A matrix population model to aid agency response to grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) in the Great Lakes Basin - Lake Erie

Managers and researchers have identified a reproducing population of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) in the western basin of Lake Erie, generating concern over the potential threat to ecosystem function in the Great Lakes Basin. Capture histories indicate that grass carp may be present at low levels in other areas of Lake Erie, necessitating a large scale, multi-jurisdictional response. As a result, a group of experts and decision makers began a structured decision making exercise to collaboratively address the threat and identify potential response actions. To aid this process, we developed a spatially-explicit periodic matrix population model to project grass carp abundance, and probabilistically evaluate specific management actions. We evaluated four potential management response actions ranging from no action, diffuse removal efforts, and concentrated removal efforts with and without a barrier on the Sandusky River to reduce spawning success. Based on our current knowledge, concentrated removal including a barrier on the Sandusky River provides the most likely path to achieving and maintaining a management target of no more than 10 fish/ha. Our understanding of grass carp ecology in Lake Erie is growing. This model and parameter development methods were designed to flexibly accommodate new information as our understanding of grass carp ecology evolves, or management objectives change. Ultimately, this modeling framework and use of Bayesian methods could facilitate management response efforts for other invasive species occurring over large scales and multiple jurisdictions.     

Tributary use and large-scale movements of grass carp in Lake Erie

Infrequent captures of invasive, non-native grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) have occurred in Lake Erie over the last 30+ years, with recent evidence suggesting wild reproduction in the lake’s western basin (WB) is occurring. Information on grass carp movements in the Laurentian Great Lakes is lacking, but an improved understanding of large-scale movements and potential areas of aggregation will help inform control strategies and risk assessment if grass carp spread to other parts of Lake Erie and other Great Lakes. Twenty-three grass carp captured in Lake Erie’s WB were implanted with acoustic transmitters and released. Movements were monitored with acoustic receivers deployed throughout Lake Erie and elsewhere in the Great Lakes. Grass carp dispersed up to 236 km, with approximately 25% of fish dispersing greater than 100 km from their release location. Mean daily movements ranged from <0.01 to 2.49 km/day, with the highest daily averages occurring in the spring and summer. The Sandusky, Detroit, and Maumee Rivers, and Plum Creek were the most heavily used WB tributaries. Seventeen percent of grass carp moved into Lake Erie’s central or eastern basins, although all fish eventually returned to the WB. One fish emigrated from Lake Erie through the Huron-Erie Corridor and into Lake Huron. Based on our results, past assessments may have underestimated the potential for grass carp to spread in the Great Lakes. We recommend focusing grass carp control efforts on Sandusky River and Plum Creek given their high use by tagged fish, and secondarily on Maumee and Detroit Rivers.     

Metal Complexes as Antiviral Agents for SARS-CoV-2

The severe acute respiratory syndrome – coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the infectious agent responsible for COVID-19 – has caused more than 2.5 million deaths worldwide and triggered a global pandemic. Even with successful vaccines being delivered, there is an urgent need for novel treatments to combat SARS-CoV-2, and other emerging viral diseases. While several organic small molecule drug candidates are in development, some effort has also been devoted towards the application of metal complexes as potential antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2. Herein, the metal complexes that have been reported to show antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 or one of its target proteins are described and their proposed mechanisms of action are discussed.     

Sourcing the Arab Spring: A Case Study of Andy Carvin's Sources on Twitter During the Tunisian and Egyptian Revolutions

News sourcing practices are critical as they shape from whom journalists get their information and what information they obtain, mostly from elite sources. This study evaluates whether social media platforms expand the range of actors involved in the news through a quantitative content analysis of the sources cited by NPR's Andy Carvin on Twitter during the Arab Spring. Results show that, on balance, nonelite sources had a greater representation in the content than elite sources. Alternative actors accounted for nearly half of the messages. The study points to the innovative forms of production that can emerge with new communication technologies, with the journalist as a central node trusted to authenticate and interpret news flows on social awareness streams.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Hydrophobic TMES/TEOS Based Silica Aerogels

The experimental results on the effect of adding trimethylethoxysilane (TMES) as a co-precursor on the hydrophobicity and physical properties of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) based silica aerogels, are reported. The molar ratio of TEOS, ethanol (EtOH), water (0.001 M oxalic acid catalyst) was kept constant at 1:5:7 respectively, while the molar ratio of TMES/TEOS (A) was varied from 0 to 0.6. It has been observed that as the A value increases, the gelation time increases. The hydrophobicity was tested by measuring the contact angle, and the surface chemical modification was confirmed by the FTIR spectroscopy studies. The thermal stability of the hydrophobic aerogels was studied in the temperature range from 25 to 800°C. The hydrophobic nature of the aerogel could be maintained up to a temperature of 287°C and above this temperature the aerogels become hydrophilic. The bulk density and the optical transmittance of the aerogels have been found to decrease with increase in A value. The aerogels have been characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Optical transmittance, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Differential thermal analysis (DTA) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Contact angle measurements.     

β-Carotene transport in human lipoproteins. Comparisons with a-tocopherol

The purpose of this study was to investigate the temporal relationships of the transport of β-carotene in human lipoproteins. We administered 60 mg β-carotene with breakfast to nine fasting subjects, then blood samples were collected at intervals of up to 75 h, lipoproteins were isolated, and β-carotene was quantitated. β-Carotene concentrations in chylomicrons and very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) peaked at 6 and 9 h, respectively. Nonetheless, at all time points the majority of plasma β-carotene was contained in low density lipoproteins (LDL), while high density lipoproteins (HDL) carried a smaller portion (at 24 h, 73±8% in LDL as compared with 23±5% in HDL). In three subjects, transport of β-carotene was compred with the results of earlier studies on the transport of stereoisomers of α-tocopherol. Unlike plasmaRRR-α-tocopherol concentrations, which are maintained by the preferential incorporation ofRRR-α-tocopherol into VLDL by the liver, β-carotene increased and decreased in VLDL similarly toSRR-α-tocopherol, a stereoisomer whose concentrations are not maintained in plasma. In conclusion, β-carotene is primarily transported in the plasma in LDL, but its incorporation by the liver into lipoproteins does not appear to be enhanced.     

Performance analysis challenges and framework for high-performance reconfigurable computing

Reconfigurable computing (RC) applications employing both microprocessors and FPGAs have potential for large speedup when compared with traditional (software) parallel applications. However, this potential is marred by the additional complexity of these dual-paradigm systems, making it difficult to identify performance bottlenecks and achieve desired performance. Performance analysis concepts and tools are well researched and widely available for traditional parallel applications but are lacking in RC, despite being of great importance due to the applications’ increased complexity. In this paper, we explore challenges and present new techniques in automated instrumentation, runtime measurement, and visualization of RC application behavior. We also present ideas for integration with conventional performance analysis tools to create a unified tool for RC applications as well as our initial framework for FPGA instrumentation and measurement. Results from a case study are provided using a prototype of this new tool.     

Multi-input optical parallel logic processing with the shadow-casting technique

The lensless shadow-casting technique for coded pattern processing usually accommodates two inputs at a time to perform desired logical operations in parallel. A method of binary encoding is proposed that can accommodate multiple input patterns for simultaneous processing. With the proposed multiple-input encoding a carry-look-ahead technique of binary addition is developed that requires fewer processing steps than the conventional ripple-carry method. Experimental results for a few logic-processing operations are included to establish the validity of the proposed technique.