Data management plan for the grant, "Encapsulated perovskite in NiO nanotube for topological meta-photonic devices." Research studying meta-photonic devices with high absorption and topological photonic devices using encapsulated perovskites in NiO nanotubes. The goal is to achieve high-efficiency solar cells and electrically pumped laser in perovskite/NiO nanotubes patterned in the graded photonic super-crystal. The success of this project will lead to high-efficiency integrated lasers and solar cell devices. It also enhances the abilities in the education arena by enriching program offerings in nanotechnology, clean-energy, and photonics technology.

This article shows a connection between spin Hall effect and HOTIs using a combination of ab initio calculations and tight-binding modeling. The model demonstrates how a non-zero bulk midgap spin Hall conductivity (SHC) emerges within the HOTI phase. This work guides novel experimental and theoretical advances towards higher-order topological insulator realization and applications.

Data management plan for the grant, "Collaborative Research: A Systematic and Comprehensive Study of Black Hole-Driven Turbulence in Massive Galactic Systems." This research team has developed a technique to measure gas turbulence in systems hosting giant central black holes and will directly evaluate the viability of this mechanism using a large sample of galaxies. This project will deliver a more complete view of the “feedback” provided by accreting SMBHs, leading to a better understanding of the black hole-host galaxy relation. More specifically, it will directly probe the energetics of the intra-cluster, circum-galactic, and interstellar media of massive early-type galaxies.

Data management plan for the grant "Development of Novel Approaches to Earth-abundant Methane Catalysis." Research on catalytic cycles for C–H activation and functionalization of light alkanes based on the CMD (concerted metalation deprotonation) mechanism will be modeled for Earth-abundant metal dicarboxylates and related complexes. The impact of inner and outer coordination sphere effects upon catalytic cycles for light alkane functionalization will be assessed using computational chemistry techniques. The aforementioned studies will be leveraged to identify promising, synthetically feasible lead catalysts for experimental collaborators.

Data management plan for the grant, "NSFDEB-NERC: Collaborative Research: Wildlife corridors: do they work and who benefits?" Research on the impact of wildlife corridors using genetics as the measure of effectiveness. The study will use 20 independent landscapes to quantify how corridor traits affect gene flow, and will use non-flying mammals as focal species because they are strongly affected by fragmentation. The research team hypothesizes (1) a strong non-linear decline in success (gene flow) with corridor length, reflecting the skewed distribution of dispersal distances within species; (2) success will drop steeply as corridor width falls below a threshold, with the threshold determined by species traits; and (3) species that are bigger, are habitat specialists, or have greater dispersal abilities (relative to brain size or reproductive rate) will benefit more from corridors. Testing these hypotheses will allow generalization to a wide range of mammal species not included in this project. It will use highly flexible Random Forest models to answer the overarching question: What landscape traits (e.g., corridor width, degree of human disturbance) and species traits (mobility, affinity to particular land cover types) are associated with effective corridors?

Article discusses the determination of the spectrum of two interesting stochastic matrices appearing in an engineering paper.

Article describes the development of a physics-based molecular force field (PMFF) by integrating a set of potential energy functions in which each term in an intermolecular potential energy function is derived based on experimental values, such as the dipole moments, lattice energy, proton transfer energy, and X-ray crystal structures.

Article theoretically demonstrates a single low frequency gas detector that can be used for sensing of gas mixtures with high selectivity, accuracy, and sensitivity.

Article describes study which assesses the relative accuracy of volunteer water quality data collected by the Texas Stream Team (TST) citizen science program from 1992–2016 across the State of Texas by comparing it to professional data from corresponding stations during the same time period.

The articles is about a study of the response of six NIR aza-BODIPY-based and structurally similar fluorophores to polarity and viscosity for incorporation inside Pluronic nanoparticles as switchable fluorescent probes (SFPs). Based on their results, all of these fluorophores were moderately to strongly sensitive to the polarity of the microenvironment. They concluded that attaching amine groups to the fluorophore is not necessary for having strong polarity sensitive probes.

Data management plan for the grant, "Developing a Biomanufacturing Platform for the Site-Selective Functionalization and Structural Diversification of Cytochalasan-Based Carbon Skeletons." This project will identify fungal enzymes that efficiently modify more than one substrate in a predictable way. Also, enzymes will be engineered to expand the range of substrates. A biomanufacturing platform to synthesize bioactive molecules at lower costs will be the end result. Fungi can synthesize small molecules with complex structures using a number of highly coordinated enzymes. These molecules are difficult to make synthetically, and they can aid in crop production or have beneficial human health effects. Cytochalasans are phytotoxic, cytotoxic and actin-binding natural products. Produced by fungi, over 400 variants have been described. The structural diversity is partly explained by the flexibility of the enzymes that introduce and modify functional groups. These enzymes structurally rearrange the core carbon skeleton in a site-selective manner, often on more than one substrate. Genome mining will be used to identify cytochalasan tailoring enzymes. Overproducing strains will be characterized chemically. Transcription factor over-expression will be investigated. Targeted gene knock-out will confirm the function and scope of the enzymes. The enzymes will be engineered to expand their substrate range. Synthetic biology and metabolic …

Data management plan for the grant "G-RISE at the University of North Texas." The University of North Texas (UNT) serves over 32,000 undergraduate and 7,000 graduate students of which 50% of the undergraduate population and 20% of the graduate population are underrepresented minority (URM). UNT is ranked by the Carnegie Classification as a Tier 1 institute, is a Hispanic Serving Institute, and is dedicated to providing quality mentoring to a diverse group of Ph.D. students. The UNT G-­RISE mission is to provide a biomedical Ph.D. training program that is inclusive, culturally responsive, increases diversity, enhances scientific skill sets, develops trainee career and professional skill sets, provides opportunities to participants, and increases faculty development as a mentor.

Article discussing key questions and opportunities in the field of Proanthocyanidins (PA) biosynthesis.

Authors of the article state that various growth systems are available for studying plant root growth and plant–microbe interactions including hydroponics and aeroponics. The aim of their study is to present step-by-step instructions for fabricating an aeroponic system, also called a “caisson,” that has been in use in several legume research labs studying the development of symbiotic nitrogen fixing nodules, but for which detailed directions are not currently available.

This article finds a nontrivial spin texture, spin antivortex, can appear at certain momenta on the Γ− K line in a 2D monolayer Pb on top of SiC.

Article simultaneously imprinting the p-synephrine 1 template and covalently immobilizing a a ferrocene redox probe in a (bis-bithiophene)-based polymer. The resulting molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was deposited on the Pt electrode as a thin film to form a redox self-reporting MIP film-based chemosensor.

This article analyzes the transcriptional control of PA and anthocyanin biosynthesis in soybean. Results show that engineered PA biosynthesis in soybean exhibits qualitative and spatial differences from the better-studied model systems Arabidopsis thaliana and Medicago truncatula, and suggest targets for engineering PAs in soybean plants.

Article describes the devastating effects of nuclear radiation and its long-lasting consequences on Earth’s ecosystems. The authors call upon all scientists to communicate the importance of the environmental impacts of such an event to all life forms on Earth, including humankind.

Article states that though adult psychopathic traits emerge from both genetic and environmental risk, no studies have examined etiologic associations between adult psychopathic traits and experiences of parenting in childhood, or the extent to which parenting practices may impact the heritability of adult psychopathic traits using a genetically-informed design. Utilizing a genetically-informed design, the authors found that both genetic and non-shared environmental factors contribute to the emergence of psychopathic traits.

Authors of the article describe a post-imprinting modification of the imprinted molecular cavities for electrochemical sensing of a target protein. These mesoporous cavities were modified with a ferrocene ‘electrochemical’ tracer for electrochemical transduction of the target protein recognition.

Article describes how two new tetradentate N4 ligands (LN4), LN4 = Me2,Me2PyzTACN (1-(2-(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)ethyl)-4,7-dimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) and Me2,MeImTACN (1-((1-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)methyl)-4,7-dimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) have been synthesized and their corresponding Fe(II) complexes [FeII(Me2,Me2PyzTACN)(CF3SO3)2], 1Pz, and [FeII(Me2,MeImTACN)(CF3SO3)2], 1Im, have been prepared and characterized. Based on these labelling studies, the steric influence exerted by each of the ligands towards the relative reactivity of the oxo ligands of the corresponding pair of Fe(V)(O)(OH) tautomers can be derived.

Article presents a COF (covalent organic framework)-based adsorption-photocatalysis strategy for selective removal of uranyl from seawater in the absence of sacrificial reagents. This work shows that multivariate COF adsorption-photocatalysts can be rationally engineered to work efficiently and stably without sacrificial electron donors, thus opening the pathway for the economic and efficient extraction of uranium from the earth’s oceans.

Article discusses how African American/Black communities comprise 12.2% of the U.S. population, with a COVID-19 infection rate of more than 18% and marginal access to healthcare services. This scoping review synthesizes the emerging evidence on healthcare accessibility among older African American adult communities with dementia and COVID-19, as well as the resource requirements for this population during the pandemic.

Article describes how environmental air pollution remains a major contributor to negative health outcomes and mortality, but the relationship between socially vulnerable populations and air pollution is not well understood. This paper seeks to understand how air pollution monitor placement strategies and policy may neglect social vulnerabilities and therefore potentially underestimate exposure burdens in vulnerable populations.