Digital Commons Network^™

Embryonic Exposure To The Benzotriazole Ultraviolet Stabilizer 2-(2h-Benzotriazol-2-Yl)-4-Methylphenol Decreases Fertility Of Adult Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Yamin Raza, Emily Mertens, Lauren Zink, Zhe Lu, Jon A. Doering, Steve Wiseman

Faculty Publications

Benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers (BUVSs) are emerging contaminants of concern. They are added to a variety of products, including building materials, personal care products, paints, and plastics, to prevent degradation caused by ultraviolet (UV) light. Despite widespread occurrence in aquatic environments, little is known regarding the effects of BUVSs on aquatic organisms. The aim of the present study was to characterize the effects of exposure to 2-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-methylphenol (UV-P) on the reproductive success of zebrafish (Danio rerio) following embryonic exposure. Embryos were exposed, by use of microinjection, to UV-P at < 1.5 (control), 2.77, and 24.25 ng/g egg, and reared until sexual maturity, when reproductive performance was assessed, following which molecular and biochemical endpoints were analyzed. Exposure to UV-P did not have a significant effect on fecundity. However, there was a significant effect on fertilization success. Using UV-P-exposed males and females, fertility was decreased by 8.75% in the low treatment group and by 15.02% in the high treatment group relative to control. In a reproduction assay with UV-P-exposed males and control females, fertility was decreased by 11.47% in the high treatment group relative to the control. Embryonic exposure to UV-P might have perturbed male sex steroid synthesis as indicated by small changes in blood plasma concentrations of 17β-estradiol and 11-ketotestosterone, and small statistically nonsignificant decreases in mRNA abundances of cyp19a1a, cyp11c1, and hsd17b3. In addition, decreased transcript abundances of genes involved in spermatogenesis, such as nanos2 and dazl, were observed. Decreases in later stages of sperm development were observed, suggesting that embryonic exposure to UV-P impaired spematogenesis, resulting in decreased sperm quantity. The present study is the first to demonstrate latent effects of BUVSs, specifically on fish reproduction. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:385–397. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

Quantum Scalar Fields Interacting With Quantum Black Hole Asymptotic Regions, Rodolfo Gambini, Jorge Pullin

Faculty Publications

We continue our work on the study of spherically symmetric loop quantum gravity coupled to two spherically symmetric scalar fields, with one that acts as a clock. As a consequence of the presence of the latter, we can define a true Hamiltonian for the theory. In previous papers, we studied the theory for large values of the radial coordinate, i.e., far away from any black hole or star that may be present. This makes the calculations considerably more tractable. We have shown that in the asymptotic region, the theory admits a large family of quantum vacua for quantum matter fields …

Opposing Genetic Patterns Of Range Shifting Temperate And Tropical Gastropods In An Area Undergoing Tropicalisation, Karolina M. Zarzyczny, Michael E. Hellberg, Elena B. Lugli, Moira Maclean, David A. Paz-García, Marc Rius, Ethan G. Ross, Erick X. Treviño Balandra, James Vanstone, Suzanne T. Williams, Phillip B. Fenberg

Faculty Publications

Aim: The poleward range expansion of tropical species, and range contraction of temperate species (known as tropicalisation) has mainly been studied from an ecological perspective, with little research on its genetic consequences. Here, we used distributional and genetic data to document the consequences of tropicalisation in rocky shore gastropods and assess more broadly the future implications of tropicalisation on phylogeographic patterns. Location: Nineteen sampling sites along >3000 km of the eastern Pacific rocky intertidal zone, from the tip of the Baja California Peninsula to southern California. Taxon: Temperate gastropods: Lottia conus, L. strigatella, Fissurella volcano and Tegula gallina. Tropical gastropods: …

Hamiltonian Formulation And Symplectic Split-Operator Schemes For Time-Dependent Density-Functional-Theory Equations Of Electron Dynamics In Molecules, François Mauger, Cristel Chandre, Mette B. Gaarde, Kenneth Lopata, Kenneth J. Schafer

Faculty Publications

We revisit Kohn–Sham time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) equations and show that they derive from a canonical Hamiltonian formalism. We use this geometric description of the TDDFT dynamics to define families of symplectic split-operator schemes that accurately and efficiently simulate the time propagation for certain classes of DFT functionals. We illustrate these with numerical simulations of the far-from-equilibrium electronic dynamics of a one-dimensional carbon chain. In these examples, we find that an optimized 4th order scheme provides a good compromise between the numerical complexity of each time step and the accuracy of the scheme. We also discuss how the Hamiltonian structure …

Ears To Hear: How To Study The Bible And Let Scripture Speak For Itself, Félix H. Cortez

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

How Consideration Of Future Consequences, Prior Gain Or Loss, Personal Risk Profile, And Justification Affect Risk–Payoff Preferences, W. Eric Lee

Faculty Publications

This study examines (1) how risk–payoff preference can be affected by differences in consideration of future consequences (CFC), prior gain/loss, and personal risk profile, and (2) whether one’s risk–payoff preference may vary with justification prompts. Using an experimental design with 366 undergraduate business students, participants are tasked to make risk–payoff choices in two scenarios, with the combined risk–payoff outcomes serving as the dependent variable. In addition, participants are assessed on their personal risk profiles and also complete the 14-item CFC scale to gauge the propensity to take into account future consequences of their behaviors. Findings show that one who scores …

Sovereignty And Dependence In The American Empire: Native Nations, Territories, And Overseas Colonies, Alvin Padilla-Babilonia

Faculty Publications

What justifies plenary powers over Native nations, U.S. territories, and overseas colonies? One answer is the text of the Constitution: the Indian Commerce Clause or the Territorial Clause. Another answer is sovereignty under international law. In this Article, I argue that these legalistic explanations overlook a third answer: that political and judicial actors justified plenary powers based on the colonial notion that these so-called dependent peoples were incapable of self- government.

Members of Congress, presidents, federal judges, and territorial governors reconciled republicanism and colonialism in the American empire by constituting Native nations, the territories, and the overseas colonies as dependent …

A Codified Liabilty Regime To Stimulate Greater Investment In Subpatentable Innovation, Ana Santos Rutschman, Jerome H. Reichman

Faculty Publications

The global intellectual property system rests on a distinction between exclusive property rights and free competition. Exclusive rights vary in strength and intensity, but the opposite of protection is almost always free competition. Distinctions of intensity are drawn in terms of the length of protection given to different subject matters plus variable lists of exceptions and limitations to exclusive rights. But the bottom line is that, when protection is not available under the existing system, free competition prevails, and vice-versa (i.e., where there is exclusivity, free competition is deferred for a specified period of time).

This Article departs from a …

Residual Optical Absorption From Native Defects In Cdsip2 Crystals, Timothy D. Gustafson, Nancy C. Giles, Elizabeth M. Scherrer, Kevin T. Zawilski, Peter G. Schunemann, Kent L. Averett, Jonathan E. Slagle, Larry E. Halliburton

Faculty Publications

CdSiP₂ crystals are used in optical parametric oscillators to produce tunable output in the mid-infrared. As expected, the performance of the OPOs is adversely affected by residual optical absorption from native defects that are unintentionally present in the crystals. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) identifies these native defects. Singly ionized silicon vacancies (V^-_Si) are responsible for broad optical absorption bands peaking near 800, 1033, and 1907 nm. A fourth absorption band, peaking near 630 nm, does not involve silicon vacancies. Exposure to 1064 nm light when the temperature of the CdSiP₂ crystal is near 80K converts …

Canceling Appellate Precedent, Michael A. Risch, Lisa A. Tucker

Faculty Publications

In recent years, since soon after Justice Amy Coney Barrett assumed her seat on the United States Supreme Court, the Court has erased more than thirteen politically and legally significant opinions written by the federal appeals courts. In deciding to vacate rather than simply deny certiorari, the Court has eliminated—with one sentence orders that offer no explanation—fully briefed, argued, and reasoned opinions on issues such as abortion, the Voting Rights Act, President Trump’s travel ban, and the Emoluments Clause. Consequently, progressive victories in those areas no longer stand.

The Supreme Court used its power to “vacate” lower court rulings, which …

The Nitrogen Footprint Of Ukraine: Why Personal Consumption Matters, Sergiy Medinets, Allison M. Leach, Tetiana Pavlik, Volodymyr Medinets, James N. Galloway

Faculty Publications

Unintended reactive nitrogen (N) losses from agriculture, energy and transportation pose significant environmental hazards, including eutrophication, acidification, water and air pollution, biodiversity loss, human health risks and climate change. The concept of a nitrogen footprint (NF) emerges as a pivotal metric, reflecting potential N losses in the entire production-consumption chain of goods and services used by an individual within a defined timeframe.In a pioneering assessment of per capita NF in Ukraine, key factors, such as the food production chain, consumption patterns, connection to wastewater treatment (WWT) system and the efficacy of WWT facilities, were identified as critical components. Addressing specific …

Effect Of Teacher Social Support On Students’ Emotions And Learning Engagement: A U.S.-Chinese Classroom Investigation, Moyi Jia, Jiuqing Cheng

Faculty Publications

Psychological and instructional communication researchers increasingly recognize the significance of student emotions in determining their engagement in the classroom. Under the direction of Emotional Response Theory (Mottet, Frymier, & Beebe, 2006), this study aims to establish a model of a college instructor’s social support, student positive and negative emotions, and student engagement in learning. It also attempts to extend this research by examining cultural differences in U.S. and Chinese classrooms and how these factors influence teacher behavior and student emotions. The result demonstrates the mediating effects of student positive emotions between teacher support and student engagement in both cultures. In …

Ecological Diversification In An Adaptive Radiation Of Plants: The Role Of De Novo Mutation And Introgression, Benjamin Stone, Carolyn A. Wessinger

Faculty Publications

Adaptive radiations are characterized by rapid ecological diversification and speciation events, leading to fuzzy species boundaries between ecologically differentiated species. Adaptive radiations are therefore key systems for understanding how species are formed and maintained, including the role of de novo mutations versus preexisting variation in ecological adaptation and the genome-wide consequences of hybridization events. For example, adaptive introgression, where beneficial alleles are transferred between lineages through hybridization, may fuel diversification in adaptive radiations and facilitate adaptation to new environments. In this study, we employed whole-genome resequencing data to investigate the evolutionary origin of hummingbird-pollinated flowers and to characterize genome-wide patterns …

The Relationship Between The Saharan Air Layer, Convective Environmental Conditions, And Precipitation In Puerto Rico, P. W. Miller, C. Ramseyer

Faculty Publications

The Saharan Air Layer (SAL) is a hot, dry, and dust-laden feature that advects large concentrations of dust across the Atlantic annually to destination regions in the Americas and Caribbean. However, recent work has suggested the SAL may be a contributing factor to high-impact drought in the Caribbean basin. While the SAL's characteristic dust loadings have been the focus of much previous research, fewer efforts have holistically engaged the co-evolution of the dust plume, its associated convective environment, and resultant rainfall in Caribbean islands. This study employs a self-organizing map (SOM) classification to identify the common trans-Atlantic dust transport typologies …

Machine-Learning-Assisted Leak Detection Using Distributed Temperature And Acoustic Sensors, Hayden Gemeinhardt, Jyotsna Sharma

Faculty Publications

Small leaks, many of which often go undetected using conventional gauges, remain an urgent problem for an aging pipeline infrastructure. This article proposes a method that allows for an automated and robust leak detection and localization system by fusing distributed acoustic sensor (DAS) and distributed temperature sensor (DTS) data for machine learning. Distributed fiber-optic sensing creates an advantage over conventional gauges by providing real-time continuous measurements along the entire length of the fiber-instrumented pipeline at a high spatiotemporal resolution and sensitivity that can detect small leaks, as well as the leak location. High sensitivity, however, can create noisy data. Thus, …

The Association Of Dietary Antioxidants And The Inflammatory Potential Of The Diet With Poor Physical Function And Disability In Older Australian Men: The Concord Health And Ageing In Men Project, Daniela Wizgier, Ying Meng, Arpita Das, Vasi Naganathan, Fiona Blyth, David G. Le Couteur, David J. Handelsman, Louise M. Waite, Rosilene V. Ribeiro, Nitin Shivappa, James Hébert Scd, Vasant Hirani

Faculty Publications

Our objective was to evaluate the association of antioxidant intake and the inflammatory potential of the diet with functional decline in older men. A diet history questionnaire was used to collect dietary intake data from men aged ≥ 75 years (n 794) participating in the Concord Health and Aging in Men Project cohort study. Intake of vitamins A, C, E and Zn were compared with the Australian Nutrient Reference Values to determine adequacy. The Energy-adjusted Dietary Inflammatory Index (E-DIITM) was used to assess the inflammatory potential of the diet. Physical performance data were collected via handgrip strength and walking speed …

On Lightweight Shape Memory Vitrimer Composites, Siavash Sarrafan, Guoqiang Li

Faculty Publications

Lightweight materials are highly desired in many engineering applications. A popular approach to obtain lightweight polymers is to prepare polymeric syntactic foams by dispersing hollow particles, such as hollow glass microbubbles (HGMs), in a polymer matrix. Integrating shape memory vitrimers (SMVs) in fabricating these syntactic foams enhances their appeal due to the multifunctionality of SMVs. The SMV-based syntactic foams have many potential applications, including actuators, insulators, and sandwich cores. However, there is a knowledge gap in understanding the effect of the HGM volume fraction on different material properties and behaviors. In this study, we prepared an SMV-based syntactic foam to …

Editorial: Methods And Advances In Marine Geology And Hydrodynamics Environment, Xingsen Guo, Fei Han, Yan Liu, Nan Wu, Cheng Zhang, Ningning Zhang

Faculty Publications

EDITORIAL article Front. Mar. Sci., 12 January 2024Sec. Ocean Observation Volume 11 - 2024 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1362605

Editorial: Methods And Advances In Marine Geology And Hydrodynamics Environment, Xingsen Guo, Fei Han, Yan Liu, Nan Wu, Cheng Zhang, Ningning Zhang

Faculty Publications

EDITORIAL article Front. Mar. Sci., 12 January 2024Sec. Ocean Observation Volume 11 - 2024 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1362605

Detection And Classification Of Sporadic E Using Convolutional Neural Networks, J. A. Ellis, Daniel J. Emmons, M. B. Cohen

Faculty Publications

In this work, convolutional neural networks (CNN) are developed to detect and characterize sporadic E (E_s), demonstrating an improvement over current methods. This includes a binary classification model to determine if Es is present, followed by a regression model to estimate the Es ordinary mode critical frequency (foEs), a proxy for the intensity, along with the height at which the Es layer occurs (hEs). Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and excess phase profiles from six Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) radio occultation (RO) missions during the years 2008–2022 are used as the inputs of the model. Intensity (foEs) and the …

Tracking Charge Migration With Frequency-Matched Strobo-Spectroscopy, Kyle A. Hamer, Aderonke S. Folorunso, Kenneth Lopata, Kenneth J. Schafer, Mette B. Gaarde, François Mauger

Faculty Publications

We present frequency-matched strobo-spectroscopy (FMSS) of charge migration (CM) in bromobutadiyne, simulated with time-dependent density functional theory. CM + FMSS is a pump-probe scheme that uses a frequency-matched high harmonic generation (HHG)-driving laser as an independent probe step, following the creation of a localized hole on the bromine atom that induces CM dynamics. We show that the delay-dependent harmonic yield tracks the phase of the CM dynamics through its sensitivity to the amount of electron density on the bromine end of the molecule. FMSS takes advantage of the intrinsic attosecond time resolution of the HHG process in which different harmonics …

Indigenous Peoples And Local Communities Report Ongoing And Widespread Climate Change Impacts On Local Social-Ecological Systems, Victoria Sharakhmatova, Victoria Reyes-García, David García-Del-Amo, Santiago Álvarez-Fernández, Petra Benyei, Laura Calvet-Mir, André B. Junqueira, Vanesse Labeyrie, Xiaoyue Li, Sara Miñarro, Vincent Porcher, Anna Porcuna-Ferrer, Anna Schlingmann, Christoph Schunko, Ramin Soleymani, Adrien Tofighi-Niaki, Mariam Abazeri, Emmanuel M.N.A.N. Attoh, Ayansina Ayanlade, Julia Vieira Da Cunha Ávila, Daniel Babai, Rodrigo C. Bulamah, Joao Campos-Silva, Rosario Carmona, Julián Caviedes, Rumbidzayi Chakauya, Mouna Chambon, Zhuo Chen, Fasco Chengula, Esther Conde, Aida Cuní-Sanchez

Faculty Publications

The effects of climate change depend on specific local circumstances, posing a challenge for worldwide research to comprehensively encompass the diverse impacts on various local social-ecological systems. Here we use a place-specific but cross-culturally comparable protocol to document climate change indicators and impacts as locally experienced and analyze their distribution. We collected first-hand data in 48 sites inhabited by Indigenous Peoples and local communities and covering all climate zones and nature-dependent livelihoods. We documented 1,661 site-agreed reports of change corresponding to 369 indicators. Reports of change vary according to climate zone and livelihood activity. We provide compelling evidence that climate …

Low Complexity Doa Estimation Of Multiple Coherent Sources Using A Single Direct Data Snapshot, Ahmed A. Hussain, Nizar Tayem, Abdel-Hamid Soliman

Faculty Publications

The direction of arrival (DOA) estimation of multiple radio frequency (RF) coherent signals using conventional algorithms such as Multiple Signal Classification (MUSIC), Estimation of the Signal Parameters via the Rotational Invariance Technique (ESPRIT), and their variants is computationally complex and usually requires a large number of data snapshots for accurate estimation. As the number of antenna elements grows, particularly in massive MIMO systems, the complexity of real-time DOA estimation algorithms significantly rises, placing higher demands on computational power and memory resources. In this paper, we present an efficient approach that operates effectively with just a single snapshot for DOA estimation …

Training Data Augmentation With Data Distilled By Principal Component Analysis, Nikolay Metodiev Sirakov, Tahsin Shahnewaz, Arie Nakhmmani

Faculty Publications

This work develops a new method for vector data augmentation. The proposed method applies principal component analysis (PCA), determines the eigenvectors of a set of training vectors for a machine learning (ML) method and uses them to generate the distilled vectors. The training and PCA-distilled vectors have the same dimension. The user chooses the number of vectors to be distilled and augmented to the set of training vectors. A statistical approach determines the lowest number of vectors to be distilled such that when augmented to the original vectors, the extended set trains an ML classifier to achieve a required accuracy. …

Scenario Setup And Forcing Data For Impact Model Evaluation And Impact Attribution Within The Third Round Of The Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (Isimip3a), Katja Frieler, Jan Volkholz, Stefan Lange, Jacob Schewe, Matthias Mengel, María Del Rocío Rivas López, Christian Otto, Christopher P.O. Reyer, Dirk Nikolaus Karger, Johanna T. Malle, Simon Treu, Christoph Menz, Julia L. Blanchard, Cheryl S. Harrison, Colleen M. Petrik, Tyler D. Eddy, Kelly Ortega-Cisneros, Camilla Novaglio, Yannick Rousseau, Reg A. Watson, Charles Stock, Xiao Liu, Ryan Heneghan, Derek Tittensor, Olivier Maury, Matthias Büchner, Thomas Vogt, Tingting Wang, Fubao Sun, Inga J. Sauer, Johannes Koch, Inne Vanderkelen, Jonas Jägermeyr

Faculty Publications

This paper describes the rationale and the protocol of the first component of the third simulation round of the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISIMIP3a, http://www.isimip.org, last access: 2 November 2023) and the associated set of climate-related and direct human forcing data (CRF and DHF, respectively). The observation-based climate-related forcings for the first time include high-resolution observational climate forcings derived by orographic downscaling, monthly to hourly coastal water levels, and wind fields associated with historical tropical cyclones. The DHFs include land use patterns, population densities, information about water and agricultural management, and fishing intensities. The ISIMIP3a impact model simulations driven …

Urban School Neighbourhoods Dominated By Unhealthy Food Retailers And Advertisements In Greater Tunis: A Geospatial Study In The Midst Of The Nutrition Transition, Christelle Akl, Nehmat El-Helou, Gloria Safadi, Aline Semaan, Aya El Sammak, Tarek Trabelsi, Sonia Sassi, Chaza Akik, Jalila El Ati, Pierre Traissac, Hala Ghattas Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Objective:

Food environments are a major determinant of children’s nutritional status. Scarce evidence on food environments exists in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). This study aims to fill this gap by documenting the obesogenicity of food environments around schools in Greater Tunis, Tunisia – an LMIC of the Middle East and North Africa region with an ongoing nutrition transition and increasing rates of childhood obesity.

Design:

In this cross-sectional study, we assessed built food environments around fifty primary schools. Ground-truthing was performed to collect geographic coordinates and pictures of food retailers and food advertisement sets within an 800-m road network …

Cancel Culture And Censorship Effects Before And After The Introduction Of Social Media, Joseph A. Custer

Faculty Publications

Some people today view free speech as a threat to emotional safety and well-being. Cancel culture attempts to silence authors who express “unapproved” opinions by removing access to their works, publicly shaming them, and making attempts to destroy their livelihood. Cancel culture has been increasing, particularly on social media.

Para Prosdokian And The Comic Bit In Aristophanes, Craig Jendza

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Is The Business Of The Court (Still) Business?, Jonathan Adler

Faculty Publications

The Roberts Court has long been characterized as a pro-business court, perhaps the most pro-business court in a century. Insofar as this alleged pro-business orientation is due to the Court’s Republican-appointed majority, President Trump’s appointments to the Supreme Court should have magnified the Court’s pro-business orientation. Yet there are reasons to question the general characterization of the Court as “pro-business” as well as the assumption that an increase in the Court’s Republican-appointed majority has increased any pro-business orientation. Quantitative analyses often fail to account for the relative importance of individual decisions, the broader, legal context in which the Court’s decisions …

Creative Reading: Using Poetic Inquiry In Research And Teaching, Clancy Ratliff, Abdullah Al Musayeb, Barja Islam, Mithila Mumtaz, Rosol Otear, Simon Richard, Noah Smith, Nuzhat Tarannum, Allyssa Veney

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.