Grants

NSF

The behavior of fluids containing suspended elastic objects is significantly influenced by the domain geometry and interactions with boundaries. For example, it is well-known that the fluid drag on particles in dead-end channels is greater than in free space. This is relevant in many applications, including biological fluids such as blood, in which the suspended red blood cells and platelets become non-uniformly distributed in the bloodstream as a result of boundary interactions. However, confined suspensions are challenging to simulate because of their multiscale nature and the difficulty of resolving the thin films that may develop between particles and boundaries. This project aims to model and simulate confined suspensions in order to accurately capture the effects of boundaries. The goal is to study the fluid dynamics of suspensions in confined geometries and accelerate simulations of these phenomena. To achieve the project goals, a hierarchy of mathematical models and numerical methods will be developed. Simulations of fluid-structure interaction will be performed to explicitly capture the wall-induced migration of elastic objects away from walls, and these will be used to parameterize a reduced model of elastic deformations and corresponding lift coefficients. In addition, the classical Oldroyd-B model of non-Newtonian fluids will be revisited to incorporate the effect of a heterogeneous particle distribution near boundaries, and the method of images will be applied to extend the Stokeslet solution to the case of dead-end geometries. Taken together, these projects will provide a set of practical numerical and analytical tools to study the behavior of suspensions in the presence of boundaries. As broader outcomes, the results from this work will be integrated into course materials, and open-source implementations of the resulting computational methods will be released to make them widely accessible. 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.

NSF

William Noid of the Pennsylvania State University is supported by an award from the Chemical Theory, Models and Computational Methods program in the Division of Chemistry to develop improved methods for coarse-grained (CG) models of polymers and peptides. By averaging over unnecessary details, CG models provide the necessary computational efficiency for investigating polymeric properties and biological processes on length- and time-scales that are not accessible to atomistic models. However, existing CG models generally provide limited accuracy and also unpredictable transferability, i.e., they may require re-parameterization for each system of interest. This unpredictable transferability significantly reduces the computational advantages of CG models. Accordingly, William Noid and his research group will develop theory and computational methods for improving the accuracy and transferability of CG models. These advances will enhance the national research infrastructure for studying biological processes and for developing improved polymeric materials. Additionally, William Noid will continue developing an intergenerational science club that bridges the academic and civic communities. William Noid and his research group will initially investigate metrics for identifying optimal CG representations for polymers and peptides. Noid and his group will then leverage rigorous analysis of the exact many-body potential of mean force (PMF) to develop methods for accurately describing structural, thermodynamic, and dynamic properties. In particular, Noid and his group will develop a data-efficient local energy-matching variational principle to optimally approximate the energetic contribution to the PMF. Noid and his group will develop global density potentials for describing the pressure equation of state, as well as local density potentials for describing many-body hydrophobic interactions. Moreover, Noid and his group will employ the generalized-Yvon-Born-Green framework and rigorous variational principles to accurately model the free energy surface for complex systems that transition between multiple conformation states. Additionally, Noid and his group will explore an exact decomposition of the time evolution operator for modeling dynamical properties. Finally, Noid will provide students with rigorous, interdisciplinary training in modern statistical mechanics and will continue developing an outreach program that promotes scientific literacy and a healthy lifestyle of lifelong learning among local seniors. 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.

Coastal Conservancy

The Coastal Conservancy funds a wide variety of projects along the California coast, San Francisco Bay, and in coastal watersheds to increase availability of beaches, parks and trails for the public, protect and restore natural lands and wildlife habitat, preserve working lands, and increase community resilience to the impacts of climate change. The Conservancy will fund most stages of a project including: pre-project feasibility studies, property acquisition, project planning including community involvement, design, environmental review, permitting, construction, and project-related monitoring. We do not fund operation and maintenance activities. Most Conservancy grants are awarded through this rolling pre-application solicitation. This includes Climate Ready, Wildfire Resilience, and all regional grant programs.  Explore the Coast, Coastal Stories, and some other grant programs are NOT awarded through this rolling process.

Fish and Wildlife Service

The Coastal Program is a voluntary, incentive-based program that provides technical and financial assistance to coastal communities and landowners to protect and restore fish and wildlife habitat on public and private lands.

Coaster Theater Foundation

Coaster Theater Foundation is an active grantmaking foundation based in Portland, OR. Focus: arts. Contact the foundation directly for current funding opportunities.

Curry Public Library District

Hire a consultant to establish cataloging policies and provide staff training to the Coastline Library Network, in order to create a clean, efficient, user friendly catalog.

Coaxial Arts Foundation

Coaxial Arts Foundation is an active grantmaking foundation based in Los Angeles, CA. Focus: arts. Contact the foundation directly for current funding opportunities.

NSF

With the support of the Chemical Catalysis program in the Division of Chemistry, Professors Erik Alexanian and Aleksandr Zhukhovitskiy of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are studying fundamental catalytic reactions of raw materials and high-volume commodity polymers using earth-abundant metals. The classes of reactions being studied—including some of the highest-volume catalytic processes globally— currently rely on precious metals, which limits their sustainability. The work herein will develop new catalytic processes using Earth-abundant metals to access both valuable small molecule building blocks and new plastics and rubber materials. This research is expected to break new ground in Earth-abundant metal catalysis and will provide students an excellent training spanning the areas of organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, and catalysis. Through this proposal, the Alexanian and Zhukhovitskiy groups will develop demonstrations that increase students’ understanding of the relationship between the chemistry, properties, utilization, and sustainability of rubber materials, and will initiate new outreach programs relating synthetic chemistry to everyday life. With the support of the Chemical Catalysis program in the Division of Chemistry, Professors Erik Alexanian and Aleksandr Zhukhovitskiy of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will develop a photochemical carbonylation platform using earth-abundant cobalt addressing fundamental catalytic transformations of small molecules and commodity polymers. This work will enhance the sustainability of carbonylations that currently rely on precious metals, while introducing new reaction modes that are inaccessible using established methods. The studies involving small molecules will extend the capabilities of the cobalt-catalyzed platform to encompass fundamental carbonylation processes using alkenes and aryl halides as substrates. The entire suite of hydrocarbonylation reactions will also be applied to the functionalization of diene polymers for the synthesis of new rubber materials. The proposed studies are expected to deliver several valuable cobalt-catalyzed carbonylations for applications across chemical synthesis. 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.

AEON

Preservation

Cochise College Foundation

Cochise College Foundation is an active grantmaking foundation based in Douglas, AZ. Focus: education. Contact the foundation directly for current funding opportunities.

NIDCD - National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

Previous research has demonstrated that the precise sensitivity, frequency selectivity, and sound tuning in cochlear amplification rely partly on hair cell (HC), hair bundle motility, and the somatic electromotility of outer hair cells (OHCs). The OHCs account for ~75% of the sensory HCs; the remaining 25% consists of inner HCs (IHCs), the canonical afferent receptors. The fewer IHCs’ activity is transmitted through about 95% of the auditory (type I) afferent neurons, whereas the ample OHCs’ activity is transmitted by ~ 5% of auditory (type II) afferent neurons to the brain for integration and perception. Type II neurons are characterized by small unmyelinated cell bodies with extensive neurite arbors that receive inputs from multiple OHCs, making studying their broad receptive field and normal physiology quite challenging. Nevertheless, we have developed precise methods to assess type II auditory neuron functions. Our studies have led to the hypothesis that specific functional and molecular markers can be used to identify type II neurons and that they represent a functionally diverse neuronal population based on their cochlear frequency map assignment. Our plan utilizes innovative molecular biology, biochemical analyses, electrophysiology, and imaging techniques in gene-targeted and optogenetic mouse models to determine type II neuron-OHC physiology. Our first objective is to identify type II neurons' molecular, proteomic, and functional markers and examine their functional roles using genetic tools. In our second objective, we will determine their in vivo and in vitro functions. Finally, our third objective is identifying the mechanisms underlying the encoding features of type II neuronal transmission of OHC activity. Through these studies, we aim to uncover crucial features of type II auditory afferent neurons that innervate OHCs. This will provide a comprehensive understanding of afferent auditory neurons, essential for treating sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL).

NIA - National Institute on Aging

Abstract Diminished mitochondrial function, excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage are key contributors to age-related physical capacity and muscle strength decline. Adaptation to aerobic and strength exercise training is currently one of the most effective ways to preserve physical performance and muscle strength in older adults. Aerobic and resistance exercise training improves mitochondrial function and stabilizes production of ROS, which contribute to aerobic capacity as well as strength improvements. However, obtaining optimal effects of exercise training may be limited by heterogeneity in the responsiveness due to biological barriers in skeletal muscle energy production, regardless of the adherence. Therefore, there is an unmet need for combining non-pharmacologic therapies with exercise training to “unlock” its full energetic potential to more effectively improve physical performance and muscle strength in older adults at risk of mobility disability. (-)-Epicatechin, a flavanol and a major ingredient present in cocoa, improved survival, muscle mitochondrial function and reduced excess ROS in mice. Supplementation with (-)-epicatechin-rich cocoa improved walking performance and muscle strength in older adults. Combination of (-)-epicatechin with exercise further improved mitochondrial function and reduced muscle fatigue in mice. We hypothesize that the combination of (-)-epicatechin-rich cocoa with structured aerobic and resistance exercise training will be more effective than exercise alone in improving physical performance and muscle strength by improved mitochondrial function and reduced ROS production in moderately functioning older adults. Our proposed pilot trial will test a 6-month exercise training intervention to collect preliminary data on walking performance, muscle strength and muscle size in 36 moderately functioning (slow walking speed <1m/s) older adults (>65 years old) without major comorbidities, preceded by pre-randomization 1-month lead-in cocoa supplementation. The participants will be randomized to 6 months of daily (-)-epicatechin-rich cocoa (2 capsules/d containing 450 mg cocoa flavanols/day, including 80 mg of (-)-epicatechin) combined with aerobic (30min of moderate-intensity walking) and resistance (25 min of whole-body workout) exercise training 3 times a week (Epi-Ex, n=18) or the same exercise training regimen combined with cellulose-based placebo (PL-Ex, n=18). Our primary outcome is walking distance measured by the 6-minute walk test. The lower-limb muscle strength and size measured by the Biodex test and ultrasound will be our secondary outcomes. We will explore the potential mechanism of the hypothesized effect of Epi-Ex on walking performance and muscle strength by measuring mitochondrial function in permeabilized muscle fibers, mtDNA damage, ROS production and antioxidant enzyme activity in the vastus lateralis biopsies at baseline and 6-month follow-up. The objective of this exploratory/developmental R21 proposal is to gather preliminary data on the efficacy and explore the mechanism of the Epi-Ex intervention to support the future Phase III clinical trial testing (-)-epicatechin-rich cocoa flavanols for exercise training optimization in older adults.

Waterbury

Code Compliance Building Improvements

Attorney, Office of the City

SS - Sole Source

DOT

Codfish Hill Road Culvert Replacement

CDFI

CODI CDFI 19

NIGMS - National Institute of General Medical Sciences

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Dysfunctional cellular processes contribute to the pathogenesis of many human diseases. Genes and their functional products are central to the molecular mechanisms of all cellular processes. As such, determining the regulation and molecular mechanisms of uncharacterized genes may reveal mechanisms controlling cellular processes that could be exploited to improve disease. Long noncoding RNA genes (lncRNAs) are a type of regulatory noncoding RNA that contain 200 or more nucleotides and don’t encode proteins. They are increasingly recognized as critical cell and context specific regulators of cellular functions. There are potentially tens of thousands of lncRNA genes; however, the function and molecular mechanism of most are unknown. Determining these may reveal mechanisms regulating cellular processes that could lead to more specific ways of targeting cellular defects that contribute to human disease. LncRNAs are not supposed to code for proteins, but recent systematic analyses found an appreciable proportion contain unrecognized small open reading frames (sORFs) that are translated into functional microproteins of less than 100 amino acids. Some microproteins regulate key cellular processes; however, the vast majority of putative microproteins encoded by lncRNAs remain functionally and mechanistically unvalidated. Furthermore, some microproteins encoded by lncRNA genes exhibit functions distinct from those of their parent lncRNAs. These “bifunctional” genes (i.e., possess coding and noncoding functional elements) are poorly understood and pose intriguing questions about their regulation and cellular mechanisms. Our long-term goal is to understand how bifunctional genes are regulated and how they control fundamental cellular processes. Towards this goal, we have identified a bifunctional gene currently annotated as a lncRNA that is mainly expressed in T cells and cortical neurons. Its microprotein-dependent effects play a crucial role in protecting against pathogenic T cell responses, while both its microprotein-dependent and independent effects regulate cytokine responses of T cells. However, its transcriptional and translational regulation and the molecular mechanisms of its microprotein and lncRNA molecule are undefined. In addition, its regulation, function, and molecular mechanism in neurons are unknown. Here, we propose using this bifunctional gene as a model and leveraging our expertise in lncRNA and microprotein cellular and molecular biology to address the following questions: 1) What are the transcriptional and translational mechanisms regulating its RNA and microprotein expression? 2) What are the molecular mechanisms of its RNA molecule and microprotein? 3) How do different cellular contexts influence the regulation of expression and the molecular mechanisms of its microprotein and RNA products? By addressing these questions, we will establish a template for characterizing bifunctional genes thereby enhancing understanding of this growing group of genes and their contributions to human disease.

NSF

Coding theory is a mathematical branch that dates back to the work of Claude Shannon and Richard Hamming in the late 1940s. They sought to ensure reliable communication and computation even in the presence of noisy channels and faulty machines. Over the years, the discipline, techniques, and challenges have evolved. Today, we are at an inflection point where we must control noise and errors along with several conditions for classical and quantum computers. In the classical setting, coding theory should satisfy other restrictions, like protecting data and ensuring tasks are performed quickly. In the quantum setting, coding theory is one of the needed pillars for the development of large-scale quantum computers that will revolutionize and benefit society. Specifically, quantum error-correcting codes are fundamental for the reliability of quantum computers and for applying and implementing quantum algorithms, like Shor’s, among others. In this proposal, we aim to develop more agile erasure recovery and repair for use in distributed storage, faster and secure frameworks for distributed computing, and fault-tolerant quantum error correction. Additional broader impacts include running online seminars in cyber-security, training of students and contributing to publicly available software. To address the proposed coding theory problems and challenges, the investigators harness their expertise in commutative algebra and algebraic geometry and build on the results of their long-standing collaboration as well as new developments in the field. Evaluation codes are generalizations of the ubiquitous Reed-Solomon codes, which are employed in a stunning array of applications to support data transmission and storage. Evaluation codes are a more nimble family based on evaluating rational functions over curves or higher-dimensional varieties or evaluating multivariate polynomials over points in affine space over a finite field, offering enhanced performance in a variety of settings. This project builds on recent advances, suggesting that the full capabilities of evaluation codes have not yet been realized. Algebraic function fields support reduced complexity distributed computing. Folded evaluation codes may provide additional noise control over smaller alphabets than their Reed-Solomon counterparts. Powers of codes play a role in distributed storage and, along with their duals, in fault-tolerant quantum computation. 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.

FAA-COE-TTHP

COE for Technical Training and Human Performance

Coe Kids Crossing Community Group

Our project calls for safety improvements to the W. McGraw St. and 7th Ave. W. crosswalk near Coe Elementary School. Coe has over 500 students, most of whom walk to school, some unescorted. We have developed a plan with SDOT for installing a concrete floating curb-bulb and new signage that will greatly improve the visibility of pedestrians using the crosswalk and better alert drivers to their presence. This project is also aligned with Seattle's Vision Zero and Safe Routes to Schools plans to improve safety on our streets near schools. This project will be completed by November 30, 2022.

Coffee Science Foundation

Coffee Science Foundation is an active grantmaking foundation based in Irvine, CA. Focus: community development. Contact the foundation directly for current funding opportunities.

NIA - National Institute on Aging

This application seeks funding to continue a series of international and interdisciplinary research conferences on cognition, speech communication and aging. Scientists approaching this problem have typically been working in the areas of sensory and perceptual processing, especially hearing, cognitive psychology, or auditory neuroscience. Aging can have a negative impact on all of these systems and understanding how deficits in these areas, both independently and combined, affect speech understanding requires cross- disciplinary understanding and collaboration. We have developed a set of learning objectives for the conference and we currently have agreements from leading national and international researchers for oral presentations addressing these objectives (1) age-related changes in auditory perception and physiology; (2) animal studies of aging and hearing; (3) age-related changes in speech production, perception, and understanding; (4) cognition and aging; (5) multi-sensory perception and aging; (6) hearing loss and assistive devices; and (7) technical advances. In addition, we have requested funds to provide student scholarships to promote and support early-stage investigators. An important aspect of the conference is to encourage early- stage investigators in hearing research. By bringing together scholars actively involved in research across the disciplines, it is hoped that further progress will be made in understanding and remedying the speech- communication difficulties of older adults.

NIH

Significance to VA: A cognitive intervention for Veterans with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) and other functional neurological disorders (FNDs) is desperately needed. FNDs such as PNES are prevalent, un- derrecognized, and highly disabling in Veterans. Cognitive dysfunction is one of the most common and disa- bling symptoms in PNES and other FNDs, it contributes to reduced quality of life, and it is not adequately ad- dressed by available treatments. RCTs examining cognitive rehabilitation interventions in related disorders (e.g., TBI) have repeatedly shown that improving cognition leads to improvements in everyday functioning, in- cluding work, school, medication management, and driving. Therefore, a similar approach to treating cognitive problems in Veterans with PNES is very likely to improve their everyday functioning. The current CDA2 project will develop and pilot test a cognitive intervention, adapted from prior successful treatments (e.g., in TBI), and tailored to Veterans with PNES. Because of strong overlap between PNES and other FNDs, the intervention from this CDA2 will be ideally suited for adaptation for the >60,000 U.S. Veterans with any subtype of FND. Innovation and Impact: This is the first study to develop and pilot test an intervention, grounded in a rehabili- tation framework and Veteran participant feedback, to improve cognition and daily functioning in Veterans with PNES. Telehealth will be used for all aspects of the current project, facilitating nationwide study recruitment. Telehealth will improve representativeness of the current study sample (enhancing generalizability) and will increase Veteran access to the intervention by reducing barriers to treatment. Strategies from implementation science (e.g., participatory Veteran research) will be infused into the intervention from the start. This will lead to a cognitive intervention that is ideally suited for dissemination and sustainability in VA clinics nationwide. Specific Aims: Aim 1: Explore the impact of cognition on daily function via qualitative interviews in 15 Veter- ans with PNES. [H1: Problems in attention/processing speed will be related to worse daily function in Veterans with PNES.] Aim 2: Develop a feasible telehealth-based cognitive rehabilitation workbook for improving daily functioning in Veterans with PNES, informed by feedback from 12 Veterans with PNES and 12 treatment pro- viders. H2: The cognitive workbook for improving everyday functions will show promise, as measured by mean workbook ratings of ≥4 on the Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM), Intervention Appropriateness Meas- ure (IAM), and Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM) in Veterans with PNES and PNES treatment providers. Aim 3: [Evaluate feasibility of the cognitive treatment with a pilot single arm trial in 20 Veterans with PNES.] H3a: Veterans with PNES will rate the cognitive treatment protocol, including functional outcome measures, as acceptable, appropriate, and feasible, based on mean ratings of ≥4 on the AIM, IAM, and FIM, respectively. H3b: [Veterans with PNES will show improvement in the co-primary outcomes of cognition and daily function- ing, with at least a small to moderate effect size (d ≥ 0.30).] Methodology: Veterans with PNES will be recruited from 19 nationwide VA Epilepsy Centers of Excellence sites. Feasibility of recruitment is supported by my VISN1 CDA study. CDA2 Study 1 will analyze qualitative interview data in Veterans with PNES to inform workbook development. Study 2 will develop a cognitive treat- ment workbook, with the AIM, IAM, and FIM as outcomes. Study 3 will pilot test the intervention, with feasibility (AIM, IAM, and FIM), and composite cognition and daily function (WHODAS 2.0) scores as outcomes. Path to Translation/Implementation: This CDA2 responds to a golden opportunity to develop, refine, and pilot test a workbook-based cognitive intervention for Veterans with PNES. The cognitive intervention will be well suited for a subsequent fully powered RCT (an anticipated VA Merit Award), which can demonstrate effi- cacy and effectiveness. Because the cognitive intervention will be designed with implementation in mind from the start, it will be perfectly positioned for immediate dissemination and sustainability within the VA system.

NIMH - National Institute of Mental Health

ABSTRACT Deaf individuals are one of the most understudied and underserved cultural populations in the field of mental health. While limited, data suggests significant mental health disparities among Deaf adults including higher rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors; yet, they have low rates of mental health treatment engagement. The Candidate’s long-term goal is to develop and test evidence-based interventions for Deaf adults to promote mental health and reduce suicide risk. Reaching that goal requires mentored training in three domains of clinical research, and completion of a research project to produce foundational results (described below). First, the candidate needs to gain expertise in the design, execution, and analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCT) with Deaf individuals (Objective 1) to successfully conduct RCTs in a reliable, valid, and ethical manner, and test target engagement with an experimental therapeutics approach. Second, the candidate needs to gain knowledge and skills related to research with subjects at elevated risk for suicide (Objective 2) to safely and effectively conduct suicide prevention and treatment research. Third, the candidate needs to gain knowledge and skills to support ease of implementation of her interventions in varied contexts including deployment-ready and principle-driven intervention development, and implementation science (Objective 3). The principal objectives of the proposed research study are to use deployment-ready intervention development and implementation science methods to develop an interventionist training and monitoring program for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Treatment-Seeking for Deaf individuals (Deaf CBT-TS; Aim 1), and conduct an RCT using an experimental therapeutics approach to examine whether the intervention can modify beliefs about treatment (intervention principles) and increase treatment-seeking behaviors (target mechanism; Aim 2). Secondary objectives include exploring the intervention’s potential to increase hope and reduce indicators of suicide risk (mental health symptoms, alcohol use, suicide ideation; Aim 3), and identifying factors that may impact the efficacy of Deaf CBT-TS including acculturative stress and the availability of Deaf-accessible treatment resources to understand factors that may impact the implementation of the intervention in varied health service settings (Aim 4). One hundred Deaf sign language using adults with clinically significant symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, insomnia, alcohol use disorder, and/or suicide ideation (oversample 50%), who are not engaged in treatment will be randomized to Deaf CBT-TS (2 sessions) or a waitlist control group. Half of the subjects will be from Rochester (Deaf-specialty treatment resources) and half will be from across the U.S. Subjects will complete baseline, 2- and 4-month follow-up assessments. Results of this K23 project will function as a basis for a larger R01 of a fully powered RCT examining clinical outcomes (i.e., reductions in indicators of suicide risk) and the mediation effect of treatment engagement.