNCERTAINTIES IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS TO PROVIDE A CONFIDENT AND INTELLIGENT SCHEDULING SERVICE. ALTHOUGH THE METHODOLOGY IS PROPOSED FOR THE PATIENT LENGTH OF STAY PREDICTION, IT DOES NOT DEPEND ON ANY RESTRICTIVE ASSUMPTIONS OF DOMAIN KNOWLEDGE AND SPECIFIC DISEASE AND THUS CAN POTENTIALLY BE APPLIED TO A BROAD RANGE OF EVENTS PREDICTIONS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: UNDERSTANDING STRATEGIC ECONOMIC INTERACTIONS IN MONKEYS, APES, AND HUMANS

ICES: SMALL: INSTITUTIONS FOR COOPERATION IN LARGE ECONOMIES OF STRANGERS

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: WHY DOES THE EFFICIENCY OF METHANE PRODUCTION VARY DRAMATICALLY AMONG WETLANDS?

RUI: HEAVY METAL SORPTION/CO-PRECIPITATION INTERACTIONS WITH NANOSCALE IRON OXYHYDROXIDES

COMPARISONS OF TRMM RADAR (PR) AND GROUND-BASED ESTIMATES OF RAIN-RATE SHOW SIGNIFICANT DISCREPANCIES FOR SOME OVERPASSES (FIG. 1). A MAJOR OBJECTIVE

DO NITROGEN FIXATION STRATEGIES ALIGN WITH PLANT GROWTH STRATEGIES?

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: FROM AWARENESS TO ACTION: INTEGRATING RESPONSIBLE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PRACTICE INTO UNDERGRADUATE ENGINEERING EDUCATION -THIS PROJECT AIMS TO SERVE THE NATIONAL INTEREST BY INTEGRATING RESPONSIBLE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) PRINCIPLES INTO UNDERGRADUATE ENGINEERING EDUCATION. THE PROJECT WILL ADDRESS THE GROWING NEED TO EQUIP FUTURE ENGINEERS WITH BOTH TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE AND ETHICAL AWARENESS NECESSARY TO DESIGN AI TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE AND ALIGNED WITH PUBLIC VALUES. THIS LEVEL 1 ENGAGED STUDENT LEARNING PROJECT WILL PROVIDE STRUCTURED AND APPLIED LEARNING EXPERIENCES IN RESPONSIBLE AI, WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON HIGH-IMPACT AREAS SUCH AS HEALTHCARE. IT WILL IMPLEMENT AN INTERDISCIPLINARY, PROJECT-BASED CURRICULUM THAT BLENDS TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION WITH ETHICAL FRAMEWORKS. KEY CONTRIBUTIONS INCLUDE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE HEALTHCARE ETHICS AND AI LEARNING (HEAL) LAB TO SUPPORT COLLABORATIVE, RESEARCH-BASED LEARNING AND A STRONG INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO, EXPANDING PARTICIPATION AND KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE. BY GROUNDING ETHICS WITHIN APPLIED, TECHNICAL CONTEXTS, THE PROJECT WILL ADVANCE THE UNDERSTANDING OF NATIONAL MODELS FOR INTEGRATING RESPONSIBLE AI INTO UNDERGRADUATE ENGINEERING EDUCATION AND GENERATE NEW KNOWLEDGE ABOUT EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES FOR CULTIVATING ETHICAL AWARENESS AND AGENCY IN THE NEXT GENERATION OF ENGINEERS. THE PROJECT GOALS ARE FRAMED BY TWO CORE RESEARCH QUESTIONS: (1) HOW CAN INTEGRATING ETHICAL AI PRACTICES INTO UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULA IMPROVE STUDENTS? ABILITY TO DESIGN SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE AI SYSTEMS? AND (2) WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF COLLABORATIVE, RESEARCH-DRIVEN LEARNING ON ENGINEERING STUDENTS? UNDERSTANDING AND APPLICATION OF AI ETHICS IN REAL-WORLD PROJECTS? TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS, THE PROJECT PLANS TO INTEGRATE RESPONSIBLE AI MODULES INTO EXISTING DATA SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING COURSES, CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH THROUGH HEAL LAB, AND OFFER A HANDS-ON TECHNICAL SEMINAR SERIES TO STRENGTHEN STUDENTS? TECHNICAL AND ETHICAL COMPETENCIES. ADDITIONAL OUTREACH ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING A SUMMER CAMP FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, WILL BROADEN PARTICIPATION AND PROMOTE EARLY ENGAGEMENT WITH AI AND STEM DISCIPLINES. A COMBINATION OF QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE EVALUATION WILL BE USED TO ASSESS LEARNING OUTCOMES, STUDENT ATTITUDES, AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES. FINDINGS WILL BE SHARED THROUGH OPEN-ACCESS MATERIALS, WORKSHOPS, AND SCHOLARLY PUBLICATIONS. BY EMBEDDING ETHICAL REFLECTION WITHIN APPLIED AI LEARNING EXPERIENCES, THIS PROJECT WILL CONTRIBUTE NEW INSIGHTS INTO HOW UNDERGRADUATE ENGINEERING EDUCATION CAN FOSTER SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE INNOVATION. THE NSF IUSE: EDU PROGRAM SUPPORTS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF STEM EDUCATION FOR ALL STUDENTS. THROUGH THE ENGAGED STUDENT LEARNING TRACK, THE PROGRAM SUPPORTS THE CREATION, EXPLORATION, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PROMISING PRACTICES AND TOOLS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES MINOR PROGRAM AND ETHNIC STUDIES GENERAL EDUCATION [THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP AN ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES MINOR WITH ACCOMPANYING PUBLIC HUMANITIES PROGRAMMING AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY IN AN INITIATIVE TO BROADEN OUR HUMANITIES COURSES AND TO ROUND OUT OUR NEW ETHNIC STUDIES MINORS, WITH THE AIM OF CREATING AN ETHNIC STUDIES/DIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION COURSE. THE GOALS ARE TO AUGMENT THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE OFFER TO STUDENTS, DEMONSTRATING WILKINSON COLLEGE OF ARTS, HUMANITIES, AND SOCIAL SCIENCES' COMMITMENT TO A 21ST CENTURY HUMANITIES EDUCATION. A MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION, EMPHASIZING THE DIVERSITY THAT EXISTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES WILL REFLECT THE SURROUNDING ORANGE COUNTY, AND LARGER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COMMUNITIES, AND IS AIMED TOWARDS STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP AND COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS. THIS GRANT WOULD ASSIST US IN BUILDING CURRICULUM, PROGRAMMING, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TOWARDS THIS GOAL.]

EXPLORATION OF ROOM-TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTIVITY IN THE OXY-PYROMORPHITE FAMILY

IRRADIATION AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO MB FUMIGATION AND DPA TREATENT OF GRANNY SMITH APPLES.

MECHANISMS AND IN VIVO ACTIVITY OF A NEXT GENERATION DAPTOMYCIN ANTIBIOTIC - ABSTRACT MICROBIAL RESISTANCE AGAINST CURRENT MEDICATIONS IS ON THE RISE, WITH THE SERIOUS THREAT OF BACTERIA BECOMING IMMUNE AGAINST ALL AVAILABLE DRUGS. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT A RENEWED FOCUS ON ANTI-INFECTIVE COMPOUNDS IS HIGHLY DESIRED TO PREVENT POTENTIAL EPIDEMIC OUTBREAKS OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES. DAPTOMYCIN IS AN FDA-APPROVED ANTIBIOTIC FOR THE TREATMENT OF GRAM-POSITIVE BACTERIAL INFECTIONS. IT HAS A STRICT REQUIREMENT FOR CALCIUM TO FULFILL ITS ANTIBIOTIC ACTIVITY. RECENT REPORTS HIGHLIGHT THE RESISTANCE OF DIFFERENT STRAINS AGAINST DAPTOMYCIN. THIS URGES THE NEED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEXT GENERATION DAPTOMYCIN ANTIBIOTICS TO CIRCUMVENT RESISTANCE. HOWEVER, THE COMPLEXITY OF DAPTOMYCIN’S CHEMICAL STRUCTURE HINDERS MODIFYING THIS ANTIBIOTIC VIA TRADITIONAL SYNTHETIC APPROACHES. WE HAVE RECENTLY REPORTED A NOVEL CHEMOENZYMATIC METHOD FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF SPECIFIC DAPTOMYCIN DERIVATIVES WITH STRONGER IN VITRO ACTIVITY AGAINST DAPTOMYCIN-SUSCEPTIBLE AND RESISTANT BACTERIA. THE NEW ANALOGS, IN CONTRAST TO THE PARENT MOLECULE, DO NOT REQUIRE CALCIUM FOR ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY SUGGESTING A NEW MECHANISM OF ACTION. THE GOAL OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO STUDY THE NEW MECHANISM OF THE NEWLY DEVELOPED ANALOGS IN IN VITRO AND IN VIVO MODELS. WE WILL USE MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES AT THE INTERFACE OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOLOGY TO PROVIDE MORE DEPTH ON THE MECHANISMS AND ACTIVITY OF THE NEWLY GENERATED ANALOGS. SPECIFIC AIM 1 WILL STUDY THE PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND MICROSCOPIC PROPERTIES OF OUR DAPTOMYCIN DERIVATIVES TO REVEAL THE MECHANISMS OF THE NEWLY SYNTHESIZED COMPOUNDS. SPECIFIC AIM 2 WILL STUDY THE NEW CHEMOENZYMATICALLY- SYNTHESIZED DERIVATIVES IN ANIMAL MODELS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THEIR IN VIVO ACTIVITY AND PHARMACOKINETICS. THIS PROPOSAL EMPHASIZES TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH AND WILL LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF STRONGER ANTIBIOTICS THAT CIRCUMVENT RESISTANCE. HENCE THIS STUDY WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON MULTIPLE AVENUES THAT COULD LEAD TO BRIDGING THESE COMPOUNDS TO THE CLINIC. OVERALL, THE PROPOSAL WILL LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR A RESEARCH PROGRAM THAT INTEGRATES IN VIVO ACTIVITY, MICROBIOLOGY, PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND MECHANISTIC INSIGHTS TO ACCESS NEW ROUTES TO DAPTOMYCIN BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY. THE RESULTS OBTAINED FROM THIS STUDY WILL BE EXTENDED TO OTHER LIPOPEPTIDE ANTIBIOTICS IN TERMS OF THEIR MICROBIAL RESISTANCE AND ACTIVITY. THIS RESEARCH WILL HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF CHEMOENZYMATIC APPROACHES TO COMPLEMENT SYNTHETIC ONES TO MODIFY OTHER BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS. THIS PROPOSAL WILL ALSO ALIGN WITH MY LAB’S OVERALL GOAL TO ADDRESS THE CONSTANT NEED TO EXPAND THE CHEMICAL SPACE OF SMALL MOLECULES TO MEET RISING CHALLENGES OF RESISTANT MICROBES AND IMPROVE THEIR SELECTIVITY.

GRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM(GRFP)

TO ACQUIRE GLOBAL OBSERVATIONS FOR SOIL MOISTURE AND SEA SURFACE SALINITY, THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY&#039;S SOIL MOISTURE AND OCEAN SALINITY (SMOS) M

A PRECISION MEDICINE APPROACH TO IDENTIFY WALKING PHENOTYPES AND REHABILITATION TARGETS AFTER INJURY - WALKING PHENOTYPES ARE DIFFERENT BETWEEN PEOPLE, TO THE POINT THAT WE CAN RECOGNIZE PEOPLE BY THE WAY THEY WALK. DESPITE THESE EVIDENT INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES, RESEARCHERS WILL OBTAIN AVERAGES ACROSS A SPECIFIC POPULATION, SUCH AS HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS OR INDIVIDUALS WITH WALKING IMPAIRMENTS DUE TO MUSCULOSKELETAL OR NEUROLOGICAL INJURY, TO DERIVE GROUP-LEVEL DESCRIPTORS OF WALKING FUNCTION. THESE AVERAGES, WHICH ELIMINATE IMPORTANT BETWEEN-INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES, INFORM REHABILITATION RESEARCH STUDIES THAT PRESCRIBE THE SAME INTERVENTION FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS. PRECISION MEDICINE IS AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH PUT FORTH BY THE NIH TO CONSIDER INDIVIDUAL PATIENTS’ BIOLOGICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND LIFESTYLE DIFFERENCES TO INFORM THE PRESCRIPTION OF TREATMENT. DESPITE THE STRONGHOLD AND SUCCESS THAT PRECISION MEDICINE HAS HAD IN PHARMACO-GENOMICS AND ONCOLOGY, IT HAS YET TO BE IMPLEMENTED TO FINE-TUNE INTERVENTIONS FOR WALKING BEHAVIORS. OUR GOAL IS TO IDENTIFY INDIVIDUAL- SPECIFIC WALKING PHENOTYPES AND THEIR UNDERLYING JOINT AND MUSCLE LEVEL IMPAIRMENTS TO EFFECTIVELY GUIDE CLINICAL DECISION-MAKING LONG-TERM. TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, WE WILL USE DATA ANALYSIS PIPELINES THAT USE MACHINE LEARNING TO LEVERAGE THE WEALTH OF CLINICAL AND LABORATORY DATA USED TO CHARACTERIZE FUNCTION AFTER INJURY. THIS APPROACH WILL ALLOW US TO IDENTIFY THE SPECIFIC MUSCLES AND JOINTS RESPONSIBLE FOR EACH WALKING PHENOTYPE, WHICH CAN SERVE AS REHABILITATION INTERVENTION TARGETS. OUR KL2 FUNDED PROJECT TOOK THE FIRST STEP IN THIS DIRECTION: USING STROKE SURVIVORS AS A MODEL OF PATHOLOGICAL WALKING BEHAVIOR, WE IDENTIFIED FOUR DISTINCT WALKING PHENOTYPES, WHICH POINT AT DEFICITS IN EITHER WALKING SPEED, BALANCE, PROPULSION, OR SHOCK ABSORPTION. WHAT REMAINS TO BE DETERMINED ARE THE INDIVIDUAL JOINTS AND MUSCLES RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE DISTINCTIVE WALKING PHENOTYPES (AIM 1), WHETHER THESE IMPAIRMENTS CAN BE DETECTED EARLY AFTER INJURY TO DEVELOP TREATMENT STRATEGIES IN THE EARLY STAGES (AIM 2), AND WHETHER CLINICAL MEASURES WITHIN THE INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF FUNCTIONING, DISABILITY, AND HEALTH, CAN BE USED TO DRAW INFERENCE ON MECHANISMS OF IMPAIRMENT (AIM 3), ALLOWING EASY IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR FINDINGS IN CLINICAL SETTINGS. WE WILL ACHIEVE THESE AIMS VIA SECONDARY ANALYSES OF LONGITUDINAL DATA COLLECTED AS PART OF OUR KL2 PROJECT TO IDENTIFY THE JOINT AND MUSCLE IMPAIRMENTS THAT CHARACTERIZE EACH WALKING PHENOTYPE. WE WILL HARNESS OUR RESULTS IN AN R01 PROPOSAL TO ASSESS THE EFFECTS OF GENERALIZED VS. PHENOTYPE-SPECIFIC PRESCRIPTION OF WALKING INTERVENTIONS, USING THE INTERVENTION TARGETS IDENTIFIED HERE. IDENTIFICATION OF INDIVIDUALIZED INTERVENTION TARGETS COULD IMPROVE THE EFFICACY OF WALKING INTERVENTIONS AND MORE GENERALLY IMPROVE MOBILITY, AND ASSOCIATED PARTICIPATION, HEALTH, AND WELL-BEING, ALL ALIGNED WITH THE NIH MISSION.

REU SITE: SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECOLOGICAL SCIENCES (SURFEES)

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: HOME MITIGATION FOR HURRICANE INDUCED MULTI-HAZARDS: A MULTILEVEL INTERDISCIPLINARY VULNERABILITY AND RESILIENCY APPROACH -RECENT SEVERE HURRICANES HAVE BROUGHT ATTENTION TO THE NEED FOR HOME MITIGATION APPROACHES TO REDUCE LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY. CONSIDERATION OF THE IMPACT ON HOMES FROM SIMULTANEOUS WIND, WAVE, AND SURGE HAZARDS DURING HURRICANES IS CRITICAL FOR DESIGNING APPROPRIATE HOME STRUCTURAL RETROFIT STRATEGIES. THIS PROJECT WILL ADVANCE THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF STRUCTURAL MITIGATION APPROACHES AT REDUCING DAMAGE TO COASTAL HOUSEHOLDS FROM WIND-WAVE-SURGE HAZARDS. THIS PROJECT WILL EXAMINE HOMEOWNERS? PREFERENCES AND BIASES IN THE SELECTION OF RETROFIT STRATEGIES BASED ON THEIR RISK PERCEPTIONS AND TOLERANCE, LEADING TO MORE PRECISE TARGETING OF EDUCATION AND FUNDING AIMED AT INCREASING MITIGATION ADOPTION. THIS IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT DUE TO THE NATION?S AGING HOME INFRASTRUCTURE, INCREASED HURRICANE INTENSITY AND FREQUENCY, AND WIDESPREAD HURRICANE DAMAGE IN RECENT YEARS WITH EXTENSIVE ECONOMIC AND SOCIETAL IMPACTS. A USER-FRIENDLY WEB APPLICATION WILL BE DEVELOPED BASED ON THE RESEARCH FINDINGS TO ALLOW USERS TO COMPARE RETROFIT OPTIONS AND MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS. THIS AWARD CONTRIBUTES TO THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION (NSF) ROLE IN THE NATIONAL WINDSTORM IMPACT REDUCTION PROGRAM. DATA GENERATED FROM THIS PROJECT WILL BE ARCHIVED AND MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE IN THE NSF-SUPPORTED NATURAL HAZARDS ENGINEERING RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE (NHERI) DESIGNSAFE DATE DEPOT (HTTPS://WWW.DESIGNSAFE-CI.ORG). THIS PROJECT IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT INVOLVING RESEARCHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON AND CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY. IT WILL DEVELOP AND EVALUATE A MULTI-LEVEL INTERDISCIPLINARY MITIGATION BEHAVIOR MODEL THAT WILL SIMULATE HOUSEHOLD-LEVEL HOME RETROFIT DECISIONS IN RESPONSE TO HURRICANE HAZARD EVENTS. THE MODEL WILL BE BASED ON AN OCCUPANT?S HURRICANE WIND-WAVE-SURGE EXPOSURE AND VULNERABILITY INDICATORS AND WILL SIMULATE HOW HOUSEHOLD AND COMMUNITY-LEVEL VULNERABILITY CHANGES OVER TIME DUE TO ADOPTION OF (OR FAILURE TO ADOPT) STRUCTURAL MITIGATION. THE BENEFIT/COST OF MITIGATION OPTIONS AND REDUCTIONS IN BUILDING FRAGILITY WILL ALSO BE EXPLORED. THE APPROACH WILL BE APPLIED TO THE HOUSTON-GALVESTON AND COASTAL BEND REGIONS OF TEXAS, WHICH HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERE WIND AND SURGE DAMAGE DURING RECENT HURRICANE EVENTS. THE WEB APPLICATION WILL ALLOW CONVENIENT SELECTION OF LOGICAL MITIGATION PACKAGES, BASED ON THE FINDINGS. AN EXTENSIVE DISSEMINATION, TRAINING, AND OUTREACH CAMPAIGN WILL BE CONDUCTED IN COASTAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH WORKSHOPS AND THE DEDICATED WEB SITE, WITH THE GOAL OF INCREASING AWARENESS OF HOME MITIGATION OPTIONS AMONG HURRICANE-AFFECTED POPULATIONS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

THE PURPOSE OF THE LOW-INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC LITC GRANT IS TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO, 1. A CLINICAL PROGRAM AT AN ACCREDITED LAW, BUSINESS, OR ACCOUNTING SCHOOL IN WHICH STUDENTS REPRESENT LOW-INCOME TAXPAYERS IN CONTROVERSIES ARISING UNDER IRC 7526. 2. AN ORGANIZATION DESCRIBED IN SECTION 501C AND EXEMPT FROM TAX UNDER SECTION 501A THROUGH REPRESENTATION OF TAXPAYERS OR REFERRAL OF TAXPAYERS TO QUALIFIED REPRESENTATIVES. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED UNDER THE LITC PROGRAM, THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE AWARDS GRANTS SO THAT GRANT RECIPIENTS ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE TAX REPRESENTATION BEFORE THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE OR OTHER TRIBUNAL ON FEDERAL TAX MATTERS, EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES ON VARIOUS TAX TOPICS AND ADVOCACY ON TAX ISSUES IMPACTING THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES. END GOAL AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES, THE LITC PROGRAM AWARDS GRANTS TO, 1. OPEN NEW AND WORK PREVIOUSLY OPENED REPRESENTATION CASES. 2. CONSULT WITH TAXPAYERS ON THEIR SPECIFIC TAX ISSUE. 3. CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES. 4. MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE IMPROVEMENT TO TAX ADMINISTRATION BY ADVOCATING FOR CHANGES OR IMPROVEMENTS TO IRS ADMINISTRATION. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES, TAXPAYERS WITH INCOMES THAT DO NOT EXCEED 250 PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES AND TAXPAYERS FOR WHOM ENGLISH IS THEIR SECOND LANGUAGE. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IN LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES AND WITH ADVANCED APPROVAL BY THE LITC PROGRAM OFFICE, SUBRECIPIENTS MAY BE UTILIZED BY GRANT RECIPIENTS TO HELP DELIVER KEY BROADBAND ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM. 5. REASON FOR MODIFICATION IF SHOWING A POSITIVE AMOUNT IS AN OBLIGATION FOR THE YEAR THAT IS REPRESENTED BY THE FIRST TWO DIGITS OF THE PRIME AWARD I.D., IF SHOWING A NEGATIVE AMOUNT IT IS A DE-OBLIGATION OR A RETURN OF FUNDS FOR THE YEAR REPRESENTED BY THE FIRST TWO DIGITS OF THE PRIME AWARD I.D.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: THE ROLE OF QUALITY CONTROL IN MICROBIAL TRANSLATION

MECHANISMS OF SUCCESS AMONG INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES: NITROGEN PARTITIONING, BIOCHEMICAL FINGERPRINTS, AND REMOTE SENSING

THE PURPOSE OF THE LOW-INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC LITC GRANT IS TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO, 1. A CLINICAL PROGRAM AT AN ACCREDITED LAW, BUSINESS, OR ACCOUNTING SCHOOL IN WHICH STUDENTS REPRESENT LOW-INCOME TAXPAYERS IN CONTROVERSIES ARISING UNDER IRC 7526. 2. AN ORGANIZATION DESCRIBED IN SECTION 501C AND EXEMPT FROM TAX UNDER SECTION 501A THROUGH REPRESENTATION OF TAXPAYERS OR REFERRAL OF TAXPAYERS TO QUALIFIED REPRESENTATIVES. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED UNDER THE LITC PROGRAM, THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE AWARDS GRANTS SO THAT GRANT RECIPIENTS ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE TAX REPRESENTATION BEFORE THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE OR OTHER TRIBUNAL ON FEDERAL TAX MATTERS, EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES ON VARIOUS TAX TOPICS AND ADVOCACY ON TAX ISSUES IMPACTING THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES. END GOAL AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES, THE LITC PROGRAM AWARDS GRANTS TO, 1. OPEN NEW AND WORK PREVIOUSLY OPENED REPRESENTATION CASES. 2. CONSULT WITH TAXPAYERS ON THEIR SPECIFIC TAX ISSUE. 3. CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES. 4. MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE IMPROVEMENT TO TAX ADMINISTRATION BY ADVOCATING FOR CHANGES OR IMPROVEMENTS TO IRS ADMINISTRATION. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES, TAXPAYERS WITH INCOMES THAT DO NOT EXCEED 250 PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES AND TAXPAYERS FOR WHOM ENGLISH IS THEIR SECOND LANGUAGE. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IN LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES AND WITH ADVANCED APPROVAL BY THE LITC PROGRAM OFFICE, SUBRECIPIENTS MAY BE UTILIZED BY GRANT RECIPIENTS TO HELP DELIVER KEY BROADBAND ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM. 5. REASON FOR MODIFICATION IF SHOWING A POSITIVE AMOUNT IS AN OBLIGATION FOR THE YEAR THAT IS REPRESENTED BY THE FIRST TWO DIGITS OF THE PRIME AWARD I.D., IF SHOWING A NEGATIVE AMOUNT IT IS A DEOBLIGATION OR A RETURN OF FUNDS FOR THE YEAR REPRESENTED BY THE FIRST TWO DIGITS OF THE PRIME AWARD I.D.

MULTILINEAR HARMONIC ANALYSIS AND APPLICATIONS -HARMONIC ANALYSIS IS CONCERNED WITH DECOMPOSING SIGNALS OR FUNCTIONS INTO ELEMENTARY WAVES, ANALYZING THE PIECES INDIVIDUALLY, AND THEN SYNTHESIZING THIS LOCAL INFORMATION INTO INFORMATION ABOUT THE ORIGINAL OBJECT. THIS APPROACH HAS WIDE APPLICATIONS IN PHYSICS AND ENGINEERING, BUT ALSO WITHIN MATHEMATICS ITSELF. A SPECIAL FOCUS OF HARMONIC ANALYSIS IS TO OBTAIN GOOD QUANTITATIVE INFORMATION ON THE OBJECTS IN QUESTION, WHICH CAN OFTEN BE APPLIED TO YIELD STRONG QUANTITATIVE RESULTS IN THE FIELDS OF ERGODIC THEORY AND COMBINATORICS. ERGODIC THEORY INVESTIGATES BEHAVIOR OF DYNAMICAL SYSTEMS THAT EVOLVE FOR A LONG TIME, WHILE ONE FOCUS OF COMBINATORICS IS TO STUDY EXISTENCE OF STRUCTURES IN LARGE BUT OTHERWISE ARBITRARY SETS. THESE STRUCTURES CAN BE GEOMETRIC PATTERNS SUCH AS ARITHMETIC PROGRESSIONS, VERTICES OF A SQUARE, THEIR TRANSLATES, ROTATES, OR DILATES. THE PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON THE STUDY OF INTEGRAL TRANSFORMATIONS THAT NATURALLY OCCUR WITHIN HARMONIC ANALYSIS AND BUILD A SET OF TOOLS THAT FURTHER EXPANDS THE REACH OF HARMONIC ANALYSIS INTO THE NEARBY FIELDS OF ERGODIC THEORY AND COMBINATORICS. AS THESE ARE VERY FOUNDATIONAL SUBJECTS, THE RESULTS AND TECHNIQUES FROM THESE AREAS ARE APPLICABLE IN A WIDER SCIENTIFIC CONTEXT. EXAMPLES INCLUDE APPLICATIONS IN STOCHASTIC ANALYSIS, PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS, SIGNAL PROCESSING, AND MEDICAL IMAGING. THE PROJECT?S FUNDAMENTAL MATHEMATICAL RESEARCH WILL ADDRESS THE COMMUNITY?S CURRENTLY RELEVANT SCIENTIFIC QUESTIONS IN ITS CONTINUED PURSUIT IN UNDERSTANDING OPEN MATHEMATICAL QUESTIONS. THE PROJECT WILL FURTHER ENTAIL WORKING WITH A POSTDOC AND MENTORING UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS, ORGANIZATION OF SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS THAT PROMOTE CROSS-COLLABORATION AND EXCHANGE OF IDEAS. THE FIRST PART OF THIS PROJECT WILL DEAL WITH A FUNDAMENTAL FAMILY OF MULTILINEAR SINGULAR INTEGRAL FORMS WITH A HYPERGRAPH STRUCTURE. THE MAIN GOAL WILL BE TO ADDRESS BOUNDEDNESS OF THESE FORMS ON LEBESGUE SPACES. THESE QUESTIONS WILL BE APPROACHED BY EXTENDING THE TECHNIQUES PREVIOUSLY DEVELOPED BY THE PI AND COLLABORATORS. THE WORK IS PARTIALLY INSPIRED BY A MAJOR OPEN QUESTION IN HARMONIC ANALYSIS, BOUNDEDNESS OF THE SIMPLEX HILBERT TRANSFORMS. FURTHER, THIS PROJECT WILL ADDRESS MULTILINEAR OSCILLATORY INTEGRAL FORMS AND THEIR CONNECTIONS WITH VARIANTS OF MULTILINEAR SINGULAR INTEGRALS AND MAXIMAL FUNCTIONS WITH CURVATURE. ESTIMATES ON MULTILINEAR SINGULAR AND OSCILLATORY INTEGRALS WILL THEN BE APPLIED TO ERGODIC THEORY. IN THIS CONTEXT, THE MAIN GOAL WILL BE TO INVESTIGATE CONVERGENCE OF VARIOUS TYPES OF ERGODIC AVERAGES ALONG THE ORBITS OF COMMUTING MEASURE-PRESERVING TRANSFORMATIONS BY ESTABLISHING QUALITATIVE CONVERGENCE STATEMENTS VIA STRONGER QUANTITATIVE VARIATIONAL ESTIMATES. THE LATTER WILL BE TRANSLATED TO QUESTIONS IN EUCLIDEAN SPACES AND ADDRESSED WITH HARMONIC ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES DEVELOPED THROUGHOUT THIS PROJECT. THESE METHODS WILL ALSO BE APPLIED TO QUESTIONS IN EUCLIDEAN RAMSEY THEORY, WHERE EXISTENCE OF LINEAR AND NON-LINEAR POINT CONFIGURATIONS IN LARGE SUBSETS OF THE EUCLIDEAN SPACE WILL BE INVESTIGATED. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

A MAJOR OBJECTIVE OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH IS TO CHARACTERIZE ERRORS OF MULTI-SATELLITE PRECIPITATION RETRIEVALS IN SUPPORT OF GPM &#039;DAY-I&#039;

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: RUI: CYCLING OF DISSOLVED ORGANIC MATTER IN BLUE CARBON ECOSYSTEMS -BLUE CARBON REFERS TO CARBON STORED IN COASTAL SYSTEMS LIKE SEA GRASS MEADOWS AND MARSHES. THESE OCEAN PLANTS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN CARBON CYCLING BY MAKING, STORING AND RELEASING CARBON. THESE PLANTS RELEASE CARBON AS DISSOLVED ORGANIC MATTER INTO THE WATER. DISSOLVED ORGANIC MATTER IS MADE OF VERY LARGE CARBON-CONTAINING MOLECULES WITH COMPLEX STRUCTURES. IT IS FORMED WHEN PLANT MATTER, LIKE LEAVES, BREAKS DOWN. THESE DISSOLVED MOLECULES ARE A PART OF THE GLOBAL CARBON CYCLE, BUT WE DO NOT KNOW VERY MUCH ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DISSOLVED ORGANIC MATTER OR HOW IT CHANGES OVER TIME. THIS RESEARCH WILL STUDY HOW SALT MARSHES AND EEL GRASS BEDS IN PADILLA BAY CREATE, ALTER AND STORE DISSOLVED ORGANIC MATTER. PADILLA BAY IS A LARGE BAY IN THE COASTAL WATERS OF WASHINGTON STATE. MEASUREMENTS WILL BE MADE OF HOW THE AMOUNT AND TYPE OF DISSOLVED ORGANIC MATTER FLOWING OUT OF THE SALT MARSHES AND BAY CHANGE FROM HIGH TIDE TO LOW TIDE AND IN DIFFERENT SEASONS. THIS RESEARCH WILL HELP SCIENTISTS UNDERSTAND THE ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF BLUE CARBON SYSTEMS IN CARBON CYCLING IN COASTAL WATERS. THE PROPOSED ACTIVITIES INCORPORATE A SYSTEM AND PROCESS APPROACH TO EVALUATING DOM SOURCES AND CYCLING IN SALT MARSHES, MUDFLATS, AND EELGRASS BEDS. SURFACE WATERS, SEDIMENT PORE WATERS AND PLANT LEACHATES WILL BE STUDIED TO ASSESS THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO DOM CYCLING USING A COMBINATION OF SPECTROSCOPIC, STABLE ISOTOPE (C-13), DISSOLVED ORGANIC CARBON, WATER QUALITY AND HYDRODYNAMIC MEASUREMENTS. THE PRIMARY GOAL IS TO EXAMINE THE COMPOSITION, PHOTOCHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATIONS, AND AMOUNT OF DOM EXPORTED FROM A SALT MARSH INTO THE PADILLA BAY ESTUARY. SECONDARY GOALS ARE TO ASSESS HOW CARBON FLOW IS MODIFIED BY EELGRASS BEDS AND MUDFLATS IN THE ESTUARY. PADILLA BAY HAS SEVERAL DEGRADED SALT MARSHES SLATED FOR RESTORATION, AND DOM WILL ALSO BE STUDIED IN THESE SYSTEMS, PROVIDING A BASELINE FOR MONITORING CARBON FLOW CHANGES AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF MARSH RESTORATION IN THE FUTURE. THIS STUDY WILL HELP RESEARCHERS MAKE BETTER PREDICTIONS ABOUT CHANGES IN CLIMATE AND ANTHROPOGENIC INFLUENCES ON COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS, AS WELL AS IMPROVE MANAGEMENT OF THE COASTAL ZONE AND WETLAND RESTORATION. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

DO PROSTATE CANCER EXOSOMES GENERATE A FIELD EFFECT LEADING TO TUMOR MULTIFOCALITY?

QUALITY EVALUATION OF IRRADIATED BLUEBERRIES AND PEACHES.

SUSCHEM:COLLAB.RESEARCH:RUI:LINKING THE GEOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF AIRBORNE PARTICULATE MATTER WITH ARSENIC BIOACCESSIBILITY AND BIOAVAILABILITY IN C

DEVELOPMENT OF DISCRETE ELEMENTS FOR SUPERCONDUCTING ELECTRONICS (INCLUDING SQUIDS) FOR ROOM-TEMPERATURE OPERATION ENABLED BY LK99 THIN FILMS

THE PURPOSE OF THE LOW-INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC LITC GRANT IS TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO, 1. A CLINICAL PROGRAM AT AN ACCREDITED LAW, BUSINESS, OR ACCOUNTING SCHOOL IN WHICH STUDENTS REPRESENT LOW-INCOME TAXPAYERS IN CONTROVERSIES ARISING UNDER IRC 7526. 2. AN ORGANIZATION DESCRIBED IN SECTION 501C AND EXEMPT FROM TAX UNDER SECTION 501A THROUGH REPRESENTATION OF TAXPAYERS OR REFERRAL OF TAXPAYERS TO QUALIFIED REPRESENTATIVES. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED UNDER THE LITC PROGRAM, THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE AWARDS GRANTS SO THAT GRANT RECIPIENTS ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE TAX REPRESENTATION BEFORE THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE OR OTHER TRIBUNAL ON FEDERAL TAX MATTERS, EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES ON VARIOUS TAX TOPICS AND ADVOCACY ON TAX ISSUES IMPACTING THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES. END GOAL AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES, THE LITC PROGRAM AWARDS GRANTS TO, 1. OPEN NEW AND WORK PREVIOUSLY OPENED REPRESENTATION CASES. 2. CONSULT WITH TAXPAYERS ON THEIR SPECIFIC TAX ISSUE. 3. CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES. 4. MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE IMPROVEMENT TO TAX ADMINISTRATION BY ADVOCATING FOR CHANGES OR IMPROVEMENTS TO IRS ADMINISTRATION. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES, TAXPAYERS WITH INCOMES THAT DO NOT EXCEED 250 PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES AND TAXPAYERS FOR WHOM ENGLISH IS THEIR SECOND LANGUAGE. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IN LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES AND WITH ADVANCED APPROVAL BY THE LITC PROGRAM OFFICE, SUBRECIPIENTS MAY BE UTILIZED BY GRANT RECIPIENTS TO HELP DELIVER KEY BROADBAND ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM. 5. REASON FOR MODIFICATION IF SHOWING A POSITIVE AMOUNT IS AN OBLIGATION FOR THE YEAR THAT IS REPRESENTED BY THE FIRST TWO DIGITS OF THE PRIME AWARD I.D., IF SHOWING A NEGATIVE AMOUNT IT IS A DE-OBLIGATION OR A RETURN OF FUNDS FOR THE YEAR REPRESENTED BY THE FIRST TWO DIGITS OF THE PRIME AWARD I.D.

THE PURPOSE OF THE LOW-INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC LITC GRANT IS TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO, 1. A CLINICAL PROGRAM AT AN ACCREDITED LAW, BUSINESS, OR ACCOUNTING SCHOOL IN WHICH STUDENTS REPRESENT LOW-INCOME TAXPAYERS IN CONTROVERSIES ARISING UNDER IRC 7526. 2. AN ORGANIZATION DESCRIBED IN SECTION 501C AND EXEMPT FROM TAX UNDER SECTION 501A THROUGH REPRESENTATION OF TAXPAYERS OR REFERRAL OF TAXPAYERS TO QUALIFIED REPRESENTATIVES. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED UNDER THE LITC PROGRAM, THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE AWARDS GRANTS SO THAT GRANT RECIPIENTS ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE TAX REPRESENTATION BEFORE THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE OR OTHER TRIBUNAL ON FEDERAL TAX MATTERS, EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES ON VARIOUS TAX TOPICS AND ADVOCACY ON TAX ISSUES IMPACTING THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES. END GOAL AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES, THE LITC PROGRAM AWARDS GRANTS TO, 1. OPEN NEW AND WORK PREVIOUSLY OPENED REPRESENTATION CASES. 2. CONSULT WITH TAXPAYERS ON THEIR SPECIFIC TAX ISSUE. 3. CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES. 4. MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE IMPROVEMENT TO TAX ADMINISTRATION BY ADVOCATING FOR CHANGES OR IMPROVEMENTS TO IRS ADMINISTRATION. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES, TAXPAYERS WITH INCOMES THAT DO NOT EXCEED 250 PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES AND TAXPAYERS FOR WHOM ENGLISH IS THEIR SECOND LANGUAGE. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IN LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES AND WITH ADVANCED APPROVAL BY THE LITC PROGRAM OFFICE, SUBRECIPIENTS MAY BE UTILIZED BY GRANT RECIPIENTS TO HELP DELIVER KEY BROADBAND ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM. 5. REASON FOR MODIFICATION IF SHOWING A POSITIVE AMOUNT IS AN OBLIGATION FOR THE YEAR THAT IS REPRESENTED BY THE FIRST TWO DIGITS OF THE PRIME AWARD I.D., IF SHOWING A NEGATIVE AMOUNT IT IS A DEOBLIGATION OR A RETURN OF FUNDS FOR THE YEAR REPRESENTED BY THE FIRST TWO DIGITS OF THE PRIME AWARD I.D.

THE PURPOSE OF THE LOW-INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC LITC GRANT IS TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO, 1. A CLINICAL PROGRAM AT AN ACCREDITED LAW, BUSINESS, OR ACCOUNTING SCHOOL IN WHICH STUDENTS REPRESENT LOW-INCOME TAXPAYERS IN CONTROVERSIES ARISING UNDER IRC 7526. 2. AN ORGANIZATION DESCRIBED IN SECTION 501C AND EXEMPT FROM TAX UNDER SECTION 501A THROUGH REPRESENTATION OF TAXPAYERS OR REFERRAL OF TAXPAYERS TO QUALIFIED REPRESENTATIVES. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED UNDER THE LITC PROGRAM, THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE AWARDS GRANTS SO THAT GRANT RECIPIENTS ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE TAX REPRESENTATION BEFORE THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE OR OTHER TRIBUNAL ON FEDERAL TAX MATTERS, EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES ON VARIOUS TAX TOPICS AND ADVOCACY ON TAX ISSUES IMPACTING THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES. END GOAL AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES, THE LITC PROGRAM AWARDS GRANTS TO, 1. OPEN NEW AND WORK PREVIOUSLY OPENED REPRESENTATION CASES. 2. CONSULT WITH TAXPAYERS ON THEIR SPECIFIC TAX ISSUE. 3. CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES. 4. MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE IMPROVEMENT TO TAX ADMINISTRATION BY ADVOCATING FOR CHANGES OR IMPROVEMENTS TO IRS ADMINISTRATION. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES, TAXPAYERS WITH INCOMES THAT DO NOT EXCEED 250 PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES AND TAXPAYERS FOR WHOM ENGLISH IS THEIR SECOND LANGUAGE. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IN LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES AND WITH ADVANCED APPROVAL BY THE LITC PROGRAM OFFICE, SUBRECIPIENTS MAY BE UTILIZED BY GRANT RECIPIENTS TO HELP DELIVER KEY BROADBAND ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM. 5. REASON FOR MODIFICATION IF SHOWING A POSITIVE AMOUNT IS AN OBLIGATION FOR THE YEAR THAT IS REPRESENTED BY THE FIRST TWO DIGITS OF THE PRIME AWARD I.D., IF SHOWING A NEGATIVE AMOUNT IT IS A DEOBLIGATION OR A RETURN OF FUNDS FOR THE YEAR REPRESENTED BY THE FIRST TWO DIGITS OF THE PRIME AWARD I.D.

THE PURPOSE OF THE LOW-INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC LITC GRANT IS TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO, 1. A CLINICAL PROGRAM AT AN ACCREDITED LAW, BUSINESS, OR ACCOUNTING SCHOOL IN WHICH STUDENTS REPRESENT LOW-INCOME TAXPAYERS IN CONTROVERSIES ARISING UNDER IRC 7526. 2. AN ORGANIZATION DESCRIBED IN SECTION 501C AND EXEMPT FROM TAX UNDER SECTION 501A THROUGH REPRESENTATION OF TAXPAYERS OR REFERRAL OF TAXPAYERS TO QUALIFIED REPRESENTATIVES. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED UNDER THE LITC PROGRAM, THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE AWARDS GRANTS SO THAT GRANT RECIPIENTS ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE TAX REPRESENTATION BEFORE THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE OR OTHER TRIBUNAL ON FEDERAL TAX MATTERS, EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES ON VARIOUS TAX TOPICS AND ADVOCACY ON TAX ISSUES IMPACTING THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES. END GOAL AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES, THE LITC PROGRAM AWARDS GRANTS TO, 1. OPEN NEW AND WORK PREVIOUSLY OPENED REPRESENTATION CASES. 2. CONSULT WITH TAXPAYERS ON THEIR SPECIFIC TAX ISSUE. 3. CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES. 4. MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE IMPROVEMENT TO TAX ADMINISTRATION BY ADVOCATING FOR CHANGES OR IMPROVEMENTS TO IRS ADMINISTRATION. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES, TAXPAYERS WITH INCOMES THAT DO NOT EXCEED 250 PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES AND TAXPAYERS FOR WHOM ENGLISH IS THEIR SECOND LANGUAGE. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IN LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES AND WITH ADVANCED APPROVAL BY THE LITC PROGRAM OFFICE, SUBRECIPIENTS MAY BE UTILIZED BY GRANT RECIPIENTS TO HELP DELIVER KEY BROADBAND ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM. 5. REASON FOR MODIFICATION IF SHOWING A POSITIVE AMOUNT IS AN OBLIGATION FOR THE YEAR THAT IS REPRESENTED BY THE FIRST TWO DIGITS OF THE PRIME AWARD I.D., IF SHOWING A NEGATIVE AMOUNT IT IS A DEOBLIGATION OR A RETURN OF FUNDS FOR THE YEAR REPRESENTED BY THE FIRST TWO DIGITS OF THE PRIME AWARD I.D.

CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW FAMILY VIOLENCE CLINIC

THE PURPOSE OF THE LOW-INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC LITC GRANT IS TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO, 1. A CLINICAL PROGRAM AT AN ACCREDITED LAW, BUSINESS, OR ACCOUNTING SCHOOL IN WHICH STUDENTS REPRESENT LOW-INCOME TAXPAYERS IN CONTROVERSIES ARISING UNDER IRC 7526. 2. AN ORGANIZATION DESCRIBED IN SECTION 501C AND EXEMPT FROM TAX UNDER SECTION 501A THROUGH REPRESENTATION OF TAXPAYERS OR REFERRAL OF TAXPAYERS TO QUALIFIED REPRESENTATIVES. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED UNDER THE LITC PROGRAM, THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE AWARDS GRANTS SO THAT GRANT RECIPIENTS ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE TAX REPRESENTATION BEFORE THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE OR OTHER TRIBUNAL ON FEDERAL TAX MATTERS, EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES ON VARIOUS TAX TOPICS AND ADVOCACY ON TAX ISSUES IMPACTING THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES. END GOAL AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES, THE LITC PROGRAM AWARDS GRANTS TO, 1. OPEN NEW AND WORK PREVIOUSLY OPENED REPRESENTATION CASES. 2. CONSULT WITH TAXPAYERS ON THEIR SPECIFIC TAX ISSUE. 3. CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES. 4. MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE IMPROVEMENT TO TAX ADMINISTRATION BY ADVOCATING FOR CHANGES OR IMPROVEMENTS TO IRS ADMINISTRATION. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES, TAXPAYERS WITH INCOMES THAT DO NOT EXCEED 250 PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES AND TAXPAYERS FOR WHOM ENGLISH IS THEIR SECOND LANGUAGE. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IN LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES AND WITH ADVANCED APPROVAL BY THE LITC PROGRAM OFFICE, SUBRECIPIENTS MAY BE UTILIZED BY GRANT RECIPIENTS TO HELP DELIVER KEY BROADBAND ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM. 5. REASON FOR MODIFICATION IF SHOWING A POSITIVE AMOUNT IS AN OBLIGATION FOR THE YEAR THAT IS REPRESENTED BY THE FIRST TWO DIGITS OF THE PRIME AWARD I.D., IF SHOWING A NEGATIVE AMOUNT IT IS A DEOBLIGATION OR A RETURN OF FUNDS FOR THE YEAR REPRESENTED BY THE FIRST TWO DIGITS OF THE PRIME AWARD I.D.

THE PURPOSE OF THE LOW-INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC LITC GRANT IS TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO, 1. A CLINICAL PROGRAM AT AN ACCREDITED LAW, BUSINESS, OR ACCOUNTING SCHOOL IN WHICH STUDENTS REPRESENT LOW-INCOME TAXPAYERS IN CONTROVERSIES ARISING UNDER IRC 7526. 2. AN ORGANIZATION DESCRIBED IN SECTION 501C AND EXEMPT FROM TAX UNDER SECTION 501A THROUGH REPRESENTATION OF TAXPAYERS OR REFERRAL OF TAXPAYERS TO QUALIFIED REPRESENTATIVES. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED UNDER THE LITC PROGRAM, THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE AWARDS GRANTS SO THAT GRANT RECIPIENTS ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE TAX REPRESENTATION BEFORE THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE OR OTHER TRIBUNAL ON FEDERAL TAX MATTERS, EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES ON VARIOUS TAX TOPICS AND ADVOCACY ON TAX ISSUES IMPACTING THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES. END GOAL AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES, THE LITC PROGRAM AWARDS GRANTS TO, 1. OPEN NEW AND WORK PREVIOUSLY OPENED REPRESENTATION CASES. 2. CONSULT WITH TAXPAYERS ON THEIR SPECIFIC TAX ISSUE. 3. CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES. 4. MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE IMPROVEMENT TO TAX ADMINISTRATION BY ADVOCATING FOR CHANGES OR IMPROVEMENTS TO IRS ADMINISTRATION. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES, TAXPAYERS WITH INCOMES THAT DO NOT EXCEED 250 PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES AND TAXPAYERS FOR WHOM ENGLISH IS THEIR SECOND LANGUAGE. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IN LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES AND WITH ADVANCED APPROVAL BY THE LITC PROGRAM OFFICE, SUBRECIPIENTS MAY BE UTILIZED BY GRANT RECIPIENTS TO HELP DELIVER KEY BROADBAND ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM. 5. REASON FOR MODIFICATION IF SHOWING A POSITIVE AMOUNT IS AN OBLIGATION FOR THE YEAR THAT IS REPRESENTED BY THE FIRST TWO DIGITS OF THE PRIME AWARD I.D., IF SHOWING A NEGATIVE AMOUNT IT IS A DEOBLIGATION OR A RETURN OF FUNDS FOR THE YEAR REPRESENTED BY THE FIRST TWO DIGITS OF THE PRIME AWARD I.D.

LOW INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC.

LOW INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC.

LOW INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC

LOW INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC

SOIL MOISTURE IS A KEY PARAMETER TO DETERMINE WATER AVAILABILITY; IT CONNECTS THE TERRESTRIAL WATER ENERGY AND CARBON CYCLES AND ACTS AS A CLIMATE INDICTOR. THE 2007 DECADAL SURVEY REINFORCED THE NECESSITY OF MONITORING SOIL MOISTURE BY RECOMMENDING A DEDICATED SOIL MOISTURE MISSION. MANY SENSORS CAPABLE OF SOIL MOISTURE SENSING AT DIFFERENT FREQUENCIES HAVE BEEN LAUNCHED OVER THE YEARS. EACH OF THEM PURSUES THE GOAL OF SUCCESSFULLY RETRIEVING SOIL MOISTURE BASED ON THEIR OWN CALIBRATION AND VALIDATION METRICS. FUNDAMENTALLY THE INTEREST LIES IN A CONSISTENT LONG-TERM SOIL MOISTURE RECORD SPANNING MULTIPLE SATELLITE PLATFORMS AND WE THEREFORE NEED A CONSISTENT SENSOR DATA RECORD. SOIL MOISTURE WAS NAMED AN ESSENTIAL CLIMATE VARIABLE (ECV) IN 2010 BY THE GLOBAL CLIMATE OBSERVING SYSTEM AN INITIATIVE BY THE WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL FOR SCIENCE. IN THIS INVESTIGATION WE FOCUS ON FOUR SATELLITES THAT ARE CAPABLE OF SOIL MOISTURE RETRIEVAL VIA BRIGHTNESS TEMPERATURE OBSERVATIONS: JAXA S ADVANCED MICROWAVE SCANNING RADIOMETER-EOS (AMSR-E) LAUNCHED IN MAY 2002 ON THE NASA AQUA SATELLITE (IT STOPPED NOMINAL DATA ACQUISITION IN OCTOBER 2011) ESA S SOIL MOISTURE AND OCEAN SALINITY (SMOS) MISSION LAUNCHED IN NOVEMBER 2009 JAXA S ADVANCED MICROWAVE SCANNING RADIOMETER 2 (AMSR2) ONBOARD THE GCOM-W SATELLITE LAUNCHED IN MAY 2012 AND NASA S SOIL MOISTURE ACTIVE PASSIVE (SMAP) MISSION LAUNCHED IN JANUARY 2015. WE PROPOSE TO (A) INTER-CALIBRATE THE L- C- AND X-BAND BRIGHTNESS TEMPERATURES OF AMSR-E SMOS AMSR2 AND SMAP. WE WILL MATCH THE OBSERVATIONS OF THE INSTRUMENTS IN SPACE AND TIME OVER OCEAN AND WITH RESPECT TO THE COLD SKY. WE WILL ADAPT A HERITAGE ANTENNA TEMPERATURE SIMULATOR TO MULTI-FREQUENCY BRIGHTNESS TEMPERATURE MODELING TO MAKE THE L- C- AND X-BAND BRIGHTNESS TEMPERATURES CONSISTENT ACROSS FREQUENCIES. TEMPORAL OVERLAP OF SMOS WITH AMSR-E AND SMAP AND SMOS WITH AMSR2 WILL BE KEY IN MAKING THE BRIGHTNESS TEMPERATURE RECORDS CONSISTENT. WE FURTHER PROPOSE TO (B) APPLY A UNIFORMLY DESIGNED SOIL MOISTURE RETRIEVAL ALGORITHM TO RETRIEVE CONSISTENT SOIL MOISTURE USING THE BRIGHTNESS TEMPERATURE RECORDS AT DIFFERENT FREQUENCIES. WE WILL BRING IN IN-SITU SOIL MOISTURE DATA AS GROUND TRUTH TO PARAMETERIZE AND TEST THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SOIL MOISTURE RETRIEVAL ALGORITHM. THIS WILL ALLOW US TO REVEAL ANY HIDDEN INCONSISTENCIES BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT BRIGHTNESS TEMPERATURE DATA SETS. FINALLY WE PROPOSE TO (C) COMPENSATE FOR THE DIFFERENT SENSING DEPTHS OF THE DIFFERENT FREQUENCIES USING A MODEL AND PRESENT THE SOIL MOISTURE AT A UNIFORM DEPTH. WE WILL APPLY A SIMPLE NEAR SURFACE SOIL MOISTURE MODEL TO PROJECT THE OBSERVATIONS TO THE SMAP OBSERVATION DEPTH. THE PROPOSED WORK ENABLES A CONSISTENT GLOBAL SOIL MOISTURE DATA RECORD SPANNING FROM 2002 TO PRESENT AND CONTINUES IN THE TIME FRAME OF THE PERFORMED WORK UNTIL 2019. WE SHALL LEVERAGE THE SIGNIFICANT HERITAGE OF ANALYSIS AND TOOLS ACCUMULATED BY THE INVESTIGATOR TEAM TO CONDUCT THE PROPOSED RESEARCH. THE U.S. GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH PROGRAM IDENTIFIED THE IMPORTANCE OF SOIL MOISTURE OBSERVATIONS IN ITS OBJECTIVES OF EARTH SCIENCE UNDERSTANDING AND EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF LONG-TERM INTEGRATED OBSERVATIONS. NOAA S NATIONAL CALIBRATION CENTER AIMS AT DEVELOPING UNIFORM CALIBRATION STANDARDS AND METHODOLOGIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITES SUCH AS THE ONES PROPOSED IN THIS RESEARCH. SIMILARLY THE PROPOSED INVESTIGATION IS RESPONSIVE TO SEVERAL INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE INTER-CONSISTENCY OF SATELLITE PRODUCTS. THIS STUDY WILL BE RELEVANT FOR THE CEOS (COMMITTEE ON EARTH OBSERVING SATELLITES). THE OBJECTIVES AND THE WORK PLAN OF THE PROPOSAL IS ALSO ALIGNED WITH OBJECTIVES OF THE GLOBAL SPACE-BASED INTER-CALIBRATION SYSTEM (GSICS) WHICH AIMS AMONGST OTHERS AT MONITORING INSTRUMENT PERFORMANCES AT TYING THE MEASUREMENTS TO ABSOLUTE REFERENCES AND STANDARDS AND AT RECALIBRATING ARCHIVED DATA.

LOW INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC

LOW INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: RAINFALL ESTIMATION ACCURACY AND CLASSIFICATION FROM DEEP UNDERWATER SOUND MEASUREMENTS

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: AIR/SEA GAS EXCHANGE STUDIES OF CARBON DIOXIDE, DIMETHYL SULFIDE, AND ACETONE BY EDDY CORRELATION

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: DOES TREE ENCROACHMENT WITH ALTERED HYDROLOGY IN PEATLANDS ACCELERATE OR SUPPRESS DECOMPOSITION?

LOW INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: THE KAWAPANAN PROJECT: BUILDING FLEXIBLE DATA FOR THE DOCUMENTATION OF SHIWILU (JEB) AND SHAWI (CBT)

BRINGING LAND, OCEAN, ATMOSPHERE AND IONOSPHERE DATA TO THE COMMUNITY FOR HAZARDS ALERTS

LOW INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC

MORE VARIABLE AND EXTREME WEATHER PATTERNS, SUCH AS DROUGHTS RIVALING THAT OF THE DUSTBOWL, ARE APROMINENT FEATURE OF CLIMATE CHANGE PROJECTIONS AND POSE A FUNDAMENTAL CHALLENGE TO RAIN-FEDRANGELAND PRODUCTION SYSTEMS. RANCHERS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO MITIGATE THE UNCERTAINTY POSED BYINCREASING CLIMATIC VARIABILITY THROUGH PRO-ACTIVE DECISION MAKING THAT CAN HAVE PROFOUNDECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS, BUT THIS RELIES UPON KNOWLEDGE OF WHEN TO IMPLEMENT SUCH DECISIONS. AGROWING BODY OF RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT FORAGE PRODUCTION IS SENSITIVE TO WEATHER VARIATIONDURING RELATIVELY NARROW CLIMATIC WINDOWS DURING THE GROWING SEASON. HOWEVER, WE LACK ANUNDERSTANDING OF HOW THIS TIMING OF FORAGE SENSITIVITY TO WEATHER VARIES AT THE SPATIAL SCALES INWHICH DECISION MAKING OCCURS, FROM THE LANDSCAPE, COUNTY, AND STATE ALL THE WAY TO THE SCALE OFTHE ECOREGION. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO IMPROVE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF RANGELAND RESPONSESTO WEATHER VARIABILITY BY FOCUSING ON WHEN PRECIPITATION MOST AFFECTS FORAGE PRODUCTION AMONGDIFFERENT RANGES IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, THIS PROJECT WILL1) INTEGRATE NOVEL, HIGHRESOLUTION, AND LONG-TERM REMOTE SENSING DATA PRODUCTS OF INTRA-ANNUAL FORAGE PRODUCTION WITHINTRA-ANNUAL CLIMATE DATA ON THE SAME SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL SCALES, 2) UNRAVEL GEOGRAPHIC PATTERNSAND VARIATION IN THE TIMING OF FORAGE SENSITIVITY TO PRECIPITATION, AND 3) APPLY SPATIOTEMPORALANALYSES TO REVEAL HOW THIS TIMING VARIES ACROSS CLIMATIC GRADIENTS WITHIN AND ACROSS DIFFERENTRANGELAND ECOREGION TYPES. BOLSTERED BY AN APPLICATION-FOCUSED RESEARCH ADVISORY BOARD, THISRESEARCH WILL OPTIMIZE EXISTING WEATHER-BASED RANGELAND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES BY PROVIDING ABROAD GEOGRAPHIC UNDERSTANDING OF CRITICAL DECISION DATES: THE DATES BY WHICH DROUGHT MITIGATIONSTRATEGIES SHOULD BE EXECUTED TO AVOID FURTHER, UNNECESSARY ECOLOGICAL DEGRADATION TO ENSURERANGELAND SUSTAINABILITY AND MAINTAIN PROFITABILITY.

LOW INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC

LOW INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC

EFFECT OF PHYTOSANI

APPLYING TRAIT-BASED MODELS TO ACHIEVE RESTORATION TARGETS IN INVADED PLANT COMMUNITIES

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: DEVELOPING AND RESEARCHING K-12 TEACHER LEADERS ENACTING ANTI-BIAS MATHEMATICS EDUCATION

QUALITY EVALUATION OF IRRADIATED BLUEBERRIES AND PEACHES.

US - EGYPT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH: STUDYING AIR QUALITY DYNAMICS IN CAIRO, EGYPT USING A LINEAR GENETIC PROGRAMMING APPROACH OVER REMOTELY SENSED ATMO

INVERTING THE SPACECRAFT TO OBSERVE THE CELESTIAL SKY (COLD SKY CALIBRATION) IS AN IMPORTANT STEP IN CALIBRATION AND AN IMPORTANT PART

MRI: ACQUISITION OF A CHN ELEMENTAL ANALYZER FOR RESEARCH IN PLANT AND ECOSYSTEM ECOLOGY BY FACULTY AND UNDERGRADUATES AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY

RAPID: HEAVY METALS IN URBAN SOILS AFTER THE 2025 LOS ANGELES WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE FIRES -WILDFIRES ARE BECOMING MORE COMMON IN LOCATIONS WHERE CITIES AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT MEET NATURAL AREAS OR UNOCCUPIED LAND, ALSO KNOWN AS THE WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE (WUI). IN ADDITION TO BURNING VEGETATION, THESE FIRES CAUSE THE COMBUSTION OF BUILDINGS AND CARS, RELEASING POTENTIALLY HARMFUL HEAVY METAL(LOID)S LIKE LEAD AND ARSENIC INTO THE AIR. THE PRODUCED ASH AND SOOT CAN TRAVEL DOWNWIND AND SETTLE ONTO NEARBY NEIGHBORHOODS, WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, WORK, PLAY, AND ATTEND SCHOOL. ONCE HEAVY METALS DEPOSIT ONTO SOIL, THE METAL PARTICULATES CAN BE TRANSPORTED BY RAIN OR IRRIGATION DEEPER INTO THE SOIL, TAKEN UP BY PLANTS, TRANSPORTED TO ANOTHER LOCATION BY WIND OR WATER, AND POTENTIALLY INGESTED BY HUMANS. THIS RAISES IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF NEARBY SOILS AFTER A WUI FIRE, HOW THESE METALS MOVE THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENT, AND WHAT RISKS THEY MIGHT POSE TO HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY OVER TIME. THIS PROJECT INVESTIGATES BOTH BURNED AND UNBURNED RESIDENTIAL LOTS RESULTING FROM THE RECENT 2025 LOS ANGELES WUI FIRES TO ASSESS HEAVY METAL DISTRIBUTION, CONCENTRATION, AND BIOACCESSIBILITY IN ASH-IMPACTED SOILS OVER THE COURSE OF 12 MONTHS AFTER THE FIRES. IT WILL PRODUCE NEW KNOWLEDGE THAT IS HIGHLY RELEVANT TO AMERICANS? PUBLIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND WILL BE TRANSFERABLE TO FUTURE WUI FIRE SITES IN THE AMERICAN WEST AND BEYOND. THIS RESEARCH EXAMINES HOW HEAVY METALS FROM WUI FIRE ASH ARE DEPOSITED INTO URBAN SOILS AND HOW THEIR CONCENTRATIONS AND BIOACCESSIBILITY CHANGE OVER SPACE, DEPTH, AND TIME. FOLLOWING THE 2025 LOS ANGELES WUI FIRES, SOILS WILL BE SAMPLED AT BURNED AND UNBURNED RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES TO MEASURE CONCENTRATIONS OF METALS SUCH AS LEAD (PB), ARSENIC (AS), CADMIUM (CD), MERCURY (HG), AND CHROMIUM (CR). THIS STUDY WILL TRACK HOW THESE METALS MOVE THROUGH THE SOIL PROFILE AND ASSESS WHETHER RAIN AND TIME AFFECT THEIR MOBILITY AND BIOACCESSIBILITY TO HUMANS. USING IN SITU PORTABLE X-RAY FLUORESCENCE (XRF) MEASUREMENTS AND LABORATORY ASSAYS, THIS WORK WILL STUDY BOTH THE TOTAL AMOUNTS OF METALS PRESENT AND HOW BIOACCESSIBLE THEY ARE TO HUMANS. THIS WORK WILL PROVIDE DATA FOR RESIDENTS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO PROTECT COMMUNITIES FROM TOXIC EXPOSURE AFTER WUI FIRES. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO ENGAGE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN HANDS-ON RESEARCH AND CONNECT WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS TO SHARE FINDINGS AND SAFETY INFORMATION. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

(STEM) THE SPIRE PROGRAM: SUSTAINING AND PROMOTING INTERNSHIPS AND RESEARCH EXPERIENCES IN UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

DECIPHERING CONFORMATIONAL GATING IN ELECTRON TRANSFER IN BIOLOGICAL NITROGEN FIXATION

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: DOES A TRANSITION IN NITROGEN FIXATION STRATEGY EXPLAIN THE LATITUDINAL DISTRIBUTION OF NITROGEN-FIXING TREES?

A STUDY IS PROPOSED TO DEFINE OPTIONS FOR A NEXT-GENERATION SPACEBORNE INSTRUMENT FOR OCEAN REMOTE SENSING. THE NEW SENSOR WILL FOCUS ON SALINITY IN THE OPEN OCEAN WITH REFINEMENTS TO ADDRESS COLD WATER AND ADDRESS APPLICATIONS CLOSE TO SHORE WHERE THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN LAND OCEAN AND ICE ARE IMPORTANT. GOALS OF THE STUDY INCLUDE DEFINING MEASUREMENT REQUIREMENTS AND OUTLINING TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS FOR AN AFFORDABLE SCIENCE-DRIVEN MISSION. THE PI WILL PROVIDE HIS EXPERTISE TO DEFINE THE SCIENCE REQUIREMENTS AND HELP WITH THE DEFINITION OF ANTENNA DESIGN PARAMETERS.

THIS PROPOSAL IS TO PROVIDE SCIENTIFIC OVERSIGHT AND ADVICE IN SUPPORT OF A STUDY TO DEVELOP NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR REMOTE SENSING OF OCEAN SURFACE SALINITY WITH HIGH SPATIAL RESOLUTION AND ENHANCED ACCURACY IN COLD WATERS. THE TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS WILL FOCUS ON BEAM STEERING AND SYNTHETIZING ON A SINGLE-DISH RADIOMETER. THE PI WILL PROVIDE HIS EXPERTISE TO DEFINE THE SCIENCE REQUIREMENTS AND HELP WITH THE DEFINITION OF HARDWARE DESIGN PARAMETERS TO ACHIEVE DEFINED SCIENCE GOALS.

CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR AMERICAN WAR LETTERS FOUNDATIONS GRANT PROPOSAL

MRI: ACQUISITION OF A SPECTROFLUOROMETER FOR CHEMISTRY RESEARCH AND TEACHING

TO SUPPORT STAFF SALARIES AND ARTIST FEES FOR THE COMMISSION OF AN ART WORK BY ARTIST DANIEL CANOGAR.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF MINE WASTES IN MINERAL DEPOSITS OF THE MOJAVE DESERT, CA

VIRTUAL CENTER FOR AMERICAN WAR LETTERS MUSEUM

TRAVEL: FORMALIZING HIGHER CATEGORIES AT MITTAG-LEFFLER INSTITUTE -THIS AWARD SUPPORTS US PARTICIPANTS OF WORKSHOP FORMALIZING HIGHER CATEGORIES HELD JUNE 8-12, 2026 AT MITTAG-LEFFLER INSTITUTE IN STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN. HIGHER CATEGORY THEORY IS NOW A FUNDAMENTAL ASPECT OF MODERN MATHEMATICS, PLAYING A CRUCIAL ROLE IN ALGEBRAIC TOPOLOGY, ALGEBRAIC GEOMETRY, MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS, AND THEORETICAL COMPUTER SCIENCE, AMONG OTHERS. DESPITE ITS IMPORTANT ROLE THROUGHOUT MATHEMATICS, THE INHERENT COMPLEXITY OF HIGHER CATEGORICAL METHODS OFTEN RESULTS IN SUBTLE ERRORS AND IMPEDES COMMUNICATION WITH THE BROADER MATHEMATICAL COMMUNITY. THESE CHALLENGES HAVE MOTIVATED THE HIGHER CATEGORICAL COMMUNITY TO PURSUE EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS. ONE WAY TO OVERCOME THESE CHALLENGES IS THE FORMALIZATION OF HIGHER CATEGORY THEORY. FORMALIZATION OF MATHEMATICS TRANSLATES MATHEMATICAL STATEMENTS INTO A COMPUTER-PROGRAMMABLE LANGUAGE, WHICH ARE THEN VERIFIED VIA SUITABLE PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES, SUCH AS LEAN OR ROCQ. IN RECENT YEARS, FORMALIZATION HAS SUCCESSFULLY VERIFIED CRUCIAL RESULTS IN MANY AREAS OF MATHEMATICS, RANGING FROM ALGEBRA (LIQUID TENSOR EXPERIMENT) TO HOMOTOPY THEORY (HOMOTOPY TYPE THEORY). THE AMBITION OF THE CONFERENCE IS HIGHLY INNOVATIVE, THEREBY BOLDLY PROMOTING THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE IN THE U.S. THE CONFERENCE WILL YIELD CRUCIAL APPLICATIONS FOR U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY AND DEFENSE SINCE CAPTURING THE INTRICACY OF INFINITE-DIMENSIONAL COMPOSITIONAL SYSTEMS CAN BE USED IN THE FORMAL VERIFICATION OF SAFETY-CRITICAL SYSTEMS. INFINITY-CATEGORIES ARE A NATURAL STRUCTURE IN TOPOLOGICAL QUANTUM FIELD THEORY, THEREBY CONTRIBUTING TO MAJOR INSIGHTS IN QUANTUM COMPUTING AND QUANTUM INFORMATION THEORY IN LINE WITH PIONEERING RESEARCH DIRECTIONS IN THE U.S. THE CONFERENCE WILL ALSO INSPIRE NEW TECHNIQUES OF TEACHING HIGHER CATEGORY THEORY AND HIGHER ALGEBRA, HENCE FORMING A NEW AND INNOVATIVE PATHWAY FOR U.S. GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION, ESPECIALLY AUGMENTED BY MODERN COMPUTER PROOF ASSISTANTS AND AI. MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT TTPS://WWW.MITTAG-LEFFLER.SE/ACTIVITIES/FORMALIZING-HIGHER-CATEGORIES/ THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

PURPOSE: TO SUPPORT THE CREATIVE SOVEREIGNTY LAB A FILMMAKER ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOCUSED ON NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITIES.

SHF: SMALL: RUI: CHARACTERIZING, DETECTING, AND FIXING PERFORMANCE BUGS THAT HAVE NON-INTRUSIVE FIXES

INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON OPERATOR THEORY AND ITS APPLICATIONS

TO SUPPORT THE EXHIBITION "YOUR BODY IS A SPACE THAT SEES" WITH AN ACCOMPANYING CATALOGUE.