EMERGE patch, a novel electrogenic engineered material to enhance healing of severe corneal wounds

Severe corneal wounds with stromal damage, especially those inflicted in battlefield and terrorist attacks, remain a significant clinical challenge. Naturally occurring wound electric fields have been demonstrated to have powerful effects on the healing of corneal epithelial wounds. Here we developed a functional scaffolding material with electrogenic pharmaceutical agents to enhance the healing of stromal wounds, i.e. Engineered Materials that Create Environments for ReGeneration via Electric Field (EMERGE). We first used an excimer laser to produce rat cornea stromal wounds with precisely controlled size and depth and demonstrated that such wounds produced large endogenous wound electric currents. The application of electrogenic compounds significantly increased the wound electric currents and wound healing. We then optimized the EMERGE patches with controlled fibril density, orientation, topography, thickness, optical, and biomechanical properties. The EMERGE patch has the advantage of the way that it supports optimal growth and migration of corneal epithelial cells in vitro. A corneal pocket keratotomy was used to secure the EMERGE patch in deep stroma rabbit corneal wounds without sutures. Corneas were examined with OCT and histological studies for up to four weeks and in one animal up to one year. The EMERGE patch increased wound healing significantly over the non-implant and electrogenic treatment controls (P < 0.05). Optical clarity was significantly improved (P < 0.05), and corneal thickness, histology, and staining of corneal cells showed favorable effects when treated with the EMERGE patch. This novel material thus represents a functional scaffolding with electrogenic agents to enhance the healing of severe corneal wounds

Irrigation infrastructure and satellite-measured land cultivation impacts: Evidence from the Senegal river valley

Expanding irrigation in sub-Saharan Africa is widely viewed as a promising strategy for closing yield gaps and enhancing resilience to climate change. Drawing on more than 3,000 satellite images over a 30-year period, we examine the impact of irrigation infrastructure development in the Senegal River Valley. We find that cultivation rates increase substantially following irrigation project completion. Cultivation rates are remarkably stable at around 25 percentage points above pre-irrigation levels for the first 20 years, and trend even higher from years 20 to 25. Moreover, we show that crops cultivated on irrigated land are significantly less sensitive to both positive and negative temperature shocks, underscoring the role of irrigation in climate adaptation. Despite these aggregate gains, we document considerable heterogeneity in project outcomes, with intermittent land use remaining widespread. To shed light on these patterns, we complement the satellite analysis with farmer survey data, which point to persistent water access constraints as a key barrier to continuous cultivation—constraints that cannot be resolved solely through individual farmer action

Coupled THM modeling of bentonite heating and hydration in tank tests with a new temperature-dependent water retention model

This study presents a coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) model for simulating the heating and hydration behavior of bentonite, a buffer material in deep geological repositories (DGRs). The model incorporates a new temperature-dependent soil water retention curve which captures the thermal-induced shift in water retention behavior. It also distinguishes between liquid and gas permeability, modeling intrinsic gas permeability as a function of accessible porosity to improve vapor transport and desaturation predictions. The model was validated against two large-scale tank tests, demonstrating good agreement with measured temperature, relative humidity, and water inflow data. It revealed a complex porosity evolution driven by thermal expansion, vapor movement, vapor condensation, and hydration-induced swelling during heating and hydration processes. The simulation results also suggest that the permeability of the hydration layer plays a critical role in controlling water intake. Clogging of this layer can significantly reduce the volume of water inflow during the hydration phase. While the model effectively captures key THM behavior, further development of the mechanical constitutive law is required to account for possible thermo-elasto-plastic volume changes and microstructural effects. Overall, the model provides a robust tool for evaluating the evolution of bentonite-based barrier material in DGRs

Full spectrum modeling of in situ gamma-ray detector measurements with a focus on precipitation-induced transients

Gamma-ray detectors that are deployed outdoors experience increased event rates during precipitation due to the attendant increase in Rn-222 progeny at ground level. The increased radiation due to these decay products (Pb-214 and Bi-214) has been studied for many decades in applications such as atmospheric science and radiation protection. For those applications radon progeny signatures are the signal of interest, while in the fields of radiological and nuclear security and aerial radiological mapping they are a nuisance. When searching for radiological contamination or missing sources, an analyst must take precipitation into account to reduce false alarms, in addition to accounting for static background signatures. To train advanced search algorithms, an effort has been underway to generate synthetic gamma-ray event data that represent a realistic urban area, including occasional rain events to add to the realism. This manuscript describes an effort to analyze and model gamma-ray spectra measured during rainfall by a NaI(Tl) detector located outdoors in order to derive accurate source terms for Pb-214 and Bi-214 at a high frequency (less than 1 min). All known sources of background were quantitatively modeled across the full gamma-ray spectrum, so that the Pb-214 and Bi-214 activity concentrations on the ground could be inferred from a linear model fit to each spectrum. A physically motivated model was applied to the data to further smooth the fits, which had the benefit of yielding information about the concentrations of the progeny in rainwater and their apparent age, making this the first time full-spectrum modeling has been used for continuous measurements of radon progeny. Full-spectrum modeling's ability to leverage more statistics allows for measurements at a rate of more than once per minute, rather than the more typical 10- or 15 min measurement cycle, and therefore this approach could lead to studies of radon progeny on shorter timescales than previously possible

Boolean Schubert structure coefficients

The Schubert problem asks for combinatorial models to compute structure constants of the cohomology ring with respect to Schubert classes and has been an important open problem in algebraic geometry and combinatorics that guided fruitful research for decades. In this paper, we provide an explicit formula for the (equivariant) Schubert structure constants c u v w across all Lie types when the elements u , v , w are boolean. In particular, in type A, all Schubert structure constants on boolean elements are either 0 or 1

Impacts to birds from marine oil spills in California, 1995–2019

We compiled data on marine and coastal petroleum oil spills in California during 1995-2019 that affected ≥10 birds (n = 30). These spills resulted in the collection of 12,842 birds (5241 collected alive, 7601 collected dead). Frequency of spills decreased over the study period, and varied intra-annually, with more spills and more birds collected during fall and winter months. The greatest number of spills affecting birds were in southern California (19/30), although far more birds were collected from spills in northern California (11,570/12,842). Most spills in southern California were related to oil production or pipeline transport, whereas most spills in northern California (and most impacted wildlife) were related to non-tank vessel spills. The most abundant bird species affected were Common Murre (Uria aalge), Western or Clark's Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis/clarkii), and Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata). Species-specific injury rates were roughly in proportion to species' abundance in the spill area and the amount of time they spend on the surface of the water. Some species were collected more often live than dead and these species also tended to have higher release rates. This information on geographic, temporal, and species-specific risk to birds from oil spills can be used to inform effective prevention and response measures for oil spills in California and elsewhere

Inducible flippase-mediated metabolic engineering of Rhodosporidium toruloides for enhanced 3-hydroxypropionic acid production from corn stover hydrolysate

Rhodosporidium toruloides has gained increasing interests as a promising non-model host organism to produce a wide range of bioproducts from lignocellulosic biomass. Increasing the bioproduct titers, rates, and yields remains a challenge, largely due to a lack of robust and well-characterized genetic tools in this host. Here we developed an inducible flippase (FLP) and flippase recognition target (FRT) system that enables genetic manipulations without the need for additional selection markers. Synthetic inducible promoters were established, enabling regulation of FLP expression and efficient antibiotic marker removal. Leveraging this system, we engineered a strain to optimize 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3HP) production. Over four rounds of iterative genomic editing to resolve pathway bottlenecks, we achieved a 3HP titer of 69.4 g/L in fed-batch fermentation - the highest level reported in yeast from lignocellulosic hydrolysates. The engineered high 3HP producing strain offers a robust platform for sustainable bio-based chemical production from lignocellulosic feedstocks

Improving the Integration of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Goals in Total Maximum Daily Load Model Implementation for Water Quality Management

Water quality modeling is used globally to assess surface water impairment and manage watershed pollution in formal programs like the United States' (US) total maximum daily load and in less structured initiatives elsewhere. Despite these programs, progress toward realizing equitable water quality benefits to society is stymied through an inability to recognize, plan, and incorporate diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) principles in the modeling efforts. In this paper, we describe the major barriers and limitations to the inclusion of DEIJ principles in the design and implementation of pollution load reduction programs in the US. We offer a blueprint to embrace participatory modeling approaches to engage more openly, honestly, and fairly with relevant participants (stakeholders) to achieve just and equitable water quality outcomes and upgrade water quality management principles nationwide. We provide case studies where the DEIJ principles have been applied and synthesized, showing how participatory modeling can enhance water quality management in more inclusive ways, providing specific pathways to support such a transformation in diverse communities